The Coalition Government has had a bad week. The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, was less than honest in acknowledging the extent of the information available to him on politically sensitive issues.
His inaction over the unethical tax affairs of Fianna Fáil backbencher, Mr Michael Collins, was shrugged away as the responsibility of other agencies. And his comments on the extent of the involvement by the former attorney general in negotiating a settlement with the religious orders concerning the abuse of young people was disputed by Mr Michael McDowell himself.
But, if Mr Ahern's behaviour justified his current low standing in the opinion polls, he will have been heartened by the response of the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, to his difficulties. The Progressive Democrats leader failed to support her party colleague, Mr McDowell, over the manner in which negotiations were conducted with the religious orders. And she was equally unconcerned by the Taoiseach's inadequate response to Mr Collins's tax affairs. It would appear Ms Harney has opted for a quiet life and a full term in government. But that may not be available to her, given the lack of discipline on the Fianna Fáil back benches and the disgraceful behaviour of some of its members.
An important line was crossed on Tuesday when a considered report by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General into Government negotiations with the religious institutions and their potential cost to the Exchequer was dismissed out of hand by the Government. Mr Ahern led the criticisms, insisting the final costs would be nothing like what Mr John Purcell had suggested, but offering no basis for his assertion.
It was the beginning of a concerted assault on the reliability of the report and the Office of the C&AG. Mr Purcell had earlier been warned by the Government not to stray into matters of policy. But when this senior public servant did his official duty and identified grave inadequacies in the manner in which negotiations had been conducted, he was treated as just another critic. It was the clearest evidence that, after six years in office, the Coalition has become arrogant, complacent and intolerant of any criticism.
Although the main political focus was on the Dáil during the week, reports on cutbacks in the provision of home help for the elderly and in community employment schemes were having a corrosive effect on the Government's image.
The double-digit growth figures that attended the early years of the Coalition and insulated it from public criticism are now a distant memory. As the economy struggles and unemployment grows, the task of dealing with competing demands and providing for future growth has become extremely difficult. But, in the new Dáil session, when the electorate looked for sound leadership and a clear sense of direction from the Government, the Taoiseach should have been able to offer more than obfuscation.