On The Hard Shoulder today, Newstalk reporter Henry McKean introduced the first episode of ‘Henry’s Front Bench’, where he sits down with election candidates up and down the country on park benches for a chat.

Former Justice Minister and Independent candidate Alan Shatter sat down with Henry for this first iteration.

Starting off with what he has found most “unusual” about this election, Mr Shatter said it is Gerry Hutch’s candidacy.

“I think for the first time, we have in Dublin's inner city, a person well known to lead a crime gang announcing that they intend to be an election candidate while out on bail from Spain,” he said.

“I'm really wondering, if he does run, will he be the first ever election candidate to call for less Gardaí on the streets instead of more?”

Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch. 18-04-2023. Image: Lazarov/RollingNews

Mr Shatter said he is going back into politics because “public service” is in his “DNA”.

“I've been watching politics from a distance for the last eight years,” he said.

“And there are some things in fairness, that the outgoing Government have done well, like the economy is now motoring, unemployment is down.

“They've made an awful mess of other issues, the housing issue, they never really came to terms with until 2021/2022 and there's a whole range of issues that they've just not dealt with properly.”

 

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Alan Shatter, R, with John Bruton, L. 4/11/1999 Photo: Graham Hughes/RollingNews.ie

Mr Shatter said he finds it “astonishing” that Simon Harris signed contracts to “build a hospital which ended up not having the correct specifications for its construction”.

“I was in Cabinet when we agreed to the construction of the National Children's Hospital in 2013 – it was badly needed with an estimated cost of €650 million,” he said.

“There have been over 200 major structural amendments made to the hospital.

“It's going to cost taxpayers €2.5 billion and likely won't be fully open till 2027.

“I just want to get back into the Dáil and ensure that this type of thing isn't repeated again.”

"Spring Chicken"

Mr Shatter said he’s “under the illusion” that he is still “a spring chicken”.

He also thinks the “new energy” slogan produced by Fine Gale is “stupid”.

“There's always a really stupid slogan that's produced by my former party at election time, and it happened when I was in the party and some PR genius would come up with something, and it always fell flat,” he said.

“I think the new energy thing is a real mistake, and we see its mistake because I think you don't so much need energy in politics - you need common sense, you need analysis, you need a capacity to research before you propose changes.

"Daft"

A series of “daft” things are happening throughout this election, Mr Shatter thinks.

“In the recent budget, the restaurant industry was calling out for a VAT reduction down to 9% - we have restaurants all over Dublin closing,” he said.

“The government didn't do it, and then what? Five weeks later, Fine Gael proposes a VAT rate of 11% down from 13.5% - not noticing that this will increase energy prices by 2% so I think less energy, more thought, more analysis, more research, would serve the country a lot better.”

As Ireland’s only Jewish candidate, Mr Shatter said people in his constituency have been “very supportive” and “very welcoming” on the doors.

Former Minister for Justice Alan Shatter. Photograph: Leah Farrell / Photocall Ireland

The Independent candidate said he has “no expectations” as to what’s going to happen in this General Election.

“I do know I don't want to see Sinn Fein in Government,” he said.

“I think in this constituency I'll ultimately be competing with Sinn Fein for first preference votes and possibly the third or fourth seat.

“But I would certainly be willing to be part of a Government in the future, provided it addresses the issues that the outgoing Government have utterly failed to address, such as inheritance tax, which is far more draconian in Ireland than anywhere else.

“As chairman of the Inheritance Tax Reform Campaign, we've been campaigning for its abolition, even if it's not abolished, it needs to be fundamentally reformed.

“Proposals now produced by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in the context of the election or promises they're making, fall substantially short of what's needed and of no credibility, because some of what they're now saying they could have implemented five or six weeks ago in the budget.”

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary talking to the media and reporters, 11-9-24. Image: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie

Mr Shatter said he doesn’t know what Fine Gael “expected” in “getting Michael O'Leary to launch a candidate's campaign and giving him a microphone”.

“Michael O'Leary says what comes into his head,” he said.

“He's a businessman. He seeks out controversy. I think he relishes controversy.”

Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence Alan Shatter speaking to journalists in the Ashling Hotel in Dublin.

Mr Shatter said he himself doesn’t “seek controversy” but he believes in “telling the truth”.

“I know telling the truth about difficult issues in the past has got me into trouble,” he said.

“Telling the truth about the complexity of the dreadful, tragic conflicts in the Middle East sometimes upsets people, but I really think truth in politics matters.

“I think we currently live in a post truth society where people think they can invent any narrative that they'll perhaps temporarily benefit from.

"People need to know where you stand"

The former Minister said on occasion people have “suggested” he should be “a little more obtuse” in the things he says and “not as direct”.

“I think people need to know where you stand on issues,” he said.

“Are you generally committed to them, or is it just what I describe as political performance when you present yourself in a particular guise.”

Yellow begonias in glasshouse. Image: Alamy Stock Photo

Another “oddity” in Mr Shatter’s life is that he is “an inveterate gardener”.

“When I'm not campaigning or writing books, I really enjoy just hanging out in my back garden and talking to my geraniums and begonias,” he said.

Listen back here:

Main image: Alan Shatter, L, and Newstalk's Henry McKean, R. Image: Newstalk