The vote to confirm Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach underlined the strength of the Government, writes Pat Leahy
Much was made on Saturday of the historic nature of the handover, with Varadkar in his speech recalling the peaceful transfer of power from Cumann na nGaedhael to Fianna Fáil in 1932, the event which more than most others decided that Ireland would not follow the path of many European democracies to violent failure in that decade. Unless Eamon Ó Cuiv was secretly packing a revolver – possible, but very unlikely – this is rather over-egging the pudding.
There’s certainly a new combativeness towards Sinn Féin among Government TDs and Ministers in recent weeks. It’s partly because of the recent uptick in some opinion polls since the budget but also because of the Hutch trial, and the role and evidence of the star witness, former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall. Government TDs were delighting in throwing it across the chamber at Sinn Féin.
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