Gareth O'Callaghan: Politicians spent decades dodging straight answers — now voters are turning elsewhere

Gareth O'Callaghan examines political distrust, misinformation and the rise of populist anger in Ireland and beyond

Former taoiseach Charles Haughey with British prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

James Callaghan, the former British prime minister, once said a lie can be halfway round the world before the truth has got its boots on. It’s what is known as a truism – words often used by politicians to validate what they’re talking about, without the need to fall back on proof.

A truism is rooted in common belief. It’s a social consensus in the sense that politics was once a noble profession, and politicians had our best interests at heart. Political truisms were regarded as self-evident and generally undisputed. They haven’t been for a long time. Trust in Ireland’s political system and its politicians, to put it mildly, is not what it used to be.