Media afraid to criticise those in power

YOUR editorial on April 9 highlighted the fact that one party is in ‘permanent government’ and deduced that this gives rise to a ‘democratic deficit’. It is much more serious. It is the most serious problem confronting Irish people since independence 86 years ago.

The suggestion that remedying this ‘could be a great project’ for the new Taoiseach’s era is laughable. The job of the leader of a political party is to get into power and stay there.

The one-party state is, therefore, not a problem for the new Taoiseach. Anyway, according to him, none of us is either ‘qualified nor able to evaluate’ anything about politics even though the facts are there in front of our eyes. The subliminal message from the person who is going to be the most powerful politician in the country is, ‘Croppies, lie down.’

Because they have been in power too long, the members of the principle party in government have become arrogant and feel themselves untouchable. That is no reflection on them. It is a characteristic they share with the rest of us. Power corrupts.

The assertion in the editorial that permanent one-party government is ‘not good for our politics’ is, therefore, a serious under-statement.

The problem has to be solved by the rest of us and, principally, the members of the so-called free press. It will not be solved in a situation in which the vast majority of a cowed and obsequious media are part of a conspiracy to keep the opposition removed from power until, as one commentator said, ‘hell freezes over’. The job of political commentators is not to taunt the opposition for its lack of power. It is to fearlessly criticise and make accountable government politicians who exercise enormous power and decide how of billions of taxpayers’ money is spent.

All much of our media are willing to do, however, is to grovel to those in power. Until that changes, we will continue to evolve into a one-party state.

Anthony Leavy

1 Shielmartin Drive

Sutton

Dublin 13