The ‘establishment’ parties still command a clear majority ahead of General Election

The three ‘establishment’ parties may be diminished, but they command a clear majority writes Gerard Howlin

THE decks are almost cleared and the scene is set for the next election. The Dáil will rise tomorrow for the Christmas recess. There is a yarn going around that the Taoiseach will pre-empt events and ask the President for a dissolution before it resumes in January. I doubt that, though.

It would forestall the banking inquiry, and smack of a stroke. On the other hand, if, because of legal difficulties, the inquiry cannot meet its deadline, there would be no obligation on Mr Kenny to await a train that isn’t ever coming. Let’s see. Either way, the phoney war is on and the real one is not far off.