Taoiseach in America: Unpalatable

Taoiseach Enda Kenny, who is on a week-long valedictory visit to America, will not need to be reminded that Margaret Thatcher’s reign finally came to an end while she was travelling abroad.

Any wriggle room he might have imagined he still had around the end of his leadership evaporated with the weekend opinion poll showing that Sinn Féin’s rise continues and that Gerry Adams’ party is now, according to the Sunday Times/Behaviour and Attitudes poll, more popular than Fine Gael.

That Rubicon will abruptly end any Fine Gael indulgences about Mr Kenny being able to retire in his own time. Fine Gael will, hopefully, realise too that it’s time for the national interest to come before their leadership travails.

Mr Kenny has already spoken about the need to resolve the situation for Irish people living and working in America illegally.

If he extends those remarks to cover all immigrants when he meets President Donald Trump, he deserves admiration. That will not, however, make the idea of being eclipsed by Sinn Féin as he leaves the stage any more palatable.