Mick Clifford: Interruption of their 'holliers' says a lot about the Government's fear of protests

Simon Harris told the Dáil that the whole package of tax foregone on delaying hikes to excise duty on fuel will be €407m. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA

They left their buckets and spades at the gates of Leinster House. 

Ready to be picked up and put back into action after an hour’s debate interrupted the summer "holliers".

The recall of the Dáil is an unusual feature of democracy. Ordinarily, it is reserved for matters of major public interest, more often than not in response to a serious or catastrophic event occurring through the summer months.

This was different. By design, it took place to pass a financial resolution delaying hikes to excise duty on fuel. In reality, it was done to prevent another episode whereby a cohort of protestors blocked the main thoroughfares in the state, bringing business and social life to a standstill. 

Bad and all as that was back in the showery days of Easter, it would represent a national catastrophe while the country held the EU presidency with the world looking on.

Can you imagine the finance ministers of Germany and France being stuck behind gleaming tractors at the airport roundabout and told they will not be allowed to pass? 

And being told that the disruption is down to the price of fuel in this country, which, actually, is still below the average price in Europe.

So this is not really about “helping families with events that are happening thousands of miles from their home,” as Simon Harris told the Dáil. It is in response to threats from vested interests. 

It is, as set out by Pearse Doherty, “an embarrassing climbdown for the government”. 

There is no doubt that a cohort of the population is struggling painfully with the cost of living in general and fuel in particular. Just as another cohort is discommoded, and possibly feeling angry that everything is costing more. 

Yet another section of the population is well equipped to ride out this storm, but the government's approach is to throw money far and wide to corral all voters. 

Harris told the Dáil that the whole package of tax foregone will be €407m. Surely there is a better way of spending that money in the name of the public interest.

In a properly functioning democracy, the financial support would go directly to those most in need. But right now, we have a government, as described by Holly Cairns in the debate, as “permanently stuck in reactive mode”.

After the resolution passed, delaying any fuel hikes for “two months of certainty” until the end of October, everybody left and picked up their buckets and spades at the gate. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA

The Social Democrats leader is unimpressed with the reasoning behind dragging everyone back to Leinster House. “This is not a cost-of-living strategy,” she said. “It is a desperate approach from a government with no vision.” 

Her colleague Cian O’Callaghan wondered whether the approach was all about hoping against hope that the "orange one" might soon produce a white flag.

“Is the government really waiting for Donald Trump to come to his senses?” he asked. “Is that really your strategy?” The question is valid. 

Right now, the world is revolving around a man-child who can’t bring an end to a war he started.  The price at the pumps is literally dependent on Trump accepting, for once, that he is a huge loser in a war he started on a whim.

"What we need to see is a vision to tackle the cost-of-living crisis, and tackle the climate crisis too," Ivana Bacik said when her turn came around to address the Dáil. She is correct, but that doesn’t mean that the opposition would be any different if they were in power tomorrow.

In the round, the only vision being offered right now is one of hope. There is hope that Trump’s war will end. There is hope that the tech and pharma sectors, on which all this spending is dependent, remain secure and happy with their lot in this country. 

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There is hope that the global economy will not tank to the extent that happened in 2008. Hope is not a strategy, but right now it is difficult to see what more is being offered. 

After the resolution passed, delaying any fuel hikes for “two months of certainty” until the end of October, everybody left and picked up their buckets and spades at the gate. 

Let’s hope luck is on our side this winter.