By Mike Bray
The mood in the Fine Gael camp ahead of next weeks European and local elections was as bright and sunny as the day itself when they launched their 2009 European Election Manifesto in the Shelbourne hotel last Sunday morning.
The Party is setting new records in the polls as their lead over Fianna Fáil has now increased to 19% at the last count. However party leader Enda Kenny insists that the party is not getting complacent in the last few lengths of this election race which is being dubbed as a referendum on the Fianna Fail/Green government and their handling of the states finances.
However as Election Day dawns nearer and candidates are running out of options, tensions are beginning to emerge among Kenny’s euro team. Jim Higgins MEP from the North-West, who was not at the press conference along with ex-GAA president Sean Kelly, is being criticised by the party leader and director of elections Phil Hogan TD after breaking the agreement with Senator Joe O’Reilly regarding the set areas for canvassing votes, as Mr. Higgins has been seen in Mr. O’Reilly’s area. Mr. Higgins continues to do so despite a warning and was even continuing while the Fine Gael press conference was ongoing. At this late stage when every vote is crucial the party line can very quickly go out the window and number one becomes the priority (in both senses).
Fine Gael in the East constituency is also facing a similar conflict between Mairead McGuinness MEP and Senator John Paul Phelan. Mc Guinness who is polling at a massive 33% and came in at 25% in 2004 is restricted to what she calls "the Pale". Despite being restricted to only three counties, experts believe McGuinness is a shoe-in and one of her many tasks is to carry Mr. Phelan over the finishing with the large surplus she should gather. Despite having the rest of Leinster to himself, it has been noted that Mr. Phelan has been seen in "the Pale". While this is only handbags compared to the alleged rivalry between Ms. McGuinness and outgoing MEP Avril Doyle in 2004, it seemed Ms. McGuinness was dropping a hint of 'get outta my pale' to Mr Phelan in front of the party leader who was sitting next to the Kilkenny senator.
However Ms. McGuinness, who is more than able to handle the press, made light of the press' desire to create another internal battle within Fine Gael involving Ms. McGuinness, when she suggested that perhaps Mr. Phelan was in Meath to get a personal vote from a certain Ms. Catherine Yore. Mr. Phelan has been linked romantically with the Carnaross lady who is running for Fine Gael in the Kells area in the local elections and is causing a great stir in the district which has been reduced to a five seater and should result in a riveting battle. Others may know Ms. Yore from RTÉ’s You’re a Star, were she reached the latter stages in 2002. Ms. McGuinness however had some insight which Mr. Phelan surely welcomed. “Can I say from experience that Meath people make great lovers” she told the small crowd gathered.
To add to this tone, which one would usually hear in a country pub among fifty or sixty year old men on a Friday night and not in the Shelbourne hotel among politicians on a Sunday morning, party leader Enda Kenny told a story about when he was canvassing for his first Dáil seat in a bye-election when a lady from Connemara wrote to him and offered him her house and farm if he would “go and make relations with her”.
At this stage the red face Senator Phelan must have been wondering if he was in the right room and surly made a mental note to make sure not to be seen around Carnaross next time, especially if Ms. McGuinness is on the canvass.
The Party is setting new records in the polls as their lead over Fianna Fáil has now increased to 19% at the last count. However party leader Enda Kenny insists that the party is not getting complacent in the last few lengths of this election race which is being dubbed as a referendum on the Fianna Fail/Green government and their handling of the states finances.
However as Election Day dawns nearer and candidates are running out of options, tensions are beginning to emerge among Kenny’s euro team. Jim Higgins MEP from the North-West, who was not at the press conference along with ex-GAA president Sean Kelly, is being criticised by the party leader and director of elections Phil Hogan TD after breaking the agreement with Senator Joe O’Reilly regarding the set areas for canvassing votes, as Mr. Higgins has been seen in Mr. O’Reilly’s area. Mr. Higgins continues to do so despite a warning and was even continuing while the Fine Gael press conference was ongoing. At this late stage when every vote is crucial the party line can very quickly go out the window and number one becomes the priority (in both senses).
Fine Gael in the East constituency is also facing a similar conflict between Mairead McGuinness MEP and Senator John Paul Phelan. Mc Guinness who is polling at a massive 33% and came in at 25% in 2004 is restricted to what she calls "the Pale". Despite being restricted to only three counties, experts believe McGuinness is a shoe-in and one of her many tasks is to carry Mr. Phelan over the finishing with the large surplus she should gather. Despite having the rest of Leinster to himself, it has been noted that Mr. Phelan has been seen in "the Pale". While this is only handbags compared to the alleged rivalry between Ms. McGuinness and outgoing MEP Avril Doyle in 2004, it seemed Ms. McGuinness was dropping a hint of 'get outta my pale' to Mr Phelan in front of the party leader who was sitting next to the Kilkenny senator.
However Ms. McGuinness, who is more than able to handle the press, made light of the press' desire to create another internal battle within Fine Gael involving Ms. McGuinness, when she suggested that perhaps Mr. Phelan was in Meath to get a personal vote from a certain Ms. Catherine Yore. Mr. Phelan has been linked romantically with the Carnaross lady who is running for Fine Gael in the Kells area in the local elections and is causing a great stir in the district which has been reduced to a five seater and should result in a riveting battle. Others may know Ms. Yore from RTÉ’s You’re a Star, were she reached the latter stages in 2002. Ms. McGuinness however had some insight which Mr. Phelan surely welcomed. “Can I say from experience that Meath people make great lovers” she told the small crowd gathered.
To add to this tone, which one would usually hear in a country pub among fifty or sixty year old men on a Friday night and not in the Shelbourne hotel among politicians on a Sunday morning, party leader Enda Kenny told a story about when he was canvassing for his first Dáil seat in a bye-election when a lady from Connemara wrote to him and offered him her house and farm if he would “go and make relations with her”.
At this stage the red face Senator Phelan must have been wondering if he was in the right room and surly made a mental note to make sure not to be seen around Carnaross next time, especially if Ms. McGuinness is on the canvass.
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