Bleak outlook for FG... and the rest of us

IN the wake of a hammering in the general election, it is hardly surprising that Fine Gael election directors from constituencies across the country yesterday rounded on the party hierarchy for its failure to accurately gauge the mood of the country. There were particularly harsh words for national director of elections – and Brussels-based MEP – Brian Hayes.

As we also have said here many times, Fine Gael members also complained that the party put too many of its eggs in the recovering economy basket, when the recovery has barely spread past Newlands Cross.

Ironically, yesterday’s rancorous meeting was held at the nearby Maldron Hotel, and insiders already have dubbed it ‘the Cauldron in the Maldron’.

Party bosses also were accused of ignoring the rural and ‘grey’ votes and relying too heavily on what were seen as Tory policies; hardly surprising, then, that the attempt to make capital of the endorsement of British prime minister David Cameron was cited as a spectacular misfire.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was said to look like an old man, as well he might, yet it also emerged yesterday that he is on the verge of creating a rainbow coalition, with the Greens and Independents, that will see him start another term of office in April. To do this, he also needs a commitment from Labour and the Social Democrats that they will abstain from certain key votes, as he would fall short of the majority needed for stable government. None of this bodes very well.

We all know the red-line issues some of those currently being courted have already identified, and it certainly seems far beyond the bounds of probability that we are looking at an administration that will serve a five-year term.

With open dissent on display among his own party members, and ambitious younger TDs eyeing the Fine Gael leadership, there are tense times ahead for the Taoiseach, Fine Gael and, unfortunately, for the country too.