Emotions run high on a big day for Kenny and his party. The sheer weight of numbers in the Dáil on the Coalition side was astonishing
“FOR IRELAND and each other, let us lift up our heads, turn our faces to the sun and hang out the brightest colours . . .”
Enda Kenny stood with President Mary McAleese in the State Reception Room. He had just received his seal of office.
“Taoiseach! This way please! Taoiseach!” He looked up, as if surprised, then a smile flickered across his face. He turned towards the photographers.
After 36 years in politics, his time had finally come.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
This was probably the most peaceful part of the day for him. He had left behind the tumult of an extraordinary few hours in Leinster House; jubilant supporters cheering as he was driven from the precincts while the new deputies and their families clogged up the corridors and laid siege to the bar and restaurant.
It was a day the like of which hasn’t been seen for a very long time in Kildare Street.
The sense of optimism and determination and energy was irresistible. There was a festive atmosphere and great feeling of excitement on the plinth. Lots of talk of new dawns. Proud mammies. Family photographs. Best bib and tucker. Everyone in a good mood.
The different parties gathered in the chamber for the midday start.
Fianna Fáil’s 20 TDs sat in their usual spot. But they were vastly outnumbered, looking lost where once they held sway. Some looked almost embarrassed.
The members of the United Left Alliance and Sinn Féin, having marched on the Dáil, didn’t so much take their seats as occupy them.
That part of the chamber to the right of the Ceann Comhairle’s chair will be the Occupied Left for the foreseeable future, with a tiny Fianna Fáil enclave in the middle.
The Fine Gael benches lay empty. Then, on the hour, Enda Kenny led in his 76-strong parliamentary party. They streamed in through the doors, a stirring sight, their number flowing around the bend in the horseshoe configuration of seats.
With the addition of their Coalition partners, they made a sizeable bloc.
The House rose for the prayer.
Enda Kenny glanced up at the distinguished visitors gallery, where his wife Fionnuala sat with their three children. She nodded back to him, and smiled.
We automatically looked towards the government benches. But the power, temporarily, resided across the floor. The Fianna Fáilers looked dolefully across.
Fine Gael’s Seán Barrett was elected Ceann Comhairle without a vote. It fell to the youngest member of the 31st Dáil, Simon Harris, to propose his party leader as Taoiseach.
As he spoke, Fianna Fáil’s Billy Kelleher turned to a colleague on his right side, and then on his left. “Who is he? Who is he?” he mouthed to them.
Enda’s nomination was seconded by Labour TD Ciara Conway.
Then, indicating that his party is adopting a new approach to parliamentary politics, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said they would not be opposing the nomination. Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams spoke his first words in the latest parliament of which he is a member, while Joe Higgins gave a long speech, suggesting the remnants of the Fianna Fáil government should have come in “with their brows heavily stained with penitential ash”. There then followed a series of maiden speeches from Independent deputies and members drawn from the new technical group. One after another, Independents got up to speak. Enda Kenny’s wait to become Taoiseach was going to be longer than he anticipated.
Luke “Ming” Flanagan spoke above the chatter from the surrounding benches when he said his piece. If his colleagues could not have respect for the people of Roscommon-South Leitrim, whom he represents, he would make his voice heard in other ways.
“If I don’t get my spake here, I’ll do it in the media.” He spoke well. One observer dubbing him “Ming the Metaphor”. As the talk went on, the Ceann Comhairle finally called on Enda to speak.
He spoke eloquently and emotionally.
He remembered his “late father, Henry Kenny, and my mother who is watching these proceedings today. They walk with me every step of this heart-stopping journey. For me, for Fionnuala and the children, they represent the nobility, decency and very soul of the Irish people, and because they do, their spirit is with us on this important day . . .” And the Taoiseach’s voice faltered and there was a catch in his throat and everyone held their breath until he took a breath and continued on.
In the gallery, Fionnuala wiped away the tears.
It was a big day for the Kenny family and a big day for Fine Gael.
When the vote was taken to elect Enda as Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil abstained. The sheer weight of numbers on the Coalition side compared to the trickle of deputies on the other was astonishing.
There was applause and a standing ovation when the result of the vote was announced and Enda could finally make his way to the Phoenix Park.
Back in Leinster House, speculation mounted over who would get what Cabinet post. When it was time for the Dáil to reconvene, we watched the hopefuls who didn’t make it come into the chamber – Brian Hayes, Charlie Flanagan for Fine Gael, Róisín Shortall and Jan O’Sullivan for Labour.
No sign of Ruairí Quinn though, or Leo Varadkar or Willie Penrose.
Soon to be chief whip Paul Kehoe arrived with news. Could they have another half hour before reconvening? Rumour ran rife.
The main one was that Ruairí Quinn had had a “hissy fit” and was refusing a particular job. Others speculated that Michael Ring had chained himself to a radiator in the hope of getting a ministry.
Eventually, Enda and the Tánaiste arrived with their troupe of ministers behind them.
No real surprises. A bit same old, same old, if truth be told.
The Taoiseach assigned the portfolios. No big economic ministry for Joan Burton. She got Social Protection – a very, very important job, stressed the Labour spinners afterwards. If it was that important, why didn’t it go to Brendan Howlin, or Ruairí Quinn? The other female minister, Frances Fitzgerald, was given responsibility for “children”. Why didn’t Gutless Gilmore go the whole hog and create a minister for knitting, with responsibility for the kitchen sink? Joan Burton has every reason to be unhappy with her lot.
And she certainly looked it yesterday evening, as she conversed in the chamber with Jan O’Sullivan and Róisín Shortall, also overlooked.
“Women in the Labour party would get more support from an underwired bra,” snorted one of their number last night, thoroughly disgusted.
Looks like Eamon Gilmore will have a second war cabinet.
Then the Ministers all got on a bus and went off to the Áras to collect their seals. Enda Kenny was one of the last to leave the chamber, but not quite.
The last to leave were four Fianna Fáil deputies. Former minister for finance Brian Lenihan, former junior ministers Dara Calleary and Billy Kelleher, along with Timmy Dooley.
They sat in the front row of their new Opposition home. Just the four of them, alone, not saying anything, just looking across the floor at where they used to sit.
They stayed while the usher came and put the cover over the national flag. Silent and looking.
Changed times.
Enda goes to Washington next week.
