“There’s no point in trying to put forward anything that requires a difficult decision. That means anything that might be in the national interest or requires some short-term political pain for a longer-term benefit. There’s no point at all. That sort of thing will just not be started.”
The words of a senior civil servant are echoed across the apparatus of Government by politicians and officials alike. There is a sense that the work of the Government has slowed down partly because of the lack of a parliamentary majority which means the Government cannot get its way in the Dáil, but also increasingly because of the lengthy nature of what is now Enda Kenny’s farewell.
Kenny can announce all the referendums he likes, says one source, in reference to the proposal to allow emigrants to vote in presidential elections made by the Taoiseach on his recent US trip. He won’t be around to do it, and everyone knows it.
But that’s only one aspect of it. Because everyone knows Kenny will be leaving soon – and that a new leader, a reshuffle and new priorities will follow – few Ministers are willing to bring forward initiatives or policies that might disappear in a few weeks if they are moved.
“My guy is thinking: am I going to be here?’” said another senior official. “He’s asking himself if there’s any point in starting this?”
Another source added: “They’re all wondering who they should back.”
Tight situation
Several sources across the highest levels of the Government confirmed a similar trend. Some agreed with Kenny’s determination to stay until the Brexit negotiation mandate is completed; others admired his political skills in manoeuvring out of the tight situation he found himself in a few weeks ago. Yet all cited the slowdown in Government business as a consequence.
“Without a question it is slowing things up,” said another source. “Everything’s on pause.”
People in Government cite all sorts of examples. New legislation governing how judges are appointed was approved by the Cabinet last December following months of disagreement between Minister for Transport Shane Ross and Fine Gael Ministers. It is part of Ross’s crusade against “cronyism”.
Fine Gael, the judiciary and the legal establishment (including the Department of Justice) think it is largely unnecessary. However, a political agreement was made before Christmas – Ross would agree to the immediate appointment of more judges, and then he would get his legislation. The deadline for its completion and publication was the end of January. There’s no sign of it.
“The Bill is being finalised with a view to publication shortly,” a spokeswoman for Ross said in response to questions. The Department of Justice issued a similar statement. Sources speculate that the Department of Justice is just playing down the clock.
Cabinet memo
Last month a controversy erupted over the escalating cost of the new national children’s hospital in Dublin. The Government denied the costs were spiralling out of control, and TDs were told that a Cabinet memo would be brought setting out the progress and costs. No sign, although a Private Members’ motion in the Dáil next week might flush it out.
Disabilities groups are awaiting the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was promised within six months of the Government’s formation, and then it was promised by the end of last year. Neither deadline was hit. Work is ongoing. “Very slow and very complex,” says one source.
TDs, officials and activists with interests across the range of Government activities say much the same thing. “Normally the Taoiseach’s Department would be banging heads together. That’s just not happening. Everyone’s just fumbling around,” says one insider.
Government is an incredibly complex and multi-faceted business. It involves managing a dizzying array of activities simultaneously. The best and most efficient governments miss deadlines and find they can’t do things they want to do.
But that is not what is happening in the current administration. Rather it is that much of the decisive business of Government has gone into a sort of suspended animation. “There’s just no focus on anything,” says one person at the heart of the Government.
Innovations
There are opportunities that are being lost too. Of all the supposed innovations of the new politics, one that promised to make an important and productive change was the introduction of an Independent Oireachtas Budget Office.
It would not just enable TDs to have policy proposals costed, but would confer an obligation on them to do so. It was a key recommendation of an OECD review which found that Ireland’s parliament had basically no involvement in the budgetary process. It would make a lot of budgetary debate grow up.
The office was due to be set up by the start of this year, in time to underpin and inform the forthcoming budgetary process. It would give the new budgetary committee resources and authority. There’s no sign of it. The post of head of the new office has yet to be advertised. “We’re not there yet,” says a person involved.
