Does Fianna Fáil’s leader have the nerves to keep Fine Gael in office?

The time to go is gone. If it were ever a plan in the Government to cut and run for a general election the moment has passed.

That is not to say it won’t happen — that’s a different matter, to which I’ll come back. Today is a watershed. A holy day, when once those days were also de facto holidays, it marks the end of the first two weeks of August when the building trade and allied businesses closed.

The peak holiday season would be concluding this weekend. For those who see holidays as largely for other people, it’s a day for funfairs or maybe a special outing. The tight window for a set two-weeks holiday is now largely passed.