Fine Gael leadership contest a PR masterstroke for do-nothing Dáil

INTENTIONAL or not, the Fine Gael leadership contest has been a PR masterstroke, writes, Political Reporter Elaine Loughlin.

But while the spotlight has glared down on both Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney over the past two weeks, the wheels of discontent have kept turning and will be hurtling towards the new Taoiseach when he enters office.

A landmark court ruling on asylum seekers, deadlock on public sector pay, a housing crisis which has seen homeless families pointed to Garda cells for shelter, another gangland murder, and an ailing health sector are among the issues that have been almost buried in the wall-to-wall Fine Gael election coverage over the past 16 days.