Budget backlash - In denial over power of grey vote

In politics, perception is everything. To illustrate this point, imagine what thousands of “grey voters” from all parts of the State, who protested over budget cuts in the teeming rain outside Dáil Éireann, would say if they were asked whether Government policy on medical cards underwent a sea-change months ago.

The answer would be a resounding “yes”. Yet, Taoiseach Enda Kenny persists with a loud “no” when confronted with the same question. In political terms, the yawning gulf between what elderly citizens believe and Mr Kenny’s repeated denials comes down to a matter of perception. It’s the sort of divergence that could make or break a government.

On one side of the coin, pensioners and the families of children deprived of vital medical cards know in their hearts that a secret policy change was rubber stamped behind closed doors long before the removal of cards began. On the other side, despite the strident denials of Mr Kenny — denials lost on the winds buffeting Leinster House — as the leader of the coalition government continues to adopt the ostrich position with his head deep in the sand.

Not for the first time, he was accused in the Dáil yesterday of refusing to answer questions. To an increasing degree, his persistent stonewalling during Leaders Questions is causing a soporific atmosphere in the House where backbench TDs are regularly caught napping, lulled to sleep by the hypnotic monotone as the Taoiseach reads replies prepared by civil servants in response to questions from the opposition leaders.

This makes a mockery of the skills of political debate. Interestingly, under a much cobwebbed Dáil rule (40A), the Ceann Comhairle has power to compel a member of the Government to address “each and every request for information” contained in a question asked on notice. It is moot, however, whether the answers would be any clearer.

Regrettably, Mr Kenny seems to doubt his own sure-footedness when facing the cut-and-thrust of political crossfire. For whatever reason, as witnessed in the Government’s recent Seanad referendum fiasco, he is either fearful or unwilling to engage in the kind of communication people have a right to expect of their political representatives — in other words, meaningful debate which should educe relevant information on matters of public interest. To his credit, the Taoiseach promised reform yesterday on his first visit to the Upper House since that embarrassing defeat.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, who has been like a dog with a bone on this issue, is capitalising on the health factor. He says the clampdown on medical cards was agreed by the Government as far back as January. Moreover, he claims the health service spending plan signed by Health Minister James Reilly included a reference to “policy changes” which would result in a reduction of 40,000 medical cards.

Giving force to persistent claims of a radical change of tack on medical cards, a cull is now under way with the apparent aim of cutting costs while lacking genuine concern for the health and wellbeing of elderly citizens and young people with chronic illness.

Against a backdrop of the latest HSE current deficit estimate of €93.7m, possibly growing to €105m by year-end, the campaign of the elderly against an unpopular government, widely perceived as disconnected from the realities of life in austerity Ireland, looks set to continue right up to the ballot box.