There’s plenty of political life left in the old dog yet

People around politics get very excitable when a major crisis erupts. The media and politicians work on very short cycles; they tend to look at everything through the prism of the here and now.

I’ve lost count of the times when a big row breaks up and we all conclude that “yer man is finished” – and then a week passes and yer man survives.

And so the caravan trundles along.

Earlier this week the Fine Gael TD for Kerry Brendan Griffin was the only one to stick his neck out and call for Enda Kenny to resign.

When it became clear it was a one-man parade, the threat against Enda Kenny’s leadership receded as pathetically as Galway’s second half against Kilkenny a fortnight ago.

Make no mistake, last week was a horrible one for Kenny. He was publicly dressed down by DUP leader Arlene Foster for not telling her about an All-Ireland Forum (which she would have rejected in any case).

Joe O’Toole got himself into all kinds of bother when he kind of confirmed he had strong views on water charges which made him an incompatible choice as chair of the independent commission on water charges.

Then there was Shane Ross doing a solo pirouette so that everybody could see how magnificent he was, while undermining collective Government responsibility all at the same time.

Then there was the ill-advised appointment of James Reilly to his old job and deputy leader – and to top it all, there was The Irish Times poll on Thursday which showed Fianna Fáil jumping to 33 per cent, the highest level has enjoyed since 2009.

None of these ‘events’ was in itself big enough to down him – but together they certainly damaged him.

Kenny has been in this place almost every week since the disappointing general election in late February.

In March, the Sunday Times was reporting Fianna Fáil was demanding Kenny’s head in return for a grand coalition. Shane Ross described him as a political corpse.

In early Easter, the newspapers were saying that Kenny, if he were re-elected Taoiseach, would have to step down within weeks, or months.

On 29 April, the Sunday Times predicted that “time was up for Kenny”. Right into June, the Sunday Independent was predicting a heave before Christmas.

There’s no doubt that last week’s events magnified the leadership issue way beyond all that has happened before.

But that’s not to assume the event that follows the evidence wherever it leads will be Kenny falling on his sword as soon as Michael Noonan sits down after his Budget speech.

The uncertainty of last week has been replaced by a steadying of the ship this week. Brendan Griffin was almost unsupported in his call for a chance of leadership.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.