Television Coverage of the Fine Gael Party Conference 2009

Welcome to the weekend’s television coverage of the FG party conference. First to view is FG’s health spokesperson, Dr James Reilly TD. He puffs up his ample chest to face up to the government’s health policies. He wants change: the patient should be focussed on. Dr Reilly proposes a National Body Test to provide healthcare to all and invokes the British NHS as an example of excellence he would like to see replicated here. The tub thumper roars “are you with us” several times towards the end of his speech and earns him a standing ovation.

Gay Mitchell introduces and chairs a panel/forum on the economy. He speaks clearly and is, typically, articulate. “The country is heading for Niagara Falls” he says. Mr Mitchell speaks glowingly of the EU: “Lisbon was lost through lack of leadership from government” he tells his audience with relish. The MEP then goes on to say that Irish people should be able to work here instead of having to go to London or Boston. He is well received at City West.

Continuing the economic theme, Simon Coveney has a concentrated face and tells us that job creation can be achieved “by creating a new economy.” The Cork TD is good at analysing but has no real answers. Indeed he comes across as a rather abstract speaker and is unspecific. The word ‘bland’ springs to mind, as if we didn’t have enough of that in Irish politics already. However maybe I’m being a little harsh for he goes on to mention energy wealth, telecommunications/broadband and investing in technology. Mr Coveney then tells those gathered that €18M would be invested by an incoming FG led government but he doesn’t tell us where the money is going to come from. Too short on detail.

Other speakers continue in the same vein: Cllr. Maria Bailey, Tony Lawlor (a local candidate in Naas), Deirdre Clune TD (daughter of Peter Barry, former Foreign minister) and Senator Paudie Coffey among them. It is a clever idea to have the forum incorporated into the annual conference and I’d imagine viewers would be impressed. Leo Varadkar TD and one of the party’s financial spokesmen, Kieran O’Donnell TD, also get to share their ideas with us.

The middle-class audience clap positively as speaker after speaker try to put distance between FG and FF policy - something Lewis Hamilton would have difficulty achieving. You couldn’t put a cigarette paper between the two main parties in many areas of policy. FF is accused of making ‘jobs for the boys’. Many Labour party viewers are probably, at this moment, ready to vomit up their breakfast. However the idea of this forum may throw up some good ideas. Something Mr Cowen’s supporters shouldn’t ignore.

Deputy leader, Richard Bruton TD, mentions the recent success of Ireland’s rugby players in winning the ‘Grand Slam’. Mr Bruton says, unlike the rugby team, the current government have not faced up to their weaknesses. Ireland needs more diversity in training. However articulate speakers are not enough and FG needs more charismatic figures to come to prominence. In their favour though the other parties, similarly, have little charisma too.

It is delightful to see Benedicta Attoh, a wonderful African member and candidate. She is someone I have come across before and she is warmly received by conference. Benedicta will be a candidate in Dundalk and should be encouraged. It’s good to see that even through the recession that multi-ethnic Ireland continues to develop unabated. The money may not be around right now but multiculturism is a growing, positive development and it should be embraced. Watching the television coverage, it’s clear that FG is becoming a broad church, it will be vital to them if they hope to govern this country. It will also give the party greater credibility in the eyes of the electorate.

Now it’s time for Fergus O’Dowd TD to address the delegates in City West and he harks back to the 1990’s when Ireland was “the envy of the world” and contrasts that with today, “31,000 extra are now on the dole.” He talks of his concern to families experiencing money trouble, “suffocating debts.” Mr O’Dowd seems like a good TD but could he be an effective minister? He does tell us of bad planning. But it may be too late to do anything about that, one suspects the horse has bolted. Despite this ‘spatial planning’ is his mantra.

A good portion of the speakers, this morning, are young and it is clear that FG have wooed many new members ready to thump FF. Most of the core audience are made up of well off, business people and one cannot doubt that some of them have come to the party coinciding with the demise of the PD’s.

But of all those I am watching on the telly it’s Olwyn Enright TD who impresses most. She immediately gets my attention when she turns to the subject of volunteering and carer’s (something close to my heart). She’s a clear, determined speaker whose rightful place, one feels, should be in government. I found it emotional listening to her and she gives voice to those no longer in employment. Ms Enright adds a human angle to these recessionary times and acknowledges how hard it is for people to return to work. The current government’s policy of giving precedence to social welfare rather than getting people back into full-time employment is rightly criticised: “We are governed by people not up to date with change.” She reiterates the importance of re-training. We need to see more of this energetic politician, someone with plenty to contribute to public life in this country.

From the hour or so viewing it’s clear to me that FG are much more ready for government, ready to pounce if Mr Cowen makes a, politically, fatal move.

Enda Kenny is a man of integrity, even if he lacks charisma. But he has transformed his party. In his speech to delegates he stresses that FF are no longer in control of the economy. The fact that there is no Bertie Ahern leading the government has imbued the FG leader with confidence. He probably slaved over his speech but it is well crafted and the viewers, both at City West and at home, can be justifiably impressed. Never has Mr Kenny looked and sounded so determined and his time could be near. But it’s Brian Cowen who is in the driving seat and next week’s budget could be pivotal in Irish politics.

Ps: It seems that Eoghan Harris, in this weekend’s Sunday Independent, completely misses the FG conference. Instead the Munster man is caught up with the trivialities of the latest Red C poll carried in the previous week’s Sunday Business Post. Have you no interest in the forthcoming budget, Mr Harris? Nearly everyone else does.