A Mayo View: Sinn Féin does not have a magic wand

If there was any doubt in regard to the damage caused to the government as a result of the lifting of the eviction ban, the results of the latest opinion poll on the state of the parties cannot be ignored.

While Fianna Fáil and the Green Party may have gained a single point each to reach 21% and 6%, respectively, Fine Gael has taken a heavy knocking with the loss of eight points to drop to a very worrying 15%.

Unsurprisingly, the big winners were Sinn Féin, jumping by five points to an impressive 37%.

While Sinn Féin may themselves not have the answers to the growing housing problem, they are doing a very good job at exposing the failure of successive governments - made up mainly of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael - in allowing the crisis to fester over many decades. Sinn Féin utilised its position as the main opposition party to capitalise on strong public opinion opposed to lifting the eviction ban.

How Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil could not see they were walking straight into a trap was, to say the least, remarkable.

While they may have succeeded in batting away a motion of no-confidence in the government, the reputational damage has been very serious in a nation where the word eviction leaves a very sour taste in people’s mouths.

They should have accepted that while the concept may have been right, the timing of lifting the ban was wrong - but they ploughed ahead regardless of the optics, playing into Sinn Féin’s hands like pure novices.

But when the government is led by a politician who has a complete blind spot when it comes to Sinn Féin, it’s hardly surprising.

Even though it was obvious to all and sundry during the debates that Sinn Féin does not have the solutions to hand, they still managed to inflict a crippling blow that has shook the government benches.

Sinn Féin’s penchant for playing the long game is proving effective. Piece by piece, they are dismantling the government and it’s only a matter of time before it will come crashing down.

Then the electorate will line up and put Sinn Féin into government in the hope of seeing all of the country’s great problems in housing, health services, the environment and transport, to name a few, being put right.

But will that happen?

No.

Because Ireland lacks the leadership, vision and direction within its civil and public services to make the kind of courageous decisions that are needed.

And, sadly, Sinn Féin won’t change that, either.