Kenny shows leadership stock isn't 'Rising' yet
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ENDA Kenny is ready for 'The Rising', but in his frantic rush to engage with the enemy, he has roundly failed to outline a bullet-proof winning strategy.
His mobile phone ringtone -- Bruce Springsteen's 'The Rising' -- may reveal much about his political ambitions and election intent, but the lyrics could equally reflect the leader's current problems: "Can't see nothin' in front of me, Can't see nothin' coming up behind, I make my way through this darkness. I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me."
That chain which binds him is the expectation within his party, supporters and the wider electorate that he provide a credible, lucrative and alternative strategy to their arch-rivals in Fianna Fail for rescuing the ailing economy.
Yesterday evening, on the 'Six One News', Mr Kenny had the opportunity to tell upwards of 500,000 viewers about his road map for recovery.
Interviewer Bryan Dobson asked how Fine Gael would secure the mammoth savings of €2bn. Mr Kenny was bluntly told that some of his proposals would simply make the "hole bigger".
With one eye on June's local and European elections, the Fine Gael leader has put forward a series of proposals on pay freezes, PSRI exemptions, VAT cuts, quango mergers and capital programme investments, which won't raise the ire of an an already fuming electorate but also won't raise the multi-billions in cutbacks desperately needed.
Yesterday, on the return of the Dail from its long Christmas recess, the Fine Gael leader worked from notes, sprinkled with stinging soundbites that had their usual effect of rattling Taoiseach Brian Cowen.
Mr Kenny took a 10pc cut before the Government ministers, and he called for the nationalisation of Anglo Irish Bank before the Government moved to nationalise it.
But his call for a two-year pay freeze in the public sector and a wage cut which would only apply to workers earning more than €100,000 has not been matched with an alternative proposal on how other cuts in the €20bn public sector bill can be achieved.
If Mr Kenny is to beat Mr Cowen, he will have to outline some harsh options to demonstrate long-term thinking and a willingness to make the tough calls.
- ine Kerr
