John O'Donoghue's decision to step down from the office of Ceann Comhairle wasn't exactly unexpected. The pressure he incurred after releasing his expenses over the weekend meant that there was no way he could go on working in the capacity he currently holds. Add this to the furore over his expenses as Minister of Arts, Sports and Tourism and it was clear that his days were numbered.


However, his decision to wait until next week to resign has again rippled the waters around Leinster House. Both Sinn Féin and Fine Gael have called for him to go immediately, questioning why he would be staying for another week.

Of course this puts all the pressure right back onto the shoulders of Brian Cowen. Who will be speaker next? It is another problem in a list of poroblems that grows by the day.

And what about Enda Kenny? Surely it should have been he who stepped up to ask for a motion of no confidence? Instead, it fell to Eamonn Gilmore and Caoimhin O'Caoghlain to speak out for what the majority of the people of Ireland were thinking. That the whole thing stinks.

When the expenses scandal broke in the UK many thought that it was only a matter of time until something similar would happen across the Irish Sea. It wasn't just the English speaker who was stung in the UK, though, and I am sure some TD's will sit uneasily in the next few weeks.