Why try to change an institution that does not need to be fixed?

Last Thursday theMinister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney announced on Twitter that he is “looking forward to finalising” a proposal “allowing Irish citizens all over the world have the option to vote in presidential elections — it will change and broaden the nature of the presidency for the better...”

It was an almost true statement. The scale of broadening advocated will irrevocably change the nature of the presidency, but not for the better. I usually try to avoid vituperation, and feel genuinely ashamed for occasional lapses. But this is one of the most stupid, ill considered, populist wheezes I’ve heard of in a long time. It takes an institution that works and, for the sake of it, shakes it up just to see what happens. Meantime, a longstanding proposal to give our diaspora seats in the Seanad remains mothballed. Having had nearly a week to think about it, that’s the mildest censure I can come up with.

Coveney’s statement follows coverage on Christmas Eve of his minister for state Ciarán Cannon, who specifically promised a referendum in 2019. At first it seemed Santa got lost on his way home to the North Pole; but no. What he left behind is an enormous Lego set, with enough pieces to build an edifice far bigger than the modest home it has been left in.