Coalition’s quandary

Government stability is crucial, especially with the economy on the brink, but the problem facing the present administration is that the Fine Gael-Labour coalition appears to get more shaky by the day.

Following weeks of controversy surrounding the inept performance of Health Minister James Reilly, both Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore are striving to patch over the growing differences between their respective parties.

For Labour, the loss of junior health minister Róisín Shortall has been a damaging experience. Regardless of the ‘spin’ put on this affair by the party leadership, grassroots TDs are deeply worried.

For Fine Gael, the problem is that Dr Reilly will continue to be a target for opposition attacks. He is a lightning rod for protest and thus the controversy over how primary care centres were selected for Balbriggan and Swords in his political backyard will not go away.