The Tik Tok Taoiseach is a clever nickname

This week’s Mediahuis Irish regional newspapers.

Michael Commane

Let me stress how fortunate we are in Ireland, in the European Union, to have working democracies in place. I often wonder do we appreciate enough how lucky we are to be able to say and do whatever we wish provided it is within the bounds of the law. I can hear you ask who makes the law, who drew up the Constitution?

Think of the lack of freedom of expression in so many countries around the world. If Russians speak out against the Special Military Operation’ in Ukraine they end up in jail or even worse befalls them.

Freedom in China is significantly limited. Only last week I was reading how censorship covers all aspects of life, including in the world of the arts. All music played at venues must first be approved by the censor. 

Such government behaviour here is unthinkable, at least for the moment. Who ever knows what’s down the road. The world seems to be heading in an ever more right wing  direction in these, the strangest of times.

Democracy always hangs by a thread but it is in a particularly fragile state at present?

Might it be true to say politicians are a breed of their own. It’s certainly a job that requires great energy, dedication too. I can imagine politicians can easily allow their egos to run wild. Then again, that particular trait is not exclusive to politicians.

All these thoughts ran through my head watching Simon Harris address the Fine Gael árd fheis before he was elected Taoiseach the following Tuesday.

There is no doubt he has energy and communication skills that are quite extraordinary. But I still don’t know why I was scratching my head at the end of his árd fheis address. He promised the world to us all. Isn’t that what politicians do? But he did it with such speed and energy. The Tin Tok Taoiseach is a clever nickname.

Almost after every paragraph the adoring membership clapped. On one or two occasions I thought he was even expecting a clap after a single sentence but it didn’t come.

What would happen if someone didn’t clap? And then the moment he was finished there’s the rugby scrum to the platform to hug and thank him.

At least the politicians at their árd fheiseanna have abandoned having their top team sitting behind them on the stage. That always looked phoney. What about the autocues? They were a clever invention. 

Is every moment of such events choreographed, down to the last full stop? Are we meant to know? What role do focus groups play in the world of political parties? 

With all the failings of democracy, it’s the best we have. Give me any day the political party that elects its leaders in an open and transparent manner and then let the people decide in fair elections who they want to be in government.

Wise words from Winston Churchill in 1947: ‘No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.…’