Bruised electorate reeling from a total lack of Fine Gael leadership

There is an alarming militancy in the growing threats of strikes and industrial action, writes Alison O’Connor.

AT THE conclusion of her interesting report on how Fine Gael banjaxed their general election campaign author Marion Coy quotes the American poet Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

When thinking of the sort of emotions that Fine Gael elicited from people during that period of time it is a rather rude phrase that comes immediately to mind, but it is sufficient here to substitute “royally cheesed off” in its place. The Coy report goes into considerable detail as to how the party must, and quickly, mend its ways. But instead of noticing progress, as the Budget fast approaches, and a seeming freefall develops around national industrial relations issues, there is a strong sense of déjà vu.