FOR A MOMENT in the Dáil today, it seems like Mattie McGrath TD knew something that the rest of us didn’t.

The Independent TD, who has become renowned for his heckles in the Dáil, momentarily got confused over exactly which magazine Taoiseach Enda Kenny appeared on the cover of last week.

The Tipperary South had been speaking for several minutes in the Dáil chamber on the Fiscal Responsibility Bill when he began to talk about kite-flying by government ministers in the run-up to December’s Budget – and he was not impressed.

“The most sickening thing last week was to see the Taoiseach on the front page of Playboy magazine,” he told the Dáil chamber.

I wish him well, as I voted for him as Taoiseach. However, I had expected a lot more from him.

McGrath was gently corrected by Fine Gael TD Paudie Coffey who interrupted to say that it had actually been the cover of Time magazine.

“The Deputy must read the other magazine,” said Fine Gael TD Mary Mitchell O’Connor.

McGrath immediately apologised: “I am sorry,” he said. “I meant to say he was like a playboy on the front page of Time magazine”.

Easy mistake to make.

Photo: Enda Kenny is on the cover of TIME magazine this week >