A memo sent to government workers on 10 October warned staff that blogging is now an offence in Leinster House. An Oireachtas spokesman told the Sunday Tribune: "The policy of the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas explicitly prohibits the use of our computer facilities for chatroom purposes or for weblog [blog].

Staff members who engage in blogging which is not related to their official duties while using their office computer will be subject to disciplinary action."

The information made the news sections of popular Irish blogs including Bloggorah, Slugger O'Toole, Tuppence Worth and Backseat Drivers early last week.

The spokesman said there was "no particular incident" that prompted the ban, and that the circular applies only to staff and not to politicians.

"Members, ie TDs and senators, are not bound by our Oireachtas computer usage policy. It is up to the individual parties to set their own policy for their members, " he said.

This exemption is just as well, considering the number of Irish politicians who are actually bloggers themselves.

Fianna Fail bloggers include John Curran TD and councillor Damien Blake. Green Party TD Ciaran Cuffe also has a blog, as does Liz McManus of the Labour Party and Labour councillor and Dail candidate Dominic Hannigan.