Magic of politics is all sleight of hand

IRISH politics has resembled a magicians’ convention over the past 10 days. All the party heavyweights have been waving their magic wands to show how — hey presto! — they will make rival TDs disappear from the Dáil next year.

Enda Kenny went one better in Sligo this week and enthralled us all with his ability to pull a Rabbitte out of a hat. And of course the PDs finally acknowledged they would need the services of the world’s most famous escapologist, Michael McDowell, to Houdini-them out of the dire straits the party has found itself in.

I did a tot yesterday of the seats that the party number crunchers have conjured up. And like laying odds of 7/4 for Michael McDowell for PD leader, there is something dicky in the numbers. Yerra, they are all making a fine case for themselves. Fine Gael thinks it can win at least 58 seats. Labour is thinking along the lines of 27 or 28. McDowell predicted the PDs would double their seats to 16. The Greens are hoping to win eight. Sinn Féin’s Pat Doherty says his party will come back with 10 seats. Even the independents are pointing to the opinion polls and talking about a possible 15.