Old rivals might grow to love ‘Fianna Gael’
THE next taoiseach will be the party leader left standing after the epic gladiatorial contest triggered by the results of last week’s general election. The winner will take all, with the loser humbled in a showdown between the leaders of the two largest parties, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin.
Micheál Martin is currently ahead on points but Mary Lou McDonald is preparing a no-holds-barred counteroffensive.
This is Mr Martin’s last chance to avoid a footnote in history describing him as the first leader of Fianna Fáil never to be taoiseach.
And Ms McDonald hopes to be the first woman taoiseach to be inaugurated wearing the revolutionary beret of Sinn Féin.
Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin emerged from the election as the first and second largest parties in a photofinish with the third, Fine Gael, whose leader will be kingmaker.
Yet gullible voters are still jet-skiing on Sinn Féin’s promiscuous political promises in the wake of the new electoral dispensation.
But there will be no quick fix: only giddy optimists expect the next government to be in office by April Fool’s Day. And as the stalemate drags on, calls will grow for another general election. But all those first-time TDs will hesitate before voting for an election that could dump them just weeks after winning a seat.
In those circumstances, neither Fianna Fáil nor Fine Gael, who won 43% of the vote between them, need apologise to Sinn Féin (it won 24.5%) or anyone else should they go into government together.
If Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael, don’t join the common cause any future claim they make to patriotism will be arch hypocrisy. And every meeting of the mé féiner party should start with a mea culpa and end with an act of contrition.
Sinn Féin and its ilk ignore the fact that some 70% of the electorate didn’t support a far-left government and rail against what will be called a ‘Fianna Gael’-led administration. But an FF/FG-led coalition is the only combination with the potential to stick together for a full term.
And the enormity of the task facing the next government means it will need a full five years to make a significant impact on the screaming crises in public services.
A ‘Fianna Gael’ coalition would be a marriage of convenience – but if it shares the burden with selfless patriotism, it will also be a lifelesson in duty to the generation mesmerised by Sinn Féin.
SINN FéIN supporters – and others – will say that the ‘Fianna Gael’ option contradicts the electorate’s clamour for change at the polls. Many harsh words – and more home truths – were reported from the campaign trail and the leaders of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael both swore they would not enter government with Sinn Féin. They were worried that sharing government with them would bestow legitimacy on Sinn Féin – and therefore validate Provo terrorism through 40 years of the Troubles. Sitting with them at the Cabinet table would also give Sinn Féiners similar status and respectability with their ministerial peers.
As well as being deeply offensive to anyone who recognises the legitimacy of the State and the Army, to the family and friends of those murdered and maimed by the Provisional IRA, a Sinn Féin TD shouting ‘Up The Ra’ is like an antisemite yelling ‘Sieg Heil’ outside a synagogue. Their serial apologies for praising the Provos’ murderous campaign are ultimately hollow.
Neither can Sinn Féin resist punishing its critics or muzzling free speech by trying to dismiss and undermine the Mail Group’s political editor John Lee and issuing thinly veiled threats to broadcaster Joe Duffy.
If Sinn Féin wants us to treat it as an ordinary political party it could start by treating its TDs less like minor party employees and more as elected representatives. And its apologies must be heartfelt for the major role it played in two generations of sustained violence and economic destruction.
OLD hands reckoned that party strategists dreamed of Sinn Féin doing a deal with FF, then denouncing it for not showing proper resolve on housing and then bringing down the coalition and seeking more Dáil seats in an October or November election. But Sinn Féin’s plan to destroy Fianna Fáil by joining them in a political marriage is now a dead duck.
A Sinn Féin-led alliance of leftwing parties was Mary Lou’s ultimate fantasy but it disappeared with the arrival of the election results. There are 87 TDs with no ties to Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil – but they are unlikely to vote for Ms McDonald to be taoiseach.
Before the election many pundits grumbled about the shortage of talent on the Fianna Fáil front bench – and the mediocrity of many Fine Gael ministers.
Coalition would reward the better performers in Fianna Fáil and prune the weeds from the Fine Gael officer class. Their differences have blurred over three generations. And conjoined to face down a common enemy, ‘Fianna Gael’ ministers would be blood brothers in government.
A coalition would inevitably lead to a ‘cloning’ effect with Fianna Fáilers and Fine Gaelers becoming political twins with shared interests and common policies. They might even grow to like it.