Stephen Collins: Fianna Fáil’s approach to Irish Water will be a test of its maturity

The inconclusive and confused election result has posed a challenge to all 158 members of the incoming Dáil to demonstrate whether they are serious politicians or populist loudmouths.

With a minority government of some kind looking like the only option at this stage it means that a serious shift in power from the executive to the Dáil is now inevitable.

The question is whether that shift will provide the open, accountable government longed for by advocates of political reform or a chaotic parliament paralysed by competing and unruly forces leading to collapse and an early election.

So far the omens have not been good. While the election result certainly gave Fianna Fáil most to cheer about, there are signs that some of the party's TDs have already reverted to the arrogant and irresponsible ways of old that brought so much grief to the country.

The demand by the party spokesman on the environment Barry Cowen for the scrapping of Irish Water as a precondition for supporting the formation of a government called to mind Talleyrand’s description of the Bourbons as having “learned nothing and forgotten nothing ”.

The creation of Irish Water did serious political damage to the outgoing Government but the establishment of a national water utility was a vital step in the long-term interest of the country. It should also be remembered that the process was initiated by Fianna Fáil.

Height of folly

Now that Irish Water is up and running, it would be the height of folly to dismantle it and hand responsibility back to the local authorities. It would potentially cost the State billions and set back the huge work that has already gone in to modernising a vital part of the State’s infrastructure.

Fianna Fáil’s approach to Irish Water will be a test of the party’s maturity.

It must resist the temptation to stick by one of its worst thought-out promises even if the cost is not winning over some potential supporters for Micheál Martin’s claims to be taoiseach next Thursday.

Cowen’s bullishness on Irish Water was compounded by Simon Coveney’s politically inept raising of the white flag. Between them they have probably ensured that a good proportion of the 60 per cent or so of people who have paid their water bills will hold off paying the next one.

For Fianna Fáil to suggest that the bills will still be legally binding even in a situation where Irish Water is abolished is nonsensical. People will simply stop paying and that will be that.

At least Taoiseach Enda Kenny moved quickly to try to clear up the mess created by Coveney and made it clear that Fine Gael was not prepared to sacrifice Irish Water to stay in power.

After the severe setback he suffered in the election it was a welcome sign Kenny has not lost his nerve. If the abolition of Irish Water is a course of action a majority of the new Dáil favours then Fine Gael has no business being in government.

Kenny told his parliamentary party on Thursday he was not aiming for power at any price and he needs to stick by that.

The process of trying to put a new government in place is still in its early stages and is likely to take some time for the posturing phase to run its course and real decisions emerge.

While Kenny and Martin have now had preliminary chats with some of the smaller parties and Independents there will probably not be much clarity until after the new Dáil meets on Thursday.

It is likely that both Kenny and Martin will be defeated in the vote for taoiseach, but whichever of them gets most votes will be in pole position to form a government. The current round of meetings is aimed at securing the maximum support for each of them in that critical vote.

Nobody knows what will happen after Thursday but, as Fianna Fáil has set its face firmly against coalition with Fine Gael, the only outcome available is a minority government led by one of them.

The problem is that both are so far short of a majority that they will need to co-operate to provide any kind of stability. How they can find a formula for doing that when one of them is in government and the other in opposition is the conundrum.

Whichever one gets into office will need to obtain support from smaller parties and Independents to deepen the foundations on which a government can function.

Responsibility for running the State does not fall solely on the shoulders of the two big parties even if they have more than half the Dáil seats between them.

Workable solution

Independents and smaller parties cannot evade their responsibilities for ensuring a workable solution is found.

Apart from the AAA/PBP, who have made it clear they have no interest in constructive engagement in the process of government, all the other parties and Independents have important decisions to make about how much responsibility they are prepared to take to ensure the country has a government.

A new way of doing business, particularly when it comes to the budget, based on the continental style through a Dáil committee has much to recommend it, but would require the committee members take responsibility for the outcome.

Up to now our adversarial system has allowed Opposition TDs evade all responsibility for how the country is governed. That will have to change if the new politics is to have any chance of working.