Fiach Kelly: Enda Kenny hammers home the message of recovery

Micheál Martin's task last week was to get Fianna Fáil in the game. Over the weekend, Enda Kenny's was to stay ahead of it while simultaneously being humble.

Martin achieved his goal with a punchy and attacking address that has helped define the election between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael as the leading Opposition and Government blocs.

Ditto Kenny, except his goal was to be safe, steady and reassuring with a speech that, while poor at times in its delivery, achieved its main aims.

Not for nothing did Kenny choose to ignore Sinn Féin in his address and give scant mention to Fianna Fáil. This was a speech designed for the audience at home. It could not afford the knockabout loved by the chattering classes and political anoraks. It was not for the type of person who thinks a hashtagged Twitter media campaign represents what the country thinks.

On Newstalk yesterday, Pat Rabbitte had an uncharitable twist on it: "It probably reads better than it sounded. I had a couple of pints and I did find it hard not to nod off."

But it was well crafted nonetheless. Perhaps the lack of an eye-catching policy or initiative is a sign of how Fine Gael and Kenny are confident enough in the knowledge that maintaining steady progress will see them back to Government Buildings.

This was not a Bertie Ahern, pre-2007 general election-style ardfheis speech, a panicked roll-call of promises.

“We must keep the recovery going,” said Kenny. “What is needed to secure that recovery? The answer is simple. A clear plan. Fine Gael has a clear, costed, long-term economic plan to keep the recovery going.”

The sheer monotony of the weekend-long repetition of the “long-term economic plan to keep the recovery going” is a taster of what awaits in the weeks ahead.

Repeat the phrase

One party strategist said candidates have effectively been told to repeat the phrase until they almost felt physically sick saying it – and they must then keep saying it, because only then will it be seeping into the public consciousness.

The attacks on Fianna Fáil were more subtle reminders of where the country was five years ago and where it is now rather than outright criticisms of Martin and his policies.

Kenny’s reticence to challenge Fianna Fáil was not matched, however, by other speakers throughout the weekend.

"Whenever I need some guidance about what to do in health I just look back through the files and read what Micheál Martin did when he was minister and the country had lots of money," said Leo Varadkar. "And then I do the exact opposite."

The attacks were not lost on Fianna Fáil. “For an irrelevant party we got a lot of mentions, all right,” said one party figure, summing up the feeling that Fine Gael sees Fianna Fáil as more of a threat than it cares to admit publicly.

The Taoiseach’s speech also saw acknowledgments of past criticisms of Kenny; and that some international praise extended to him and his Government jarred with voters and families still struggling at home.

“Because for us, the recovery is not a political prize, or a global headline. It’s something to be felt and lived by every citizen of our republic.”

There was an attempt to widen out Fine Gael’s appeal beyond what has seemed so far like a reductionist campaign focused squarely on abolition of the Universal Social Charge, although one party figure said it is fine by Fine Gael if the campaign is to be fought on the terrain of tax cuts.

“If a plan for more jobs, more gardaí, more teachers, more nurses, more doctors, more help for our families, our children, our elderly, sounds like a good one to you, please support our plan.

“If a plan for higher wages, lower taxes, conditions to help our businesses flourish sounds good to you, you know what to do, please vote for our plan.”

TDs afterwards were left slightly underwhelmed, but saw the merit in Kenny’s approach. The humble approach reassured those who felt an old arrogance was starting to seep through the Fine Gael campaign.

Never personally popular

Kenny spelt out his servant-of-the-people message at the conclusion of his speech, when he spoke of the Government working hard to be "worthy" of the trust placed in Fine Gael and Labour in 2011.

"Personally and politically, I have always tried to do my best for you and for Ireland. I am humbled, touched, and deeply privileged to be your Taoiseach."

Kenny himself has never been personally popular with the public, something he shares with the Government he leads. An acceptance that he and the Government have done a good job is the best outcome that can be hoped for by Fine Gael when the election results are counted.

The task at the weekend was to underline that acceptance of Fine Gael as the least-worst option, a steady-as-it-goes approach to government and re-election.

The “long-term economic plan to keep the recovery going” is certainly not soaring rhetoric but it is likely to work.

It is not flash, just competent: a description of Kenny’s speech that equally applies to Fine Gael’s re-election pitch.

Fiach Kelly is Political Correspondent