Photo-ops and sound bites have become the staple of modern political discourse. This column has despaired on how Enda relies upon heavily scripted set pieces when speaking to the ‘great unwashed’.
He went AWOL for most of the Troika years. People thought he didn’t care. He didn’t help himself with that appalling ‘fireside chat’ the day they left. The people left him in no doubt how they felt when the local elections came around. And then he became drowned in the water thing.
There were times, however, when Enda stopped trying and decided to just be himself – a kindly, country schoolmaster with a real gift for empathy and compassion. We saw it in his second Dáil speech addressing the women of the Magdelan Laundries. Were they tears of a son thinking ‘what if they were my mother or my Aunt?’ It was touching and it was real.
This week brought Enda publicity for two nocturnal journeys. On Tuesday night he attended the Fine Gael LGBT Christmas Night. While it started in the Dáil, it ended up in Panti Bar. Some elements of the Twitter-sphere poured ice-cold pink champagne on the Taoiseach heading to a gay bar. I suspect many of these comments come from a younger generation of the LGBT community.
Perhaps they forget that, up until 1993, being gay in Ireland was a criminal offence. A kiss would have, in theory, seen you in jail. 1993. That’s only 21 years ago or the average age of a member of 1Direction. And there they were – Members of technically the most conservative party standing proudly side by side and celebrating their orientation. They were supported by this country’s political leader. I actually can not think of any other western democracy where this has occurred.
The week also saw the death of Jonathan Corrie on the street right opposite the seat of government. We have seen the set piece speeches, the call-to-action and the grand Summit. This morning we heard that the Taoiseach spent three hours last night in the company of Christy Burke, Dublin’s Lord Mayor. They spent the wee hours of the morning going around the streets of Dublin talking to the homeless themselves. Enda was said to have been moved by the sight of used syringes littering the streets.
People may say he should have known. Could he not see it from his chauffered driven merc?
Was it a cheap political stunt?
I’m not so sure. We heard about the event after it occurred. There was no reporter following him. Of course, the proof will only be seen in the actions that the Government choose to make in the weeks and months ahead.
The same can be said about Enda himself. Will he stick to the heavily-scripted Enda that is the bane of our lives and a gift to the Opposition or will the humane Enda finally take control? If we do see Enda’s human side, will we believe him?
I just don’t know.
Will the real Enda please step forward?
