Varadkar should know better than to start complex battle this Government cannot win

OFTEN it is wrong to be right about something in politics. On many occasions there are rows, winnable in themselves, but for all that far better avoided.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar started in this vicious trade of politics all of 18 years ago. And he has had ample opportunity to learn that harsh reality many times over.

On occasion he has had chances to be on the right side of that reality as he has watched opponents flounder as they grapple with unfair claims against them.

For a realpolitik moment, just forget the complex ins and outs of the current housing crisis – which has many deeply Byzantine aspects.

Ask a far simpler question: Given the current national housing and homelessness disaster – can the Taoiseach and his Government win a big public row against Brother Kevin and Fr Peter McVerry? It is entirely rhetorical. Both of these crusaders cum practical activists rightly command the public’s attention right now and can do little wrong.

Take them on at your peril, be you Taoiseach or ordinary citizen.

Mr Varadkar is very probably right to argue that Ireland’s homelessness rate is not high by international standards. The junior minister responsible for housing, Damien English, put forward some compelling statistics to support this assertion in the Dáilon Tuesday night.

The row will go on and on – but it is very much beside the point.

The reality is this Government is not retained to relay international statistics to the nation. It is hired to resolve our problems in the here and now.

Granted, this housing crisis is not of Fine Gael’s making. The building and banking industries fell asunder on Fianna Fáil’s extended watch at the national helm.

But it falls to this Government to address the crisis we now face as a nation. Fine Gael has led the nation since March 9, 2011. That is some months short of seven straight years and in case of many crimes and misdemeanours the statute of limitations would kick in. In sum, Mr Varadkar (inset) cannot credibly continue to blame “the other crowd”. He must play the hand he has been dealt.

The public perception is that this Government’s efforts to repair things has been afflicted by delays and an undue reliance on the private sector. A major housing supply shortage has pushed up prices.

That has benefited thousands of home owners, and their lending banks by lifting them out of negative equity. But rents have spiralled and homelessness has distressingly increased as property prices have

regained pre-crash levels.

This week, an ESRI report found no evidence of a bubble in the housing market – let’s not get carried away about that. That same Government think tank did not raise a warning flag last time.

Reality is that further property price increases are anticipated and the rent spiral is also expected to continue.

The Taoiseach is right to argue that there are no easy answers.

But for now it is better to avoid battles this Government cannot win.