An unsettled UK Labour government, France in disarray, Palestine abandoned, Ukraine in retreat and the US spiralling towards dictatorship, as Captain Jack would say “Th’ whole worl’s in a terrible state o’ chassis”.
Unsurprisingly, up on the Hill, the inmates play pretend politics. This isn’t a proper government -though some local ministers appear to share the majesty of Transylvanian nobility. Difficult to believe, but the Assembly closed early last Tuesday because they had no other business.
Some elements of the media lauds and fawns on executive members for simply not being rude to each other in public.
- Tom Kelly: Ireland bucks the trend as centre holds sway in general electionOpens in new window
- Tom Kelly: Time for parties to pounce as Irish election campaign closesOpens in new window
- Tom Kelly: My family know my wishes when the time comes – but the risks of legalising assisted dying seem too greatOpens in new window
A whiff of power and some mediocre politicians soon believe their statements carry the authority of a papal bull.
A cúpla focal here and the laying of a wreath there, seems to be elevated to acts of statesmanship, equivalent to a meeting between Mao and Kissinger. It’s not. It is basic civility and mutual respect.
The spectacle of local ministers refusing to answer the media is immature, cowardly and evasive.
Stormont press corp has just walked out of planned post-executive press conference after being kept waiting for an hour-and-a-half. Was initially meant to include FMDFM but latterly told Gordon Lyons & Caoimhe Archibald pic.twitter.com/TuBoxiCP95
— John Manley - Irish News Pol Corr (@politicsIN) December 5, 2024
Lip service is paid to accountability as long as political oversight and sanction is light touch.
The Department for Infrastructure has become farcical.
Even the minister appears to believe there’s nothing wrong the funding model for Northern Ireland Water, despite the overwhelming accumulation of facts, failures, figures and numerous independent critical reports pointing to red flags on the collapsing water and sewerage system. The minister is clearly standing in a sink hole.
In any normal functioning administration, a minister who cannot get a grip on the fundamentals would be removed. But not in Northern Ireland. Committee oversight structures are stacked in favour of ministers.
She claims it’s “bad practice for Fianna Fáil to exclude Sinn Féin from potential government formation”. This is a very different type of bull.
In any normal functioning administration, a minister who cannot get a grip on the fundamentals would be removed. But not in Northern Ireland. Committee oversight structures are stacked in favour of ministers
Sinn Féin ran on an aggressive election platform about getting rid of the incumbent government. They were very clear about their intent.
Equally clear was the Fianna Fáil leader, Micheál Martin, who said that if he was in a position to form a government post the election, Sinn Féin wouldn’t be part of it.
The people then chose.
Sinn Féin didn’t win enough votes or seats to lead on the formation of what has to be a coalition of the willing. Fianna Fáil did.
That may be disappointing but it’s realpolitik.
Sinn Féin’s results could have been worse. There should be some comfort in their performance.
They had hoped to create a coalition of the left but lost over 5.5% of their own 2020 vote.
Other left wing parties didn’t win enough votes either to offer a viable government alternative but the Sinn Fein leader’s sense of entitlement is staggering.
In 2020 Sinn Féin was in a stronger position to seek engagement with other parties about coalition but this campaign was centred on ousting Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and taking the keys of Merrion Buildings.
Jilting a potential suitor before the engagement and still expecting a wedding is a tad optimistic.
Sinn Féin may find maintaining momentum on the opposition benches over five years will be difficult, especially if a resurgent Irish Labour and/or Social Democrats are alongside. Mary Lou should remember one can’t create an orchestra with a single flute.
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