Enda Kenny should stay on as Taoiseach for the good of Government and the Republic, a leading member of the Independent Alliance has said. Finian McGrath, the Minister of State with special responsibility for disabilities, who sits at the Cabinet table, says Mr Kenny is best placed to lead the Government, given the challenge of Britain's exit from the European Union amongst others.
While some in Fine Gael want to see Mr Kenny stand aside before the summer, the Taoiseach has indicated he wants to remain in position until the visit of Pope Francis in 2018.
Mr Kenny’s supporters in Fine Gael maintain he is the best person to lead in light of Brexit and claim the Taoiseach can put his contacts with other EU leaders to good use once the formal negotiations on Britain’s departure begin. Mr McGrath’s comments are likely to be seized on by Mr Kenny’s supporters as further confirmation that he should remain in place for the stability of the Government.
In an interview with The Irish Times, Mr McGrath said Mr Kenny was "keeping the show on the road". "In fairness to him, he is the glue at the moment and nobody knows what would happen if there was a leadership contest, but I am not going to interfere in the internal politics of the Fine Gael party because that is their business," the Dublin Bay North TD said.
“But at the moment it would appear – I personally thought he would go next summer – but now it seems that following Brexit and following recent events, there doesn’t seem to be momentum in their party [for a change], but that’s a personal view. In the current climate and the way I am looking at the numbers and the way I am looking at all the potential contenders, I would definitely say that it would be better off if he stayed.”
He said if the current Government was to "keep the show on the road", Mr Kenny should stay on. This did not mean, however, that the Independent Alliance could not work with any new leader to ensure its policies were introduced. "If it is Enda Kenny, Simon Coveney or Leo Varadkar, the Independent Alliance will work with anybody to get our policies implemented. That's business."
He tipped Minister for Health Simon Harris as a future taoiseach. "I would have the highest regard for him and I would have no doubt that some day he will be taoiseach."
Mr McGrath also said the Government had a stronger sense of cohesion following the recent political controversy over the rental strategy of Minister for Housing Simon Coveney. He said the Independent Alliance fully backed Mr Coveney, who faced objections from Fianna Fáil, and added that he now believed the Government would last to implement three budgets, as set down in the confidence and supply agreement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
The Independent Alliance is probably closer to Fianna Fáil in policy terms and could easily work with Micheál Martin, Mr McGrath claimed. He also claimed some Fine Gael ministers still had to accept the presence of the Independent Alliance in government.
“There are a few of them around the table, I won’t name names – there are some around the Cabinet table who don’t get us and, as I say to my colleagues, they don’t want to get us. There are a lot of backbenchers who are not happy we are there at all, because they are missing out on an opportunity. There are begrudgers but that’s life.”