Ministers producing political carrots

With election fever in the air and polling day only four weeks away, Fine Gael and Labour ministers were producing political carrots like rabbits from the proverbial magician’s hat yesterday — precisely what the vanquished Soldiers of Destiny did when Fianna Fáil was in power.

Early in the morning, for instance, the new Regional Aid Map was unveiled by Jobs and Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton. Effectively, it shows that under EU rules the Government can give financial backing to business and job creation projects in every part of the country, except Dublin and Cork. Presumably, because they already have a generous share of foreign companies, despite also enduring some of the Republic’s worst unemployment black-spots.

True to form, the well-oiled spin doctors immediately swung into action as the party’s PR machine rolled out a more localised statement from Martin Heydon, TD for Kildare South, welcoming the development as “great news for the greater Athy region” which stretches all the way from Wicklow to the Laois border. The stuff of electioneering Irish-style, he reminded voters he had “lobbied the minister for investment in this area on several occasions”.

What the new map means is that an area embracing over 51% of the population will now be eligible for state aid, double the original EU proposal. If the timing of the announcement was a blatant act of political gamesmanship, the achievement is a valid cause of satisfaction.

Meanwhile, Tánaiste and Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore launched Dalkey, in the heart of his own constituency, as Ireland’s first SmartNetTown which to the uninitiated means that a currency called “LolliPoints” can be used in a multi-store customer loyalty programme to encourage local shopping.

Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte announced plans for a major enhancement of the country’s limited broadband network. A juicy technology carrot, it will see over 1,000 locations connected, including areas with major communication problems, a scenario that has made life difficult for homeowners and business alike.

Bringing a political dimension to Irish soccer, Taoiseach Enda Kenny and his cabinet were described by the FAI as “huge” supporters of its bid, neatly timed to be launched yesterday for Dublin to become a host city for the European Championship in 2020.

Predicting what the political landscape will look like then belongs to the realm of the crystal ball. But radical change could be on the way judging by a futuristic report on the shape of the Irish workplace in 2020. It predicts there will be no offices, no job titles and no end to the working day.

Whether the faces of prospective candidates will still be staring down illegally from ESB poles in a bid to win the hearts and minds of the electorate, the very thought of politicians polling round the clock is a mind-numbing prospect. But there is no gainsaying the importance of people voting in local and European elections on May 23 when the fate of established and aspiring politicians will be in voters’ hands.