Somewhat inevitably, the Dáil spent most of the day and a half for which it sat this week dealing with the two issues which had dominated political coverage during the summer recess - the Aer Lingus decision to cease flights from Shannon to Heathrow and the Taoiseach's appearance at the Mahon tribunal, writes Noel Whelan.
Now that these summer fixations have been gotten out of the way, the political system and those covering it may get the opportunity to consider and examine some more substantial medium-term challenges.
Many of the issues which dominated over the last few decades can now be crossed off, or at least pushed down, the political agenda.
Those who hold the most senior positions in our Government, in our Civil Service and in our media have spent most of their adult lives dealing with or covering three sets of political concerns - turning around the Irish economy, dealing with the problem of Northern Ireland and addressing a cluster of "social agenda" issues.
Now, however, the economy has been overhauled. Our tax system has been reformed and our tax rates have been reduced. There has been a transformation in the level and nature of workplace participation. Our national debt is no longer a cause for concern. The problems of unemployment and emigration are resolved for the most part.
The social agenda has also been addressed. Voters under 30 would have trouble recognising the political rows which erupted in this country over issues such as the legalisation of contraception and the introduction of divorce. Although abortion lingers as an issue, even it is unlikely ever again to rouse the same passions or divisions.
Northern Ireland is also sliding down the running order in news bulletins and even at Cabinet meetings south of the Border. For 2½ decades as the Troubles raged and then for another decade as the peace process was designed and built, Northern Ireland consumed more political, Civil Service and media time than almost any other single issue.
This is no longer the case. Bedding down the peace settlement will still take some work especially on plans for the devolution of justice and policing powers. However, journalists, politicians and public servants working on Northern Ireland in the Republic must already have the sense that their beat is becoming a backwater.
The resolution of these three central concerns has cleared space on the political and media agenda which can now usefully be used to consider and resolve a new set of medium-term challenges. It seems to me that the following five issues must be included among them. The economy, of course, remains a political priority, but in different ways than it has previously.
In the short-term the focus will be on insulating the wider economy from the slowdown in the housing and construction sector and from instability in the international financial system. However, because we are one of the most open economies in an increasingly globalised market-place, improving Ireland's competitiveness is likely to attract most attention. The need for further improvements in our infrastructure, in the skills level of our population, in research and in fourth-level education will be centre stage.
Another central concern will be the need to diversify our energy sources, ensure environmental sustainability and make a contribution to the abatement of global warming. The debate around global warming has already caused a significant shift in policy here in Ireland.
It was a factor in the inclusion of the Green Party within the Government and the appointment of two Green Party Ministers to their particular portfolios.
Managing immigration and integration is another key medium-term challenge. The sheer scale and pace of immigration is impacting not only on our social services and our education system, but also on our view of ourselves as a society. The newly-appointed Integration Minister Conor Lenihan has made a start of articulating some of the complexities surrounding these issues, but our politicians have generally lagged behind events in this area and have much catching up to do.
Improving our public services and reforming the public sector is another key challenge. Enduring problems in our health services, in the management of large infrastructure projects are all symptoms of more weaknesses in the way our public sector is organised, remunerated and held to account.
The need for greater socio-economic equality must also be put centre stage. Surprisingly, little attention was paid to this issue during the election. Instead, the offerings advanced by all the main parties converged in a competition for middle-class voters. Even if they cannot persuade enough voters that inequality needs to be addressed because it is wrong in itself, our politicians need to appeal to a more selfish motive by illustrating how the persistence of a permanent underclass is exacerbating social problems like the drugs trade and violent crime. Complex solutions - akin to those currently being put in place in certain Limerick estates - will be required to address geographic pockets of poverty and long-term unemployment. It is appropriate the Dáil and Seanad Éireann be a venue where concerns are aired. There is also need for calmer consideration of broader issues by the Oireachtas and for coverage of that work by the media.