Sinn Fein deputy Mary Lou McDonald provided a comical gaffe in the Irish parliament on Thursday – when she couldn’t tell the difference between a Fawlty Towers waiter and a pair of designer shoes.

Tanaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Eamon Gilmore was the intended target of McDonald’s attempt to put the boot – or the shoe – in but it backfired spectacularly.

The Sinn Fein member wanted to attack the government over their new plans to impose household charges on the Irish taxpayer.

“Tanaiste, watching the antics of your Government in recent times reminds me a bit of Fawlty Towers,” said McDonald.

“The latest water charges episode has you and the Taoiseach cast as Manolos, claiming that you know nothing.”

Delighted politicians spotted McDonald’s mistake as soon as the word Manolo left her lips when she should have said Manuel, the hapless Spanish waiter in the hugely popular comedy show.

Labor Party deputy Arthur Spring even put her right when he interjected : “Manolos are shoes.”
McDonald did concede her error. “Or even Manuels,” she added sheepishly according to the Irish Independent.