Europe calling

It’s that time again – the time when Europe comes calling for our ‘best and brightest’. No, not the Eurovision (although that’s coming soon too), but the European elections.

Forgive a note of sarcasm in ‘the best and brightest’, but it’s difficult to avoid. In Irish politics, Brussels has traditionally been a dumping ground for those who just don’t cut the mustard at national level. While it’s not easy to get elected in a European election (the sheer amount of votes required is hard to comprehend even for successful general election veterans – Sean O Neachtain polled over 62,000 votes in 2004), the contest is generally not reserved for the cream that has risen to the top of various parties.

Usually, promising candidates who could do well in national politics are lured to Brussels by some kind of carrot. Or are exiled because of a disagreement with the current party leadership – Munster MEP Brian Crowly has famously been at odds with party HQ for years, but is holding onto his Fianna Fáil seat in the hopes of a Presidential nomination.

Often, people are dragged out of semi-retirement to fly the flag, or high flyers with even higher profiles (former GAA President Sean Kelly, again in Munster, and the courting of Packie Bonner by Fianna Fáil this time round) are lured onto the ticket, often with promises of future General Election ticket spots.

And so it is, too, in the North West. Independents like Marian Harkin (and Dana before her, and Kathy Sinnott in Munster) do better in European elections, partly because most people have no idea, or much interest, in what MEPs actually do. And the political party system is not so important in Brussels – Harkin has allied herself with the ALDE, soon to become home to FF, for years, and receives all the support she needs from them.

The current crisis within Fianna Fáil, following the surprise resignation of Sean O Neachtain, is a telling one, because the facts are that nobody really wants a seat in Brussels. This, despite the fact that MEPs have more real power than TDs, with the same salary. They pass reams of legislation, some of which then has to be passed by the Dáil, and have a voice where it really counts in a lot of issues that can matter at local level (see Marian Harkin’s involvement in the Eyrecourt sludge case, in which a European body forced
the EPA to act after years of inaction by Galway County Council).

Speaking to the Galway Independent on Sunday, Aer Arann CEO Padraig O Ceidigh, who is by any measure a perfect fit for O Neachtain’s shoes, and would easily get douze points from the North Western jury, was still doubtful.

Not because he doesn’t fancy politics; not at all. Because he doesn’t fancy the European Parliament.

However, as mentioned above, Fianna Fáil in particular is well known for it’s carrot-based approach to European elections; for O Ceidigh, who would clearly relish an economic portfolio, there would be ample reward later on. He is someone who would almost certainly get elected in Galway, probably presenting a danger to Eamon O Cuív (who might not be so happy to see him embraced by Fianna Fáil), and would be competent in an economic portfolio, providing he could be taught to toe party line.

Within Fianna Fáil he is seen as a great white hope to retain O Neachtain’s seat, but it’s possible that his candidacy may cost more than Fianna Fáil can offer. Time will tell.

O Neachtain resignation

Sean O Neachtain's resignation has come, it appears, as a mighty shock to most of Fianna Fáil, and it's the last thing the party needs with Declan Ganley heavy breathing down its neck in the North West.

Although fears that Ganley will mop up a Galway vote abound, personally I don't think it's likely. All the digging I've done on the guy has come up with one conclusion; he rubs everyone up the wrong way. A former employee took him to the Labour Court and won - but is afraid to go public for fear of the consequences. A former schoolmate I spoke to was always somewhat wary of his lust for power. And most of the Galway business community, not just the lefties, people who would have been serious PD supporters, are certainly not Ganley voters.

The man has his supporters, but most of them are not in Galway. We heard a lot about the looney left in the run up to Lisbon I but it's the looney right you need to worry about in the more rural parts of the North West.

However, that's not to say Fianna Fáil will retain O'Neachtain's seat. In earlier predictions I anticipated that O Neachtain's seat was safe but unfortunately now we will never know. With him gone, it's hard to see who will fill the gap. Theories that he is being shafted to make way for a junior minister who's lost his job are floating around. But these are not likely for a number of reasons. Sligo's Jimmy Devins is unlikely to fit the MEP bill, as he is too close to Mooney geographically and there would be no sweeper in the south end of the constituency to sort out Clare, Galway and Mayo.

Galway East minister Michael Kitt is unlikely to fit the bill either as he is far too quiet - the main reason he's likely to be dropped is his lack of media profile. In his last junior ministry, Irish Aid, he had ample opportunity to display his largesse (this was before the budget cuts) but failed to do so. Another member of the Kitt dynasty falls short of cabinet... maybe Aine will have a better chance...

FF can't afford to drop a TD now, despite rumour that Noel Treacy (who previously ran and failed) reportedly being interested. Reports in today's Irish Indo name Eamon O Cuiv's son (who lives in London), Padraig O Ceidigh of Aer Arann, while Galway councillor Mike Crowe has also expressed an interest.

Sounds like the party is frantically scrambling behind the scenes to find a replacement, but it's hard to know who would sweep up the votes as Fianna Fáil would require - O Ceidigh would be the perfect choice but is unlikely to relinquish a successful business career in favour of an expensive election campaign and exile to Brussels... time will tell...?

... And you thought I was being paranoid

To be fair, that's usually an entirely accurate assumption. But not in this case. In the mysterious case of 'who has it in for Cowen,' I appear to have been right. (Ha!)

This week's Sindo:
Page 1
Disquiet in FF at Cowen 'dictator' style (contd. page 2 with large headline)

Page 2
Opulent Phoenix Park lodge set to become 'Fortress Cowen'

Page 32 (quite a gap, I admit)
There is less to Cowen than meets the eye

Page 33
Cowen has good reason to mind those closest to him

Also Page 33
Taoiseach must play ball if bigger prize is to be realised
(with subtitle: Worryingly, complacency, timidity and waste have characterised Brian Cowen's early days in office)

... AND ...

To add insult to injury - the magazine runs a four-page piece on how ugly, fat and unstylish he is.

Please let me reiterate that I am not, nor have ever been, a Fianna Fáil supporter. I prefer Cowen to Bertie because I believe he is (more) honest, but he is not my ideal Taoiseach by any stretch of the imagination.

Despite this, I'm willing to give the guy a chance. He is entering power at a time of negative consumer and political sentiment:

- The economy is looking dodgy;
- The future of Ireland in Europe is looking dodgy;
- The world is generally not a happy place (see earthquakes and other natural disasters).

He has a tough enough time ahead of him as it is, without making it personal.

I don't believe in making politics personal. While the Sindo spent the past ten years fawning frantically over Bertie, this was an arrangement with which he was obviously happy. And bully for him.

But Cowen is a private man, with a family that deserves some privacy. And the merits of his policies and his suitability to govern should not be judged on the thickness of his lips, his glasses, or his accent (which, by the way, was finely honed at that posh boy factory, Roscrea).

Also, what happened to the notion of balanced reporting? The Sindo "quotes" "several" TDs in its front page article. None of whom are named, and none of whom offer a dissenting view. As a journalist myself I find this disquieting. There are plenty of people who believe everything they read (I was reminded of this recently when I met someone in a pub who believed the Lisbon Treaty meant we would all be electronically tagged). These people don't realise there is an agenda and do not take more than a passing glance at a newspaper - passing, but enough to lodge key messages in their minds. That's how advertising works.

And just when I was beginning to wonder where this charge was being led from... up pops everyone's favourite Marx brother, Willie O'Dea, on Page 27, bringing Lisbon to the people.

Willie O'Dea, who wasn't promoted by Brian Cowen in the recent reshuffle, despite major constituency expectations. And who was severely reprimanded for garnering almost the same (record) amount of votes as Cowen in last year's election, and yet failing to bring in a third seat in a five-seater constituency.

Coincidentally, there is a rather vindictive attack on O'Dea's heretofore relatively unknown constituency colleague, Peter Power, on Page 33. Power got a promotion last week, making 'Limerick's Minister' a rather smaller fish in the city pond.

Coincidence?