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An End to the Galway Races Fianna Fail Tent
Read more about: Coalition, Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Galway East, Government, Grassroots, Irish Election, Irish Politics 
So Brian Cowen continues to slowly dismantle the Bertie Ahern machine (on which note, anyone see a Fianna Fail ‘Yes’ poster with Cowen’s face on it?). The announcement that the construction industry wont be dining in Ballybrit will be greeted with delight in the offices of the Green Party and Finian McGrath as a potential silly-season embarrassment is now avoided.
Mr Cowen told a meeting of the Fianna Fáil national executive last night he would not be proceeding with the fundraiser.
“The tent at the Galway Races is gone for this year,” a party spokesman subsequently confirmed.
The announcement will help Mr Cowen recover some lost ground after the negative publicity surrounding his F-word gaffe earlier this week.
It will be presented as a recovery from the F-word usage, but to be fair in this country a slip like that will not lose you votes. You are in good company if nothing else. Despite the spin that Dorgan’s review is what parked the fundraiser, what it really does though is attempt to distance FF from the last 12 years.
The Taoiseach has not been explicit in any form of critique of Bertie’s style of managing the party but if actions speak louder than words then perhaps he had more than a few concerns. Intersting question to know if Fine Gael will be getting rid of Punchestown as a gesture of solidarity?
It’s an interesting sign of Cowen’s leaner approach. Note the report a few days ago that he had banned the special advisers and program managers from Cabinet subcommittee meetings. I think this move had no downside: it gets Des Richardson out of the inner circle (I wonder does Cowen suspect that Richardson is going to be declared an uncooperative witness?), it’s a good signal to the Greens and unions, and takes away the awkwardness of JP McManus there every year as a tax exile.