Coalition must focus on fixing internal strife

The controversy over water charges last week highlights the extent to which the coalition government has become bogged down.

The controversy over water charges last week highlights the extent to which the coalition government has become bogged down. Both parties are committed to the introduction of water charges next year - there is no disagreement there. But Labour apparently felt that the proposals were not sufficiently robust to be defensible, and accused Fine Gael - privately and publicly - of trying to bounce the junior coalition partner into a decision it was ...