Irish politicians have contributed to the “whipping up” of public anger and the “coarsening” of public discourse through their policies, an Independent TD has claimed.
Speaking during Leader’s Questions on Tuesday this week, Waterford TD Matt Shanahan urged Taoiseach Simon Harris to “attend to the parts of the country left behind” in the upcoming Budget.
“…Since 2016, we have effectively had the traditional parties of government, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, sticking together to hold out what the centre perceives as the fringes,” he said.
“In France, it is the far right, and here it has been Sinn Féin and the hard left. In this political Faustian pact between old foes, parts of the country and society in France and in Ireland are left behind in their anger.”
Shanahan went on to say that politicians in Ireland were “gormlessly” wondering why the public were so upset with them, rather than acknowledging their own role in the situation.
“I hear politicians in this House decrying hate speech and the coarsening of political life, wondering gormlessly where all this anger is coming from, without once considering their own part in whipping it up by leaving parts of the country and society to stew in their own juices without the hope and economic progress they so desire,” he said.
“Our farmers were told by Fine Gael Ministers to increase the herd, to drive on and scale up. They were also told new regulations would be brought forward so that rather than preparing, we now have a whole sector of the economy exposed to one bad year. Many farm families are questioning their economic futures.”
Shanahan said that outside of Dublin and Cork, “all strategic projects are stuck in Departmental reviews,” and said that a number of previously pledged projects, such as cardiac care services, a runway extension at Waterford Airport, and more, have not materialised despite being promised for years.
“To my mind, these are fundamental breaches of the Government’s political compact with the people,” he said.
“Irish people want and deserve excellent public services such as schools, hospitals, childcare, airports, public transport, roads and accommodation. We see many countries with these things and wonder why we cannot have them. These are the things that make ordinary life so much better and more liveable.”
He said that the government’s efforts in these areas had fallen “dismally short”, and added: “As we face another giveaway budget, will the Taoiseach make an attempt to keep his promises and make sure that more than 70% of the capital allocation in the budget is spent outside Dublin and Cork? Will the Government address the places and the people it has ignored for a generation?”
The Taoiseach responded angrily to Shanahan’s claim, saying it was “really out of order.”
“I have to take a deep breath because the start of Deputy Shanahan’s contribution was really out of order,” he said.
“It was fundamentally out of order, because I do not ever think there is a justification for the hatred some Members of this House have experienced or for the intimidation and attacks they have experienced, online, off-line, at their homes and towards their families. I would not wish it on my worst enemy.
He added: “I defend the right of any Member of this House to not ever have to encounter that. Although it is the Deputy’s right to say whatever he wants in this House, I do not ever want to hear in this House some attempt to justify the hate, bile and toxicity. The Deputy should call it out and I hope when he next stands to his feet he will condemn it.
“I know him to be a decent person and I do not believe he meant it, but that feeds the online anger. That is exactly what it feeds. The Deputy said we were coming in here and ‘gormlessly’ calling it out. I hope the Deputy has never had to encounter what some of us have. I hope he never has to.”
The Taoiseach further added that Shanahan was “misrepresenting” the government’s commitment in relation to Waterford, adding: “Yes, sometimes projects take time, and the Deputy and I debate where they are at but I can tell him that we are going to deliver in cardiac care, deliver in respect of the university, and we are going to continue to deliver in relation to Waterford city and county.”
A defiant Shanahan batted away the Taoiseach’s objections.
“I offered to the Taoiseach comments that I hear all the time and, instead of addressing them, the Taoiseach offered a deflection, saying that I am trying to talk about hate speech – it is not about that,” he said.
“Please withdraw what you said,” Harris interjected.
“I am reflecting to the Taoiseach what people around my constituency and in the regions are describing,” Shanahan shot back.
“So, you won’t withdraw it,” Harris replied.
Notably, in April, in his final speech as Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar stated that politicians are partly “responsible” for the growth in “anger” and “toxicity” in modern public debate, adding: “We need to learn to disagree better.”
Outgoing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar tells the Dáil that politicians are partly "responsible" for the growth in "anger" and "toxicity" in modern public debate. pic.twitter.com/IMjAxGdR7E
— gript (@griptmedia) April 9, 2024