Enda Kenny: Final curtain is fast approaching

If you are wondering what that noise is, I can confirm it is a ticking time bomb. It may have been defused for the time being, but it will no doubt explode before our very eyes soon enough.

The Taoiseach has survived the coup that never was: His critics fell by the wayside, and Brendan Griffin became the last man standing. The latest in the story is here.Enda Kenny is well aware that time is against him. His era is drawing to a close.

In one way time has worked in his favour. Was the summer recess not approaching Kenny would be facing louder calls to go than he is now.

His would-be successors will use that break to shore up as much support as they possibly can. Leo Varadkar is leading the race, and Simon Coveney has not even begun to catch up.

Varadkar took the Oireachtas members from Dublin to Leopardstown last week, met councillors from Longford and used his air time last week to criticise Independent Ministers - a direct appeal to the Fine Gael grassroots.

Leo is lucky though, Leo has time. The Department of Social Protection can run itself.

Simon Coveney is not as fortunate. His brief includes housing and water - the two biggest challenges facing the Government. Plotting takes time, and Simon does not have much time.

The summer break will allow the two men and the Taoiseach space to plan what happens next.

Kenny will not be pushed, and Fine Gael is not foolish enough to make the same mistake twice.

However, his time is drawing to a conclusion and, having already ruled himself out of leading the next general election campaign, he knows that.

Kenny has achieved extraordinary success for Fine Gael. He led the party to its most significant electoral result in 2011 and the country out of the bailout programme.

But Kenny has become a hindrance to Fine Gael’s success. His time may not be up, but the end is fast approaching.

Decisions, decisions, decisions . . .

Imagine a world where you never have to make a decision, where you could appoint someone to make every decision for you.

“What should I wear to work today?” Ask an expert committee. “What should I have for my tea?” Ask an expert committee.

It is not too difficult to imagine really. Our Government has become expert in it.

Think of the two biggest, most divisive decisions this Government or the next one will have to make. Water charges and the Eighth Amendment. How do you solve a problem like water?

Well first you establish an expert committee with an independent chair. Then you send those results to an Oireachtas committee.

How do you solve a problem like the Eighth Amendment? Wellyou establish a citizens' assembly and an expert body to advise them. Then you send those results to an Oireachtas committee.

It is the ideal scenario really. Kicking the decision into a committee means the Government can claim credit for anything positive but outsource the blame if things do not go smoothly.

The only problem is that people elect Governments to govern. They expect politicians to be their experts.

Maybe I am wrong, maybe I should hire my own expert committee to advise me on how to advise you.