Miriam Lord: Tired Taoiseach gets Springsteen in his step

He may have a short back and sides, but Enda Kenny let down more hair than Rapunzel over the weekend.

He was still on a high when he returned to the Dáil yesterday.

Being Taoiseach the second time around is the best of fun. Friday night, he was in Croke Park, dancing and singing along with the rest of the aul fellas at Bruce Springsteen.

Then it was off to a rugby match the following night in Edinburgh, where Connacht scored a memorable victory over those Leinster namby-pambys. There was some singing done there, lads.

And, to cap it all, a trip down to England on Sunday to watch Mayo beat London in the GAA. The crack was only 90. With more songs and a few more pints. Even for a man with Kenny's legendary stamina, it must have been an exhausting few days.

He looked like he needed a good rest by the time he turned up for questions in the Dáil. It wasn't fair, having to be in the boring old Dáil on a really sunny day when he could have been out on the plinth strumming his air guitar with Finian McGrath. Instead, the Taoiseach had to listen to stuff about a scandal involving Nama's Northern loan book, worrying delays in sanctioning vital supplies of medicine, and Donald Trump.

This would go some way towards explaining why Enda didn’t appear particularly engaged during Leaders’ Questions, favouring perfunctory replies over proper engagement.

Brendan Howlin got the worst of it. The Labour leader, on a day that is party was due to move a motion aimed at increasing workers' rights, and a year on from the sudden closure of Clerys, asked if the Government was going to introduce legislation on zero-hour contracts and protect workers "in so-called informal insolvencies and collective redundancies".

Enda rose to reply and sat down almost immediately. "Responsible is Minister Pat Breen and Minister Mary Mitchell O'Connor," is all he said. Howlin was taken aback. "Well I, I, well, I . . ."

Did the Taoiseach have nothing more to say? He could address recommendations contained in a report from the University of Limerick on the issue of workers' rights. It was commissioned by a Labour junior minister in his last government.

But there was no need for an answer, explained Enda. Sure won’t it all be discussed later when Labour’s Private Members’ motion is up for debate?

And he hastily added: “Obviously the Government have a counter-motion.”

Brendan wanted a bit more than that. "But, but, this is Leaders' Questions," he pointed out. "Yes, and the Government have a counter-amendment," responded the Taoiseach, unhelpfully. While poor Brendan looked puzzled, the Fianna Fáil TDs wanted to know more about this counter-amendment. "Give us a flavour," giggled Dara Calleary. "G'wan, give us a hint," smirked Willie O'Dea.

Enda said the recommendations in the study carried out by UL would have to be implemented. But his Government wouldn’t take their cue from Labour.

Apart from that, he hadn't much to say. "This is Leaders' Questions," repeated Howlin. Enda was smiling to himself, probably dreaming of Springsteen presenting the Mayo captain (E Kenny) with the Sam Maguire.

“But you’re obliged to answer the question,” persisted Brendan, forgetting that isn’t not so long since his lot were doing the same thing in government.

At least Sinn Féin’s Peadar Tóibín was pleased to see him annoyed over Government stonewalling.

“A convert, Ceann Comhairle. A convert!” he cried. “Can I ask again. Can I ask again, Taoiseach. Is it the Government’s intention to legislate?”

Calleary cut him off. “We spent five years learning,” he told the former minister for public expenditure. Then Kerry’s Michael Healy-Rae tried to help Howlin, and him only new in the job.

"Ask Wonder Woman. She'll tell you about it." Thomas Byrne looked across at Joan Burton, former tánaiste and Brendan's predecessor. "Is that the way the Taoiseach spoke to you at Cabinet?"

It was getting very giddy.

Later on, during the order of business, Howlin decided to introduce a lighter note, in the light of new “Super Junior” Minister Finian McGrath’s comments on radio that he was finding life at Cabinet very difficult. The Labour leader said he was sure the Taoiseach shared his deep concern. “And can I ask whether there is anything we can do at this time of trauma for him to ease the burdens that are obviously placed upon him?”

Fianna Fáil's Robert Troy had a suggestion for Enda: "Replace him with Alan Kelly. "

The Taoiseach felt it was difficult for the Independent recruits. He has a simple solution, probably because he was still chilled out following his big weekend out.

“I love them all to bits,” he said. “It’s a new circumstance, it’s never easy, as you know from experience, but, believe me, we will give every opportunity for those who serve in Government to serve well and to do their duty with responsibility.”

Brendan thought it might be a good idea to provide some counselling. Enda was going to do his best. “Deputy McGrath and anybody else can rest assured that we’ll politically love them to bits.”