Opinion

Deaglán de Bréadún: Gloves off in Irish unity fight

Deaglán de Bréadún
Deaglán de Bréadún Deaglán de Bréadún

POLLING figures at time of writing indicate Sinn Féin could wallop Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in the next general election south of the border.

It seems the party would deliver a knock-out blow to its opponents and win a thumping majority in the slugging-match at the ballot box.

Mary Lou McDonald and her colleagues don’t pull their punches and a succession of political left hooks and uppercuts might leave the current governing coalition flat-out on the canvas well before February 20 2025, the last date for holding the election.

My use of terms from the world of fisticuffs is inspired by the revelation that the Sinn Féin leader has taken up boxing as a pastime. In an interview published in the Irish Mirror last week, she revealed that she had taken the pugilistic road to keep fit and reduce stress.

But there’s no need for Micheál Martin and Leo Varadkar to increase their security precautions: Mary Lou doesn’t actually punch anyone, only boxing-pads, as a means to become fighting fit.

“I find it a great stress-buster, a great release. I don’t go in and spar, I do the pads and stuff. Don’t worry, I’m not turning into Rocky Balboa, but it's great and a great way to train for women,” she told political correspondent Ciara Phelan.

Deputy McDonald doesn’t have a personal trainer either, so we can rule out the prospect of her scaling the dizzy heights of boxing fame like Katie Taylor. She is prepared to settle for the job of Taoiseach instead.

As for possible coalition partners, she said: “I’ll talk to everyone once the votes are counted. But my position remains the same, the best government for change is one that doesn’t have Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil in it.”

If elected Taoiseach, Mary Lou will have the power to nominate 11 Senators to the upper house of the Irish parliament, one of whom could also get a cabinet job.

But she told Michael Brennan of the Business Post that Gerry Adams won’t be among them, adding: “He’ll be very relieved to hear that. Gerry has done his bit in representative politics and he’s now retiring from that role.” Maybe Gerry could start a career in stand-up comedy instead?

There is of course no guarantee Sinn Féin will hold onto their current poll ratings, especially since the general election might be delayed for as long as three years and 53 days. It’s not surprising therefore that the Sinn Féin leader is pushing for an early contest.

Under the terms on which the current coalition was formed, the Fianna Fáil leader is to step down as Taoiseach in favour of his Fine Gael counterpart on December 15 2022. But Mary Lou told the Irish Mirror: “I think there should be an election as soon as public health circumstances allow for it. I don’t think it should be a handing over the keys of the castle from Micheál to Leo.”

In the same vein she told the Business Post: “I believe next year can be the year, not simply that we get a new Taoiseach, but a new government and that’s what we need.”

Meanwhile, moves are afoot in Fianna Fáil to get the party to take a stronger line on Irish unity. Interviewed by John Drennan in the Irish Mail on Sunday, TD for Cork North-West Michael Moynihan said: “Our number one political aim is to reunify the island. We have to be clear and unambiguous that this is our aim.”

This follows an announcement by Fianna Fáil MEP for Ireland South, Billy Kelleher, that he would propose a “substantive motion” at the next Ard Fheis (party conference) “recommitting us to the objective of Irish unity and setting out the steps our party needs to take to prepare for this reality”.

In a review of the year for the weekly New European, Adam Boulton writes: “What EU leaders won’t say in public, but acknowledge in private, is that they no longer have a strategic interest in preserving the United Kingdom. The idea that secession by Northern Ireland or Scotland would be opposed in Brussels in the same way as Catalonia splitting from Spain... no longer applies.”

Another consequence of Brexit, apparently. Boulton, who is leaving Sky News, says: “If the mood of confrontation continues, the EU might lean on its member-state Ireland to be more positive about unification and politely encourage Nordic states to assist a Scottish breakaway.”

It certainly looks like the gloves are off.