Fianna Fail on a roll…..

It has been a hectic, and extraordinary day, and it is far from finished. Fianna Fail could end up winning between 75 and 80 seats, far more than even their most partisan supporters would have imagined a few days ago.
Naturally, FF is now saying that it was all part of a cunning plan - that the media was ignorant and blind, that the Opposition failed to counter its attacks. One cannot blame them, given the pressure that they have been under over the last month.
However, the Lansdowne exit poll indicates that a quarter of all voters made their voting decision in the last week, primarily on the economy. So what triggered voters’ final calls? Some will put it down to the TV debate. However, Enda Kenny’s ratings rose after it, so I am personally far from sure that it was the seminal moment that many are now claiming it, but there is little doubt, either, that Bertie Ahern won it - whether it be by a yard, or a mile is open to individual preference. But there is little doubt that however voters came to their judgement, there is little doubt but that they preferred Ahern over Kenny, despite their undoubted strong feelings about the health service. One Labour strategist in recent days made the point that Labour could never have won if the public voted on the economy over services. This is exactly what did happen, and Fianna Fail tapped into this mood in the final week of the campaign.

The next step remains for coming days. Will Fianna Fail have enough seats to rule on their own, with the help of the Independents left, such as Finian McGrath if he manages to struggle home in Dublin North Central. There are not many FF “gene pool” TDs left, but business can always be done in politics. If not, they could look at the Greens. Bertie Ahern is unlikely to try and rule without a majority. If ever there was a leader who appreciates the value of stablility it is Bertie. This time, voters agreed with him,