Massive year ahead for Micheál Martin and his Soldiers of Destiny

Has Fianna Fáil become too domesticated? Has the party changed from a wily electoral beast, with a sixth survival sense, to one that is content to sit in front of a warm confidence and supply fire, and lap on the saucer of warm milk kindly supplied by Fine Gael? This year will give us the answer to that, writes Alison O’Connor.

You’d have to suspect that while they’ve endured, possibly even enjoyed, the little bit of political languishing of late the sense of threat presented by the recent Fine Gael momentum will soon, if not already, have the party back in harness.

It will have been an interesting festive season as the party, under Micheál Martin, attempts to work out how best to progress as a succession of recent opinion polls indicate that people are increasingly liking the cut of Leo Varadkar’s jib. The space between the two parties is opening up. The latest of those, the Ireland Thinks poll for the Daily Mail, had Fine Gael on 33%, with Fianna Fail at 26%.