FF still sure of its right to rule

FIANNA Fáil is almost a unique phenomenon in world politics. In every election for well over 70 years, it has been returned as the largest party.

Only once has its dominance looked like wobbling a little — when Garret FitzGerald’s Fine Gael gouged into its margins in 1982.

There have been others. The Social Democrats dominated Swedish politics for decades, winning almost half of the vote between 1940 and 1988. The Institutional Revolutionary Party enjoyed unbroken rule in Mexico for 66 years. But both have had major setbacks in recent years. Fianna Fáil is unrivalled when it comes to the longevity of its dominance.

During the 1980s when Máire Geoghegan Quinn began to openly rebel against Charles J Haughey, she made some intriguing observations. Her loyalty and fealty, she said, was to the ‘Organisation’, which was bigger than any individual leader. She kept on referring to the Organisation. It was not conscious on her part, but the more she referred to it, the more it sounded that Fianna Fáil was like a cult or the mafia. There was no mention of what it stood for or what or whom it represented.

First extract from the catechism of Irish politics — Question: Who created the world, its mountains, its seas and its parish pumps?

Answer: The Organisation.

Last weekend’s gathering of the FF faithful was a one-day affair with no real motions or debate. With 12 hours of promiscuous self-promotion, there was no room for anything else.

No matter what party’s convention you go to, it’s a surefire thing that they’ll all tell you (TDs, senators, delegate, yahoos, hangers-on) that the atmosphere and the mood has never been so good and the party has never been as united or energised.

Second extract from the catechism of Irish politics — Question: How do we recognise true faith?

Answer: Uncontrolled whooping during the Leader’s speech at the Organisation’s Árd Fheis.

Last weekend, there was a grain of truth hidden among the hype. FF actually believes the message it is spinning. The party can’t see itself not being back for a third term. The confidence is based on two things. The first is the economy, management of which will be FF’s star turn (and indeed only trick) during the campaign. The second is Bertie. He not only survived BertieGate, it actually cemented his reputation as the party’s greatest asset. The more he floundered and stumbled, the more his people loved him.

Not since Eddie the Eagle in the Winter Olympics ski jump has a public figure been so revered for such a comical performance.

Third extract from the catechism of Irish politics — Question: What miracle was created from one loaf and a crumpled anorak?

Answer: A workable majority and 15 years of unbroken power.

Recent opinion polls showing FF at 39% may be a glitch. But for an awfully long time, party strategists have been convinced they will be there or thereabouts next year, in the absence of a major scandal or downturn in the economy (a crash in the property market; or scary oil price increases).

Sure, the party is going to take big hits over the next few months. Politically, health remains an unwieldy mess. There is a legion of examples of wanton waste of taxpayers’ money. Michael McDowell’s opportunistic visit to Templemore this week may have given him the opportunity to trumpet the magical figure of 14,000 guards. But law enforcement and fear of crime still play into the opposition hands as the Government struggles to deliver on its many promises.

Yet, FF still believes it will win. And that is because it has Bertie and because it has the economy and, lastly, because it is the Organisation. What FF really stands for is this. It is the self-styled party of government and stands for whatever it needs to stand for. If it’s Labour it needs to woo, it will swerve to the left. If it’s the PDs, the pendulum will swing to the right. But fundamentally, the Organisation believes it was blessed with the God-given right to rule.

Fourth extract from the catechism of Irish politics — Question: How many Organisations are there?

Answer: There is one true Organisation.

Question: Where is the Organisation?

Answer: It is everywhere.

What is sin? Disobedience to the Organisation’s law.

What is the penalty for sin? A life spent in the purgatory of the back benches.