IT IS too simplistic to regard divergences of opinion within Government as ideological clashes that affect its stability.
Pressure has tended to come from within parties, involving mortgage issues for Fine Gael and funding for disability and disadvantaged schools for Labour. Party policy occasionally intrudes because of the blunt nature of the compromises reached in the programme for government. But the majority of ministerial disagreements have centred on “turf wars” and involve departmental funding or financial issues.
Opportunities for serious party confrontation do exist, particularly in relation to pledges given on income tax and the Croke Park agreement. But those flashpoints have been largely avoided as the Government fulfilled the funding terms laid down by the EU-IMF troika. Should Ireland’s recovery be blown off course by external circumstances, however, Cabinet conflicts over income tax and public service pay are likely to arise.
Political point-scoring is taking place. Rather than see Fine Gael TDs take credit for additional funding allocated to disadvantaged schools, a Labour Party delegation led by Minister for Energy Pat Rabbitte was identified as being responsible. In much the same way, Fine Gael TDs were presented as champions of the business sector when they resisted a proposal to make employers liable for the first four weeks of sick pay leave. The latter issue arose from attempts by Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton to minimise social welfare cuts.
In the lead-up to the December budget, politically inspired leaks caused unnecessary worry to vulnerable citizens. The Government appears to have learned from that. Crude miscalculations in the budget itself, involving cuts in disability allowances and funding for disadvantaged schools, are being corrected. With reduced spending for frontline services, disagreements on priorities persist. Big-spending departments like Health, Education and Social Protection are particularly affected. Plans to cut staff numbers and close more than 500 public nursing home beds are sure to draw fire from the Opposition parties in the Dáil and dismay Government backbenchers. But relations between Minister for Health James Reilly and his two Labour Party Ministers of State appear to have mellowed in response to funding for their areas of responsibility.
Turf wars continue, arising from programme costs and funding difficulties. They can involve Ministers from the same party. Potential costs have led Minister for Finance Michael Noonan to question draft bankruptcy laws produced by Minister for Justice Alan Shatter. Issues of mortgage relief, negative equity, a property tax and the procedures of Nama involve a number of departments and have the capacity to generate inter-party friction. But efforts are being made to limit public disagreements between Ministers. In that regard, Joan Burton “absolutely supported” the views expressed by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Michael Noonan on fiscal issues when she clarified her views on the possibility that Ireland might need a second EU-IMF bailout.