A Letter from Ireland
a Chara,
It has been quite the week. A new President in the US and a new Government in Dublin. As I write, all of Ireland is preparing for a major storm. I hope that it is a mere coincidence.
However, the signs are not good around the new Irish Government. This week was marked by a dispute and a standoff in the Dáil (Irish Parliament).
Government formation in Dublin is different from the US. For almost a hundred years it was a two-party system between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Each would either control the Government or The Opposition. The largest of the two parties, with at times a smaller party, would assume its role as Government after a perfunctory vote in the Dáil.
All of that changed over the past ten years. Neither of the two parties can command a majority individually or together. It is now a three-party plus others system with Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Sinn Féin with almost equal standing and a fourth group of smaller parties and independents,
In the last term, (essentially 27 June 2020 through 23 January 2025 ) Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael entered government with the support of the smaller Green party. This was an unprecedented coalition designed solely to stop Sinn Féin leading a government. They even rotated the position of Taoiseach with each party swapping roles as the head of government. It was a huge break from the past and could be likened to the Democrats and Republicans governing jointly together.
Following the irish General Election of November last year, both parties again collectively failed to win an overall majority. In the same election, the Greens were decimated. Again Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael worked together to exclude Sinn Féin and began to look around for others to make up their numbers.
So a grubby process began. The two large parties looked to different independent groups. A Program for Government was drafted, largely promising more of the same as the outgoing government with the main negotiation being over positions and perks. The outcome: we now have the largest government in the history of the State, with an array of senior ministers, super junior, and junior ministers and associated advisors.
In what amounted to a fast move, a group of “independents” who agreed to support the Government also sought to be designated as an Opposition group in order to try to claim additional speaking slots. They sought to be independent, opposition, and government all at the same time. The government went along with this nonsense and the Dail was unable to vote for a government.
The issue has been resolved for now. The new government then voted to allow itself a two-week break. We will have been without a functioning Dáil for over 80 days by the time it is reconvened.
As for the new program of government, it lacks both detail and ambition. It is noted as much by what is not in it as what is. There is no plan or even a process to prepare for Irish Unity. In fact the issue isn’t even mentioned. As noted by former Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael, Leo Varadkar, this programme falls even short of the weak election promises of both parties.
They have also dropped the long-standing commitment to grant Irish Citizens living abroad a vote in the Irish Presidential election. A real measure of their commitment to the diaspora.
This is a government of parties and individuals absent of policies or priorities, but concerned only with position and perks. Meanwhile, the housing crisis deepens, a generation is leaving, families are under pressure, and public services are failing.
The only people to prosper will be Ministers when they come back from a two week break.
Have a great weekend.
Is mise,
Ciarán
Ciarán Quinn is the Sinn Féin Representative to North America
