Political light relief

Fed up with what's going at Westminster? Or maybe you're an American in despair at Bush, Congress et al.

To take your mind off it, here are the latest august deliberations from Dáil Éireann in which the new Ceann Comhairle (speaker) does his best to enhance the dignity of the his office by doing his imitation of a supply teacher.

If you're Irish, you might find it amusing. Or you might weep hot, bitter tears of shame. In which case, you probably didn't believe Bertie's explanations for his curious financial arrangements, and squirm with embarrassment at having a government propped up by the likes of Beverly "just stick in an offshore account and don't tell the taxman" Flynn and Jackie Healy-Rae ("the stage-Irish buffoon who is a mere shillelagh away from comic perfection").

If so, sorry; but on the basis that anything which upsets D4s can't be all bad, don't miss these fine comments on the issue. "You can just see parliamentarians in Burkina Faso shaking their heads with a mixture of laughter and shame. Christ that makes Stormont look professional."