O'Donoghue brushes aside any discussion of hairdos

DÁIL SKETCH:Lenihan has a good-hair day as he and the Ceann Comhairle rebuff attempts to raise the issues of Harney's wash and blow-dry

IT'S OFTEN a matter of confusion and bitter rows as to what actually constitutes Dáil business. But yesterday Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue made it clear what was definitely not on the agenda.

"I have no intention of spending the Order of Business discussing hairdos, pedicures or manicures," he said emphatically, as he closed off all potential sallies, rallies and rows about expenses and hair-dressing appointments.

Of course, it did not stop wags in and outside the Dáil from making their own witticisms about "hair today, gone tomorrow", "is she worth it?", "bad hair day" and other sad cliches. But several attempts to raise the hare about Fás and about Minister for Health Mary Harney's wash and blow-dry being paid for by the State training agency were firmly rebuffed by both the Ceann Comhairle and Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan.

Harney sat impassively throughout beside Mr Lenihan who, by Dáil standards, had a reasonably good hair day.

Fine Gael deputy leader Richard Bruton made the first foray with an effort to get the Minister for Finance to be definitive about having full confidence in the Fás board, an issue the Taoiseach sidestepped only the day before.

Yesterday Mr Lenihan was more adroit.

"It is not normal for the Government to reaffirm its confidence in the very many boards that exist under its aegis," he said smoothly, passing the buck to the "line Minister" who "in the first instance" is responsible for communicating the concerns of the Government to any relevant board.

Labour's Joan Burton wanted a special notice debate about the rules for paying expenses.

"We do not have an issue with personal grooming, but we do have an issue with value for taxpayers' money."

Female politicians had to try to look their best "just as much as men, when they are working on behalf of the State". But there was a "very important principle" - at the time of the infamous blow-dry, Harney "was earning a gross salary of €200,000".

As she pushed the issue the Ceann Comhairle remarked "there can be no blank cheques".

"Quite a few have been given already," said Fine Gael's Michael Creed.

Sinn Féin's Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin made an equally pointed reference. He said the core issue "is not the price of a hairdo, especially when put in the context of the thousands spent on fillers and paint for the former taoiseach". The core issue was restoring confidence in Fás.

In another dose of smoothness Lenihan calmly pointed out that the reason the Government had not allowed time for a Fás debate was precisely because "we respect the procedures of this House and of the Committee of Public Accounts", the "chosen instrument for the investigation of these matters".

"We have no certainty that's the case," said the Sinn Féin TD.

There might be different views, but the committee was "the chosen instrument".

And despite more Opposition attempts, the fight was lost and the intricacies and absurdities of Fás expenses were left to that "chosen instrument".