Seamus Duke
It is very dangerous to get into the politics of outrage. There are politicians, political parties and other commentators (including in the media) who are outraged by everything that happens, but seldom, if ever, have they any credible alternatives to offer. However, in 30-plus years of commenting on the political scene, I have never experienced such public anger as that which has followed this now infamous golf dinner in Clifden.
What I cannot get my head around since this news broke, is that there (apparently) wasn’t one of the 81 eminent and well educated people who were there who thought that, in the current circumstances, it might be a bad idea to attend. It beggars belief, to be honest.
The reason that this scandal stands head and shoulders above anything we’ve had before is that the Irish population have had to make massive sacrifices since the arrival of Covid-19. Many have lost loved ones. Many more have lost their jobs and businesses. This crisis has touched all our lives. This is about life and death, people’s livelihoods and futures. The difference is that this won’t go away with the arrival of the next big news story, as usually happens with these scandals.
We couldn’t visit our loved ones in nursing homes or attend the funerals of our family members, friends and neighbours. We all know many young people who have cancelled their weddings. Many other family celebrations have been abandoned. The younger generation were being blamed for spreading the disease with house parties, yet this elite cohort of politicians and others obviously thought that the rules did not apply to them.
The older generation have been locked in their homes for much of the past six months, in compliance with the regulations drawn up by many of the people who were at the golf dinner in Clifden. Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and/or friends can’t go to support their family members when they play a GAA club match or partake in any sporting event. The mood of the public is one of extreme anger, brought about by a situation that has no sign of coming to an end any time soon.
By any stretch of the imagination, it has been a disastrous start for this new Government, in the midst of the biggest health crisis in the history of the state. We have had one monumental cock-up after another as the coalition lurches from one catastrophe to an even bigger one with every passing week. The time for them to get their act together is long since gone. The situation is just far too serious.
I would suggest that after only a couple of months, this administration is on its very last chance. The plan is to send over one million children back to school within the next two weeks. It is something that has to happen. Micheál Martin and his Government better get this one right. If they mess this up, they will all have to go. After making so many sacrifices, the public will not stand for any more bumbling incompetence.
