THIS week was overshadowed by the BSE crisis. Even the menus seemed to be bereft of beef in what is normally a pretty beefy place.
The week started with a debate on the crisis, with Ivan Yates putting in a fairly muted performance. In contrast, Brian Cowen showed some of his old spark in a speech which purported to give full support to the Government in its efforts, but which asked some "hard questions". He suggested the Government was paralysed, in that nothing of any significance came out of the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning.
This type of paralysis seems to have dogged the Government any time a crisis occurs. On the beef issue, Drapier wondered if its inertia had anything to do with the fact that within the Government's ranks are some fairly strong opponents of the beef sector, in particular, and the agriculture industry, in general - namely, Democratic Left.
The party's two backbenchers, Kathleen Lynch and Eric Byrne, were nowhere to be seen during the debate, but have been very much to the fore in direct criticism of this now beleaguered industry.
Pat Rabbitte came out on Morning Ireland on Wednesday as a defender of the good name of the Irish beef industry. The irony of this, given his role in the Dail and in the beef tribunal previously on this, was not lost on Brian Cowen, on the Order of Business, and he got extremely agitated in exchanges with Pat.
An interesting point was made by Cowen: that the Minister for Health, Michael Noonan, hasn't made an appearance on this issue; which is strange when one considers that there are quite a lot of people in this country who like their beef and who must be worried. Drapier feels the focus shouldn't be only on the industry and our export markets, but we should also look closer to home.
Bertie Ahern - not normally renowned for his speeches on agriculture - also contributed and made the point that before he came in to speak he saw ministers "running off" to Dublin West to canvass in the by election; making the point that they should be more attentive in organising a coordinated approach on the BSE crisis. Bertie being Bertie (who must always see a Northern Irish angle) referred to the fact that the Northern Ireland beef sector was decrying its linkage with the UK.
IT was the source of much mirth in the bar and corridors that Northern Irish beef farmers must now be wishing that their beef was regarded as "Irish" rather than "British". Bertie made the point that if the Anglo Irish Framework Document had been implemented more thoroughly, a joint approach on agricultural matters between North and South could have been implemented, thereby saving the Northern farmers from these difficulties.
Drapier warns the Government that sitting back and allowing the diplomats to do the legwork is not the answer. Diplomats are by their profession and training of a certain breed, and what is needed is hard nosed eyeball to eyeball contact. So Drapier recommends that Yates and company get their bags packed immediately.
Eithne Fitzgerald's difficulties seem to have abated. During her tribulations, and those of Michael Noonan (£100 lunch), Bernard Allen (family to Atlanta), Proinsias De Rossa (five extra advisers advertised), Jimmy Deenihan (his constituency representative having social welfare problems), it has occurred to Drapier that the moral of the story is to brazen out the flak with a hard brass neck!
IT remains to be seen what will happen in the latest row concerning Michael D.Higgins and Niall Stokes. Drapier wonders how Fine Gael will react.
In the honeymoon period of this Government, in its first flush of openness, transparency and accountability, Phil Hogan and Hugh Coveney were unlucky enough to have transgressed then, rather than later on. The self righteous Labour and Democratic Left didn't even have to say a word their body language said it all they had to go.
The same could not be said in recent times, and while the Fine Gael backbenchers put up a feeble attempt to have a go at Eithne, it turned out to be too little too late and wasn't taken seriously, least of all by Labour.
On Tuesday, Drapier received a 350 page, White Paper on Foreign Policy. Apparently, the Tanaiste and the Government expected members of the House to have all of this digested between Tuesday's date of publication and Thursday when the paper was discussed in the Dail.
The opposition are making great play of the fact that the last minute approach of the Government is indicative of the three Government parties' differences on this issue. From what Drapier can make out from the document so far, it represents a classic compromise between three parties with totally different views.
Speaking of which, Martin McGuinness at the Sinn Fein Ardfheis made a very relevant point when he contrasted the different signals being sent out from Dick Spring and Proinsias De Rossa on the same day concerning an Elective Body in the North. Apparently, some time back, while the Tanaiste was emphasising the Government's opposition to an Elective Body in the North, Mr De Rossa was, at the same time, supporting such a concept.
Reference to the Sinn Fein Ardfheis raises the question in Drapier's mind as to why one of his favourite weekly television programmes, A Week in Politics was suspended for last week. Drapier would have thought that while the Dail may not have been sitting in full session, a number of committees were continuing with business and indeed the Seanad was in operation, quite apart from the fact that the Sinn Fein Ardfheis ended the week.
Joe Duffy and Gay Byrne, while they were the butt of much criticism among politicians this week for highlighting the threatened eviction of a local authority tenant, may have done us politicians a favour.
Drapier has decided that, from now on, when one of his own constituents is threatened with eviction, he will merely hand the person Gay Byrne's phone number. Perhaps Gay and Joe would let us know if this would be possible.
Drapier would be very interested in their answer, because it would show or not they were really concerned about errant tenants' difficulties or whether they were just interested in sensationalism. Drapier has a good few constituents who could do with the same assistance as the lady tenant on The Gay Byrne Show and no doubt so has every politician in the country.
Mentioning Morning Ireland, Drapier wonders if the move to extend it by an extra half hour has really worked. Some of the items discussed over the last while have been questionable from a newsworthiness point of view.
The Minister of State Brian O'Shea was wheeled out as an aviation expert, but the most peculiar interview was with Eric Byrne on an issue which was headlined as being about sex discrimination, but after a long and winding discussion between Byrne and the interviewer Drapier is still not sure what they were talking about. No doubt the listenership figures for the early half hour will not match the post 8 a.m. figures.
By election fever has preoccupied us most of the time this week. Deputies have been coming and going from Dublin West and Donegal North East. The Dublin West by election is turning out to be an intriguing battle, in that it is a two horse race: Fianna Fail against the rest.
For the last few days it will be all shoulders to the wheel. Drapier thanks his lucky stars that it is turning out to be a short, sharp campaign. Once the elections are over we can take a well earned break.