I suppose it might be hard to discern in Ireland due to the country being generally more progressive than other English speaking places infected by the Murdoch virus.

whereas FF were more socially conservative and prepared to jettison fiscal rectitude to get back into power. Is there any vestige of that situation still around or has Ireland moved to the vertical model?

I've been away for quite a while but I remember the Republic's politics straying from the usual left/right vertical split to a more horizontal split where FG/Labour governments were more socially progressive but fiscally conservative,