‘Fence-sitting’ Coveney under f ire from all quarters on North talks and abortion
EMBATTLED Tánaiste Simon Coveney is experiencing a major backlash over his fence-sitting on the issue of abortion and the collapse of the Northern talks.
Meanwhile, an FG-lead Repeal the Eighth campaign is set to swing into action as a series of meetings are being held prior to any final decision on the referendum.
The Tánaiste has been berated by party figures over his positioning on supporting a Repeal referendum but opposing the 12-week option.
One minister warned: ‘He has got himself into real political trouble; mixed messages will sink this referendum. He is turning into a political calamity.’
They added: ‘It is not precisely part of the project that, at some point in the summer, Leo will, like Cowen after Lisbon, appear at the front of Government Buildings explaining how he has lost his first date with the people.’
One senior figure said: ‘Coveney has received a series of dressing downs – shouting, the works – and comments about the silver spoon in his mouth and being out of touch. He is pretty down in the mouth.’
He has been told, another said, that ‘he is out of touch on this issue. The good Tánaiste is expected to back the leader. If this goes south he will top the blame game’.
Mr Coveney is also believed to be in trouble within the party over the collapse of the Northern talks. One source warned: ‘Everyone is down on him over the North. He sold the deal in the North too heavily.’
Mr Coveney was involved in a public spat with Micheál Martin over his capacity for the task.
However, the internal ground in FG may be far more dangerous.
One party figure said: ‘Leo was not impressed by the spectacle of going up north to say hello to failure. Taoisigh don’t like that.
‘He’s not happy with Simon. He feels he was sold a pup.’