Fianna Fáil and an election - Time is just not right for a vote

Fianna Fáil activists and voters are understandably impatient for a general election. That Ireland is far from alone in Europe in having a government dependent on arrangements with reluctant oppositions is scant consolation. Their party has been out of power for eight years, and they see a Government that on many fronts has passed or is fast approaching its use-by date.

One of the Government’s few tangible achievements has been the modest budget surplus — the first in a decade, though almost 40% of corporate tax payments came from just 10 mega-multinationals. On the debit side of the ledger, there are capital cost overruns and legitimate concerns about low-pay levels for workers in essential public services. There is a housing crisis and a carbon tax is coming down the line, along with a hike in residential property taxes. The national broadband programme hasn’t worked out quite as planned.