Daniel McConnell: After #Golfgate we must ask - Is this Government worth saving?

We waited 140 days for a government to be formed, but is this one worth saving?

This Government is eight weeks old this week (on Saturday).

Despite holding a comfortable working majority in Dáil Éireann, from day one in Dublin’s Convention Centre, it has been bedevilled by controversy, cock-ups and u-turns.

A cursory glance at the various difficulties encountered will lead one to the conclusion that most of the trouble brought upon itself by this Government has been self-inflicted and utterly avoidable.

Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary’s resignation on Friday morning, less than 24 hours after Aoife Moore and Paul Hosford’s scoop on irishexaminer.com, typifies the bad luck this Government has had.

His attendance at the Oireachtas Golf event in Clifden along with 80 other people a day after new restrictions were announced by his own Government made his position untenable.

In his letter of resignation to the Taoiseach, released promptly to the media, Mr Calleary said he had reflected on his position in government overnight.

“The overriding objective of this Government is to protect our people against Covid-19. Its destructive path has left grief and illness across our island. There has been a major national effort to do this since March and people are making huge sacrifices and suffering economic loss to do this," he said.

"My attendance at Wednesday evening's event has undermined that effort. I certainly never intended this to be the case.

“I reiterate my apology to the people of our island. Their work and their commitment in this great effort has been immense.

"And again I apologise to you and all colleagues in government. Whilst I mean that apology most sincerely, it is not sufficient and accordingly I am tendering my resignation to you as Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine,” Mr Calleary added.

Following his significant lapse of judgement, Mr Calleary’s promising ministerial career is over. So too, some may say are any of his leadership ambitions.

Mr Calleary is one of the Dáil’s most honourable and decent members, respected by colleagues and rivals, alike. That he did not wait to be sacked is a measure of the man.

Given how long he has had to wait to be a minister, Mr Calleary has paid a high price.

At a time of a global pandemic, a severe recession and the growing potential of another national lock down, the fact that two Fianna Fáil ministers have already resigned is incredible.

It raises the question – is this a government worth saving?

 

A major political scandal

We waited 140 days for a government to be formed and were repeatedly told that the Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Green coalition was the only viable option in seeking to avoid a second election.

This is a major political scandal and has significantly undermined public confidence in the government at a time of major distress and yet our parliament remains in recess.

Mr Calleary’s resignation was only the beginning.

Focus immediately shifted to the position of Ireland’s EU Commissioner Phil Hogan, who in typical ‘Big Phil’ style sought to brazen it out and shift blame.

He had, he insists, attended in good faith having left it to the Irish Hotels Federation, the hotel manager and the event's organisers to make sure the gig was kosher.

Never a word about his own personal responsibility or regret - and certainly no apology.

When asked should Mr Hogan resign, public expenditure minister Michael McGrath called on him to apologise but stopped short of demanding his head.

Having nominated him to the gig, the Irish Government has no role in his duties now, it seems.

He is now the charge of the EU Commission President.

McGrath could have made it clear his government no longer has confidence in Mr Hogan and forced the issue.

Punishment has been swift - but the mess is far from over

Others current members of the Seanad have been penalised.

Three Fine Gael Senators – Jerry Buttimer, Paddy Burke and John Cummins had their party whip removed from them by Leo Varadkar. Mr Buttimer also resigned as Leas Cathaorlach of the Seanad.

The Taoiseach similarly removed the whip from three of his Senators – Paul Daly, Niall Blaney and Aidan Davit and former Attorney General Seamus Woulfe, now a Supreme Court Judge issued a humble apology for his attendance at the event.

While the punishment has been swift, it is certainly not the end of the affair.

As one minister put it to me, 'Golfgate' was “just awful after a horrific week”.

“It is a tipping point moment where the public stop listening to us on Covid. A very dangerous moment after a disaster of a week,” the minister told me.

That is the crux of the matter.

Public confidence in the government’s handling of the response to the pandemic has been a key strength in the national effort.

As the decision making relating to the response to Covid-19 is becoming more divisive and more difficult, the sight of our elected leaders breaking their own rules has been met with a justified anger and visceral disgust from the public.

 

Anther election?

All of the other self-imposed calamities to engulf Micheál Martin's government over the past eight weeks pale into insignificance compared to this one.

To overcome this crisis, Martin must regain control of the political narrative of his government.

Leo Varadkar and Eamon Ryan, as the leaders of their parties, have a major role to play here too, if this government is to last.

Far too often, party interest has trumped the national interest and it has destablised the entire government and the country has lost patience with a group of people who ought to know better.

This government is running out of chances to get it right but what is absolutely clear is that it can ill afford any more of these calamities.

The country needs more than a bunch of dilettantes squabbling amongst themselves running the country at a time of crisis. Much more.

Dara Calleary’s resignation must not be the end of the affair but must be the spur for this Government to finally get its act together and do the job it has been elected to do.

If it can’t then the people must be given their say once again as to who they want to lead, and soon.

The stakes are simply too high.