Political parties set out their stall in advance of new Dáil

World of Politics with Harry McGee – harrymcgee@gmail.com

For the past ten days, we have had the annual politics on tour show. It’s the closest politics does to a media circus.  The tent goes up for one night only in a different location. The ringmaster, the acrobats, and the large army of clowns perform their tricks – and then the tents are folded and we go on to the next destination.

They’re otherwise known as parliamentary party ‘think-ins’, in advance of the return of the Dáil, and ostensibly to discuss policy strategy and elections. They also give the party’s elected representatives a chance to meet in a calm atmosphere ahead of the madness of the Dáil.

The think-ins are done in sequence. None overlaps another. That means that every party has a chance to get an uninterrupted day of media attention, to set out its stall.

There have been occasions when the think-ins have become huge news events in their own right.

Back in 2004, Fianna Fáíl met in Inchdoney in Co Cork, where they were addressed by Fr Seán Healy of Social Justice Ireland. The party had become the symbol of the ‘loadsamoney’ Celtic Tiger era, but then taoiseach Bertie Ahern believed it was beginning to lose the run of itself.

Healy’s invitation was part of a bigger ploy. That summer Bertie had already moved Minister of Finance Charlie McCreevy on, to become an EU Commissioner. He took in Brian Cowen, seen as more social in his outlook.

Out of the think-in came the Inchdoney Strategy, whereby Fianna Fáil took a swerve to the left.

And then six years later it was Cowen who was at the eye of the storm at the Ardilaun in Galway. Cowen had a very late night and sounded incoherent on Morning Ireland.

It led to a storm and another very damaging blow to a Government already on the ropes because of the economic crash.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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