"Michael Healy-Rae and Michael Lowry pulled all the strings to keep Taoiseach in check, but our European allies won't be at all impressed"
"When Ursula von der Leyen travels to Ireland for our EU presidency later this year, her first port of call should not be to Government Buildings or to Leinster House."
Michael Healy-Rae and Michael Lowry pulled strings to keep the Taoiseach tightly constrained. Their manoeuvring placed domestic bargaining above coherent leadership and weakened the government's negotiating position. European allies are likely to view that dynamic with disapproval and concern about Ireland's ability to lead during its EU presidency. When Ursula von der Leyen visits for the presidency, her first port of call should avoid Government Buildings and Leinster House. The reputational damage from powerful backbench influence complicates diplomatic optics and may invite criticism from EU partners. Restoring credibility will require clearer leadership, transparent decision-making, and distancing key policy choices from narrow political interests.
Read at Independent
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]