Paul Hosford: As the Dáil returns, two topics dominate the agenda 

When the first Leaders' Questions of the term kicked off, there was tutting and heckling and recriminations as Mary Lou McDonald and Taoiseach Simon Harris renewed acquaintances. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

It had been 69 days since the Dáil sat, but absence had not made the heart grow fonder across the benches.

While TDs have been away, the political agenda has been dominated by two things — the timing of the next general election and the bike shed.

It is a testament to how much the story of a €336,000 bike shed on the grounds of Leinster House has cut through into the national discourse that it can be introduced without location or cost or context. It is simply The Bike Shed. Like Cher, but wordier.

As the day was set to begin, Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl made a fairly surprising intervention, asking the indulgence of the deputies present to make a few comments about the little-used shelter.

"I know I speak for everyone in this House when I say it is a profound embarrassment and the depth of public anger is entirely justified," he said, adding that as Chairman of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission he had asked the chair of the OPW to attend the Commission's meeting next week.

Let me say that whatever the findings of the OPW's review, lessons must be and will be learned and there cannot be a repeat of such unwarranted and indefensible expenditure of taxpayers' money.

Lessons, he said, would be learned. So, no more bike shelters that cost the same as a three-bedroom house in a Dublin suburb. Good to know.

When the first Leaders' Questions of the term kicked off, there was tutting and heckling and recriminations as Mary Lou McDonald and Simon Harris renewed acquaintances on the issue of treatment for children with scoliosis and Holly Cairns said that the State's response to religious orders whose members have carried out sexual abuse was "cowardice".

If Mr Harris thought that the first day back would see his political opponents rusty, he would have been mistaken as member after member took aim on ambulances, homelessness, mental health services and Irish Rail timetable changes.

Elsewhere, Danny Healy Rae was not happy, too, but about something else.

Just 50 minutes into the new Dáil term, the Kerry TD wanted to raise a point of order. 

Mr Healy Rae had earlier fallen foul of the ring of steel erected around Leinster House, being stopped en-route to the Oireachtas by a Garda who told him to change his route to his place of work.

But away from the bikes and the bickering and the real issues, was one question. "When's the election?"

It is a strange time in Leinster House. With so many TDs retiring, there are many who are not necessarily winding down, but certainly aware that their time in public office is drawing to a close. 

Everyone is ready. Everyone says they want it. But the only person with the constitutional prerogative to dissolve the Dáil isn't budging from saying it will be the new year.

One of his political opponents believes it would be "crazy" to wait, while a number of his own party want Mr Harris to "just get on with it".

Mr Harris and Tánaiste Micheál Martin have steadfastly said that it would be a February or March election and the notification of the Finance Committee that the Finance Bill would come to it as normal after the Budget seemed to solidify this thinking. 

But between now and then, there are weeks of speculation to come. And plenty more talk about The Bike Shed.