It’s been a busy few days for Simon Coveney, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Yesterday, he informed his Cabinet colleagues of his decision – after consultations with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan – to expel a member of the diplomatic staff at the Russian embassy, a move that makes the front pages this morning.
Last night the Government wasn’t releasing the name, preferring to nod gravely in the direction of “national security”. Russian retaliation is likely in due course.
The decision was hardly unexpected. There was far from unanimous support in the Dáil though, where Sinn Féin and independents objected, urging the Government to be a force for peace in the world, or at least to expel American and Israeli diplomats as well. These were among other advices to which Coveney did not look especially receptive.
“I don’t believe you agree with a lot of things you have to do,” said Mick Wallace, somewhat cryptically. Well, who knows? Crucially though, Fianna Fail – whose leadership was briefed in advance – assented.
But if Mick disapproved, at least there is some solace for Coveney in the fact that the Irish Times leader writer does not. The editorial calls the expulsions, “an important gesture of revulsion”.
Our leader is here.
Coveney has also been front and centre in the latest convolutions of the abortion story. Earlier this week, the Tánaiste reversed his earlier position of opposition to the proposals for abortion on request up to 12 weeks, declaring he was now prepared to support it.
Then he said he wanted a two-thirds majority in the Dáil for future changes to the law on abortion. That was pretty sharply shot down by the Taoiseach yesterday. Coveney’s proposals are “in tatters” the Examiner’s headline hollers this morning.
We can presume the Tánaiste understood the proposal was unconstitutional and would be quickly shot down. That being so, the story can only be construed as an effort to show pro-life and middle ground voters that although Coveney may have changed his mind, he did so reluctantly and with misgivings.
Fair enough. But the reaction among his colleagues was a good deal less charitable. Many rolled their eyes. Others were less tolerant. Several jokes about Coveney’s change of mind were circulating yesterday. Here’s one. Actually, no, I’d better not. Or maybe I will. No, actually it wouldn’t be right. Or would it? (You get the idea).
Sarah Bardon's front page piece on the proposed abortion legislation is here.
My analysis piece on Coveney's mental and moral gymnastics is here.
A guide to the main provisions of the Bill is here.
Incidentally, Coveney also met the deputy prime minister of Singapore, Teo Chee Hean, yesterday.
Coveney is also first up in the Dáil today with oral parliamentary questions on foreign affairs. And there are the Brexit discussions in Brussels to monitor. Say what you like, but he’s not idle.
Farewell to the SCU
So farewell then, Strategic Communications Unit. On a suspiciously busy news day, the SCU was quietly laid to rest, after a report by the top civil servant in the Department of the Taoiseach.
Martin Fraser found although nobody acted inappropriately or broke any rules, the unit would have to go. Last night the Government’s official spokesman said that no, the Taoiseach did not regret the setting up of the unit.
It’s a classic civil service report. Nobody did anything wrong, but unfortunate things happened that were the fault of nobody. It’s just a victim of politics.
Mind you, one is reminded that when the controversy over the unit first arose, the Government was keen to point out there was no political control over it whatsoever because it was overseen by a non-political civil servant. And who might this eminence be? Step forward . . . Martin Fraser.
Harry McGee's report is here.
