Fianna Fáil must decide to go into government if they want to deliver

It has been almost three weeks since the election, and in that period we have been subjected to prolonged theatrical shadow boxing by our politicians, with many of them acting like spoiled overgrown school children so as to gain political advantage at our expense.

Fine Gael appear to be more amenable to a coalition with Fianna Fáil than Fianna Fáil are, despite the diversionary tactics being staged by Fianna Fáil.

Unfortunately, such an arrangement is the only combination to command a majority with similar policies and political ethos. The people voted for an overwhelming majority of TDs from those parties to represent them and it ought to be incumbent on those parties to honour the people’s choice and form a government together.

Over the last five years, the outgoing government implemented the austerity template of inequality that was put in place by Fianna Fáil, which means they only differ in name.

Of course, their main concern is not the formation of government, but their future electoral prospects if they fail to deliver on their election promises. If those two parties were confident in delivering on their election slogans of “Keep the Recovery Going” and “A Fairer Ireland”, why are they now apparently reluctant to do just that? Obviously it has suddenly dawned on them that they will not deliver on their election slogans.

In reality, those who voted Fine Gael were aware that it would be more of the same inequality but Fianna Fáil voters probably foolishly thought that they would deliver on their promises if they were in a position of governance.

Even before entering any government arrangement, it appears that Fianna Fáil are already having a rethink on some promises. Obviously they may have studied the Pat Rabbitte school of election promises.

Those parties kept reminding Sinn Féin of their past and deemed them unsuitable for government, it appears that they themselves are not prepared to put their past history behind them.

When will it dawn on Fianna Fáil that they betrayed that past history when they handed over the deeds of the country to a foreign entity?

Christy Kelly

Templeglantine

Co Limerick