Hobbs doing politicians’ job for them

NOBODY would deny the right of businesses to lobby politicians in order to protect their interests.

But there is a worrying sense of Ireland’s too familiar nod-and-wink culture about the intense campaign now gathering momentum to stop the Groceries Order being axed. With TDs and ministers being personally lobbied by IBEC and RG DATA, powerful groups with vested interests in this issue, it would be hard to blame consumers for suspecting the Government could cave into mounting pressure from these powerful bodies.

Coalition backbenchers have been thrown into disarray by growing perceptions that the administration is responsible for Ireland’s unenviable reputation as the rip-off centre of Europe.

Deserved or not, this sense of guilt by association can be attributed to the enormous popularity of the Rip Off Republic TV series by Irish Examiner contributor Eddie Hobbs.

Yet another record audience was anticipated for last night’s exposé of the Government’s lacklustre performance while millions of euro in taxpayers’ money were being squandered in major transport schemes where over-spending ran out of control.

Understandably, with an election looming in under two years, a ground-swell of concern is now emerging among worried Fianna Fáil and PD backbenchers.

Meanwhile, the Government parties are being targeted by business interests with the aim of keeping the Groceries Order on the Statute books.

When it was originally introduced in 1987, following the collapse of an Irish-owned retail group, the order was aimed at protecting the corner shop from the onslaught of predatory supermarket giants.

Since then, however, it has been seen as a protectionist weapon to boost the profits of Irish retailers at the consumer’s expense.

The upshot, according to the Competition Authority, is that Ireland is now one of the most expensive countries in the eurozone for food shopping.

Some TDs are so incensed over the Hobbs programme they intend lodging complaints with the RTÉ Authority. Claims have even been made that consumer figures are being massaged. Unsurprisingly, watchdog economist and national consumer bodies are being summoned to appear before an Oireachtas committee.

No campaigner could desire stronger proof of the influence of his argument on popular opinion than the combination of record TV audiences coupled with the angry outbursts of TDs.

In face of growing public scepticism about politics, many backbenchers are now openly worried about their jobs, and justifiably so in some cases.

By exposing this country’s rip-off syndrome, Eddie Hobbs has become the people’s champion. The irony is that by protecting the interests of consumers, he is doing a job politicians were elected to perform but have clearly failed to deliver.

Embattled TDs are bitter over the loud silence from ministerial circles despite the damning flood of criticism coming from the Hobbs show. Many are now aware that in the wake of this highly successful series, the public will not absolve them of blame for what has happened on their watch in a rip-off republic where prices have gone through the proverbial roof.

In the bitter war of words now being waged, the political hot potato of next month’s decision to either maintain or abolish the controversial order will fall onto the plate of Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin.

His dilemma is that consumers will take an even more jaundiced view of Government if the highly unpopular Groceries Order is not jettisoned.