BUILDING THE BRIDGES WITH FIANNA FÁIL

DEVELOPING a working relationship with the prickly Fianna Fáil leader is the new Taoiseach’s biggest domestic test. Those who are not his friends have consistently claimed Leo ‘the dilettante’ will collapse the Government almost out of a desire to pass the time. Leo must prove that he can manage a confidence and supply deal, if only because he wants to be the one pulling the plug. The omens were not auspicious and the new Taoiseach did not improve the mood when he revealed that Micheál Martin had privately spoken of his doubts about Máire Whelan. The revelation might have won Leo a debating point victory, but things were so bad that Leo himself reached out in Brussels to provide an ‘olive branch’ to Fianna Fáil. As talk about early elections spread, one senior Fianna Fáil figure said: ‘Building a relationship with a new leader is like the first dance, where depending on how that goes you might have a second. Leo isn’t even at first base.’

VERDICT

An uncertain start that bodes ill for the future. As Taoiseach, the prime responsibility for making this work lies with Leo. 4/10