It's Thursday, the Taoiseach is in Davos and so Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald took Leaders’ Questions on his behalf.
"New politics" has increased the number of contributions by Opposition groupings or parties during Leaders' Questions to four. But today, one deputy slipped through the net - and then there were five.
Leas Ceann Comhairle Pat "the Cope" Gallagher was forced to apologise to the Labour Party when he realised Rural Independent Alliance TD Mattie McGrath had been called upon by accident. He later pointed out that it was "an administrative error".
Mr McGrath seized the opportunity, highlighting the "appalling almost third world conditions" in the emergency department at South Tipperary General Hospital.
He also managed to squeeze in the fact that the Public Accounts Committee had earlier agreed to investigate the funding of Cashel hospital at his request.
The Tánaiste, briefed quickly by former minister for health Leo Varadkar, acknowledged the challenges being faced at South Tipperary General.
Ms Fitzgerald said a range of initiatives had been put in place which would "hopefully ease the situation", and the Minister for Health would address the issues he outlined.
As Mr McGrath readied himself for a supplementary question, he was informed of the administrative error and the Labour Party was called.
The matter passed off peacefully; there have been objections about far less.
Brendan Howlin used his time to call on the Government to amend the terms of reference of the Low Pay Commission.
"Work must pay", he told the Tánaiste, and he suggested that people work towards a minimum wage agreement equivalent of 60% of median income by 2021.
Minister Fitzgerald said the Labour TD was well aware of the challenges the country has faced.
She said the commission had commenced work on its third report regarding the appropriate rate of the minimum wage and will be submitting a report in July.
Sinn Féin deputy Mary Lou McDonald raised the matter of the 13 possible missed cancers at Wexford General. She asked who would be taking responsibility.
Minister Fitzgerald said an external review would examine the governance, accountability and authority at the hospital and would take six months to complete.
She assured Ms McDonald that the review would address her queries.
Fianna Fáil's spokesperson on children and youth affairs criticised the lack of clarification surrounding the legal situation for au pairs in Ireland and questioned the Government's delay in reporting on the matter.
Anne Rabbitte ,who brought in a bill on the issue last July seeking a legal definition for au pairs, said 20,000 families needed clarification on the matter.
The Minister for Justice and Equality said a review into the matter was continuing.
Social Democrat deputy Róisín Shortall raised the matter of home repossessions.
Ms Shortall said she tabled a parliamentary question to the Minister for Justice on Tuesday in relation to comments by the Master of the High Court last month that Irish courts are required to examine each mortgage contract under EU law, to see if its terms are unfair.
The Minister for Justice pointed out that she responded to the Green Party earlier in the week on the matter.
Ms Fitzgerald said further legal advice was being taken on the matter.
She said the statements and the judgments in the courts had been noted and there was varying legal advice.
