A week is a long time in politics they say, and a day might be too long for some in Irish politics at the moment. The Government is licking its wounds after a tumultuous week on the streets and on the backbenches of Leinster House.

Some will be wondering how it was let go this far. If there was a criticism of the Government over the last few months, it would probably be in the listening department.

Cast our minds back to the 11th hour decision on opposing the Mercosur trade deal and the back and forth that went on before the decision could be made. The solution to the long-running IFA/Bord Bia saga could have been found a lot sooner had there been better listening along the way.

ADVERTISEMENT

Fast forward then to the current fuel crisis and the lack of swift action to quell some of the anger that was bubbling up in rural quarters and you have to ask the question; was there more could have been done at an earlier stage to avoid some of our main ports being blocked at the end of last week?

The blockades, as opposed to the protests, divided opinion. There was general widespread support for the protests, but when people couldn’t fill their cars with petrol/diesel, it was a different story. Some pig and poultry farmers were also only hours away from problems feeding animals, and had this happened it would have been a big own goal for the industry.

Any democracy is built around law and order and where critical infrastructure is challenged, Government has to make sure that the country keeps moving.

The solution to the long-running IFA/Bord Bia saga could have been found a lot sooner had there been better listening along the way

It is important to point out that the majority of the protests/blockades were peaceful and the Gardaí worked hand-in-hand with protestors to try and keep everything calm. The army reference was unfortunate and I’m sure the Government will have learned from the last week of protests on how they were handled.

Hijacked

Farmers and contractors also need to be careful that protests like the ones that took place last week don’t get hijacked by other members of society trying to push their own political agendas, far removed from anything to do with agriculture.

If contractors, hauliers and farmers feel that they are not being listened to, it’s up to the Government to find a solution. It also presents a challenge for some of the mainstream farm organisations who may need to take on board wider views to avoid anybody feeling left behind. That said, there has to be some structure around any negotiations or it becomes a free for all.

It’s a difficult position for both. The current crisis isn’t Ireland’s making and you can’t simply wave a magic wand and fix everything for everybody. Michael Healy-Rae’s resignation is a blow for the coalition. In hindsight, his resignation as Minister of State shouldn’t have come as a shock, especially after the last week of protests.

Given his closeness to farmers and hauliers, especially in Kerry, his ambiguous comments about the protests left him open to criticism from all sides. One of the easiest places to be in Leinster House is on the opposition benches.

Responsibility

With Government comes responsibility, and some will say that Michael Healy-Rae shirked his responsibility to govern in Tuesday evening’s vote.

Others will say his responsibility to the people around the county of Kerry and the contractors he worked with over the years was the reason for his departure. Farmers nationwide felt they had a man well connected to agriculture around the Government table.

Many involved in the forestry sector have expressed dismay about his resignation because they felt he brought an energy to his forestry portfolio which hadn’t been seen for a while.

It’s a frustrating place for the forestry sector who now must now start all over again building relationships with a new minister at the helm. Reversing the slow, gradual decline in the afforestation programme should be the first priority for the new minister.