There has long been an annual opposition charade feigning outrage as metaphorical buckets and spades rattle around Leinster House in preparation for the summer break.
The Dáil summer break starts today and lasts until mid-September, and yesterday at noon the indignant party got going again.
But this time Ourselves‘s Pearse Doherty gave it a new twist, pitting political holidays against poor abandoned families, battling a record price spiral—alone, all alone.
Never knowingly undersold in the outcry, Mr Doherty said economists such as the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) insisted the government have money left over to help lower- and middle-income families trying to cope.
Sinn Féin’s deputy leader and economic spokesman said his party had proposed “sensible and affordable remedies” to help people. But the government postponed its main efforts until the budget at the end of September.
“The message from the government as you go into recess in the next eight weeks – and with a budget that is 12 weeks away – is that you are on your own,” said Mr Doherty.
Second Leo Varadkar had none of that and hit back hard.
It wasn’t an eight-week holiday, and the government had done a lot for people fighting the inflation spiral, and so it went.
Varadkar insisted his government had provided “a dynamic response” to the cost of living crisis, which he said stemmed from the aftermath of a pandemic and war in Europe that brought unprecedented challenges.
‘We need to tame inflation – not fan the flames of inflation’
He said the government has offered aid in the October budget, more special measures in January, more aid in recent weeks and more are planned for the September budget.
Mr Varadkar mentioned special welfare measures, fuel tax cuts, a €200 electricity bill, increases in school fees and increases in third-level subsidies.
But the Tánaiste also warned that there were limits to the government’s powers to help, although they were very aware of the problems facing many people.
Suddenly we were all back to a standard Thursday “Leo vs. Pearse dukeout” – ending the political term the way we started.
“We need to tame inflation — not fan the flames of inflation,” Varadkar said.
It fell on that rock of sanity, Dáil chairman, Seán Ó Farghaíl, to bring down the curtain of this hackneyed political melodrama with a few short cuts.
“Some people are very cynical about us. Let’s not encourage greater cynicism on the part of the public,” he said.
“Let’s be honest and say we know we’ll all be working between now and the return in September,” the southern Kildareman chided Mr Doherty gently and indirectly for enforcing the old ‘eight weeks vacation’ rule.
For the Ceann Comhairle, constituency offices would remain open, parliamentary committees would continue to function and no cell phones would be turned off.
Mr Ó Fearghaíl was emphatic about the phones, as he could never get the TDs to turn them off, even in the Dáil room.
Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty said those struggling were “left to their own devices” by the government. Photo: Gareth Chaney
But soon the Dáil chairman also turned into a personal advisor to the TDs.
“We need to take some time to be with our families, our loved ones and our friends, especially the members with young children,” he said.
“This is not a dress rehearsal.
“The time we don’t spend with loved ones now, we won’t be able to spend with them in the future.
“I hope the members enjoy the summer and keep up the good work,” said the Ceann Comhairle.
Forgotten outrage, the atmosphere in the Dáíl changed, with TDs from all sides thanking the Leinster House staff and wishing each other well.
Kerry TD Brendan Griffin couldn’t resist the temptation to tell everyone in a home trade commercial that his native country is still a great vacation destination.
Pearse Doherty unapologetically joined the good wishes and then switched to schoolboy mode.
In Irish, he thanked the Dáil chairman, became a schoolmaster and addressed him as “A Máistir”.
Meanwhile, the Fine Gael leader said that although the full Dáil sessions end today, committee work would continue, the government would continue to meet and budget preparations would also be advanced.