Daniel McConnell: Patience with Fine Gael is wearing thin

Far from the unified, energetic party that Varadkar took charge of in 2017, the Fine Gael of 2021 is deeply lethargic, demoralised, and fraying with internal recrimination at a level not seen since Enda Kenny’s final year

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney is notoriously pious about standards in office, yet the Zappone episode has demonstrated a catastrophic lapse in judgement and while he will survive Sinn Féin’s no-confidence motion, his standing has been badly damaged. Picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews

Just how many last chances are Fine Gael going to get?

The now eight-week-old Zappone affair continues to dominate the political agenda, with the Government facing into a motion of no confidence in Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney in the coming days.