Dara Murphy goes to Europe: Faith in system is undermined

The poor turnout in last week’s by-elections might, with a Christmas-party dash of wishful thinking, be explained by an approaching general election and the by-elections’ relevance in the face of the ongoing supply and confidence arrangement between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

That, however, as any sharp cumann rúnaí will realise, is just one part of the story. Maybe the smaller part. Voter disenchantment with a Government party that has slipped from the standards it expects of the other government while in opposition are an obvious factor. Just this year the Maria Bailey prevarication, the misjudgement on Verona Murphy, the anti-immigrant vote by FG MEPs and the runaway housing scandal all play a part too.