What do you think?
A fourth round of talks are due to take place Monday evening between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Micheal Martin in a bid to avoid a general election before Christmas. It’s thought that both parties have cooled on the idea of a general election on Monday.
Varadkar and other cabinet ministers have recently reiterated their support for Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald, following a motion of no confidence from Fianna Fáil against her last week.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland on Monday morning, Professor of Politics at Dublin City University, Gary Murphy stated his belief that an election may not be the worst thing.
“I’m not saying we should have an election in December,” Professor Murphy said. “But I think the confidence and supply agreement is done and dusted. It hasn’t really worked in my view.
“It might be no harm to have an election, and perhaps before Christmas as the Taoiseach said on the Six One News with Sharon Ní Bheoláin on Friday night.
“Bringing this into January brings more confusion, more delay and more uncertainty.
“And I’m not sure the country can actually afford it.”
While polls over the weekend suggested that any election would return a similar vote to that of the 2016 general election, Professor Murphy thinks that it would give all parties a chance to get a working confidence and supply agreement going in the Dáil.
“I think what we really need – if the results are much the same as the last election as they could well be on the poll numbers – another confidence and supply agreement and get it right this time.
“To those who thought the parliament would assert itself in relation to Article 28.4 of the constitution, that the government shall be responsible to Dáil Éireann, that’s never really worked in Irish politics,” he said.
“The government have dominated parliament and I think it’s the same here.
“That’s the reality of the situation for Fianna Fáil, can they live with a scenario that they can’t take Fine Gael running roughshod over them on this issue again.”
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