Enda Kenny and leadership of Fine Gael

Sir, – Enda Kenny didn’t give his Fine Gael Cabinet colleagues a post-Valentine date but rather teased them with a promise of an Easter exit. As the endless Enda saga continues, April Fool’s Day can’t come soon enough. – Yours, etc,

MICHAEL CULLEN,

Sandycove,

Co Dublin.

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Sir, – After recollecting a conversation with a Minister that had never happened, Enda Kenny clarified that it was true that the conversation never happened. Following this, at the recent Fine Gael party meeting, he clarified his position as leader by saying that he will clarify his position soon. Everyone left the meeting satisfied!

That gives him enough time to take soundings from the man with the two pints in his hands “that he previously met” and the constituent who rang him to ask him about the extra pay that he was earning. Strong leadership and as clear as Brexit. – Yours, etc,

BRIAN CULLEN,

Rathfarnham,

Dublin 16.

A chara, – Scientists currently believe that the universe consists of 5 per cent atomic matter by weight, 27 per cent dark matter and 68 per cent of dark energy. This is where we live.

After this week’s Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting, it appears that we believe that there is a 5 per cent certainty that Enda is still leader, a 27 per cent chance that he will step down this year, and a 68 per cent level of uncertainty as to when this will occur. This is how we live. – Is mise,

DERMOT O’ROURKE,

Lucan,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – I find it rather strange that we have only now been informed of the discovery of an Earth-like planet billions of miles away. The entire Fine Gael party has been living on it for years. – Yours, etc,

ROY SCORER,

Rosslare Strand,

Co Wexford.

Sir, – WEH Lecky, in his History of Ireland in the Eighteenth Century (1913), wrote: "There are periods, both in private and public life, when the ablest of men experience what gamblers call a run of ill-luck. At such times the steadiest of hands seems to lose its cunning and the strongest judgment its balance, and mistake follows mistake. Some fatality of this kind appears to have hung over Irish legislation in those critical years."

Does this seem familiar? – Yours, etc,

NOEL DELAHUNTY,

Newtown,

Waterford.

Sir, – Rebels in Fine Gael? What next? Republicans in Fianna Fáil? Surely not. – Yours, etc,

PATRICK DOYLE,

Rathvilly,

Co Carlow.

Sir, – The Taoiseach’s “mojo” has been down of late, and his party colleagues are minded to wait until he comes back from meeting the US president on St Patrick’s Day. My question is what will happen if his “mojo” is all fired up when he gets back? – Yours, etc,

PAUL DORAN,

Clondalkin,

Dublin 22.

Sir, – As with almost every issue that has arisen since this Government was created, the Taoiseach has again “kicked the can down the road” with regard to his stepping down. – Yours, etc,

GER DORGAN,

Artane,

Dublin 5.

Sir, – Should we refer to all the media coverage of the “will he, won’t he?” variety about Mr Kenny’s term of office as “hype” or “fake news” or indeed “alternative facts”? – Yours, etc,

TOM MORAN,

Dublin 4.

Sir, – The media is indulging in personality politics by giving wall-to-wall coverage to anti-Enda Kenny propaganda day after day instead of discussing the serious commercial and political threats to the future of this country.

This is the same media that failed to confront the powerful in pre-2009 Celtic Tiger times when they were causing the biggest calamity in the history of this State. – Yours, etc,

A LEAVY,

Sutton,

Dublin 13.

Sir, – If Fine Gael had really put the country first, the new taoiseach would be representing us in Washington on St Patrick’s Day. – Yours, etc,

PAT CULLEN,

Tramore,

Co Waterford.

Sir, – Enda Kenny, however much he may irritate people from time to time, does have an essential attribute in a leader, that of likability. The Fine Gael leadership hopefuls I have seen mentioned in the media simply do not possess that quality. – Yours, etc,

MARY BYRNE,

Bray, Co Wicklow.

Sir, – I just do not understand why such a good leader that has done this country so much service must resign.

You write in your editorial of February 23rd, “A few days after his 66th birthday, the State’s official retirement age, should mark an appropriate point of departure for him”.

Is that the only reason to lose such a fine leader? – Yours, etc,

GERALDINE GREGAN,

Clarecastle,

Co Clare.

Sir, –Some were happy to challenge Enda Kenny behind his back last week, but were not prepared to call him out face to face. There is not a backbone among them. – Yours, etc,

DAMIEN CARROLL,

Kingswood,

Dublin 24.

Sir,– Fine Gael must wish it had an ardchomhairle at a time like this. That way the whole unseemly leadership question could be dealt with quickly, if not entirely democratically. Yours, etc,

BRIAN AHERN,

Clonsilla,

Dublin 15.