The serpentine description of the Labour Party policy director, Mr Fergus Finlay, at the Albert Reynolds libel hearing generated a saintly line of inquiry in the House.
In view of the statement by Mr Reynolds's counsel, Lord Williams, would it not be appropriate now to have the second coming of St Patrick, wondered Mr Michael Finneran (FF).
There was laughter when Ms Mary Kelly (Lab) declared that the saint would be "welcome at any time, because there's more than one snake in the grass."
The House leader, Mr Maurice Manning, remarked that Mr Finneran's contribution had too much tail spin for that hour of the morning. "I don't intend to comment on it."