DÁIL SKETCH:ONE THING seems certain after yesterday's Order of Business in the Dáil - the names of two of Brian Cowen's cabinet. There is the taoiseach-elect himself and the Minister for Health. No surprises for guessing it's Mary Harney.
Unless, of course, the Tánaiste goes back on what he said during a particularly heated row on the health service. It could also be said that after yesterday's bruising session, the honeymoon is definitely over and the taoiseach-to-be hasn't even taken up office.
Bread-and-butter politics have returned to Leinster House after a breathless few weeks: Bertie's surprise departure announcement, the Tánaiste's seamless election by acclamation and the dignified and stately goodbye to former president Dr Paddy Hillery.
But even with the best bonhomie in the world the perilous state of the health service always invokes wrath, and Mr Cowen faced an angry Opposition.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny highlighted as a national scandal the plight of the 76-year-old woman with Alzheimer's disease, who suffered a heart attack and had been on a trolley in the Mater hospital since Monday.
His call was taken up by Labour leader Eamon Gilmore. When some Fianna Fáil backbenchers briefly laughed over a procedural comment, he glared at them. "It's funny is it?" he demanded and they visibly shrank.
"It wouldn't be funny if any of our mothers was lying on a trolley like that."
"Hear, hear," roared Fine Gael backbenchers emphatically, and the tension held.
The Tánaiste responded that there was a responsibility on management and staff to accommodate an emergency case.
If attempts to reform the health service were on the basis of resolving individual cases, it would not be reformed as necessary, he stressed.
"It's happening everywhere," shouted Fine Gael health spokesman James Reilly. The Government had 11 years to sort it out, shouted another deputy.
"Appoint a new minister," called Labour's Ruairí Quinn.
"No" retorted the Tánaiste, effectively naming his minister. "The reforms have to continue in terms of resolving these problems." The interruptions were incessant, and the Tánaiste was getting exasperated.
Fine Gael's Alan Shatter had asked about rights linked to children born through egg or sperm donation. The Fine Gael deputy interrupted as the Tánaiste was replying and Mr Cowen appeared to be holding back from uttering an expletive.
But his actual remark was a mild, "I'm trying to respond - what's the point?" But if he thinks health is a persistent headache, the Lisbon Treaty could be an immediate and debilitating migraine.
An estimated 10,000 farmers gathered outside Leinster House as the Dáil later debated the World Trade Organisation talks. The farmers' undoubted bogeyman is negotiator, commissioner Peter Mandelson.
The agriculture sector has put the Government on notice that any WTO (for the farmers that means Worst Trade Outcome) deal next month that adversely affects them will see them reject the treaty. One thing is for sure though - if you ever need a crowd, ring the IFA, mention Peter Mandelson and you'll bring any city centre to a standstill. The Macra na Feirme poster said it all: "Sack Mandelson . . . again".
