The overwhelming sound of male voices was inescapable during the noisy panic over abortion in Leinster House this week.
While Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald and the ULA’s Clare Daly provided a strong presence during Leaders’ Questions, it was impossible not to notice the paucity of public comment from the female ranks of Fine Gael.
That, of course, doesn’t include Minister of State for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton, who has been very upfront and vocal about her difficulties with the proposed legislation. So too, Senator Fidelma Healy-Eames, loudly voicing her opposition to the nearest microphone.
And yet, we sensed very much this week that the debate raging all around them was a cause of frustration and dismay to quite a number of the female deputies.
But most kept their counsel. And they aren’t the types to shy away from a giving an opinion.
Some of them spoke at the meeting, but when it came to tears later in the night, it was men who cried.
Olivia Mitchell of Dublin South was the fifth speaker and the first woman to contribute. She spoke in support of the legislation and got a round of applause.
About 15 men spoke after her – many at some length – before Minister for Justice Alan Shatter got to his feet. He told his colleagues it was “very worrying” that, so long into the meeting, not one woman had spoken.
He was loudly contradicted. What about Olivia? Was he trying to elbow his constituency colleague off the pitch?
Mr Shatter apologised profusely. He didn’t know how he could have forgotten Olivia. But perhaps his slip was understandable.
Why? “Because clearly” he dripped, with a courtly wave in Mitchell’s direction, “she is a woman with balls”.
He brought the house down, and in the process, managed to temporarily lighten the atmosphere and ease the tension in the room.
“She’s the only one with them in South Dublin so,” sniggered the messers in the back row. Fine Gael has three TDs in that soon-to-be carved- up constituency: Olivia, Alan and Peter Mathews.
Flanagan handles difficult parliamentary party meeting with aplomb
There was praise all round for Fine Gael party chairman Charlie Flanagan for his skilful handling of Wednesday's difficult parliamentary party meeting.
Opening proceedings, he pointed to Brian Walsh because he seemed to be holding up his hand. The Galway West TD’s contribution was awaited with interest because he was the only deputy to say publicly that he wouldn’t support the legislation if suicide was included. But his stance was said to be softening and colleagues knew he had met the Taoiseach before the meeting. The meeting heard that he was still unhappy but reconsidering the proposals.
That eased matters for the Taoiseach and his Minister for Health. Both Enda and James Reilly addressed the meeting. They were well received, although James got into a spat with Lucinda Creighton.
Leo Varadkar kept his comments brief, and won praise afterwards for his calm and reasoned intervention.
Simon Coveney looked like he meant business. He removed his jacket and placed it on the floor before rolling up his sleeves and facing the gallery. He spoke at length about the draft legislation. After about 15 minutes, Flanagan called him to order. He resumed his seat, looking very miffed.
And despite the amount of noise generated by the party’s opponents of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill, the proposed legislation was given broad support.There is a hope now that matters will settle down. That’s unlikely.
A small group of TDs and Senators remain angry at what they say is the party's reversal of an election promise. One TD said: "The Taoiseach's office will have to make extra provision for traffic lights on the Road to Damascus with all the Fine Gael people doing U-turns this week."
Big day for Oireachtas footie fans
While the golfers have been forced to slash their subs by a fiver, the football aficionados have fixed a very modest €10 subscription for TDs and Senators who want to join the official Oireachtas branch of the Republic of Ireland Soccer Supporters Club.
Senator Jimmy Harterecently established the club and has already signed up 35 members.
On Wednesday, the FAI’s chief executive, John Delaney, paid a trip to Leinster House to present the official club plaque. It now hangs in the Members’ Bar – we’re not sure if it’s been used to cover the gap left by the removal of the photo of Michael “Fingers” Fingleton with the Oireachtas Golf Society.
Harte tells us that the €10 is to cover the cost of “incidentals”, ie the sangwitches.
The FAI boss promised to bring Giovanni Trapattoni to visit Leinster House in June.
Delaney posed for a photo, but unlike the shots of him posing with leggy ballroom dancers the day before, these ones didn’t make the front pages.
"I think he was tired out before he got to us – sore feet," remarked Harte.
Golfers show some sharp stroke play
A nice little nugget surfaces in the minutes of the Oireachtas Golf Society's agm.
It’s the usual mundane stuff: well attended, outgoing captain thanking everyone, tremendous year gone by and looking forward to some great outings in the months to come.
Officers counted in and officers counted out. Congrats to the first “lady member” of the society in its 47 year history – Senator Lorraine Higgins. Incoming president, Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan thanking his predecessor – former FF minister and MEP Mark Killilea – “for his immeasurable contribution to the society and his outstanding presidency over last three years”.
And there’s Offaly TD Barry Cowen, continuing the Cowen golfing tradition in the Oireachtas and new vice-captain.
Here’s the interesting bit: “The agm agreed that the annual subscription was to be reduced to €20, which may be sent to Donie Cassidy, Hon Sec, Oireachtas Golfing Society” at his address in Castlepollard.
Clearly, our parliamentarians are feeling the pinch. Apparently, the annual sub used to be a massive €25. Far too much, when TDs and Senators and retired parliamentarians on substantial pensions have to find the money to pay Big Phil Hogan’s property tax and septic tank charges and everything else.
Happily for the cash-strapped politicians, it seems the appeals regime operated by president Phil’s golfing pals is far more lenient that any operated by his ministerial department.
But with trips planned to Captain Higgins’s Athenry course this month and plans afoot for the president’s prize at Mount Juliet in August, the politicians need every ha’penny they can scrape together.
According to one member, the decision to reduce the sub was in response to green fees falling all around the country.
“We’re one of the cheapest places in the world now for quality golf.”