End of the Kenny political dynasty?

FACE IN THE CROWD After announcing his decision to step down as leader of Fine Gael last Wednesday, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny was back on home soil on Sunday afternoon. He was pictured during the Connacht GAA Football Senior Championship Quarter-Final match between Mayo and Sligo at Elverys MacHale Park in Castlebar. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Edwin McGreal

Speculation is mounting that the Kenny political dynasty could be at an end.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s resignation as leader of Fine Gael last Wednesday has sparked intense debate about the future of the seat that the family has retained for over 60 years.
It is widely expected that Mr Kenny will not stand in the next general election. His daughter, Aoibhinn, had been tipped as a possible contender in recent months, but cold water has been poured on that scenario in recent days.
The Taoiseach has been a TD since 1975; his late father Henry held a seat from 1954 until his death in 1975. A source close to the Taoiseach hinted strongly about the end of an era, not just in terms of the Taoiseach’s political career, but that of his family holding a DΡil seat for 63 years.
“He won’t be running again, and I can’t see any family member going forward, so it looks like the end of the Kenny dynasty. I would be shocked if Aoibheann went,” the source said.
The source listed the next in line as Paddy Burke, John O’Mahony or ‘a celebrity candidate’.
Senator Paddy Burke, who in recent years has been strongly tipped to fill such a vacancy  should it arise, refused to be drawn when contacted by The Mayo News.
Senator Burke, a member of Seanad Éireann since 1993, said ‘there is no vacancy there’. When asked about the probability of Enda Kenny stepping down from politics before the next General Election, Senator Burke said: “The Taoiseach told a Fine Gael meeting in Castlebar last year that he would be around politics for a long time to come.”
When asked if he would consider putting his name forward if the Taoiseach did step aside, Ballyglass native Senator Burke denied giving it consideration. “It is something I’ve never thought about,” he said.

Apprehension
A Fine Gael source in the county town said if Enda Kenny does not stand for the next general election, it will leave Fine Gael in Castlebar at a crossroads.
“People are very cautious about the future; there is a lot of apprehension out there,” said the source.
“Fine Gael in Castlebar have not had to choose a candidate since 1975. Getting rid of the town councils was a disaster. We’re in bad shape in the town. We’ve no councillor in the town – our two county councillors in the Castlebar Municipal District, Cyril Burke and Henry Kenny (the Taoiseach’s brother) are both based in the rural part of the district – and we have to rebuild totally at grassroots level,” said another party source.
What the future holds for the Taoiseach is also unclear. Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney are bidding to replace him as Fine Gael leader and, from there, as Taoiseach.
There has been speculation the Taoiseach could play a role for a Fine Gael-led government in Brexit negotiations, while a possible position in Europe has also been suggested. Sources in the party in Mayo say either role would appeal to Mr Kenny.
One Fine Gael source in Castlebar suggested he could stand for the Presidency.
It is expected the Taoiseach will remain a TD until the next election and will not resign his seat and cause a by-election.
However, when he does go, the absence of Kenny’s name on the ballot paper will leave Fine Gael in much weaker position in Mayo in a General Election.
Independent Cllr Michael Kilcoyne, who was victim to the ‘blue tsunami’ of 2011 that saw Fine Gael take four of the five seats in Mayo, believes Fine Gael will now be ‘up against it’ without ‘the Taoiseach factor’ in the constituency.
“Fine Gael will find it very difficult in the next election when they won’t be able to say ‘we have a Mayo Taoiseach’, something that will solve all woes. They promised too much and did not deliver to the scale they promised,” Cllr Kilcoyne told The Mayo News.