Hugh O'Connell: 'FG appears to exceed all others when it comes to self-harm'
It is rather idiotic of a party approaching a leadership contest to be carrying on like this
In 2001, fearing an electoral meltdown, Fine Gael deposed John Bruton as leader and replaced him with Michael Noonan. The following year the party lost nearly two dozen seats - an unmitigated disaster.
The scars linger. The messiness with which Bruton was dispatched was mentioned privately by one current leadership contender in conversation with me last Friday as a reason to ensure the transition in Fine Gael now firmly under way does not ...