Madam, - At Fine Gael's recent "Think-in" in Portlaoise, the party accomplished a remarkable feat of political dexterity. After two days of posturing, it managed to arrive at a position where people are now less clear where it stands on any particular issue than its their conference actually began.
Fine Gael's strategists may be happy with Richard Bruton's attempt to steal Fianna Fáil clothes by saying there will be no increase in taxes and by Enda Kenny's paying lip-service to the Greens, but all of this fools no one.
On no occasion did either Mr Kenny or Mr Bruton address issues of fundamental concern such as whether Fine Gael supports the Labour Party's proposals for a wealth tax or the Green Party's proposals on carbon tax. The effects of such policies might well be detrimental to the future prospects of this country.
Eighteen months ago, Enda Kenny told us he would roll out comprehensive Fine Gael policies in the near future. Eighteen months on, he is saying he will roll these policies out in another 18 months. Whatever the reasons for this delay, I suspect people will increasingly become as tired of excuses as of stage-managed photo-shoots.
Mr Kenny's announcement that he has ruled out the PDs from any alternative Government means that if he can't make up the numbers with Labour and the Greens, he will have to rely also on a dolly mixture of left-leaning independent socialists.
Such an alternative offers not even the semblance of a united and cohesive government. Instead of a Rainbow, Fine Gael is presenting the Irish people with the alternative of a kaleidoscope government, riven by warped ideologies, idiosyncrasies and inflated egos. This is a lethal cocktail with the potential to poison the economy and reverse Ireland's progress.
The chameleons are coming home to the roost! - Yours, etc,
JOHN O'DONOGHUE TD,
Minister for Arts,
Sport and Tourism,
Dublin 2.