Public has fallen out of love with Enda and it’s been hard to swallow

HOW do you solve a problem like the public? That’s the dilemma for the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, as he faces into a seriously challenging political year.

The good news for us is that he took a lengthy break at Christmas: there is nothing like relaxation to give someone the perspective to make sound decisions. On the basis of the past year, few people would accuse Mr Kenny of being ‘sound’ in his handling of certain issues.

But we don’t know what the Taoiseach has learned from 2014; whether he gained any insights or whether he intends to act upon them in managing the Government.