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'All calm on the western front': Fine Gael happy with Enda's message at crunch meeting

Kenny will deal with the leadership issue “effectively and conclusively” when he returns from the US.

Updated at 8.30pm 

TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY has told this evening’s Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting that he will deal with the leadership issue effectively and conclusively when he returns from the US after St Patrick’s Day.

The Taoiseach’s message to the meeting tonight, which lasted around ten minutes and was greeted with an ovation in the room, will likely be enough to avoid a motion of no confidence in his leadership in the coming weeks.

“It’s all calm on the western front,” was the response of one TD at Leinster House, asked about Kenny’s performance tonight.

The Fine Gael leader has been under increasing pressure to go in the wake of his poor handling of the latest Garda whistleblower revelations last week.

He previously said he wouldn’t lead the party into another general election – and there were fears that Fine Gael could have found itself facing into a snap election last week, as the Maurice McCabe revelations left Leinster House reeling.

Likely successors 

Kenny’s comments tonight have been welcomed by the two TDs most likely to succeed him as leader – Housing Minister Simon Coveney and Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar.

Speaking on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics at the weekend, Coveney had said he felt Kenny should be given the space to make his decision, but that he should deal with the issue when he returned from Washington.

Varadkar had put out a statement the previous night observing “everyone is waiting to hear from the Taoiseach” and saying the current situation was “distracting and destabilising”. In the wake of Coveney’s comments, however, he said he agreed with his colleague’s timeline for Kenny’s departure.

“It’s the right approach,” Coveney said tonight.

“I think it gives Enda time and space now to put a process in place. That will happen after St Patrick’s Day when he comes home from [the Washington trip] and I think he’s happy with that. And I think the party should support him on that.

We’re in Government at the moment and it’s important the party sticks together.

Obama US Ireland AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

The Taoiseach deserved the respect he got at the meeting, Coveney said.

“I think he showed an authority that will hopefully now deliver a process that will keep the party together and have a transition that’s well managed, that will keep the Government together and the party together.”

Tonight’s development “takes the heat out of” the situation, he added.

There had been speculation that Kenny, who’s been Fine Gael leader since 2002, would face a motion of no confidence if he didn’t present a formula of words tonight that would keep all factions of the party happy.

“I’m happy anyway,” Coveney said.

It’s more or less what I was hoping would happen and it did happen.

“Literally no one else spoke,” on the issue at the meeting, which was chaired by party chairman Martin Heydon, said the Cork TD.

He’s been through dozens of political storms, he’s been in politics for 42 years. He’s not phased by these things. I think he showed calm and experience tonight and the party responded.
I think he showed authority and experience and I think people respected that.
I think that a lot of people in the party, the vast, vast majority wanted this evening to happen as it did.
You don’t want public spats or divisions in the party. We have a lot of things to do in Government. And I think what he outlined tonight satisfied people that they could trust him to manage the process.

Same-sex marriage vote set for May Leo Varadkar PA Archive / PA Images PA Archive / PA Images / PA Images

Varadkar agreed that Kenny had “settled the matter,” adding:

The leadership will be dealt with effectively and conclusively after the St Patrick’s Day visits. I think everyone is relieved that we have avoided damaging divisions.

Another TD said that everyone applauded the Taoiseach’s comments. “Everybody was nodding so that is an indication that everyone was clearly satisfied.”

There was a bit of defiance in that he spoke about not being phased by motions of no confidence but I think he meant that he had been there before – and he left it at that. He satisfied even his most strident of critics.

The official version

Party chairman Heydon said in a statement the Fine Gael party would now proceed in “a united fashion”.

The Taoiseach has addressed this issue and he will tell us of his intentions after his trip to the US next month.
He has already said he will not lead Fine Gael into the next General Election. He reiterated that position again tonight. He has told us he will outline his intentions effectively and conclusively shortly after his return from the US.
Fine Gael continues to focus on the important work of this Government with our coalition partners. Our motivation is the people of this country and the issues that matter to them. We continue to focus on implementing the Programme for Government.

“Over 200,000 jobs have been created since 2012,” the statement said.  ”We are now on course to achieving full employment which is remarkable considering where we were six years ago.”

It added:

There are international challenges coming with the United Kingdom leaving the European Union and a potentially changing European frontier. We are concentrating and working night and day on these issues. Fine Gael’s work continues.

- With reporting from Daragh Brophy 

Read: The contenders for the Fine Gael leadership, ranked from most to least likely>

As it happened: Enda says he doesn’t want to see commuters discommoded by bus strike>

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138 Comments
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    Mute 2thFairy
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    Nov 16th 2020, 8:26 AM

    Shopped local. All local small businesses are happy to do a sale over the phone or on Facebook and I have collected it from the shop at the door. I want to see my village Main Street open again when this is over, not boarded up.

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    Mute Lisa Saputo
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    Nov 16th 2020, 10:05 AM

    @2thFairy: So far, I have bought every Christmas present from an Irish retailer, but my god some Irish retailers really need to get their act together in terms of online service – I got something delivered from China quicker than from a shop 2kms from my house, I am still waiting for it!

    126
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    Mute Miriam
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    Nov 16th 2020, 2:24 PM

    @Lisa Saputo: hear ya

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    Mute Peter Roche
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    Nov 16th 2020, 2:25 PM

    @Lisa Saputo: maybe it’s being made in China

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    Mute Marc
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    Nov 16th 2020, 8:28 AM

    No option for No, none of the above?!

    113
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    Mute Marc
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    Nov 16th 2020, 8:31 AM

    @Marc: I don’t do the commercial side of Christmas/giving & receiving presents… but just getting together for the family dinner with a bit of chat and banter is by far the best part of the holiday for me

    126
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    Mute Brianán McBride
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    Nov 16th 2020, 8:37 AM

    @Marc: Worse poll I’ve seen on the journal for options. There is no option I can click on to see results. No I have not done any Christmas shopping as every were is closed!

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    Mute Marc
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    Nov 16th 2020, 8:41 AM

    @IrishRedLFC: I donate the money to a homeless charity instead, much better use of the money normally wasted on items we don’t need in this unnecessary annual box ticking exercise of buying one for everyone in the audience ;)

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    Mute Marc
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    Nov 16th 2020, 8:58 AM

    @IrishRedLFC: it all adds up… 5K+ donated to date… ya must be flúicin loaded yerself if thats tight in your dept!

    9
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    Mute Marc
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    Nov 16th 2020, 9:26 AM

    @Marc: A bit harsh the Journal deleted @IrishRedLFC just for calling someone a tight bas…. :|

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    Mute thomas patrick
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    Nov 16th 2020, 9:54 AM

    @Marc: Christmas was always commercial…. sure wasn’t the babby jesus only just born when the three kings burst through the door..”look what I got ya” – Tommy Tiernan

    32
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    Mute Marc
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    Nov 16th 2020, 10:19 AM

    @Brianán McBride: Just click the “Vote” button with nothing selected (as I only discovered myself today) and voila!

    8
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    Mute Bold Underline
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    Nov 16th 2020, 8:20 AM

    Have most of it done. All online. Mostly local too.

    70
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    Mute Jane Alford
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    Nov 16th 2020, 9:24 AM

    Where’s the “Not doing Christmas shopping” option?

    61
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    Mute ianglen
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    Nov 16th 2020, 8:44 AM

    Yes, all online this year, poor postman..

    54
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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Nov 16th 2020, 8:55 AM

    5hit! Is it Christmas eve already?

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    Mute Seeking Truth
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    Nov 16th 2020, 8:37 AM

    I have done loads of online shopping and a bit of click and collect also. Will leave some of it for December but I feel like shops will be emptied by the 2nd. We will have to wait and see!!

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    Mute Christina Colling
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    Nov 16th 2020, 10:40 AM

    @Seeking Truth: yeah I think so too..there wont be a cracker in sight

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    Mute Damo
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    Nov 16th 2020, 10:15 AM

    Can someone please ask Tony if its ok to do Christmas shopping?

    26
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    Mute Christina Colling
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    Nov 16th 2020, 10:39 AM

    Did most of mine online.. thank you Amazon. PS5 will be a no show for xmas but hopefully in the new year. I tried to shop local but way too expensive

    21
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    Mute Miriam
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    Nov 16th 2020, 2:28 PM

    @Christina Colling: there’s more being released this week Christina

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    Mute Jonnie Marre
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    Nov 16th 2020, 12:53 PM

    Why do people bother? Shop for what? It’s like any other week just get the usual! Why do people need to be excessive especially this year!? No need

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    Mute Miriam
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    Nov 16th 2020, 2:31 PM

    @Jonnie Marre: yawn. Humans have feasted right through the ages, keeps us busy and staves off the dullness of everyday life. Buy yourself a bottle of something nice and get into it

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    Mute Paul
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    Nov 16th 2020, 9:44 AM

    Usually shop local and leave it to the last few days. Have found some great bargains to be had on the 24th.

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    Mute Scarlett
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    Nov 16th 2020, 7:37 PM

    The “Can’t afford it” option.

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    Mute Darren Byrne
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    Nov 16th 2020, 9:05 PM

    I work in retail that supplies all the major shops with electronics And it’s very very quiet at the moment…
    The quiet before the storm maybe??

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