Lots of temporary signposts have sprouted up around the corridors of Leinster House.
Where to get the dinner. Where to find the members’ bar. Where to get your biros. Where to find out all you need to know about sorting out the expenses and that sort of stuff.
Barely 24 hours since the last votes were counted on Monday and Dáil Éireann’s high babies were already arriving in Kildare Street to check out their new place of work.
It’s all very exciting. We haven’t seen so much energy since it was unceremoniously sucked out of the election campaign in a supermarket in Cork.
There is a sense of new beginnings in the air.
“All the little chicks have hatched!” trilled Senator Ronán Mullen as he bustled towards the back door on Tuesday evening in advance of the annual Oireachtas tree-lighting ceremony.
[ Dublin Christmas lights switch on as traders nervously optimistic about businessOpens in new window ]
Some of them even managed to find their way outside to Leinster Lawn for occasion, but they hung back a little from the main area beside the tree, which is where the Ceann Comhairle and the Taoiseach and all the other party leaders usually congregate along with TDs and Senators irresistibly drawn to the television lights.
This year’s ceremony was hotly anticipated as it offered a rare chance to observe the government-formation process in its embryonic stages at close quarters.
Would outgoing Taoiseach Simon Harris and outgoing Tánaiste Micheál Martin meet each other as equals in a touching display of yuletide unity and generosity?
Simon has already told Santa that all he wants for Christmas is parity of esteem from Micheál, a new battery charger and no surprises.
As leader of the Fianna Fáil parity that won 10 more seats in the election than Simon’s Fine Gael parity, Micheál hasn’t written his list yet but he wants no surprises either.
What would the body language be like between the two?
Unfortunately, Micheál couldn’t make it to the teatime turn-on because he was otherwise engaged at a meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in Farmleigh..
But some of his top advisers ventured out into the cold evening to enjoy the carols and watch the lights coming on and see Simon Harris gift-wrapped in his overcoat under their Christmas parity tree. Full of smiles, they were.
The Taoiseach ended up sitting on his own on the lawn with the outgoing Ceann Comhairle, Seán Ó Fearghaíl. But at least they had seats.
[ Unlikely a new government will be in place before Christmas, says Micheál MartinOpens in new window ]
The Ceann (or the Crann Comhairle as we are contractually obliged to refer to him in stories on lighting up the tree) had warm festive wishes for everybody who toils in Leinster House. He also had a big welcome for the newly elected TDs and a special mention for those fallen comrades who were not lucky enough to have his job which guarantees a free pass back to the Dáil without any of that election bother.
Along with the Tánaiste, the rest of the party leaders managed not only to ape the electorate by producing an unprecedented low turnout, they also went one better by delivering an unparalleled no turnout.
No point getting caught playing footsie with potential government bedmates when they haven’t had a chance to enigmatically play hard to get yet. Best not to risk a stray look at a left-wing alliance prospect misinterpreted as brazen political flirting.
The only sitting TDs we spotted were Fine Gael’s Frankie Feighan, who loves a bit of Christmas spectacle and Rural Independent Mattie McGrath, who never misses an occasion that might give him the opportunity to dance.
Those other Independent TDs who have been mentioned as eligible suitors for a Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael stayed away out of an abundance of caution.
But Mattie had no such qualms.
He sidled up to one of the Taoiseach’s senior advisers.
“Tell the boss I’m ready, willing and able.”
The successfully returned deputy for Tipperary South said he was confident that the Rural Independents would have full speaking rights in the 34th Dáil and that some of the new deputies had inquired about joining the group.
“I have up to three applications on the desk up there now.” Can he reveal the identities of these eager new TDs? “I couldn’t do that because of the GDPR.”
There was a very strong Garda presence on Leinster Lawn and in Leinster House before, during and after the ceremony. In fact, the place was teeming with guards.
Did they not get the memo from Dublin Central on Sunday evening? Losing candidate and veteran gangster Gerry The Monk Hutch would not be joining the newbies finding their way around the parliament building on lighting-up night.
Actually, they did. The custodians of the peace on duty for the evening were also custodians of the peace and goodwill to all vibe about the place. The Garda Band played some wonderful festive music while the Kildare Community School Choir, St. Brigid’s Community Choir from Kildare town and the Wicklow Male Voice Choir were in fine voice.
The Taoiseach arrived in his usual fashion, slightly late and at breakneck speed. The choirs were in the middle of a very spirited version of Joy to the World when he shot across the grass.
“Joy! Joy! Joy!” they sang, substantially overegging Simon’s parity of esteemed pudding.
The Crann Comhairle talked of peace and love and hope and goodwill. But never mind the impending formation negotiations, he also talked about the Christmas season.
“It is a time when we remember loved ones no longer with us, but who are never forgotten, and in that sense, still here” he said, not referring to recent election fallers.
“History has taught us that communication and dialogue are crucial, and when parties come together to talk, they can find common ground and solutions. So let us take a moment to think about those who are less fortunate… and those striving for peace and stability in all corners of this world of ours. Our thoughts and our prayers here this evening are with them.”
[ Will we have a new government by Christmas?Opens in new window ]
Yes, we must remember the formation negotiators.
“You will be pleased to know I’m all speechified out, so I’ll be very brief,” said the Taoiseach, happily telling people that they needed not dread the knock on the door any more because carol singers, instead of canvassers, would be outside now.
He too remembered colleagues who would not be returning to the Dáil in the new year.
“Who knows, maybe a bit of peace and harmony might break out in this place for Christmas as well,” he joked.
And then the Crann Comhairle and the Taoiseach jointly pressed the buttons and the lights and star on top of the tree lit up the night sky in front of Leinster House. New tree powered by an old energy and a freshly dawning new Dáil on the horizon.
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