The political pattern of the next x months…

…of course that could be 12 months, or 5 or 24 or… perhaps 36.

A Sinn Féin motion to immediately abolish water charges has been defeated in the Dáil.

A proposal by the Government to amend the motion was carried by 60 votes to 39.

The Government amendment underpins the agreement between it and Fianna Fáil to suspend water charges and set up an independent commission.

And somehow this is almost too easy a postscript.