Delegate support for Burton’s bluntness

Sometimes perceived as the maverick minister who is too honest for her own good, Joan Burton is viewed as having leadership ambitions by the party faithful.

She shoots from the hip, members concede, and at times ignores pressure to toe the party or even the government line.

But in a period where smaller parties in coalition governments have disintegrated, an open manner could best serve Labour’s interests in the long term.

Joan Burton has recently been singled out after her candid comments on, among other issues, the Moriarty Tribunal report, the upcoming EU referendum, and the household charge.

All these comments raised eyebrows and even drew criticism from within coalition circles. Fine Gael’s Charlie Flanagan tweeted that Ms Burton had a “government death wish”.

But what do Labour delegates themselves think about Ms Burton’s forthright views and her increasingly ambitious role in the party?

Ray Kavanagh, Labour’s general secretary between 1986 and 1999, said her blunt manner was healthy for the party.

“In the Labour party, people like outspoken candidates. Joan Burton speaks for the membership, she educated the country about the financial crisis. We love somebody who shoots from the hip.

“I don’t think she’s being too critical. She outlines problems where they are. Where other people might put out a united front, she speaks out clearly and people like that sort of thing.

“It’s also a great help for the Labour Party because people feel that there’s a little bit of tension there and we need a bit of tension.

“Constructive tension is a good thing and it keeps people on their toes.”

Indeed, others see this bolshy style as crucial to making sure that Labour does not go down the road of the Green Party or the Progressive Democrats and become invisible in the coalition, only to be punished by the electorate.

Party delegate and nurse Sinead Wall, a daughter of Labour parliamentary party chairman, TD Jack Wall, explained: “Sometimes there are expectations that you actually toe the party line. What makes it interesting is that people bring their own personalities and their own way of doing things.

“So what might be perceived as not necessarily toeing the party line, she is being more frank and people appreciate that.

“Speaking to people who might not have anything to do with the Labour party, they appreciate her frankness and openness and honesty. That might not always be appreciated within the party though.”

The Kildare South party delegate is open about the possibility of Ms Burton becoming the first ever female leader of the party.

“Within us all we have ambitions, so I wouldn’t imagine that she is any different from the rest of us. I don’t see anything wrong with that,” added Ms Wall.

Elsewhere, the son of the first female deputy Labour leader, suggested that speaking out while in government can cause unwanted tensions.

Bray councillor Ronan McManus, son of former TD Liz McManus, said: “It’s a difficulty when you work in partnership in a coalition government; it can cause difficulties. I’m of the view that politicians should be frank and honest, even if it does cause a certain amount of friction.

“We had to listen to nonsense being peddled by the last government; the nonsense being peddled by the Opposition at the moment, who have completely unrealistic ideas. They’re the ones speaking from both sides of their mouths, making wildly unrealistic promises to the electorate in the hope of electoral gain in the future.

“It really is a defining feature about modern Irish politics now that it’s about placating the electorate while having to make decisions in the background.”

But Kilkenny South councillor Thomas Breathnach, a Labour stalwart of 33 years, said Ms Burton’s challenging social protection ministry means she must speak out. “The fact then that she’s possibly in one of the most difficult departments that you could be in with reduced resources is obviously impacting on her.

“The time for honesty is now. With honesty, you’ll lose people and you’ll gain people. It’s a judgment call. But the days of telling people what they wanted to hear — that day is gone,” he said.