Social consensus - An election is inevitable so why wait?

DESPITE the great optimism and relief that greeted Brian Cowen’s appointment as Taoiseach opinion poll after opinion poll has recorded a relentless collapse in his support.

This week’s Irish Sun survey continued that spiral towards oblivion and Mr Cowen’s 11% rating puts him in an almost unique category, at least in a country that likes to imagine itself a democracy.

Unfortunately his latest and weakest rating came on the very day that European Commissioner Olli Rehn backed the Government’s budgetary strategy and encouraged the political consensus pivotal to itsdelivery. By so doing he was underlining the depth of community-wide commitment and sacrifice needed to confront the failings that have brought us to the very edge of bankruptcy.