There is now a faint possibility that Taoiseach Enda Kenny will survive longer than beleaguered Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan.
There isn’t a week that goes by that O’Sullivan isn’t embroiled in a fresh controversy, and no matter how skilled she is at negotiating her way out if it, that can’t go on.
Eventually, the besiegement will be such that the tether’s end will be reached by something as trivial as throwing an extra teabag into the cup.
O'Sullivan is in more than a bit of bother over the latest body blow to hit An Garda Síochána.
The problem this time is the Garda College in Templemore. For a long time now, there have been irregular financial arrangements at the college that were allowed to go unchecked.
Not quite unchecked. Internal audits turned up poor practice, diversion of funds, and appalling record-keeping. But the reaction of the authorities was to sweep it under the carpet.
Most of this was disclosed in a report released last month that showed there were 42 different bank accounts, that separate companies were set up to run the sports facilities at the colleges, that rent from a leased farm was spent arbitrarily, and there was what looked like ad hoc financing of the restaurant.
There was no evidence anybody pocketed any money, but there were serious governance issues identified as far back as 2009.
O’Sullivan’s current difficulties revolve around how much she knew - or didn’t know.
The commissioner has insisted she was not aware of the financial irregularities until last year. But her version has been contradicted by John Barrett, the civilian head of human resources, who says she was fully briefed.
The conflict of evidence is this. Barrett said a two-hour meeting took place on July 27th, 2015. O’Sullivan has insisted it was a brief exchange over a cup of tea.
He has claimed senior Garda officers were aware of the problem for many years but ignored it. In a memorable phrase, he said it was “not a function of omission but rather calculated occlusion”.
How is this playing out politically? Well, the Government has appointed Kathleen O'Toole, former head of the Garda Inspectorate and current chief of police in Seattle, to head the root-and-branch review of the force.
Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald continues to support O'Sullivan, but support has ebbed away from every other party, including Fianna Fáil. Well, sort of.
As Labour's Alan Kelly pointed out on Tuesday night, Fianna Fáil holds the balance of power but won't move against the commissioner.
This is Sarah Bardon's report on the matter.
And that Enda Kenny fellow? He’s going to step down the minute after Godot arrives.
