Hold the nerve message from Cowen and he dismisses Ôthat interviewÕ row

The Fianna Fail TDs and Senators were in Galway to discuss the economy and how it might be revived – but Taoiseach Brian Cowen probably struck the note that unintentionally resonated with most of them when he told them .... “hold the nerve.”

That was before ‘that interview’ on Tuesday morning radio which caused some fresh wobbles of its own among ‘the faithful’ gathered in the Ardilaun Hotel in Galway for the Autumn think-in in advance of the Dail re-opening. He dismissed the interview controversy ... but maybe found himself having to listen to his own advice about holding the nerve!

For any number of the TDs present – before ever ‘that interview’ was done – they knew that right down along the west coast the economic tough medicine being dished out by FF could jeopardise Dail seats – and that the Dail mathematics were tightening in the background even as they were meeting.

In fact, the Leinster House ‘sums’ are tightening even in Galway, where West Galway Independent TD Noel Grealish has warned that he is very unhappy at the health cuts, and, while discussions are going on in the background to save €65million in health spending in the west, Grealish is seeking a meeting with Taoiseach Cowen.

The HSE and trade unions are involved in those talks and, I understand, progress is being made on possible savings. One of the people encouraging those talks in the background is Eamon Ó Cuív (Minister for Social Protection), and he and Frank Fahey TD and indeed Noel Grealish helped organise a recent session at which TDs and Senators from Galway and Mayo had the dismal facts on spending outlined to them by senior HSE officials.

There were any number of reasons on Monday for FF TDs to be nervous. The opinion polls say that their vote will fall. Even if, as I suspect, the traditional loyalty of FF voters exerts itself and the vote is eventual better than the opinion polls predict, there is also speculation in the background about Independent TD Michael Lowry.

Up to now Lowry has been a reliable supporter of the FF-Green Coalition, but there is word that he may be thinking of trying to ‘get onside’ with his old party colleagues in Fine Gael.

And then, there are those three outstanding by-elections of which Fianna Fail TDs and Senators were openly talking in Galway on Monday. Some were of the opinion that the by-elections may have to be held – if only to ‘snooker’ that Sinn Fein court bid to force the contest in Donegal!

This was some of the background to Brian Cowen rallying the troops, in the Ardilaun Hotel early on Monday morning. He told them: “I believe we must hold the nerve and do what we know in our hearts and heads is right. We will use this time in Government as one where we will help the country weather the storm and manage Ireland through some of the most difficult economic conditions we have had to confront since the foundation of the State.”

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.