Colleagues defend their leader as criticism mounts and opinion polls indicate further FG dip
Áine Ryan
FINE GAEL leader, Enda Kenny, will not only lead the party, successfully, in next year’s local and European elections, he will become Taoiseach after the next general election – despite a negative opinion poll published at the weekend.
That’s the resounding view of a broad cross-section of leading Fine Gael activists and councillors who also told The Mayo News last night (Monday) that negative reportage in national newspapers over the weekend about Deputy Kenny’s future was typical of ‘the Dublin 4 media’s anti-west of Ireland attitude’. Kenny’s party colleagues in the county were also adamant that the party’s majority on Mayo County Council will be maintained at next year’s local elections.
Meanwhile, it was business as usual yesterday (Monday) for Deputy Kenny who was working at his Castlebar office. He told The Mayo News that not only does he ‘intend to increase the number of councillors at next year’s elections’, he also plans to lead ‘a vigorous campaign to make Fine Gael the largest party in the next Dáil’.
“For the last two months Fine Gael has been standing by Ireland in its bid to pass the Lisbon Treaty. Tomorrow [Tuesday] we are back in the Dáil and we will take on the economy. We’re good at that,” said Deputy Kenny.
Last weekend’s Red C Poll – published in the Sunday Business Post – saw the main opposition party drop three points – to 25 per cent – from a similar poll last month, and its lowest point since last year’s election. On the other hand, Fianna Fáil showed 40 per cent support, a dramatic 15 per cent more than Fine Gael. Support in a similar poll last February showed Fine Gael at 31 per cent, as opposed to Fianna Fáil’s 37 per cent – a much narrower gap.
Dismissing the poll as ‘unreliable’, the party’s constituency Director of Elections, Mr Michael Sloyan, said the finger must be firmly pointed at the Fianna Fáil Government and not Kenny for the Lisbon debacle and the downturn in the economy.
“In relation to the referendum result, there is no question that this was anti-Fine Gael or people were getting at Enda Kenny. They were just giving the Government a kick. The economy is a disaster and people are very angry. What aspect of Fianna Fáil’s election manifesto has not been reneged upon? Where is the rosy picture of the economy that was painted last year?” continued Mr Sloyan.
He rubbished a claim by a Fine Gael ‘source’ that Kenny needs to show ‘he has a grasp of the economy that he hasn’t shown up to now’. The claim was made in a piece written by Sunday Tribune Political Editor, Shane Coleman entitled ‘Alas poor Enda: leading Fine Gael towards oblivion’.
“If there’s anybody weak on the economy it’s the Government. What about the 100 per cent loans it stood over; the negative equity after the collapse of the building industry; the Stamp Duty; the fuel crisis; the massive tolls haulage companies have to play,” he added.
Local Party Whip, Cllr Paddy McGuinness is also fully behind his party leader, and criticised the outspokenness of two of the young TDs who have been tipped, along with Simon Coveney, as possible successors to Kenny.
“ I attribute our low ratings to the aggressive attitudes of Leo Varadkar and Brian Hayes. They are far too smart for their own good and do not have the empathy for the grassroots,” said Cllr McGuinness. He argued that if elected Taoiseach, Enda Kenny would be very good for rural Ireland.
Incoming Chairman of Mayo County Council, Cllr Joe Mellett said that, rather than leading the party into oblivion – as suggested in the Coleman article – Deputy Kenny had brought the party back from oblivion after it gained 20 seats in the last election.
Furthermore, Cllr Michelle Mulherin said that her party leader was ‘the best hope for the west of Ireland’.
“Enda Kenny did the very unglamorous job of reconstructing the party. It is already clear that the people want change now and, without a doubt, he is our best hope for the west of Ireland,” said Cllr Mulherin.
Dismissing any leadership heaves, Deputy Kenny also said ‘there are lots of potential leaders in Fine Gael’. “We have an expanded electoral system which was approved two years ago for that process. However, I plan to make Fine Gael the largest party in the next Dáil. We gained 20 seats the last time and we have already identified 18 more.”
In the meantime, he said ‘the drive will soon start for the local and European elections’.
