Challenge for Fine Gael - FG is not ready for Cowen era

BY NOW Fianna Fáil loyalists will have begun to come to terms with the shock of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s Wednesday announcement.

Their regret will be balanced by considerable optimism. They will be happy that they do not have to answer the do-you-believe-him-or-not question a dozen times each and every day, realising that a direct answer would be disloyal or dishonest and that the survivalist’s fudge cannot be illuminating.

They can take real comfort in the exemplary dignity and pragmatism with which Mr Ahern faced the inevitable. They will, in time, take even more comfort from the legacy Mr Ahern has left their party.