Irish Examiner view: Together, we must build a better Ireland

Frontline staff have been magnificent but structural deficiencies have become all too obvious.

FOR many of us, the past year has been a time for reflection on the things that matter most — family, friendship, and the simple business of staying alive and healthy. But, in order for our shared experience to become a catalyst for change, we all need to work to create a better future for everyone. We must look beyond the pandemic and focus in particular on justice, health, education, housing, and the environment.

In terms of justice, we need to reimagine the extent to which gardaí should be allowed to spy on ordinary citizens. The European Court of Justice is due to rule later this month on the Graham Dwyer murder case and the signs are that it will decide that our current laws permit excessive use of mobile phone and other data. 

The indication by the court that it will rule in favour of an appeal by Dwyer could put thousands of Irish criminal convictions in jeopardy. That must not be allowed to happen. The Government must present an alternative, one that balances the right to protect us from criminality with the right to personal privacy.

Health service and education

The past year has also tested our health service like never before. Frontline staff have been magnificent but structural deficiencies have become all too obvious. One central theme has been our failure to retain medical staff. An example of this was shown by the RTÉ Prime Time exposé which shows that thousands of doctors from outside the EU are leaving Ireland because their career paths are being blocked by bureaucratic madness. Little wonder that there are now 600 vacant hospital consultant posts nationwide.

The problems with sitting the Leaving Certificate should be cause for pause and for us to ask whether it might be time to change from a system that encourages memorising over active learning. Our education system still follows practices that began in the Victorian era and rely on passive participation. Not everyone is a good exam candidate. A system that values creativity and ingenuity over rote learning is needed.

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The shortage of affordable housing has morphed into a homeless crisis, fuelled by speculators, archaic planning laws, and government policies that simply aren’t working. What is really needed is a change in direction that encourages local authorities and other non-profit actors to build homes that people can afford. Yesterday, a human rights committee of the Council of Europe found that local authority tenants in Ireland continue to live with inadequate housing standards.

Perhaps a civil society social movement, like those that champion the rights of immigrants and LGBT people, is needed to bring about real change.

Finally, while many of us have enjoyed the beauties of Ireland during our Covid-19 walks, the fact is that, according to the latest study by the Central Statistics Office, Ireland is still among the worst European performers in a range of environmental areas, including emissions, greenhouse gases, bathing water standards, and protection of endangered species.

As we emerge from the pandemic, it will take a monumental effort to make those changes — but if we work together, we can look back at the pandemic not as a lost year but one that allowed us to take time out and plan for a better future.