June elections add spice to Cowen’s complex problems

FIANNA FÁIL is in huge trouble on two fronts. The economy is rapidly going downhill. And the party needs an urgent solution to the Lisbon treaty dilemma.

Tackling both problems will involve taking unpopular decisions, which would be fine if there weren’t elections looming. But the countdown is on for the local and European elections next June. And, most probably, resolving Lisbon will involve some kind of a second referendum.

Which is why Fianna Fáil desperately needs voters on its side right now. But how do you win public support for spending cuts and a desperately misunderstood treaty? The first part of the answer to that question came in the shape of Brian Cowen’s speech yesterday.

The Irish economy would suffer because it was exposed to the global credit crunch and the Irish economy would suffer because Lisbon had been defeated, was the gist of his message.

He sought to butter up the public by giving it the credit for the Celtic Tiger.

“The Irish people have, through their talent, their flair and their application, established an economic platform which would have been unimaginable two decades ago,” he said.

The Celtic Tiger achievements were not Fianna Fáil’s achievements, he said, but “the achievements of the nation; citizens of long-established Irish heritage and those who are new to our shores”.

That was the praise, and then came the punch.

“They represent the achievements of a people who value education, innovation and hard work. People still believe in those things and that positive attitude and the spirit of enterprise and resilience are very important attributes that we have to demonstrate again in this present set of circumstances.”

In other words, knuckle down and don’t complain. In some ways, it was Mr Cowen’s version of Charles Haughey’s infamous “tighten the belts” speech.

But it remains to be seen if the public will swallow the spin.

Why? Maybe because the Taoiseach and his fellow ministers are all on comfortable six-figures salaries, refuse to accept any blame for the economic downturn and, time and time again, appear to condone the cronyism culture that did so much damage to the country in the past.

In yesterday’s speech, Cowen took time to reference the Mahon tribunal: “We send our best wishes to Bertie Ahern,” Mr Cowen said, before going on to sing his praises.