We were promised new politics, but as our panel here shows... old style point-scoring marked this Dáil’s term
IT was the strangest term the Dáil had ever seen, writes NICOLA BYRNE. Enda Kenny become the first Fine Gael Taoiseach returned to power, but he needed Independent Alliance TDs who acted like Opposition deputies... IA were in power but grumbling that Fianna Fáil were calling the shots... FF called the shots while Sinn Féin accused them of adopting FG policies... And SF and the left were accused of being afraid of government. How did the Government fare in the various crises of this Dáil term?
SEPTEMBER 1 Bad Apple
Independent ministers initially refused to support the Government decision to appeal a ruling which said Apple owed the State €13bn in unpaid taxes.
WINNERS: Enda Kenny and Finance Minister Michael Noonan.
LOSERS: Independent Alliance Transport Minister Shane Ross, Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone and Junior Health Minister Finian McGrath who were forced to back down. CRISIS LEVEL:
SEPTEMBER 7 Hothead Halligan
THE Independent Alliance TD was close to walking away from the Government after a review of cardiac services at Waterford hospital did not back his demand for a second heart laboratory there.
WINNERS: Enda Kenny and Fine Gael. LOSER: John Halligan – the second lab has been promised to win Halligan’s support for the minority Government but it will not be delivered. CRISIS LEVEL:
SEPTEMBER 13 Enda out
Backbench Fine Gael TDs Brendan Griffin and Jim Daly called for an early discussion about the leadership of the party. A number of deputies were reported to have discussed withdrawing support from the Government if Mr Kenny had not stepped down by the end of the year. WINNERS: The Opposition LOSERS: Enda Kenny and Fine Gael CRISIS LEVEL:
OCTOBER 11 Pensions debacle
The Government agreed to introduce the increase in March next year, as opposed to the summer after Fianna Fáil threatened to withdraw its support for the budget. WINNERS: Fianna Fáil LOSERS: Fine Gael CRISIS LEVEL:
OCTOBER 26 Beer burqa
Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, the Junior Health Minister, came under fire from members of her own Fine Gael party over proposals to change the sale, advertisement, and price of alcohol. Fine Gael senators and TDs and Independent Alliance members lashed out at the plans which would have required even small shops to put up barriers to shield alcohol from public view – so called ‘beer burqas’. WINNERS: Fine Gael and Independent Alliance backbenchers LOSERS: Fine Gael frontbenchers and Marcella Corcoran Kennedy CRISIS LEVEL:
OCTOBER 27 Abortion U-turn
Independent Alliance TDs were branded ‘sell-out Independents’ when they voted against an Anti Austerity Alliance bill calling for a referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment.
WINNERS: Enda Kenny’s Fine Gael Government which agreed to reject the Bill until a Citizens’ Assembly looking into the issue had finished its work. LOSERS: Independent Alliance ministers particularly Katherine Zappone who was elected on a strong feminist manifesto. CRISIS LEVEL: NOVEMBER 21 ‘Boxer’ Moran breaks ranks The Independent Alliance member, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, left, became the first Government TD to call for talks on public sector pay. The move put pressure on Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe and has caused tension within the Alliance, which had agreed to toe the Government line that the Lansdowne Road Agreement cannot be changed. WINNERS: Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran – for appearing as a politician of conviction LOSERS: Paschal Donohoe whose authority was challenged. CRISIS LEVEL:
NOVEMBER 24 Ross tantrum
Transport Minister Shane Ross, right, threatened to block any new appointment of judges until a new system of selection was in place. A new Bill will now be brought to the Dáil in January. But Fianna Fáil is unlikely to support it. The Government will then have to secure the support of a large number of other Opposition TDs for the Bill to pass. WINNERS: Ross so far but it could still go pear shaped as the Bill may not pass. LOSERS: Possibly the Government. CRISIS LEVEL:
NOVEMBER 24 Irish Water: Dáil suspended
AAA-PBP TD Mick Barry caused a ruckus after claiming that Fianna Fáil and the Government had hand-picked the chairman of the supposedly independent water committee, senator Pádraig Ó Céidigh. WINNERS: Mick Barry for championing the popular anti water charges cause. LOSERS: Fianna Fáil and the Government for appearing to be in collusion. CRISIS LEVEL: