Fine Gael delegates attending the party’s national conference in Wexford this weekend are acutely aware that they are facing into crucial elections in the months ahead at a very important time in the country’s history. Brexit has been the dominant issue facing the Fine Gael-led minority government since Leo Varadkar took over as party leader and Taoiseach in the summer of 2017. While the polls show he remains the most popular party leader and Fine Gael is holding its position as the biggest party, both have slipped from the heady heights achieved in the immediate aftermath of his accession. TDs know that an election bounce will be needed to propel the party back to power. A lot will hinge on the kind of campaign that Fine Gael wages.

Source: The Irish Times March 23, 2019 00:11 UTC