DÁIL SKETCH:BELOW-THE-belt behaviour or a legitimate challenge from Leo Varadkar? Fine Gael's political pup is rapidly maturing as a player and is now in firm possession of his place on Team Inda. But there remains a youthful tendency to go over the top.

Take yesterday afternoon, when he lined out against the Tánaiste Mary Coughlan for one of their regular enterprise and employment kick-abouts.

Early in the contest, fearless Leo steamed in hard on his opponent. It’s a tried-and-tested tactic – nobble your opposite number as soon as possible and steal some advantage in the game.

The deputy for Dublin West wondered if the Taoiseach intended to dismantle Coughlan’s department in the forthcoming reshuffle. He didn’t hold back, launching a crunching tackle on the Tánaiste, severely winding her.

"On Frontlinelast night, somebody in the audience talked about your representation of us abroad and said that there was a cringe factor to it all."

“Ooooh!” went the crowd, cringing.

Leo followed through, studs showing. “Another article in the paper said that the IDA are embarrassed by you when you go overseas with them.” The crowd winced, embarrassed for Mary.

“Others have said that you are unable to talk to business people and that when you do, the language you use is often inappropriate and vulgar.

“What do you have to say to those who level the charge at you that you’re not suitable?”

Oh, feck! Referee! But Dáil observers were divided on the legality of the manoeuvre. It is true that the CEO of a technology company was less than complimentary about Coughlan on the television on Monday night. “Cringe factor” was, indeed, mentioned in relation to overseas trips.

It is also true that it’s not for nothing that the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise is known as “Sweary Mary” in certain quarters.

So was it a dangerous tackle from Leo or was he just saying what a lot a people are saying? One thing is sure – it was difficult to watch. This might explain why the three brave junior Ministers (brave lads) sitting with Mary kept their heads down and said nothing in the face of Leo’s onslaught.

Coughlan picked herself up and immediately fought on. She dismissed the issues raised by her Opposition marker as “nasty comments”, many of of which are “politically motivated”.

Normal play resumed briefly, but Mary was clearly shaken. She faced Leo down.

“My personality is a matter for others to decide. My job is to represent this country abroad when I do so, and I do so with pride and with the privilege that has been bestowed on me by my Taoiseach, and, secondly, political charges of that nature perhaps show the ineptitude of some people in the Opposition . . .”

Varadkar jumped back in. “But they’re not from the Opposition – they’re from business people . . . It’s not from us, it’s what we’re hearing back.”

After a brief respite, Varadkar retired to the dugout and was replaced by Damien English. Damien is very anxious to eventually win a place on Inda’s Team, so he followed the lead set by his senior colleague and went in, boots flying.

“I think the Taoiseach is considering chopping your department up because you have failed. That’s the only reason for it . . . That’s going to be more delays and more job losses until these new departments find their way around.”

The Tánaiste continued to battle, throwing out jargon and statistics, while the two boys across the way only barely managed to stop themselves indulging in some chest bumping and high fives.

It’s been a tough few days for Mary Coughlan, in a tough year.

Some of us began to think that she is being unfairly targeted in a Cabinet of less than high achievers. There is a sense of people ganging up on the Tánaiste. That no matter what she does now, it will never be right.

Some of us began to think that she is singled out for particularly harsh and cruel criticism because she is a woman.

And then somebody mentioned Martin Cullen.

But Martin is gone. Mary Coughlan’s problem is that she’s on her own now and the likes of young bucks like Leo enjoy nothing better than picking off the weak one from the herd and going in for the kill.

If it takes a high tackle, so be it.