After a lengthy summer hiatus, the resumption of routine at Leinster House this week was as uninspiring as was anticipated. Due to road and pedestrian access restrictions around the vicinity for two days, the local representatives were supposed to smoothly transition back into their parliamentary roles.
The usual protesters didn’t make an appearance and an uncomfortable silence engulfed Kildare Street and Merrion Street. This was not the atmosphere one would expect on the first day of resumption; the deficiency of ambiance was rather disconcerting.
The committee-based focus on the contentious bicycle shed issue of Leinster Lawn is anticipated, and it’s certain that retreat strategies will be in place ahead of any confrontation.
Prominent were those representatives who have no plans of running in the next election, adding an unusual “end-of-the-road” vibe in the assembly and adjoining passageways.
“The Terminal” starring Tom Hanks was humorously referred to by one representative. Leinster House for them had turned into their “Hotel California” – they have finished their terms but are still stuck in the premises.
The rest of the deputies, on the brink of anxious anticipation over the imminent election, did little to nullify the vacuuming environment. Only the declaration of the election date and the initiation of the race would give them closure and dissipate the palpable tension.
The public expenditure minister, Paschal Donohoe, whose youthful looks belie his age, turned 50 recently. He was pleasantly taken aback when the much younger Taoiseach (37), produced a chocolate cake in celebration of Donohoe’s landmark birthday, during a work lunch. Donohoe was indeed surprised and overjoyed by the lovely gesture.
In a thoughtful gesture towards overlooked Prudence, a scant five candles adorned the cake, despite suggestions that perhaps 13 billion on an apple design may have been more fitting. However, there was worry that this would endanger the cherished image of Michael Collins.
The major celebration for the semi-centennial officially took place on Thursday. Paschal entered the festivities enthusiastically, taking part in heated budget discussions on the actual day with Eamon Ryan, Stephen Donnelly, Catherine Martin, and Roderic O’Gorman. The celebrations extended into Friday with more spend-fuelled sessions with the Taoiseach and various Ministers, culminating in a grand full-day gathering at the Fine Gael Small Business Conference on Saturday.
In the Dáil canteen, the festive season arrived ahead of schedule as the soldiers reconvened on Tuesday to a lunch offering of turkey, ham, and Christmas pudding. The catering team aimed to dispel any post-holiday gloom among the politicians and staff. However, the sight of Christmas pudding caused some to worry; were elections guaranteed before the holiday season? Was the kitchen cleaning up in advance of the Christmas period? These fears were misplaced. The complete feast, complete with turkey and ham, shall return on budget day to uplift the spirits of the fatigued patrons.
To brighten the gloomy mood in the run-up to the elections, a gateway adorned with twinkling fairy lights now welcomes visitors to the canteen.
Danny Healy-Rae encountered some challenges during the week. After attending the National Ploughing Championships in Laois on Tuesday, he couldn’t locate his vehicle, an issue faced by many at this sizable event. Following this, he struggled to enter the Dáil in Dublin due to an array of roadblockages around the area.
Election into the Dáil proves to be a pedestrian task, in contrast to the increasingly herculean effort it takes to physically gain access to Leinster House, voiced a concerned deputy to the Ceann Comhairle. The deputy highlighted his own experience of denied entry via Molesworth Street despite identification, a symptom of a broader issue of intensified restrictions which hamper both entry and exit. He vehemently questioned the rationale behind such an impediment for elected representatives.
While his was the lone voice to formally address the issue, sentiments of dissatisfaction and frustration were shared among his colleagues with regards to the extent of the ongoing security procedures. Members of the isolated Leinster House remarked that the opportunists and those causing disturbances seemed to be gaining the upper hand, even in their absence.
Managing the present state of affairs poses a significant challenge for the custodians. The Ceann Comhairle explicated about the established security measures being a necessary response to potential protests on the outside. The authorities aimed to avoid a recurrence of the chaotic events witnessed during their September reconvening. However, the Ceann Comhairle readily acknowledged the predicaments this posed for the Dáil members and senators.
The reopening of sessions in September has historically been quite eventful for Seán Ó Fearghaíl. His 2020 return was marked by a scathing declaration on the escalating “Golfgate” scandal. This was followed by Leinster House being swamped by a vociferous and disorganised crowd the preceding year. During the onset of this week, the Ceann initiated the new term by expressing the collective shame of all Dáil members generated by the staggering €336,000 expenditure on the Leinster Lawn’s bike shed.
As we discuss the bike shed and other unfolding political narratives over the holidays, Virgin Media outshines RTÉ in maintaining daily political dialogues, uninterrupted despite the Dáil recess.
Virgin Media’s continued airing of its nightly political show during the Dáil’s recess period deserves recognition. When Leinster House is not in operation, important events continue to occur, a concept RTÉ, the national broadcaster, appears to overlook.
Despite its shutdown, Virgin Media managed to maintain the momentum with budget television programming featuring a panel of experts and timely news updates from their correspondents. It is a cost-effective format that seems to go over the heads of the coordinators at Montrose.
Kudos to Ciara Doherty and The Tonight Show for comprehending that daily news isn’t dependent on the Dáil’s schedule.
During a segment on housing, the term “brat” embodied the zeitgeist of the season, which, in some way, was influenced by the album ‘Brat’ by Charli XCX.
With a tweet, the artist affirmed Kamala Harris as a ‘Brat,’ providing the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee with a significant endorsement. That endorsement was only surpassed when Taylor Swift expressed her support for Kamala via an Instagram post featuring her feline, Benjamin Button.
However, Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, doesn’t embody the ‘Brat’ spirit. He had a typically terse exchange with Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin on the topic of the tenant-in-situ purchase plan during a Q&A session. Ó Broin, alongside his colleagues, appeared rather wan on that day. O’Brien audaciously commented Ó Broin’s curt demeanor with a jest. The word ‘brat’ suited the minister perfectly.
Sinn Féin had previously enjoyed a warm reception at the ploughing event, with party leader Mary Lou and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill in attendance. However, when the party leader faced journalists outside the Sinn Féin tent, her focus on housing policy was questioned, with no reference to farming evident. Housing, she contended, is a core issue for rural communities, a point visually emphasized by a miniature porch built at the marquee’s entrance.
A passing Blueshirt tuts at Sinn Féin’s presence in the ploughing, making a pointed remark about their lack of land ownership and lack of a stable structure. Challenges are certainly present.
Heading to the election scene, Senator John McGahon is abuzz with excitement, documenting the journey to his contesting in the general elections on Instagram. This Fine Gael candidate from Louth, who is on the party ticket with Cllr Paula Butterly, shows off his stylish outfit as he gives his best angles to the camera, portraying his localised version of Zoolander. They might even refer to him as Lúlander in his hometown.
Eager to start and satisfied with his representation, John accompanies his close-up with the atmospheric, dramatic sound of M83’s Outro – a tune whose familiarity comes from repeated exposure in movies, commercials and TV programmes. The song’s lyrics suit an ambitious Deputy’s dream perfectly. His message could be interpreted as an invitation to rank your voting preferences, despite his caption about ‘headshot season’, given the looming elections, could have been better phrased perhaps in light of recent incidents involving Trump.
Meanwhile, Senator Jerry Buttimer, a past TD for Cork South Central, didn’t succeed in making the general elections ticket for the district this time, despite the retirement of Simon Coveney stirring up the competition. Although he was superseded by councillors Shane O’Callaghan and Una McCarthy, Buttimer, the cathaoirleach of the Seanad, hasn’t lost hope. Later this month, he is nominated for the Global Trailblazer award at this year’s International LGBTQ+ Leaders’ Conference in Washington DC – an award acknowledging an LGBTQ+ leader outside of the US who is instrumental in advocating equality worldwide.
Jerry finds himself competing with Peruvian congresswoman Susel Paredes, Symmy Larrat, who serves as Brazil’s national secretary for LGBTQIA+ Persons Rights, and Zakhele Mbhele, a past participant of South Africa’s National Assembly. The voting period will terminate on the 29th of September, with the results set to be made public at the conference taking place at the Mayflower Hotel at the onset of the upcoming December. Jerry wishes to secure your vote and has provided the following link for securing your involvement: https://secure.everyaction.com/FthIBJXgsECNu57zQcQTuQ2.