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GOVERNMENT STABILITY has received a damaging jolt, caused by the defection of two TDs from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party. Following the hammering received by the Coalition parties in the local and European elections, Jimmy Devins and Eamon Scanlon are unlikely to do anything that will bring down the Government in the short term. But events have a habit of creating their own political momentum. And this development has caused further damage to the authority and leadership of Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

Technically, the Government no longer has a majority in the Dáil. But that may mean little because of special arrangements that have been made with Independent TDs for their support and because three out of four former Fianna Fáil TDs remain on as party members. Still, as exchequer revenues continue to fall and the need for radical cuts in Government spending become more acute, nothing can be taken for granted. The only certainty is that, if our economic prospects are to be salvaged, a large number of unpopular and painful decisions have to be taken. If discipline within Fianna Fáil cannot be maintained on a local issue, what prospect is there of ensuring compliance on fundamental concerns?