Dail Sketch/Michael O'Regan: The Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, Tom Parlon, decentralised himself from the junior ministerial benches yesterday, as he came under pressure on the issue of some energetic canvassing in his Laois-Offaly constituency last week.
Mr Parlon had claimed credit, by way of an extensive leaflet drop, for the proposed exodus of civil servants to the constituency under the Government's decentralisation plans announced in Charlie McCreevy's Budget speech.
Instead of sitting near his junior ministerial colleagues, behind the Taoiseach, he sought a temporary relocation on the Progressive Democrat backbenches to the far right, where he was joined by party colleague, Liz O'Donnell.
Mr Parlon smiled, as the Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny, claimed that the Minister of State had breached the ministerial code of conduct, given that at all times Ministers were supposed to make decisions in the national interest.
The Taoiseach was less than impressed. After suggesting that as Taoiseach, he should be getting the credit for decentralisation, he said that members of the Opposition were claiming they had influenced the towns chosen.
As a man who keeps a close eye on his Dublin Central constituency, Mr Ahern addressed the Fine Gael leader in apparent bewilderment.
"Deputy Kenny, you and I are around a long time. The code of ethics here is that people get in here and stay in here. They claim everything."
He added: "Mr Parlon is entitled to work for his constituency, too. Sure what else would he be doing but working for his constituency ?"
The Labour party leader, Pat Rabbitte, quoted Mr McCreevy's remarks in November 2002 about the need for consultation on any decentralisation proposals.
Then, he added, there were the reservations of the Tánaiste, Mary Harney, about Fianna Fáil ministers transferring sections of their departments to their constituencies, not to mention Ms O'Donnell's reference to the "worst kind of bogman politics".
Meanwhile, he said, Mr Parlon, a former president of the Irish Farmers Association, was giving the impression that he would drive the tractor up to Dublin and help the civil servants with the removals himself.
Why did the PDs not decentralise to FF headquarters in Mount Street? "Ours is not a redundant party, unlike the Labour Party," said Mr Parlon, who is expected to return to the junior ministerial benches in the Dáil chamber today.
Further acts of decentralisation by Mr Parlon to the PD backbenches have not been ruled out, but he clearly has no plans for a permanent move.