OVER the years Drapier and many of his colleagues have been punch drunk with dramatic events, which have had the cumulative effect, as time goes on, of numbing the emotional senses as each more dramatic event occurs.
Despite this, Drapier cannot ever remember an event over his political years which had such a devastating effect on colleagues old and young as the savage gunning down of an extremely courageous Veronica Guerin.
Deputies had come together for a vote around lunch time on Wednesday, and the word quickly spread of the horrific event. Deputies, staff and journalists mingled in the corridors asking if it was really true. Some people had tears in their eyes.
People's initial shock was intermingled with sheer anger and frustration at the helplessness felt. As the initial shock subsided people began to focus on what was required to, for once and for all, respond to a quickly deteriorating set of standards in Irish society.
While deputies were mulling over the possibilities of bringing forward immediate tough measures, there was also a sense of despair at the loss of respect for human life which has occurred over the last year or so with the much publicised "contract killing" culminating in the murders of Det Garda Jerry McCabe and now Veronica Guerin.
Veronica Guerin was one brave person, who made the ultimate sacrifice for her views and her profession. We owe it to her, to Garda McCabe and the others to do whatever is necessary. For the last while there had been a swing very much towards the view that draconian measures should be implemented to fight the ever increasing viciousness of crime.
What happened last Wednesday and indeed recently in Ad are will undoubtedly spur the powers that be into action. Drapier thinks that any further prevarication will not be appreciated by the general public.The Taoiseach's performance on Thursday morning, when he suggested that the matter be discussed in an all day debate on July 25th drew gasps from all sides of the House, including his own. The word "paralysed" was used during the debate to sum up the Government's reaction. Drapier feels that the time for delay is gone and action must be immediate.
AFTER Wednesday's horrific events, there was little stomach for ordinary work. However, the week was a landmark in Irish political history in that a Divorce Bill was debated in the House.
The fact that this issue should pass through the Oireachtas with little or no fuss is an indication of the major changes in Irish social attitudes in the last decade or so. Drapier states that that is not for one minute to disregard the strongly held views of quite a number of deputies in here and also within the greater public.
The Minister for "Changing Her Mind", Niamh Bhreathnach TD, has had a bad week. It started with her dropping her plans to give churches power to veto the appointment of teachers on the grounds of religion in thousands of schools under their control. It was felt that the proposal would make it extremely difficult for non Catholic teachers to find employment.
This change of heart followed the previous rowing back by the Minister on the proposal to delete history and geography as core subjects in the exam curriculum.
The week also saw the "publishing" (if that's what it is called) of the Price Waterhouse report on the exam correction difficulties. Drapier feels that the way in which this report was released was bizarre in the extreme: the Minister gave it to the 160 TDs, but apparently not to the media, the teachers, the unions and some others involved.
Apparently, this was on the advice of the legal eagles who were "covering themselves" in that the report contained damning allegations against certain officials.
While the Minister may have been well advised from a legal point of view on this, it was something of a PR debacle, particularly in view of the fact that the Minister had previously given many undertakings to be "open and transparent" about the report.
Another issue on which the Minister may have to "change tack" is her proposal to syphon off approximately 100 national school teachers (on the basis of a drop in numbers) from certain schools and divert them into disadvantaged areas. While the Minister's rationale may be well meaning, Drapier would warn her that this has the potential for an autumn of discontent if, as promised, the schools, teachers and pupils go on strike.
Speaking of bad weeks, the Taoiseach made an uncharacteristic faux pas when he very publicly, on the Order of Business on Tuesday, highlighted the non attendance of the PDs' Liz O'Donnell at a number of Dail reform meetings.
He had been put under some pressure by Bertie Ahern and Mary Harney about the perceived lack of willingness on the Government's part to change rules which he had previously advocated when in Opposition. He rather ungraciously countered Mary Harney's comments by stating that the PD representative didn't show up at any of the Dail reform meetings.
When Ms Harney indignantly rejected the Taoiseach's allegations, he "pulled in his horns but, instead of apologising for his remarks, made them, in Drapier's opinion, even worse by stating that he would "check out" the PD attendance record.
Previously Albert Reynolds got into difficulty with his "there's women for you now" remark. Drapier wonders if, given the Taoiseach's previous run ins with two female journalists and now his public put down of Liz O'Donnell, he similarly has problems with women.
Bertie and company certainly have been making stories for the media. First of all, there was the continued speculation about a Fianna Fail front bench reshuffle, something which, apparently, created a lot of angst among those mentioned for demotion. Drapier is not sure where these reports came from but he somehow doubts their veracity.
ONE other Fianna Fail related story which "fell into the lap" of the media was the astonishing suggestion that the party had approached RTE's Joe Duffy to become a running mate with Bertie in his constituency. When Drapier heard this he said to himself that definitely this was the beginning of the silly season.
Neither Drapier nor any of his colleagues could ever envisage any high profile journalist like Joe Duffy going for public office. Quite apart from the day and night drudgery they would be required to put up with, Drapier could not see any of these high profilers taking what in effect would be a huge cut in salary, unless of course they were to indulge in what they themselves often give out about double jobbery.
Oireachtas members on the committees of state sponsored bodies have long tried in vain to get information about the salaries of some of the big names in RTE.
Drapier thinks that if people like Joe Duffy, Gay Byrne and Co were to go for the Dail, and win, their "cover would be blown". Under the Ethics in Public Office Act successful media mega stars after an election would be obliged to disclose their "other interests". Drapier thinks that for that reason alone Joe Duffy and others would be scared off.
Then again, the experience of being a TD may be somewhat of an education for these media mega stars. They might not be so quick to rush in to highlight issues such as house evictions when they find there is always "two sides to a story"!
Drapier read with interest this week that the Eastern Health Board is compiling a list of eccentrics in its area. Drapier would suggest to the board that it can start its compilation in Leinster House, as undoubtedly we have our fair share of eccentricity.
A few names spring to mind, though some would say that anyone who goes for election before the people would need to be some kind of eccentric in the first place!