So last time out it was Brian Cowen and the Biffo-spliffo kerfuffle . . . yes, he experimented with cannabis and yes, he did inhale. . . what would be the point otherwise?

The latest hot topic deals, however, with a rather more sensitive subject . . . the opinion of unionist politician Ian Paisley Junior on homosexuality.

As we all now know, Paisley Jnr said: "I am pretty repulsed by gay and lesbianism. I think it is wrong. I think that those people harm themselves and . . . without care about it . . . harm society."

On gays and lesbians as teachers, he says, we should be asking whether somebody is a good teacher first . He just doesn't think that gay people, anymore than straight people, should use the classroom as an arena for political campaigning.

Despite this qualification, Paisley's attitude to homosexuality is totally repugnant and probably would encourage thugs to indulge in gay-bashing.

Unfortunately, it is no more offensive than the ecclesiastical homophobia recently espoused by Pope Benedict XVl, who in recent months has been particularly trenchant in his opposition to gay marriage and homosexuality.

The only comfort we can take from the outcry about Paisley Jnr's remarks is that they are hopefully, to coin a phrase, the last sting of the dying wasp of social conservatism . . . at least if the way people live their lives today is anything to judge by.

Last week, census figures for household makeup highlighted just how much society is changing:

married couples down, single households up, cohabiting up, same-sex liaisons up.

One of the first tasks of the new government . . .

one that Bertie Ahern, the most likely candidate for Taoiseach, is said to want to be modernising, inclusive and forward-looking . . . should be to enact civil partnership legislation for cohabiting and same-sex couples.

At least then, gays, lesbians and co-habiting couples generally would no longer feel alienated and excluded in their own country.