It's many a year since Myles na Gopaleen, after careful study of his subject, denounced our public representatives as a magisterium of chancers. And, given the events of the week, it's probably just as well he isn't here to witness the state we're in now.
No doubt there are chancers of all sorts in all parties. But Seamus Brennan once implied that Fianna Fβilers of a certain persuasion had a special corner to themselves. And he found the slogan to suit them.
It was shortly after Charles Haughey's arrival as leader, and Brennan was asked for a formula to follow the successes of Up Dev, Let Lemass Lead On and Jack's Back. Somehow his slogan - Chance it with Charlie - never caught on.
But some old hands were reminded of it the other day when Liam Lawlor, who'd failed to comply with an order of the Flood tribunal, had his sentence of a week in jail confirmed - but managed to postpone the trouble of serving it until January while he enjoyed Christmas in New York.
The tribunal had ordered him to produce certain financial documents and the Supreme Court had upheld a High Court decision: the deputy's failure was serious and conscious. There wasn't the slightest doubt about the significance of the deficiencies in the information supplied. The sentence was justified.
But, although this was a member of the Oireachtas refusing to comply with an order from a tribunal established by the Oireachtas, his erstwhile leader Bertie Ahern and colleagues in Fianna Fβil, who have promised to clean up politics, sang dumb.
Nor did they have anything to say about the failure of Ned O'Keeffe to declare an interest when he, as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, replied to a motion calling for legislation to stop the feeding of meat-and-bone meal to pigs.
The Public Offices Commission found on Thursday that he and members of his family had interests in Ballylough Milling Ltd; the Dβil members' interests committee will decide whether and what sanctions are appropriate.
You may feel that because this happened at the height of the foot-and-mouth crisis and O'Keeffe was in the Department of Agriculture, he too has serious cause for concern. That may be - but bear in mind the few days' suspension suffered by Denis Foley of Kerry who'd hoped and prayed that he didn't have an offshore account only to discover that he did.
There is neither clarity nor certainty about the way in which those who bring parliamentary politics into disrepute are treated; nothing to compare with the offence in some parties of conduct unbecoming membership.
So Michael Lowry continues to represent North Tipperary and is generally expected to fare well in the coming election; and in Sligo-Leitrim the latest TG4/MRBI Poll suggests the controversial Fianna Fβil TD, John Ellis, will hold his seat. But Ray Burke, who left Cabinet, Dβil and party at once, is not expected to play any direct role in politics.
It may be thought, meanwhile, that the modern version of Myles na Gopaleen's magisterium of chancers is the epithet said to have been delivered by Tom Gilmartin, who has already given evidence in the Sherwin libel action and may soon be heard at the Flood tribunal. The Irish politicians who sought money from him, he said, made the Mafia look like a crowd of monks.
But there's little certainty - and there are many willing to chance their arms - in the wider areas of politics at present. Will we have two referendums before an election, one on Nice, the other on abortion? At the time of writing it's hard to be sure on either front. Asked about Nice on Tuesday, Bertie Ahern said that he couldn't say whether we'd have a second referendum (on Nice): "I will not say yes or no at this stage," he told Michael Noonan in the Dβil.
"On December 31st next, our colleagues will have made a decision on the report of Commissioner Verheugen regarding moving on the admission of 10 new member countries. That cannot be done if Nice is not ratified." Sure, everyone knows that. But what is the Taoiseach - what are we - going to do?"'
"Between now and then we will have to deal with this issue. We have to deal with it in such a way that we get the best possible construction and agreement for this country."
But, said Noonan, did this mean that there would be a second referendum? It did and it didn't: "I did not say whether there would be a referendum. I said that, between now and then we should get ourselves into the best position," Ahern said.
In another corner of this very dense forest Brian Cowen, welcoming a private member's motion on Nice put down by Fine Gael, said: "To put it bluntly, the Treaty is necessary for enlargement. If it does not enter into force the accession process will be thrown into chaos." And David O'Sullivan, who as secretary general, is the most highly placed Irishman in the European Commission, agreed with Cowen.
As for the abortion referendum: the Catholic bishops may have bent over backwards to encourage support for the Ahern line, but they don't appear to have won the political consensus sought by Mary Harney and the Progressive Democrats.
The bishop who spoke most clearly this week was Brendan Comiskey who recognised the tragedy of the Turkish refugees in their deadly container and reminded us of the coffin ships.
We do not now concentrate on how our own ancestors crossed the Atlantic. What we remember is why.
dwalsh@irish-times.ie