Dáil Sketch /Michael O'Regan:The Opposition sent out an advance party yesterday to fire a Scud missile at the Government, ahead of a full-scale attack when Bertie Ahern returns to the House next week.
Brian Cowen was manning the gap in Mr Ahern's absence, and he stood firm.
The issue was the reported knowledge by a senior civil servant in the Taoiseach's office about the ending of the Shannon-Heathrow service two weeks before Aer Lingus's announcement.
Enda Kenny raised the issue, demanding statements from Mr Cowen and the Taoiseach on the extent of their knowledge.
Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue shifted uneasily.
His persona of the Fianna Fáil bruiser has been discarded in recent times for the formal cloak of his office and a personality of modesty and restraint.
Ruling Mr Kenny out of order, he said: "I did not frame the standing orders, but I must implement them". He added that there were ways Mr Kenny could raise the issue, probably anticipating a row when Mr Ahern takes Opposition leaders' questions next week.
Eamon Gilmore accused the Government of "a political conspiracy to cover up what is known about Shannon".
Mr Cowen, sitting in the Taoiseach's seat, was his usual brooding presence. He seemed unimpressed by the Opposition's views and the Ceann Comhairle's sweetly reasonable personality.
"I will stay in order," he said, sullenly, "but I reject the assertion made by the leader of the Labour Party." As Mr Cowen looked on, Mr O'Donoghue was in an equally reasonable mood with an angry Dáil Sinn Féin leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin.
Mr Ó Caoláin claimed that the omission of Sinn Féin deputies from the Oireachtas committees was "a travesty of justice". And so he went on and on.
"I think the deputy has made his point," said the Ceann Comhairle.
Mr Ó Caoláin continued in full verbal flight. "You are entitled to make a brief intervention at this point," said Mr O'Donoghue, with considerable understatement. Later, the Ceann Comhairle added: "you cannot take up the whole day".
When Mr Cowen was finally called on, he remarked that there was "a fair bit of gamesmanship" going on until late the previous night on Sinn Féin's quest for committee places.
Later, Mr Ó Caoláin, renewing his efforts, told Mr O'Donoghue that he was not looking for "concessions or sweets from anybody's trolley". The Ceann Comhairle replied that he was not there to give out sweets, but to implement standing orders.
Mr O'Donoghue apologised to Labour's Jan O'Sullivan for the omission from his file of her request for an emergency debate on the Shannon issue.
"Like I said before, even Homer nods," he added.
Mr Gilmore asked: "does the Ceann Comhairle mean Homer Simpson?" Ms O'Sullivan remarked that she would thank the Ceann Comhairle in Greek if she were able.