The Government has lost its mandate

IN light of the results of the European, local elections and Dublin by-elections, Fianna Fáil could be considered delusional to claim they still carry a mandate from the 2007 general election.

Considering the policy decisions required are not those as advocated by any of the political parties in the election of 2007, it is vacuous to claim that, in the current economic climate – with the construction crash, the banking crisis, the FÁS debacle, expenses scandals, the Ryan Report, the Mahon Tribunal, the conviction of Frank Dunlop – that there still exists a reason for the current government to remain in power.

It is impossible to reconcile this stance with the mantra espoused by the Government that this vastly different political and economic climate to 12 months ago is legitimate reason to ask the electorate to review its decision to reject the Lisbon Treaty.