I note that the Irish Times in its editorial this morning is disappointed in the south’s politicians. They’ve been conducting, it seems, election campaigns that are far too narrow. Following the rhetorical question “What planet are they on?”, the IT goes on to particularise this planet:
“It is some other world, where climate change does not pose an existential threat, where the economic and social consequences of growing inequality are not important, where there is no refugee crisis and where theEuropean Union is not in deep trouble”.
You’ll note the emphasis the IT lays on foreign affairs. The editorial goes on to criticize those who would think only in terms of what money they’re making:
“It may be that some voters don’t wish to be bothered with anything more complex than the possibility of a few euro more in their pockets. But the general air of frustration suggests that many voters are actually hungering for a much deeper engagement than the campaign has offered.”
This really is a twist on the ‘you-can’t-eat-a-flag’ argument. Normally our politicians and their followers are accused of focusing on things that have little bearing on people’s daily lives – the bread-and-butter issues. Here the IT’s accusation is that they haven’t raised their eyes to something greater than keeping body and soul together.
Maybe the writers of the editorial haven’t experienced or are incapable of empathizing with people struggling literally to keep a roof over their head or food on the table. That’s how it is for an awful lot of people in the south this morning. Maybe the IT top brass haven’t had to endure what passes for a public health service, with people on trolleys and medical staff over-worked to breaking point.
Granted, the editorial does double back and ask some key questions that do matter:
“How are we to repair the damage to health, education and justice systems from years of austerity and poor governance? How is Irish society to move steadily towards greater economic equality?”
Of course we’re not going to hear either Labour or Fine Gael addressing these questions, since they’ve spent five years inflicting the damage and inequality that they articulate. Yes you’ll hear Fianna Fail harping on about these matters – but only so long as no one suggests that they were instrumental in setting the conditions that allowed Fine Gael and Labour to enter with their wrecking ball.
In the leaders’ debate on TV3 two nights ago, matters of health, justice and equality were repeatedly raised, only to have those accused quickly steer debate to events that happened decades ago in a jurisdiction which they unremittingly ignored.
Yes, IT, there are Irish politicians who do care about and speak out about the justice system and the gross inequality of society. There are candidates who are aware that this is the centenary of the Easter Rising and who, with that in mind, seek “to rise to the occasion by engaging citizens in a genuine conversation about the meaning of a 21st century Irish republic”. It’s just that their voice gets shouted down by those eager to raise a hare, any hare to distract attention from the shameful condition into which they have plunged the state.
Spot bleedin on Jude,and I know its a bit small minded of me but I cant wait to see the smug face on Joe Costello of Labour party infamy when he loses his seat here in Dublin central,great article.
Grma, Shay
Methinks the Fourth Estate has now become the government’s Fifth Column!
There are some interesting items in the media today. The British Prime Minister now wishes to stay in the EU in order to fight aggression. This would include a ‘British Alcatraz’ for Islamist prisoners. In a conciliatory gesture, Mr Cameron states he does not wish to pull up the drawbridge as a means of protecting British sovereignty.
In Ireland Mr Noonan is warning against political instability after the election. Voters need to be aware that political instability leads to economic instability. Vote for right wing parties, not left wing parties, is what he really means. Where has he been living since the death of the Celtic Tiger? It was the sovereignty of the bondholders that created economic instability throughout Europe.
Mr Cameron et al may wish to protect castles for an heir, however, they expect the electorate to pay the rent. This all reminds me of the story about a choice between a Capitalist hell and a Socialist hell. In a Capitalist Hell, one would be flogged before being boiled. In a Socialist Hell one would be boiled and then flogged. The author recommends the Socialist Hell, given the reality of coal shortages and labour disputes.
Perhaps it is time for a Bright idea, stop flogging dead horses, sell the castles and create a heaven on earth.
While blogbrowsing your as ever incisive contribution today, Esteemed Blogmeister, one had one ear in Le Coq Sportif mode as the wireless was on.
You mention ‘the raising of hares’ by politicians well versed in the crafty art of divarshin.
Curiously enough, one had one such, erm, ‘hare-raising’ experience while simultaneously listening to the must-not-miss Dame Dosh Finucane Show whose hostess, the Has it made Marian (for it was she!) was turning the spotlight on the law, specifically the Special Criminal Court.
As distinct from the Spotlight movie which recently got the full Marian Make Over, indelibly linking as it did ’IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS’ (how does she keep coining these deathless phrases ?) the (imagine) RC Clerical Cover-up of Child Abuse, involving a (erm) Cardinal Law.
Her guest this morning was some dude name of Diarmuid McDermot (so good, they almost named him twice) who has been covering the cases in the SCC almost, it seems, since the time of the bould Robert Emmet himself. And who managed to chuckle his way through most of his report. With what sounded not unlike a delightful, they call it the delightful Londonderry lilt.
It was almost as if he were reminiscing about the rollicking, frolicsome Bardell Breach of Promise Case which finger-pointed at one Samuel Pickwick, Esq and in which, coincidentally enough, the presiding judge, nodded off. Even though it was not necessary for the prosecution counsel, the horsehaired and horsevoiced Serjeant Buzfuz to drop a heavy legal tome upon his bench to wake His Honour up.
Call it coincidence, but that particular case was held on (gasp) St, Valentine’s Day, 18 hundred and (gulp) 31. A daarlin number 31, Joxer, a daaaarling number.
It took the solemn hostess, as ever, to introduce some gravity into the discussion, after a detailed description of the de-digitalisation of a Dublin dentist..
-So-called Republicans ! My God. When you think of the French Republic and its ideals of Fratenite, Egalite, and Liberte. My God. We’ve got so-called Republicans.
In fairness, going f, it was understandable that Dame Dosh Finucane should introduce the French connection as it would appear that RTE’s thoughts are inextricably if not compulsorily twinned with Paris today. For reasons other than guillotines, tumbrils, the knitting needles of Madame Defarge and all that sorta R.O.T. ( Le Reign of Terror).
Luckily, one had one’s ear cocked comme Le Coq Sportif (see above).
And as the litany of Neanderthal ne’er do wells who ever stood in the dock of Green Street were given out the horrified hostess was ready with her responsorial retort;
-How easy we forget (X 22)
Indeed, how easy. Oddly, the rather difficult birth of the current Special Criminal Court by Caesarian Seciton 31 was somehow overlooked by the sombre hostess and the jovial guest alike.
On Dec 1, 1972, as it was being hotly debated in the Irish House of Commons there was no certainty of a safe delivery – till a simultaneous surgical strike was effected in Sackville Place, Dublin 1 . This strike involved a car bomb, a silver-grey Ford Escort and a message to the Belfast Telegraph phoned in by an ‘English-Belfast’ accent.
Bingo ! New legislation passed – a smiling bouncing broth of a bill. A hundred thousand welcomes, begorrah, to the Republic of Irony.
A mere English mile away from the alley-like Sackville Place, in the delivery ward of the House of Mechanical Dolls, Dublin 2 the youthful father figure of the Minister of Justice O’Malley, allowed himself a grim grin. That would be Desmond, of the Thomond Aristocats, whose character was often voiced by (gulp) Phil Harris (a relation?).
Two men were smithereened into eternity in that surgical strike: one George Bradshaw and Thomas Duffy. Neither name runs quite as easily off the tongue as, say, Jerry McCabe.
Neither, incidentally, was a Garda; one was a bus-driver and the other a bus-conductor.
Although there were many Gardai in the vicinity, blessedly, (not least for the peace-loving law-makers), none was killed.
Well the first polls since the election campaign started have been released and the big winners so far are Sinn Fein and to a lesser extent Fianna Fail. The poll I seen have Sinn Fein up 3 points, Fianna Fail up 1 point, Fine Gael down 2 points and Labour unchanged. According to another poll Fine Gael has dropped 3 points.
As things currently stand Sinn Fein are 20%, Fianna Fail are 18%, Labour are just 8% and Fine Gael falling to 28%. Those are just the polls but what really matters is what happens on voting day. Presently, going by these figures, Fine Gael and Labour could not make up a Government and would need help from other parties or a collection of independents.
The former Greek Finance Minister, Yanis Varoufakis, stated today that Michael Noonan, who is the Fine Gael Finance Minister, didn’t fight for debt relief for the Irish people when it came to talks with Europe (you remember those guys who came in because of Fianna Fail and under Fine Gael/Labours watch and took our economic sovereignty?) even though he promised the Irish people he would. In fact, Noonan even went further and fought “tooth and nail” to oppose debt relief for the Greek people, who are in an even bigger mess than Ireland. The same Greek people who are suffering so badly that suicides have soared and where people are get so desperate one man, a pharmacist, even set himself on fire in front of the Greek parliament.
(Here’s the article: http://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2016/0213/767716-election-campaign-enters-second-weekend/ )
Poor Joan Burton went to a shopping centre today to campaign for votes and to save her seat in the Dail. I’m sure Joan wished she had not bothered. Joan was verbally bashed by some people, one woman being quoted as saying to Joan: “You should be ashamed to show your face around here”.
Meanwhile Enda went for a trip to rebel/bandit country: Cork (of all places….) where he was followed by protestors, some of whom shouted abuse and chanted “Enda, OUT, OUT,OUT”. Poor Enda had to be escorted away quickly as some protestors tried to block his way.
I will admit I’m surprised at how bad the election campaign for Enda and Joan has started. I really thought it would’ve been a well oiled and thought out campaign. I expected for Enda to be going steady, with maybe the odd point or two increase. We all know Joan was going to get a hammering but its been worse than I thought it would’ve been, not that I’ll be shedding any tears.
Gerry Adams campaign has started off pretty good, considering the ceaseless campaign against Sinn Fein from the media, involving Thomas Murphy, Sinn Fein’s position on Special Criminal Courts, allegations of rape from Mairia Cahill and others (even a blind man could see it was all about politics, not justice), the PIRA supposedly still being in existence, etc. Fianna Fail’s Micheal Martin has had a decent start and I see FF certainly gaining seats but I think FF’s campaign will run out of steam before long, their biggest stumbling block being they caused the crisis in the first place, something people haven’t forgotten.
In the meantime, Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein should keep the momentum going. If the shinners have 25 or more TD’s this time in a month than it would be a good result. But the magic number is 30 or more, that would be a massive victory for Gerry and if things keep going the way they are going It could happen….