The real cynics - We are just far, far too gullible

DISMISSING critics with the pathetic, transparent and threadbare accusations of cynicism or negativity has become the default bolt hole for politicians defending broken promises or squandered opportunities.

As an example of pre-election caressing of an angry and determined lobby group, Mary Hanafin’s pledge to last year’s INTO conference, just weeks before the election, to recruit 4,000 extra teachers was a five-star, gold-plated, Academy-award-winning, top-of-the-class performance. It was straight out of the tell-them-what-they-want-to-hear module in the cling-onto-power handbook.

The only surprising thing about it was that the INTO, ordinarily a realistic, responsible and sharp organisation, bought her blather hook, line and sinker. Ms Hanafin got a standing ovation and the INTO general secretary John Carr was effusive.

“If you take on board the ideas that I gave you today, you could, to paraphrase Eamon Dunphy, go from being a good minister to being a great minister,” he offered. Warming to his theme, Mr Carr suggested that “the INTO would be happy to see you come back and finish the job”.

Well, he got his wish about the returning part, but the promise of 4,000 teachers has gone the way of so many pre-election promises. It’s with O’Leary in the grave.

Just like the “readjustments” after the previous election, our “changed circumstances” took the promise to employ another 4,000 teachers off the agenda. Foolish us, we imagined we were going to turn our classrooms into something more like an educational experience rather than a Chisholm Trail cattle drive. The recruitment pledge was a non-runner, it was really just a little bit of harmless leg pulling between old friends

This week, like the jilted lover waiting in the long grass, the INTO general secretary was more circumspect, maybe as circumspect as he should have been last year when he accepted that a politician promising to employ 4,000 extra teachers was believable. Maybe he should have got a hint of what the real agenda was from the election posters appearing all around the country.

It may be unfair to focus too sharply on Mr Carr for he did nothing more than any of us might have done. He only wished that our political leaders had actually listened to those in the nursery gardens of our “knowledge-based economy” and decided to take their advice. That they had recognised that classes of 30 plus, with children using several languages, were not conducive to a positive learning experience.

The great mystery of all of this is that we continue to believe what we are told and that we are outraged when we discover that we’ve been had. Again.

So, the next time you see one of our ministers, suave, calm and seemingly fair, dismiss a critic as a cynic consider the broader picture for a moment. Anyone with the perception of a gerbil will recognise the real cynics. The rest of us are just far, far too gullible.