Gary Murphy

with the controversy over the Dublin rose, actually, and sort of some of the rather disgusting comments that have been aimed in her direction.

And so I think it is very difficult for the candidate.

But to be fair to Fianna Fáil and to the Taoiseach, I think he is the Taoiseach's candidate, whether

No matter how close he is to Bertie Ahern, he's the Fianna Fáil candidate.

He's not the Ahern candidate.

And I think the Taoiseach probably, by coming out strongly, has made things a little easier for him.

But I've always thought this is going to be a very difficult election for Fianna Fáil.

I mean, I don't give John Stevens much of a chance, literally because of the history over the last 15 years of Fianna Fáil in Dublin Central.

And just the way the constituency is, like it is a left-leaning constituency.

In my view, it's a far more important election for Sinn Féin.

But that might be for another day.

Yes, I heard him, Danny.

I think the likelihood of a tilt is strong, but the likelihood of actual victory is far more, I think, circumspect.

He is a very competent, in my view, minister, slightly technocratic, I would say.

but maybe all politicians these days are technocratic.

Diligent, hardworking, steeped in Fianna Fáil's traditions, obviously self-confident today where he said that loads of people were talking about him in the leadership, but that there wasn't a vacancy and he wouldn't be making any comment until there was.

He's west of Ireland, so if there was a contest between him, Darren O'Brien, Jim O'Callaghan, let's say Jack Chambers, the people who just mentioned, there could be a rural-urban split there.

But he doesn't strike me as the leader in waiting.

I don't think there is a leader in waiting in Fianna Fáil.

Jim O'Callaghan has been sort of damaged certainly by the fuel protest fiasco and the idea of calling in the army and talking about by-elections.