Éamon Ó Cuív proposal to call Fine Gael’s bluff

Fianna Fáil should consider supporting Fine Gael’s bid to re-elect Enda Kenny as Taoiseach when the Dáil resumes, because the move would create a lame duck leader.

Leading party TD Éamon Ó Cuiv told the Irish Examiner last night that he wants the option to be taken, insisting that despite fears it could trigger a second election, it may force genuine reforms in how the Dáil is run.

Speaking as Fianna Fáil saw its pre-election TD numbers more than double, the Galway West representative echoed a widely-held party view that it must not go into government with Fine Gael.

However, while repeating the official line that it is “up to Fine Gael” to approach rivals for help in forming a coalition, Mr Ó Cuiv said that Fianna Fáil should consider not opposing any Fine Gael bid to nominate Mr Kenny as Taoiseach on March 10 because it would effectively call the government’s bluff.

“If I was Fine Gael I would be asking myself, ‘what happens if March 10 comes around and we [Fianna Fáil] say fine, keep it going, off you go’,” Mr O Cuiv said.

“That’s something we haven’t even considered. If we all come back on March 10 and Enda Kenny’s nomination is defeated, Micheál Martin’s is defeated, Gerry Adams’ is defeated, the Dáil will be adjourned for three weeks the same way as in 1989, not a second election. It’s a significant possibility.”

Asked if the real intention of such a move — which has been proposed only by Mr Ó Cuiv — would be to create a lame duck taoiseach and call Fine Gael’s bluff, he said it could also force Dáil reforms.

“There is a new way of doing things. The world is changing rapidly and a lot of what happens in the Dáil is archaic. We need consensus,” he said, adding that other options such as a grand coalition or a Fianna Fáil-specific deal to support a minority Fine Gael government from opposition should be ruled out.

“Minority government would be much worse than that [coalition]; it would be responsibility without input. It is out, out, out, as Margaret Thatcher would say,” he said.

Mr Ó Cuív was speaking as Fianna Fáil was last night poised to more than double its pre-election number of TDs when the final result of Friday’s vote is known, with its Dáil representation levels set to surge into the mid-40s.

At 11.50pm last night, Fianna Fáil had won 43 of the 135 already decided seats in the country, just four behind Fine Gael’s 47 and far in excess of its 21 pre-election TD total.

Among the most high- profile gains were in Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s Mayo constituency, where returning TD Dara Calleary is now joined by Lisa Chambers from Mr Kenny’s own home town, and the election of at least five TDs — Jack Chambers, Jim O’Callaghan, Darragh O’Brien, John Curran, and Sean Haughey — in Dublin where the party was wiped out in 2011.

In Cork South Central, finance spokesman Michael McGrath topped a competitive poll, followed closely by party leader Micheál Martin, while health spokesman Billy Kelleher comfortably retained his seat in Cork North Central.

On Saturday, a triumphant Mr Martin made it clear that it is his intention to seek to form a government without Fine Gael.

However, while the matter is technically possible due to the likely make-up of the next Dáil, one senior TD suggested this will not be feasible as it would involve deals with 30 Independents and smaller parties.

A Fianna Fáil spokesperson last night insisted that no discussions have taken place with Fine Gael, adding that Fine Gael is obliged to make any move to form a government.