YOU DON’T EXPECT to hear a TD quoting The Simpsons in the Dáil, much less when talking about a serious subject like the Budget. But that’s exactly what Eamon Ryan did.

Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

In his Budget statement yesterday, the Green Party leader used a rather unusual word to express his dissatisfaction with the whole thing.

I asked a colleague earlier this morning and he said it was “cromulent”. I asked what that meant and he said it does not mean anything. That is the sense from this budget. There are lots of small measures, lots of different changes, but nothing that is really changing the direction of this State or this society.

‘Cromulent’? What in the name of God is he on about?

Well, even the most casual of Simpsons fans will recognise it as a bit of Springfieldese:

“It does not mean anything.” Excuse you, Eamon’s colleague. ‘Cromulent’ is a perfectly cromulent word.

The ever eagle-eyed members of the Ireland’s Simpsons Fans Facebook page spotted the reference, and have declared Ryan a hero.

Update – A spokesperson for the Green Party tells us that Ryan knew well he was quoting The Simpsons:

The word came up during our internal discussions on the Budget, and Eamon picked it up as a tongue-in-cheek description of the budget proposals.

To quote another Simpsons character: Eeeeeexcellent.

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