World of Politics with Harry McGee

As we begin a new year here are ten things to look out for in politics in 2023 – with the perennial sporting question thrown in for good measure at the finish.

1. Read My Lips, No elections

It’s not an election year. The European and local elections will not take place until 2024 and the next general election is not scheduled to take place until 2025. Governments don’t always run their full five year term in Ireland.

But this is different. There is a historic agreement between the two Civil War parties to rotate the Taoiseach’s position. Fianna Fáil has got its time and it would be considered a betrayal of the most fundamental kind for it to renege on its part of the dial.

At this stage, too, it looks unlikely that the Greens will pull out of Government. In reality, it would take a calamity. Calamities, of course, are not unheard of, But at this moment, it looks unlikely.

2. Leo, the Lion or the Pussycat

Leo Varadkar took over for his second stint as Taoiseach in mid-December. He said that he has learned from the mistakes he made during his first outing in the top job.

The cut of his jib back then was pro-enterprise, fiscally conservative, low taxes Fine Gael. That’s still the basic formula but he’s stopped playing the sharp keys and opted for a softer melody.

He still talks about the need to lower taxes but that comes across as a wish or aspiration these day, rather than policy. Irrespective of what you think of him, Varadkar is a clear thinker, a strong communicator, with a good political head and is ideological Fine Gael rather than heritage Fine Gael.

He’s in a three-way coalition though so no matter how much each party tries to assert its identity, it all ends up diluted.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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