Is there more to the Government's support for Dick Spring as an EU foreign policy supremo than meets the eye? The Minister for Foreign Affairs, David Andrews, said this week the Government was 110 per cent behind the former Labour leader should he seek the post, and totally rejected French arguments that it shouldn't go to a neutral country. The Taoiseach told the Dail he would also back him.
It is well known that both before and since - especially since - Spring pulled out of government with FF just as Bertie Ahern was about to become taoiseach, and opted for the Rainbow deal with Fine Gael and Democratic Left instead, there has been little love for Labour and its leader among the Soldiers of Destiny. That's to put it mildly. So what is it? Is it possible the Government's support is totally genuine? After all, as was said to no avail, when Peter Sutherland wanted Albert Reynolds's support in a bid for the Commission presidency, it has to be better to have an Irish person in the post that not to have one.
Suspicious observers believe there are two further factors at play now. One is that it would remove Spring from the domestic scene and so open up the prospects of a seat in Kerry North in the not too distant future; secondly it is said that since the distrust between Spring and Bertie is mutual, it is best to have Spring out of the way should a deal have to be done with Labour, now under a much more agreeable Ruairi Quinn, at a future date. Thirdly, although, Quidnunc has heard the nasty remark to the effect that there is no point in opposing him getting a job that he is unlikely to get anyway. But then the horse trading won't start till next year.