So why not use the q element for irony as well, since a quote already indicates both quotations and irony.
For the same reason why we don't want <i> used to mark up emphasis, foreign words and defined terms (since italics are already used in typography for all of this).
-- Alexey Feldgendler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [ICQ: 115226275] http://feldgendler.livejournal.com
