Ceann Comhairle apologises over Dáil expletive

The Ceann Comhairle today apologised for saying “For frig’s sake” during Dáil exchanges even though the words have disappeared from the parliament’s official record.

Dr Rory O’Hanlon uttered the words to Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny last Thursday as he tried to keep order after Ivor Callely resigned as junior minister.

The exchanges including “For frig’s sake” were later broadcast on RTE Radio.

But Mr Kenny told the Dáil today that the words had been wiped from official Dáil transcripts.

Mr Kenny reminded Dr O’Hanlon that he had once advised him as a young TD that everything he said in the Dáil chamber was recorded for posterity.

“I’m not sure whether we should have an investigation into this or not but your own words approaching a mild expletive last week appear to have disappeared from the official record,” Mr Kenny said.

“The tape broadcast to the nation in clear Cavan/Monaghan terms recalls what you said but somebody somewhere in the depths of the building [took it out].”

Dr O’Hanlon today told the House that he regretted the remark.

“It was indiscreet to say Enda rather than Deputy Kenny,” he said.

“But I checked the term in the Oxford Dictionary, under the Ulster dialect, and I discovered that it means a working community in Donegal. I’m not sure if it applies to Mayo.”

Labour leader Pat Rabbitte also said he had raised the issue of the Dáil record before, and added that it wasn’t an exact verbatim record.

“From the point of view of archivists and historians, that’s a great pity because sometimes there is a form of linguistics carried out in this House that the mother of all parliaments [House of Commons] has never experienced,” he said.

Speaking in his last day in the Dáil in 2005, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said he hoped it would be a peaceful and restful Christmas break for everybody.

He joined Opposition party leaders and the Ceann Comhairle in extending Christmas wishes to TDs and senators and all staff in Leinster House

Sinn Féin’s Dáil leader Caoimhghin O Caolain said that people who lose loved ones on the country’s roads should be remembered.

“It’s hardly imaginable the great weight and great burden so many will bear over the Christmas period,” he said.

The Ceann Comhairle said it had been a very busy year with over 525 committee meetings held and a record 43,000 Dáil questions processed.

The Dáil and Seanad breaks for Christmas on Friday and resumes on January 25.

However Dr O’Hanlon pointed out that TDs and senators will be back in early January to sit on committees.