Dail Sketch/Frank McNally: Taoiseach's Question Time was dominated by updates on the Newfoundland and Labrador Business Partnership (for mutually advantageous co-operation) and on the OECD report on regulatory reform. But incredible as it might seem, there were dull moments too.
And during one of the latter, Pat Rabbitte declared: "On days like this, I'm glad I don't have to write a colour piece for tomorrow's newspapers."
Much as his sympathy was appreciated, Dáil sketch writers also had mixed feelings. On the one hand, it was to Mr Rabbitte's credit that he was remembering the plight of the disadvantaged at such a time.
On the other, when even the leader of the Irish Labour Party is glad he doesn't have your job, you know you're in trouble.
The light relief was a discussion about recycling in the Department of the Taoiseach, which - we learned - produces half a tonne of paper waste per person. By way of apology, Mr Ahern expressed frustration at the excessive packaging you have to "dig through" on many products. "I wonder why it's necessary," he lamented, "particularly when the contents are wooden, or something else unlikely to break."
We knew exactly what he meant when, minutes later, he addressed the always-riveting subject of regulatory reform.
His scripted reply was so heavily wrapped in terms such as "regulatory impact analysis" (RIA), "improvements to our approach in sectoral regulation", and "greater clarity and accessibility of regulation especially by means of statute law", that it was impossible to say if there was a solid object in the middle. If there was, it was something more dense than wood.
It seems that RIA is "currently being piloted" by a departmental steering group, which is not to be confused with "the sub-group of the better regulation group" formed in 2004 (possibly to promote clarity). In fact, RIA is a key element of whatever it is the Taoiseach was talking about. But the feeling among Dáil colour writers is that we need immediate RIA decommissioning, with photographs, if we're going to move the situation forward.
One final and alarming note about regulatory reform is that, according to the Taoiseach's script, "there are literally mountains of analysis and material" on the subject. Not only that, but the model piloted in five Government departments will soon be "rolled out" elsewhere. Mr Ahern stopped short of saying that the model will be "literally" rolled out.
But it goes without saying that if it is, bearing in mind those mountains, the consequences could be serious.
The more tangible problem of trolley-dependence in A&E departments continues to bedevil the Government, with more than 200 patients being rolled out (usually into corridors), according to the latest figures. The subject again dominated Leaders' Questions, with only Enda Kenny breaking the consensus, by raising the treatment of the so-called Castlerea Four.
The Taoiseach insisted the group's prison conditions were not luxurious.
But it is surely only a matter of time before someone (possibly Willie O'Dea) calls for the transfer of hospital patients to Castlerea. Under this plan, the McCabe killers would then complete their sentences in the Mater A&E.