Lots of threats and bluster but no apologies

THERE is no alternative: It’s FF or the IMF. Deal with it.

That was the stark bunker mentality message resonating out of Brian Cowen’s first Ard Fheis as Taoiseach as he grappled with the twin calamities of an economic crisis coupled with a national crisis of confidence in his leadership.

It was Fianna Fáil against the world as they projected themselves as the only party tough enough to take hard decisions and avoid national humiliation.

The softening-up for major tax rises, the fear of foreign intervention if FF loses its nerve and the painting of the opposition as part of the problem preventing Ireland getting back on its feet all dominated.

Hikes in the rates of both tax bands, and a far-reaching overhaul of the thresholds to suck in many of the 40% now exempt, looms large with the likelihood of a levy on high earners to sweeten the bitter pill and help plug the €18 billion spending gap.

And just like when the cack-handed emergency October Budget was dressed-up in terms of “our patriotic duty”, Ministers are now determined to wrap themselves in the green and insist they do what they do for Ireland.

To ram the point home, the Taoiseach and Transport Minister Noel Dempsey both warned of what would happen if the Government failed to get a grip on the situation and “outsiders” — presumably code for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) — were forced to take over, imposing pay cuts of up to 40% and slashing services.

In a crude attempt to redirect the public anger battering the Government, the charge of “economic treason” levelled against the Anglo investors in the notorious Golden Circle was further expanded by Mr Dempsey as he savaged Fine Gael and Labour for “dancing around the wounded economy” as they spread their “dangerous and false” message to the world about Ireland.

Strangely, no time was expended on deciding who exactly was responsible.

The closest anyone came to an apology was a rather oblique reference by Finance Minister Brian Lenihan: “If we could have foreseen the extent of the international crisis, we would have done things differently. Perhaps as a Government we were over-ambitious in trying to meet the understandable demands of our people for more and better public services when the resources were there. There is little to be gained in beating ourselves up over this,” he said.

Well, there is certainly no need for ministers to beat themselves up when there is such a long line of teachers, guards, pensioners, health workers — not to mention the 1,000 a day losing their jobs — who’ll willingly do it for them.

The rise in poverty in Ireland was mirrored by a poverty of new ideas from the podium. Tánaiste and Employment Minister Mary Coughlan gave a particularly vacuous speech that did little to combat the public’s feeling this Government lacks direction, compassion or a sense of social fairness.

While desperate to pull together as the opinion polls show the voters ready to pull them to pieces, the strain of record unpopularity was in evidence.

“We all know it’s global, what people are crying out for now is decisive leadership,” former national executive member Graham Hanlon demanded of the Finance Minister as FF’s flirtation with grassroots democracy in the form of fringe meetings looked, momentarily, like going off-message.

“Give us pain now, not death by a thousand cuts,” the questioner implored.

“The Government isn’t afraid to give leadership. People want tough decisions but when the tough decisions are made, the people don’t like it,” Mr Lenihan retaliated, reflecting on the aftermath of October’s emergency financial statement with the comment: “I felt a very lonely man for 10 days after that budget.”

They insist the polls don’t matter, but the dramatic collapse to level pegging with Labour plays heavy on FF. They thought they hit rock bottom in 2004 with 32% of the vote and a drubbing in the local elections.

Now the party is bumping along the low 20s, the income ram-raid on the public servants has seen swathes of former FF supporters in teaching and other civil professions switch en-mass to Labour, while Fine Gael quietly bides its time at 30%.

Though hardly the state of the nation rallying call he needed to deliver, Mr Cowen’s key note address was strong enough to buy him some more time.

He clearly put a lot of effort into trying to get the intonation right as he sought to convey the feeling he really did feel the nation’s pain.

Yet his big, emotive line on how “Ireland will rise again”, was fluffed. He went at it too fast, the audience missed it and there was no applause.

After this shocking slump into national pain and despair, Ireland will undoubtedly rise again — but whether Fianna Fáil will rise along with it remains the €18bn question.