Danger we could miss real scandals under our noses
We've had a scandal or two a week now, so far this year.
Last count was at least four and we’re only at the start of February. It's Postergate to nursing homes to refugees.
Twitter goes bananas for a while, and you've just got to grips with the details, before it's on to the next one.
These issues may be important But does the overload mean they may be starting to lose their impact?
A scandal is defined as "causing public outrage". Do we really have the energy to be outraged again and again?
Instead, the public may be reaching a threshold of ‘scandal fatigue.’
Ask most people what they think of Postergate and many tell you it was a total waste of time.
They see it as a few lads in a van out hanging up a few posters for a few nights.
The danger is, if and when the huge, corrupt scandal comes our way, we may dismiss it as just another whipped-up frenzy.
We know a national wrongdoing - think the CervicalCheck case exposed by the tireless campaigning of the late Vicky Phelan.
https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/vicky-friend-many-vicky-phelans-28550310
We should never be so jaded by controversy on top of controversy that we lose our perspective on issues like that.
So far in 2023, scandal number one saw Junior Minister Damien English resign from office after he found himself in hot water having made a mistake in a planning application when building a house back in 2008.
He forgot to mention in the application that he already had a family home.
It came back to haunt him 15 years later and he promptly fell on his sword on January 12th.
Next up was Paschal Donohoe, the poster boy - if you'll excuse the pun - of Fine Gael rule-following.
The Public Expenditure Minister and one of the darlings of European politics as head of the influential Eurogroup of finance ministers had to apologise to the Dáil twice.
He was hauled over the coals by Sinn Féin after postering work Paschal didn’t pay for in 2016 and 2020, which is considered a political donation in lieu, was revealed after a member of the public complained to SIPO, the ethics watchdog.
Paschal survived, with the bonus that his chief inquisitors in Sinn Féin were caught up in a similar election expenses quagmire themselves.
They could have heeded Barack Obama's advice on avoiding "circular firing squads."
Then a damning indictment when memos emerged showing how state lawyers allegedly pursued aggressive legal actions against pensioners or their families who may have been wrongly charged nursing home charges.
By Tuesday night there was another, similar scandal where vulnerable people entitled to disability benefits in care had been stiffed.
However unjust, these two shocking scandals didn’t quite catch on.
And Joe Duffy’s Liveline phones were not hopping for either, the real barometer of the nation’s disgust.
If such revelations are not prompting widespread anger or outrage, what does that say?
Is the "rinse and repeat" political controversy cycle risking a ‘boy who cried wolf’ scenario?
Let’s hope not.
Eamon Ryan schoolboy dreams
Our private schoolboy ministers in Government are sometimes accused of being out of touch.
They grew up with a silver spoon for lunch in one hand at their fee-paying school, and a rugby ball in the other.
Meanwhile, the rest of us were happy enough to race home to Mammy at lunchtime for some hot food, maybe spuds and beans.
Before kicking an old O’Neill’s gaelic football to each other across a field after school.
Well, it seems you can take the private schoolboy out of the private school, but... you know the rest
A good example of this came last week when we political corrrespondents visited the embassy belt of Ballsbridge for a press briefing with ministers Eamon Ryan and Jack Chambers.
The appointment was on the construction of a beautiful greenway along the River Dodder, which backed onto Leinster’s Donnybrook rugby ground.
Eamon went to the fee-paying Gonzaga Jesuit school just up the road, while Jack studied the books across the river at Belvedere, another Jesuit bastion.
The two old "Jes" Boys - with an age difference wide enough to be father and son - surveyed the scene.
Eamon, 59, looked wistfully at the stadium, and saying, ‘ah, the place of many a schoolboy dream,’ as he revealed to us he played a few games of the oval ball there in his day.
He asked Jack, ‘did you ever play here when you were in Belvo?’
He hadn’t. I reckon Jack, 32, was more of a round ball lad growing up.
Brendan Griffin packing his bags early
Another one bites the dust. Popular Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin confirmed last week that he is out the gap and off down the road home to Kerry after the next election.
He was - literally - packing his bags when the Mirror bumped into him in the corridors of Leinster House late on Tuesday night.
With his laptop bag under his arm and a satchel full of newspapers, you could be forgiven for thinking he was heading for his beautiful Dingle early, don’t worry FG chiefs, he’s not.
However, the former young rising star - and former Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport -will not be running in the next general election which is expected in October of next year.
He's not running again because he wants to spend more time with his young family in the Kingdom instead. He told media: "This is a simple one. I have two young sons and I want to be around for the remaining years of their childhood.
"It's a job that takes you away from home and loved ones. When you are at home, your mind is preoccupied."
Admirable - and more reason why this poll-topper's decision to leave will give FG a headache in Kerry. How do you replace such a popular politician?
Quote of the Week
“The Irish economy is in good health…. and we have the resources to do so.”
Finance Minister Michael McGrath’s encouraging words on extensions of cost of living cash bonuses past the end of February deadline.
