’Tis the season for Dáil insults as Joan Burton and Mary Lou McDonald have Dáil spat

It may be the season of good will… but no one told Tánaiste Joan Burton and Mary Lou McDonald.

The ongoing political spat between the leading ladies of the Dáil continued during the final Leaders’ Questions before Christmas — the only festive feeling coming from Fianna Fáil TD Robert Troy’s Christmas-themed socks.

The abuse at times seemed one step away from a stiletto being thrown across the chamber as the insults, personal remarks and “barroom brawler” accusations flew. Ms Burton has never shied away from a Dáil row — especially with such a fellow feisty, up-for-a-fight, political opponent as Ms McDonald — and yesterday was no different.

The pointed remarks, which ultimately descended into the Leas Cheann Chomhairle losing complete control, started as Ms Burton defended the Government’s record on health.

Demanding the Tánaiste apologise to the people of Ireland, Ms McDonald said, “I’m going to give you the opportunity again, it being Christmas time and the season of good will,” to taunts from Government benches of “Bah Humbug”. With a wry smile, the Tánaiste retorted that Ms McDonald “read her scripted remarks with some force, but she utterly lacked any sense of conviction”.

Cue consternation, laughter, shouts and bellows. The Tánaiste was dubbed “an absolute disgraceful cynic” and “the most patronising person in this room” but by the end almost everyone in the chamber had been branded a disgrace.

The blows continued with Ms Burton claiming Sinn Féin’s health manifesto, which Ms McDonald eagerly showed off, contains no costings. And at one stage, Ms Burton likened Pádraig Mac Lochlainn’s behavior to that of “a barroom brawler”.

The questions moved on to US forces’ use of Shannon airport, but it was a case of Ms Burton staying in the ring with a different opponent. Her insistence that Ireland remains neutral enraged Clare Daly: “The Tony Blair Labour party that’s what you have been reduced to, you are actually a disgrace.” An uncomfortable silence descended.

But Ms Burton got in a knock-out blow: “You should actually check out some of your own friends in England and what they get up to,” she said, as Ms Daly exited with Mick Wallace in tow.

The festive goodwill was partially restored later in the day when Mary Lou wished the Tánaiste a happy Christmas: “Notwithstanding our jousts in this Chamber and my unending frustration with her answers or lack thereof, I wish her a happy Christmas”.