31 days to go…perhaps

25th January, 2011

Yesterday saw Fine Gael and Labour take their first government decision-before a single vote has been cast. In a display of political maturity and unity, the two parties – along with the Greens- sat down with Minister Lenihan and agreed a timetable for the passage of the Finance Bill and the dissolution of the Dail next weekend. The election, it seems, will take place on February 25th.

So it seems Fianna Fail will elect a new leader on Wednesday who will be in the job less than a week before he leads his party into an election campaign. If we read this in a political thriller we would probably cast the book aside as too unbelievable. But times are like that these days.

The country is now, surely, drama-weary. As the country prepares for an end to the phoney war and the beginning of the campaign proper, everyone’s attention will hopefully turn to the solutions being offered by the parties. Real policies will be welcomed. Empty rhetoric will be challenged. I am glad my party has done the work in the years leading up to now and has a detailed and costed plan to make Ireland great again.

Election 2011. Bring it on.