DÁIL SKETCH:THE PRESIDENTIAL election campaign took off in earnest in the Dáil yesterday. It was unwittingly primed by Fianna Fáil deputy leader Éamon Ó Cuív, whose party is not running a candidate.

Perhaps that was what prompted him to shift the focus to the international and ask Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin about the UN debate on Palestine.

It was disappointing, said Ó Cuív, that Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore was appearing to support President Barack Obama’s stance on re-engagement between Palestine and Israel. Gilmore had changed his thinking on the issue, he said.

“A bit like yourself and Micheál,” retorted Fine Gael’s Jerry Buttimer, reminding Ó Cuív of his reported differences with Micheál Martin on the party’s presidential strategy.

Ó Cuív evoked the name of Labour’s candidate Michael D Higgins, to back up his argument.

“I do not doubt that Mr Higgins would be able to advise his party colleague on the need to take a strong and independent stance on the issue,” said Ó Cuív.

This was Howlin’s cue to embark on a party political broadcast on Higgins’s behalf.

“Mr Higgins has a long-standing tradition in the areas of human rights and international policy,” he said.

Sinn Féin’s Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, conscious no doubt that Martin McGuinness will be competing with Higgins for votes, renewed his attack on Labour for the part-privatisation of the ESB.

It meant the Government was implementing the EU-IMF deal.

“The Labour Party denounced that deal prior to and during the course of the general election campaign in February,” he declared.

Labour backbenchers and Sinn Féin TDs traded insults as Howlin outlined the Government’s achievements on the economy. He said it had remarkable success in renegotiating the EU-IMF deal.

“Is it Frankfurt’s way?” asked Fianna Fáil’s Dara Calleary.

Addressing the Fianna Fáil benches, Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte said: “Stick to Palestine, lads, it is safer.” Sinn Féin’s Pádraig Mac Lochlainn chimed in. “Reds under the bed!” he declared. “The Minister used to be a red.”

A far-from-blushing Howlin ploughed on, rattling off economic statistics favourable to the Government, adding that it had made a “reluctant decision” about ESB privatisation.

Howlin’s Labour colleague Michael McCarthy, who has been one of those to remind Sinn Féin of cutbacks in the North, accused the party of being “Tory”.

Nobody used the phrase “West Brit’’.

When Independent Finian McGrath rose to speak, he was asked by Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen who he was supporting for the presidency this week.

“I am always with the people,” said McGrath, solemnly.

Rabbitte advised McGrath that Senator David Norris would be on the phone urging him to reverse an earlier decision and support his nomination.

Norris was elsewhere in the House, lobbying furiously for the magic 20 votes to secure his re-invention as a candidate.

The election will largely influence Dáil exchanges between now and polling day.