Possibly one of, if not the most hated Taoiseach in history, Enda Kenny’s time at the reigns could be about to end.
The out-going Taoiseach is said to be under immense pressure from both Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney in a challenge for the party’s leadership.
Kenny is taking the brunt of what was basically a shambolic campaign run by Fine Gael. Given the lackluster opposition from Fianna Fail, the so-called recovery which is allegedly happening, analysts suggest Kenny could have easily had an overall majority if he’d run a better campaign. Many believe the reason for Fine Gael’s current limbo dilemma is that Kenny was in fact the leader in the first place.
Insiders claim both Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney are going to contest the leadership “one way or the other, whether Kenny resigns or not”. Kenny said he will resign the leadership if he can’t return to the Dail as Taoiseach and for a government with Independents.
He has been frantically in talks to form a government with Mattie McGrath, Shane Ross, Denis Naughton and both the Healy-Rae brothers to name a few. All of these men have reportedly been offered a Ministerial role should they back Kenny as Taoiseach this Thursday in the Dail.
However, a Fine Gael insider said it’s “too little too late for Kenny”. He said:
“We could have easily had an overall majority if Kenny wasn’t leading us. He is hated by the public and he actually did us more damage than good. He has to go”.