Speaker speechless after killer blow

THE Dáil chamber fell eerily silent as Eamon Gilmore delivered the killer blow to the Ceann Comhairle’s chances of survival – the Speaker rendered almost speechless.

John O’Donoghue’s head moved back then forward in a half nod as he absorbed the implications of the Labour leader’s declaration that O’Donoghue no longer commanded the respect of the House and would be subjected to the unprecedented public humiliation of a no confidence vote.

Mr O’Donoghue’s expression remained impassive as he murmured “thank you deputy” to the TD whose words had just set in motion his exiting from one of the three great offices of State. The Ceann Comhairle struggled to keep a grip on proceedings as the unravelling of his political career played out across the floor of the chamber he now commanded in name only.

The atmosphere tingled with raw electricity as TDs rose for a procedural vote at the end of Leader’s Questions, they flowed and circled in small groups poring over the historic drama they had just witnessed as Mr O’Donoghue remained alone and forlorn looking in his chair, his hands clasped together as if in prayer.

The isolation was eventually broken when Martin Cullen moved in to comfort him – it must really strike home what deep trouble you are in when Minister Cullen takes pity on you. The only person in the chamber with cause to feel worse than Mr O’Donoghue was Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny who had been politically outmanoeuvred and outclassed by his Labour counterpart.

Mr Gilmore realised the Ceann Comhairle had become a totemic symbol of an elitist system of lavish self entitlement and only his scalp would satisfy public anger.

The Labour leader was determined to be seen as the man who would deliver that scalp. It was a clean kill, but a kill nonetheless.

“Ceann Comhairle, I regret to say this but I consider your position is no longer tenable. I think you will either have to resign or I think you will have to be removed from office,” he declared as a pulse of shock reverberated through the chamber.

Mr Kenny was left trailing in his wake, again cementing doubts in the public mind over who is the real leader of the opposition.

Fine Gael was exposed as mere followers as their softly-softly approach left them at odds with voter rage and allowed Mr Gilmore the opportunity to ruthlessly seize the moment. As Labour’s star was in ascendance, that of the Greens continued to dim and edge dangerously close to the pull of a black hole.

Their six deputies were all noticeable by their absence from the chamber for Leader’s Questions – have they left the Government already?

Perhaps they were busy at a Fás retraining session, just in case the flaky fringe get up enough votes to drag them out of the Coalition at the party’s special convention this weekend – thus forcing a general election and almost inevitable wipe-out.

As the shock of Mr O’Donoghue’s downfall began to dissipate, speculation quickly turned to who would succeed him, with strong claims the Greens were eyeing the Speaker’s chair. Though it would deny the creaking Coalition a crucial Dáil vote – as the Ceann Comhairle is automatically re-elected to the next parliament, it would ensure the Greens manage to get one TD back over the line at the next national poll.

Mr O’Donoghue finally paid the price for the sheer opulence he indulged himself and his entourage with at the expense of the State.

All those lavish sojourns to the pleasure centres of the world ended with him taking the loneliest journey possible – that into the history books as the first Ceann Comhairle to be forced from office.

Mr O’Donoghue began the day believing he had bought himself some time – but that arrogance proved to be a purchase too far and one the taxpayer would not stump-up for.