A year of Brexit, whistleblowers and growth – but Leo’s accession trumps all in its impact
THEY managed to get over the line and clear some significant hurdles and instead of offering themselves up on the doorsteps in a pre-Christmas election turkey shoot, our political masters can enjoy the menu instead of being onit.
The holiday can’t come quickly enough for those slavishly working since the August break. It is argued that Christ has disappeared from Christmas, driven out by crass commercialism, but two hardcore, enduring virtues remain, whether you are in the ‘merry Christmas’ or ‘happy holidays’ camps. It offers the unique seasonal embrace of family friends and a much-needed midwinter break.
Returning to the family home with parents, grandparents, siblings and children is a cherished and essential oasis in our ever more busy world. Even if you’re an atheist, Grinch or all alone this festive season, you can benefit from the fact that, after the last piece of tinsel has been confined to the dustbin and you return to work in January, you will have broken the back of winter.
This downtime invites us to reflect on the past year. If 2016 was noted for the nostalgic centenary commemoration, 2017 will be recalled as a year of significant change – even a cusp moment – with cultural societal shifts, the seismic consequences of whistleblower revelations, gender equality and inter-generational political sea-change.
Personally, 2017 represented a career turning point. Having taken a sabbatical from work, and having travelled abroad, I was fortunately offered fulltime media roles presenting the ‘Hard Shoulder’ on Newstalk radio’s daily drivetime slot and co-presenting, with Matt Cooper, the ‘Tonight Show’ on TV3 television three nights a week. Both offers came about due to the unexpected changes regarding Vincent Browne and George Hook.
Along with my commitment as a columnist with this newspaper, I find myself after almost 40 years working (farmer, politician, bookmaker, company director), surprisingly, as a full-time media man. I also find myself cast in the occasional role as event speaker, and master of ceremonies. Whereas my previous broadcast work was almost accidental, I’m now fully committed to and utterly appreciative of all these opportunities. It would be nice to think that I have stumbled on my hopefully final, and sustainable, career at a mere 58 years.
We saw some recurring sagas throughout 2017. These narratives featured: housing – lack of supply; Maurice McCabe; Brexit – responding to biggest constitutional/ economic threat in generations; societal modernisation – demands for greater secularisation.
Internationally there was Trump’s Twitter account and European voters’ deeper Euroscepticism.
The ball must be handled with care but our number one economic/social problem remains housing.
Each week brought another increment of rocketing rents and rising house prices. For the fourth year in a row these rose by more than 10pc – surpassing the Celtic Tiger era records in the capital.
And across every socioeconomic strata the deep distress of homelessness, the insecurity of tenure and unaffordability hovered at the door of households.
Despite political promises, unending analysis and the false projections of new house construction, the reality by the end of the year was more pain.
We saw once more the Government’s failure to stimulate a step-change in multiplying supply.
And the State’s response to a Garda sergeant in Bailieboro who conscientiously highlighted poor, unacceptable policing caused another round of high-level career casualties.
Not satisfied with blackening Maurice McCabe’s ‘motivation’ in
highlighting penalty points road traffic malfeasance, child protection agency Tusla was found through tribunal evidence to have conflated a false accusation of sex abuse against him. This was used to smear him. Government and Justice Department collusion is alleged.
This cost Taoiseach Enda Kenny, the Department of Justice secretary general Noel Waters and tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald their careers. Garda commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan chose to retire. The full story of the conspiracy is yet to be revealed.
The book of the year ‘A Force For Justice: The Maurice McCabe Story’ by Michael Clifford chronicled the systemic character assassination of a decent public servant. A new drama at Dublin Castle under Justice Peter Charleton is pending.
Ireland Inc continued to be the best performing economy in the eurozone, with GDP growth of almost 5pc – even without ‘leprechaun economics’.
The ESRI projections of population growth of up to 1.1 million by 2030 profoundly adjusts every previous assessment of our infrastructural needs. It promises sustainable increases in consumption levels and represents our ticket to future prosperity.
But threats from Brexit, which imperil our singlemarket access, and cross-Border trade must also be factored in. Some tentative year-end amelioration emerged through the EU/UK agreement to progress negotiations with commitments to retain free trade between both islands.
Internal Northern Ireland politics extended its dark paralysis in 2017 with no MLA activity or executive.
Intergenerational genderbased societal divisions, including secularisation campaigns, became more vocal and visible in 2017. A female ‘revolution’ against inappropriate male behaviour/sexual harassment sparked by horrendous Harvey Weinstein and pay inequality revelations had the sense of an irreversible gender milestone.
Notions that the Sisters of Charity would own the proposed relocated National Maternity Hospital from Holles Street to St Vincent’s campus were pilloried. The nuns departed voluntarily.
Repealing the Eighth Amendment was advanced through both the Citizens’ Assembly and Oireachtas committee this week. A ‘retain or repeal’ referendum vote awaits. Removing religious vested interests from education edged forward.
Internationally, Trump relentlessly dominated news agendas: migration bans, healthcare reform, FBI Russian investigation, tax cuts, staff sackings, climate change accord, James Comey firing, spats with North Korea/Iran/ Palestine, Supreme Court appointments, mass gun deaths – despite deafening media consensus chagrin.
Europe’s voters preferred Macron to Le Pen; favoured centrist options in Austria, Netherlands and Germany, dissipating feared contagion of Brexit.
In sport, Aidan O’Brien gained an incredible record of 28 Group 1 victories. Meanwhile, Jim Gavin’s achievements as Dublin senior football manager since October 2012 are rightly viewed as exceptional – four All-Irelands, four National League titles and five Leinster trophies in five years is phenomenal. Both men masquerade as ordinary guys; their special talents deserve wider acclaim.
Weather is always a central characteristic of national conversation. Hurricane Ophelia propelled Met Éireann’s Joanna Donnelly to national stardom, while winking Ger Fleming retired.
But most of all, 2017 was the year of Leo the Lion. Varadkar’s accession as FG leader and Taoiseach was a step change for modern Ireland. His sexual orientation, ethnic DNA and youthfulness are undeniably different to all predecessors. His replacement of Enda Kenny altered the dynamic and further underscored the unpredictability of ‘new politics’. Have a great Christmas.
2017 was a year of significant change with cultural societal shifts, the seismic consequences of whistleblower revelations, gender equality and political sea-change