DÁIL SKETCH:THE ELEPHANT in the Cabinet sittingroom stirred again yesterday, writes Michael O'Regan.
Prodded by Enda Kenny, its presence caused visible unease on the Government benches.
Kenny referred to the Dell job losses, adding that there were now nearly 200,000 people on the live register.
He spoke of high inflation, a collapse in the housing market and a virtual collapse in the second-hand car market.
"The Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, will be acutely aware of the implications of this," said Kenny.
He moved on to pay talks, recalling the Tánaiste's reference last week to high salary increases in the private sector.
And then he went for the jugular.
Would the Tánaiste show an act of leadership by rejecting, instead of deferring, the ministerial pay increases given that workers all over the country were being asked to tighten their belts?
Cowen and his Ministers looked uncomfortable. John Gormley, sitting next to Cowen, stared downwards with the expression of somebody who wanted to disappear under the floorboards.
There was no heckling of the Opposition from the backbenchers.
Kenny urged Cowen to emulate his role models, Seán Lemass and Patrick Hillery, in showing leadership.
Ministers, already wondering about their career prospects next week when Cowen names his Cabinet, remained grim-faced.
Cowen said that last week's remarks referred to those earning millions of euro in the private sector. He had been a party to the decision to defer the ministerial pay increases.
"The decision does not apply to other persons who will receive pay awards under that pay body's recommendations," he added.
"We deferred the increase for a year, and it will be paid over three further years."
The elephant, for now, retired to a corner of the Cabinet sittingroom.
But there was more grief.
Eamon Gilmore referred to the RTÉ Prime Time programme about the homeless, pointing out that seven homeless people had died in Dublin over Easter.
Facilities which had been provided with public money were either not open or were operating under capacity, he added.
He advised Ministers to leave their State cars and look at the homeless sleeping rough on the streets near Leinster House.
Cowen argued that significant progress had been made in dealing with the problem.
Later, Fine Gael's Jimmy Deenihan recommended that Mary Hanafin hold her job in the Department of Education in Cowen's anticipated Cabinet carve-up. Deenihan said he was hoping this "for a number of reasons", but did not elaborate.
Deenihan went on to praise former Fine Gael education minister Gemma Hussey, leaving her Fianna Fáil successor, Mary O'Rourke, looking peeved.
"I also acknowledge the efforts of another former minister, Deputy Mary O'Rourke, who is present," said the politically chivalrous Deenihan.
"I was making faces at the deputy," said O'Rourke.
It made a change from the grim ministerial expressions.