In 1992, John Bruton huffed and puffed about talking with the old Workers' Party TDs who had formed Democratic Left.

Bruton could have led a Fine Gael/Labour/ Democratic Left coalition in 1992. The failure of Eric Byrne to defeat Ben Briscoe in the long count in Dublin South Central is still used as an excuse but the truth is Fine Gael did not want to deal with Democratic Left. After a further two unproductive years on the opposition benches, Bruton changed his mind. When the opportunity arose in late 1994 he willingly negotiated a programme for government with Proinsias De Rossa and his colleagues.

Enda Kenny is unlikely to be as fortunate as Bruton.

A midterm wobble leading to a change of government without an election is unlikely. Kenny will probably have to wait until 2012 to have a chance of government. But, with the parliamentary numbers as they are, Fine Gael will still have to be imaginative next time out. The prospect of a government with Sinn Fein will turn stomachs in Fine Gael. When the new Fine Gael parliamentary party was on the plinth outside Leinster House the other week, the newly-returned Brian Hayes was overheard congratulating a colleague for his success in "keeping that Provo out." The problem with holding onto the baggage of history, however, is that it has kept Fine Gael out. After last month's election Sinn Fein was in a weakened state and had only four TDs. In a four-party arrangement with Fine Gael, Labour and the Greens, the best Sinn Fein could have done was one senior minister and one junior minister. Hardly a situation that would have required the nation to lock up the children of Ireland. The conflict in the North is over.

Sinn Fein is a party of government in the devolved assembly at Stormont. There is an understandable resistance to their advancement in the Republic.

But time has moved on. We're told they may be acceptable as a party of government in five years' time.

If Enda Kenny had brought that time frame back by five years, he might well have been Taoiseach this weekend.

IN THE Dail debate last Thursday, Pat Rabbitte managed to send out mixed signals about both his own future and his party's political positioning. Many Labour TDs argue that the Mullingar Accord died last week. But Rabbitte appeared to signal a desire to keep alive an alternative to a Fianna Fail-led coalition. "I fundamentally believe it is important in a democracy that there is an alternative on offer to the Irish people. The people have a right to expect that its democracy is capable of offering an alternative government, " he said. But crucially Rabbitte also admitted that Fianna Fail was "likely to dominate politics in the foreseeable future." That statement might well be an indication of the consideration the Labour leader is giving to his own future. A case of watch this space.

Proving the cynics wrong, for once THE public and the media are often deeply cynical about what motivates politicians, and sometimes rightly so. But last week several individuals stood out for the right reasons.

Trevor Sargent showed enormous integrity with his decision to give up his position as Green Party leader and forego a cabinet post. The much maligned Dick Roche was very gracious on RTE radio on Friday morning in accepting his demotion from cabinet. In his Dail contribution on the election of the Taoiseach, Tony Gregory gave a good account of what underpins his leftwing politics. But more than anybody else, Mary Harney caught the mood of the first day back after the general election.

She mentioned the absence of her defeated party colleagues and with enormous generosity she referred to the absence of the Socialist Party leader.

"I also pay tribute to many colleagues from other parties who lost their seats, not least of whom was Joe Higgins, a fine parliamentarian even though we did not always agree. We will miss him in this house."

Harney's remarks, and the way they were delivered, were a reminder of what a fine orator she is.

Sadly, for a variety of reasons, the Dail has been deprived of her talents in recent years in this regard.