The capacity of Fianna Fáil ministers to invoke selective amnesia while some of their backbench colleagues behave like members of the Opposition never ceases to amaze.
Having won the general election by allowing public spending to roar out of control for two years, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance are now pretending their economic policies were "sane and sensible" and that difficult spending corrections only became necessary within the past few months.
Backbenchers - specifically those who were not rewarded by the Taoiseach with ministerial office - have grumbled publicly about a lack of consultation in relation to the urgent cutbacks instituted across all Government departments. They behaved as if the downturn in the economy, evident for the past eighteen months, came as a complete surprise and responded like angry opposition TDs to long-deferred corrective measures. As a piece of political theatre, it rated as low farce.
However, the two-day conference in Killarney was useful in that it countered disaffection within the parliamentary party while focussing attention on the vital national interests involved in the forthcoming Nice referendum.
Mr Ahern described the referendum as a crossroads in Ireland's relationship with the European Union and he warned the "No" road was "the road to nowhere". Ireland would be permanently damaged if that dead end was chosen, he said, appealing to all members of Fianna Fáil to campaign strenuously for a "Yes" vote.
The failure of the Fianna Fáil organisation to campaign actively for the Nice Treaty during the last referendum campaign was regarded as a key factor in its rejection. Special efforts are being made this time to ensure the full participation of the organisation with the active involvement of all elected representatives. For this reason, difficulties over public spending were confronted head-on at the opening session in Killarney on Tuesday.
Concern was expressed in some quarters that attempts by the Coalition Government to control public expenditure might generate a negative response to the Nice Treaty. Such a development is hardly likely, however. In times of uncertainty, the public tends to favour well-tried arrangements. And, in the present difficult economic climate, the electorate is likely to identify the obvious benefits offered by the EU as a separate matter from the pre-election promises of the Government.
There are signs, however, that Mr Ahern's five-year honeymoon as Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fail may be coming to an end. And while the economy will continue to grow, the Government is already preparing to severely reduce spending increases for next year. When that happens, we can expect a resumption of backbench sniping against Mr Ahern within Fianna Fáil and a reassessment of his leadership by the general public.