Taoiseach: Opposition coalition not realistic

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen is back in the firing line, with the opposition parties using growing support to undermine his Fianna Fáil-led coalition.

But the strong performance of both parties has renewed questions on their potential to form a government if the Fianna Fáil-Green Party coalition disintegrates.

A poll yesterday further underscored Fine Gael’s dominant position ahead of next month’s local, European and by-election votes.

The Sunday Business Post/Red C survey put Fine Gael on 34%, 10 points ahead of Fianna Fáil.

The Taoiseach said irrespective of the figures, the two main opposition parties were too far apart on policies for them to form a realistic coalition.

“If you want to put these two together and get a consensus, then good luck to you,” he said.

However, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said this view did not stack up with the history of the parties.

“The Fine Gael party, for what it is worth – and I don’t speak for the Labour Party – when it was necessary to bail out this country on two previous occasions did so with the assistance of the Labour Party,” he said.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore, speaking at the annual commemoration of its co-founder James Connolly’s execution, said he still believed he could lead the largest party in the Dáil.

And the fact yesterday’s poll showed his party’s support had dropped by one to 18% did not bother him as long as it stayed close to the 20% mark.

“It is not about changing faces around the Cabinet table, it is not about trading one conservative option for another. It is about real change. That is why the option that the Labour Party is presenting is the idea of a Labour-led government in this country,” he said.

Despite the continued support for Labour and Fine Gael, Mr Cowen refused to consider stepping down as party leader. He said the Government was given a five-year mandate in 2007 and would see this through.

A weekend poll in the Irish Times showed Fine Gael facing a similar dilemma as it did five years ago in the Ireland East constituency. Then the popularity of Louth-based Máiréad McGuinness threatened Wexford candidate Avril Doyle. This time Ms McGuinness is polling at 33% with running mate John Paul Phelan at 9%.

Mr Kenny said the party had to consider how to best manage support to retain two seats and did not rule out drawing a line through Leinster to separate first preferences.

Meanwhile, Independent European election candidate Patricia McKenna has dismissed public concerns by Green Party chairman Dan Boyle over the viability of the Programme for Government as a “cynical exercise in political posturing”.

“Unfortunately the timing of this concern does not indicate the Green Party has suddenly seen the light and the folly in its ways, but that it has seen the figures of the recent opinion polls,” she said.