THE summer officially ends on Wednesday when the Dail returns to full activity after the near-three month break.

Sadly, the TDs' return will also bring Rory O'Hanlon back into action as Ceann Comhairle as he shuts down all attempts to raise topical issues in the Dail chamber. "That matter does not arise on the order of business, " will be heard on Wednesday afternoon, more than once, as the opposition attempts . . . and fails . . . to get the Taoiseach to respond to questions over the latest tribunal revelations.

This final Dail session before the general election will probably be more vexatious than any in recent times with so much at stake for all the main party leaders. Few of them will be secure in their jobs if they are not in government come next summer. The political rows will probably cloud what is a record-breaking week for Bertie Ahern who on Thursday becomes the longest-serving head of government since Eamon de Valera. When asked about this achievement, Ahern actually reckoned his time in office should count for more than that of de Valera's.

"Look at the pace that I do against my predecessor's life.

Look at the Dail. I think back then there were three political correspondents . . . one for Fianna Fail, one for Fine Gael and one for whatever the Irish Times was. That was the way it was. There was no television, no broadcasting the Dail. I often thought Dev used to do about two interviews a year while I seem to do 70 a day. The roadshow now involves local and national media. And back then there were no UN meetings, no OECD stuff and no peace process."

Ahern made his comments to the Sunday Tribune while on a visit to de Valera's old stomping ground in Clare last Thursday. He suggested that "computer analysis" might provide a more accurate assessment of the increased demands on the holder of Ireland's top political job. And the Fianna Fail leader knows the answer the computer would give: "If you put my 10 years up against Dev's 16 years, in terms of clock on heart I can tell you it would not be too hard to work out. . ."

It's not what you know. . . IN their quieter moments, the leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael must ponder a successful general election outcome and then who they would ask to become ministers in their new government.

The subject of ministerial selection is considered in the latest edition of Irish Politics Studies. DCU lecturer Eoin O'Malley has examined the appointment of 195 cabinet members from the 1,077 individuals open for promotion in 13 governments since 1973.

And his conclusion . . . personal relationship and loyalty are more important than ability or experience.

Successive taoisigh have been cautious in their choice of cabinet colleagues, something which O'Malley notes has worked especially well for Bertie Ahern, the most conservative of them all when it comes to appointing ministers.

So is elevation to ministerial rank easier or harder in Fianna Fail than in Fine Gael? O'Malley contends that "the route to cabinet is faster and perhaps easier in Fine Gael" than in Fianna Fail but he then adds, a not insignificant caveat, that Fine Gael "is less likely to enter government".

WITH the Dail back on Wednesday, look out for Paul Gogarty (LEFT) using parliamentary time to obtain an answer to a question he posed in a recent press release: "Are Ireland's lakes being used as mass toilets?" The Green Party TD is concerned that a well-known cruise-boat rental company has been "systematically instructing customers to dump waste matter, including excrement, into Irish lakes during their holiday". A series of Dail questions has been tabled for ministers to answer. Maybe they should have stayed on holidays.

Labour seeks net income

PAT Rabbitte has gone hitech in an attempt to fill his party's coffers ahead of the general election. The Labour party is now taking on-line donations. "Make a difference. Donate today, " the party says.

With Fianna Fail and Fine Gael flush with funds, it seems Labour is feeling the financial pinch. In a note accompanying the donation request on the party's website, Rabbitte writes, "Spending power isn't everything but it does make a difference and we need to be in a position to compete."

Individuals can donate online at www. labour. ie while corporate donors, as always, have to travel another route. They're asked to write to the party's head office with their donation.

The Green party is now the only political organisation to refuse business donations.