Political commentator and author, John Drennan made the above comment to irishsmokefill last week, and said that there has been some changes in each of the four main parties.

‘’Fianna Fail have not been trusted, and have not appeared to have learned from how they operated in the past, and Fine Gael have learned too well from how Fianna Fail have operated in the past, and are mimicking them in how they operated,’’ said Drennan, who writes for the Sunday Independent.  ‘’Labour are maybe recovering, and probably the best in governing the country, and not the best in getting the support of citizens.  Sinn Fein are much more polite nowadays and are a coming party.’’

However the commentator said he doesn’t believe Sinn Fein will be in government next time, nor does he believe Fine Gael and Fianna Fail will make a coalition.

‘’Sinn Fein won’t be in government next time, and a coalition between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail will be like a merger between Celtic and Rangers, two alpha males in the one room,’’ said Drennan.

John Drennan calls his new book, ‘Paddy Machiavelli: How to Get Ahead in Irish Politics’, a masterclass if you want to become Taoiseach.

‘’It shows what strokes to pull, and what virtues you need, and it’s not all downbeat, and there is case examples, like Enda and Bertie, the most cute and cunning of them all, and Haughey,’’ he said.

John Drennan’s new book, ‘Paddy Machiavelli: How to Get Ahead in Irish Politics’ is published by Gill and McMillan and in bookshops now.