THERE USED to be a TV programme called Challenge Annekawhere, week after week, the eponymous presenter overcame a series of awe-inspiring obstacles to achieve her goal.
The Fianna Fáil leader’s current situation could be termed, “Challenge Micheál” as he sets about the formidable task of rescuing his party from imminent electoral oblivion.
He was in Dublin South East yesterday, trying to spread a little stardust on the party’s sole candidate in the constituency, Chris Andrews.
It was an uphill struggle and the reception he got from senior citizens in the St Andrew’s community resource centre on Pearse Street indicated the scale of the challenge he faces.
“Could you live on €230 a week?” That was the question posed repeatedly by a woman pensioner who refused to give her name, although she revealed she was a niece of the late Seán Moore, Fianna Fáil TD for the constituency from 1965 to 1982.
Micheál is well-versed in the measures Fianna Fáil took to better the lot of the elderly but as he moved on to shake some more hands, she said he had failed to answer her question.
Another woman, having listened to Micheál extolling Fianna Fáil’s record on senior citizens, commented acidly: “Yiz also made a big mess, for everyone else to clear up.” Polite to the last, in the best traditions of his hero Jack Lynch, Micheál replied: “Not quite, I wouldn’t agree there.”
Whose idea was it to go to the centre? When Micheál ventured into an area where children were making toy shapes with cornflour and water, a little girl was so startled by all the cameras that she grabbed his jacket, leaving a large white handprint.
Happily this was removed in short order and he moved on to more hospitable surroundings beside the Grand Canal Theatre, where the MV Cadhla, a €1 million replica of the famous Guinness barges from the 1920s, provides waterborne tours.
In recognition of the separate sporting allegiances of Deputies Andrews and Martin, four young boys, including Hugh O’Kennedy, grandson of former finance minister Michael, were togged out in the colours of Dublin and Cork, whose footballers face each other in Croke Park this weekend.
Then it was on to Frank and Brian Roantree’s Grafton Litho printing company on nearby Hanover Street, where Micheál got a chance to observe a new election poster for Andrews coming off the presses, stamped with his personal slogan, “Representation with Integrity”.
There was a fair amount of green print on the placard and, when Mr Andrews was asked if he was sending out a subliminal message to John Gormley voters, he replied: “There’s nothing subliminal about it.”
Since Fine Gael may not need Labour to get a Dáil majority, would Fianna Fáil be open for business with Eamon Gilmore’s party? Micheál did not give a direct answer: “We will do what we have to do in terms of supporting the policy programme that we have put before the people.”
The squabbling between the Opposition parties was a definite bright spot in the Fianna Fáil leader’s day. He pooh-poohed the notion that Fine Gael can cut 30,000 public sector jobs without hitting frontline services: “I don’t think that’s possible.”
Looking back to the last general election, he recalled there was a mood change during the last 10 days in favour of Fianna Fáil: “So it’s all there to play for, from that perspective.” Pointing to the work in the community by Mr Andrews he said: “That type of commitment by individuals can ensure that, in constituencies like this, certain strong candidates can swim against the tide.”
