General election 2011 - It’s time to ask the hard questions

BY announcing an election date Taoiseach Brian Cowen has brought the curtain down on what had become a demeaning and dispiriting farce. And not a moment too soon.

The behaviour of too many senior politicians over recent days and months has, if that was possible, made our democracy seem even more remote from the lives of those of us who depend on its effectiveness, steadiness and reassurance to live in peace and some moderate degree of comfort. The Leinster House pantomime had become so very unsettling that it was seriously undermining the hope all of us need to sustain to rebuild this country. It made no contribution either to restoring our international reputation or easing the punitive interest rates we have pay to keep the lights on.

It is not at all certain that Mr Cowen intended to announce a date yesterday but his position, no matter how bellicose he chose to be, had become untenable. He had lost six of his 15 cabinet ministers confirming that his Tuesday night victory was pathetically pyrrhic. It puts his empty triumphalism, in the Dáil on Wednesday, in a more accurate but unfortunately far less flattering light. And, even if there was not a stampede of retiring ministers towards Dublin’s taxi ranks the Greens seemed at the very end of their elastic tether and they would have called time sooner rather than later.

Our economic collapse has changed lives and dominated public discourse for over two years now and it will dominate debate between now and March 11. But, though it may seem hard to believe, it was not always thus and before the collapse three retiring ministers gave exemplary performances on at least one issue.

They took on powerful interests to argue causes that were not immediately popular but, as more and more time passes, they have been utterly vindicated.

Mary Harney, in 1989, long before environmental issues were as obvious as they are today, banned smoky, bituminous coal thereby removing a real health hazard from our towns and cities.

Equally, Micheál Martin’s smoking legislation and Noel Dempsey’s changes on drink driving challenged our long-held, destructive habits and saved, and will save, thousands of lives.

These campaigns were undertaken in pursuit of the greater good and succeeded despite huge, concerted and often dishonest opposition. They were exemplary, selfless performances and show what can be done if the will exists. Let us hope that there will be people with the courage and backbone to take on equally powerful interests in the 31st Dáil.

Just as the growing feeling of Spring in the air encourages us to look forward yesterday’s announcement will change the focus of debate. The bitterness, the accusations of betrayal and recklessness will not be forgotten but they are now secondary. It’s time to concentrate on what might be achieved. It is time to ask the unsettling questions, the ones all parties shrug off when there is nothing more than point scoring at stake.

Apathy, misplaced trust and blind tribalism have contributed greatly to our difficulties. Over the next seven weeks or so anyone lucky enough to have a vote must inform themselves so they can use their vote to try to make this country what it might be.

If we don’t then we’ll only get what we deserve.