Speculation over Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil coalition rises

For the past five years Fine Gael and Labour have sought to lay blame on Fianna Fáil for everything.

“Taoiseach, why is your tie blue? When Deputy Martin and his party drove the economy off a cliff the only thing left on the shelves were blue ties.”

Now the general election is a mere ten days away and the prospect of Fianna Fáil re-entering Government is becoming more realistic by the day.

The Taoiseach did his best to destroy their chances reminding people at every turn of the catastrophic decisions the Fianna Fáil party made in Government.

The strategy could backfire on Enda Kenny spectacularly in the coming days. We have all analysed what could happen a thousand times over, but in reality none of us actually know how the Dáil arithmetic will play out.

That said, a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil coalition is looking increasingly more likely as time goes on.

The likelihood has increased due to the answers of both party leaders when questioned about the possibility.

Micheál Martin does not want to get into the hypothetical. Enda Kenny dodges the question every time.

There is little preventing them from jumping in together. Their policies are similar. Their stance on social issues is almost identical.

Whether it is good for the country or not is irrelevant, it seems.

Meanwhile, the poor old Labour Party is sidelined by Fine Gael’s refusal to firmly rule out a coalition with Fianna Fáil.

No longer is the debate about how many seats Labour can retain, or how many Independents will be needed.

Enda Kenny firmly ruled it out late last night but it is almost too little too late.

The debate has now fast become one of if and when Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will enter coalition - and what happens if they do not?