The Green Party - History Repeating?

In the communications age, a Taoiseach who fails to connect, perhaps was fated to fail. And so, we are left with a scenario, where the continuing political leader of the country, no longer currying the support of his own colleagues, has resigned as the leader of his party. This situation will not play well in the foreign media, where in the shadow cast by the EU/IMF bailout, Ireland has been portrayed as an economic basket case, and one assumes now, in addition to this unfavourable caricature, with a snigger, a political basket case too.


On Wednesday (26th), Eamon Gilmore and the Labour party will put forth a Dáil vote of no confidence in the Taoiseach, a manoeuvre Enda Kenny will ape, if Brian Cowen does not ask President McAleese to dissolve the current Dáil. This raises some intriguing questions of the government partners and what their next moves may be. Labour and Fine Gael have now ratcheted up the pressure on the Greens by announcing that they would facilitate the passing of the finance bill by the end of the week, if the government agrees to move the election date forward from March 11th.


Will the Green Party keep their word in the face of a seemingly untenable political reality and stay the course until the finance bill is passed?


One may postulate that it is in Fianna Fáil's (even the backbencher's) best interest to prop-up Cowen and maximise his dwindling tenure as Taoiseach and of this government, to afford them the best possible chance in the General Election. In many instances FF have yet to elect candidates to put forth in March and a coherent electoral manifesto cannot be in place until after the new leader is elected and in this process they will have to move quickly.


As I write this post, it has just emerged that the Greens are to host a press conference at 3.30 to announce the outcome of discussions they have held in light of Mr. Cowen's resignation as leader of Fianna Fáil.


Watch it live here.


I am reminded of a similar meeting held by the then junior partner in a Fianna Fáil led coalition government prior to the last general election. It was the Progressive Democrats (PDs) that time around and they, lead by Justice Minister and Tánaiste, Michael McDowell, made the calamitous decision to support then Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern. It was the last election the PDs would contest as a political entity.