Fintan O’Toole: Enda Kenny’s claim of economic superpowers doesn’t wash

For most of its period of office, the coalition told citizens that it was essentially powerless and only obeying orders

Fintan O'Toole

The Irish Times.Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons / THE IRISH TIMES

The Irish Times.Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons / THE IRISH TIMES

Why is the Government, in the midst of a substantial economic recovery, struggling to be re-elected? Because it can’t get its story straight. You win an election by controlling the narrative. But the Government parties have two completely different narratives and, because people aren’t stupid, most voters can see the contradictions very plainly.

The contradictions centre on a basic question: how much power does a government really have? The Government spent four of its five years answering this question one way: sorry about this, but there’s nothing we can do. For most of its period of office, it told citizens that it was essentially powerless. It was only obeying orders.

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