When Enda Kenny was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1975, Liam Cosgrave was Taoiseach, Gerald Ford was president of the United States, and Margaret Thatcher had just been elected as leader of the UK Conservative Party.
It was a different era. But as Kenny steps down as Fine Gael leader, to make way for the incumbents and a new generation, how will history judge his record? And how will Kenny-ism come to be defined?
On Wednesday night's Late Debate, The Irish Examiner's Political Editor Daniel McConnell quoted UCD's Paul Rouse's assessment:
"Kenny-ism can be broadly defined as lacking in any ideology and driven by mere and simple pragmatism"
Pragmatism is no bad thing, according to Fine Gael Senator Jerry Buttimer.
"As leader of Fine Gael, he did a job of work with the party. As leader of the country, he put the country and its people first. And that's been his guiding principle, of doing what's best for the people and the epitome of public service."
Also joining Cormac were Fianna Fáil TD, Mary Butler, Former Labour Party Leader, Pat Rabbitte, and Columnist with The Irish Mail on Sunday, Sam Smyth.
For more from The Late Debate, click here.
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