Could Micheal be the new money man?
After several years in the political doldrums, 2008 could be the year that Micheal Martin's political career perks up again. While he is unlikely to deprive Brian Cowen of the Fianna Fail leadership when Bertie Ahern resigns, an event that now looks more and more likely to happen in 2008, he can expect a major cabinet promotion.
Martin, whose fortunes never really recovered from the four-and-a-half underwhelming years he spent as Health Minister between 2000 and 2004, has been keeping his head down since switching to the Department of Enterprise and Employment in September 2004. However, his handling of the abolition of the ban on below-cost selling, which was forced on the Government by Eddie Hobbs' Rip-Off Republic TV programme in 2005, was assured.
With the passage of time, Martin's term as Health Minister is also looking less dismal. Three years into the job, the current incumbent Mary Harney also seems to have been defeated by the task of sorting out the €15bn monster. Is the job of Health Minister beyond the ability of any politician?
His unconvincing appearances before the Mahon Tribunal and the Government's need to pass the euro referendum before the end of 2008, mean that the likely date of Bertie Ahern's resignation has been brought forward, probably to the first half of 2008.
While Brian Cowen, who has the votes of the Fianna Fail backbenchers sewn up, is virtually certain to succeed Ahern as Fianna Fail leader and Taoiseach, Martin is much more popular with the Fianna Fail Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of State. This almost certainly makes it worth Cowen's while to offer Martin a high price for his support. This could see Martin ending up as Finance Minister and/or Tanaiste in a Cowen-led government, making Martin the most successful Cork-based politician since Jack Lynch stepped down as Taoiseach almost 30 years ago.
