Online reaction to the free cheese announcement was, predictably, swift, sharp and prolific. Cheese puns abounded on the micro-blogging website Twitter.
As with the recent 'Cementgate' discussion after a concrete mixer painted with the words 'Anglo Toxic Bank' was driven up to the gates of Leinster House, a string of cheese comments proliferated in the breakfast 'feed'.
Comments as sharp as a cheese-wire included user Seaniemulvihill's remark that the scheme "has to be for the grater good".
But PaddyDuffy said the whole thing was "really exhausting my patience in Ireland. I camembert it any more."
In response, the user longlivemufasa said: "It's un-brie-lievable!"
Ronantully tweeted: "Breaking news: Santa to leave hand-carved cheese action figures in Irish children's stockings this Christmas."
And VirtualDonal took the benign view that while the Government "squandered Milleens", it was for the "Gouda da country".
Simon McGarr, posting under his handle Tupp_Ed, suggested a new election slogan for Fianna Fáil: "A lot done, more fondue."