POLITICIANS TREADING WATER AS WE WAIT FOR RECOVERY

THE sun has been one of the few bright spots amid all the Covid-19 gloom in recent weeks. Cocooners who had been under lockdown can now go out and see it most days as they venture up to 5km from home. More sunny spells are forecast as restrictions are further eased from May 18.

But more sunny days mean less rain and our riverand ground-water levels are dropping as home consumption levels rise. Water and hygiene are crucial to slowing down the spread of the virus, but we should cut down on the needless use of hoses and power washers.

We have to take greater responsibility for our water usage if we are to avoid a drought this summer. Personal responsibility also applies to taking precautions and perhaps to using face coverings in crowded places where social distancing is not possible.

Water is a precious asset and the term ‘eye-watering’ is probably the best description of the €15bn that employers’ body Ibec wants the Government to borrow.

“It’s not magic money, but it’s the cheapest money in history,” Ibec’s spokesman Fergal O’Brien said yesterday.

The employers’ body wants the €15bn reboot package of measures within the first 100 days of a new government. It also suggests a €25bn increase in the lifetime of the National Development Plan – this money would come from a combination of Exchequer, private and other finance.

The Ibec blueprint is very comprehensive, covering most of the sectors that go to make up the economy. It also touches on issues such as remote working, childcare, social welfare reform, pensions, education and skills, regional rebalancing, mental health and wellbeing.

Although there is not a lot about the role of the arts and culture in it, the document has a broad vision for re-imagining Ireland.

The idea of borrowing €15bn to reboot the economy and society would appeal to left-wing political parties, but they might not agree with all of the specific measures recommended by Ibec.

Justifying it, CEO Danny McCoy remarked: “The Covid-19 pandemic is a truly seminal moment in our lives, posing enormous challenges to the way humanity has organised itself over recent decades.”

Re-imagining Ireland is also something that the next government will have to do. There is growing impatience with the delay in forming a new administration. Three possible parties to a coalition are only now getting down to serious talks and will have to organise votes of their members on any agreement.

Granted, the acting Government was busy on the pandemic, but the sooner a deal is accepted the better. The politicians have been treading water on the formation of a new government for too long.

Re-imagining Ireland is something that the next government will have to do