Changing politics - Come clean on possible alliances

The political landscape changed dramatically after last month’s elections, but it is more than likely it will change even more fundamentally after the next general election.

If the local and European voting trends accelerate — or even stay steady — the dominance of the staid, conservative, self-contented, centrist, establishment-orientated political parties will be consigned to history.

The two or three groupings described until now as the main parties will have to court, and compromise with, disparate individuals or groupings; some ambitious, evolving political parties, others looser collectives of independents. The potential for instability far outweighs the prospect of stability. Fragmentation may be the new order of the day in Leinster House. These are not circumstances that will make our parliament more effective or adventurous.