Leo’s leaving adds political cowardice to legacy of failure
LEO VARADKAR must have been elsewhere during his Trinity College lecture on Abraham Maslow’s famous Pyramid of Needs, that compelling theory of human motivation. Either that or he was doodling or not enrolled in the course at all. Essentially, Maslow reckoned that at first, we humans concentrate on staying alive; on our physical needs such as food, water and shelter. That’s where all our energy goes until we stabilise our environment; after that, we look at the stars and think big thoughts about selfesteem. And ultimately, at the top of the pyramid, we self-actualise by considering and living out the purpose of our lives and the like. First World stuff.
During his time in Government, Mr Varadkar was demonstrably a self-actualisation brand of politician, devoting more time and political energy to intellectual, top-of-the-pyramid social issues. And he failed magnificently to properly address the demands of vast swathes of the population, struggling at the bottom to put roofs over their heads and stay healthy.
So he took the easy option by championing same-sex marriage and relatively permissive abortion legislation without, at the same time, solving the housing and health crises.
This is Mr Varadkar’s legacy. This is what he’ll be remembered for. Big-thought issues were prioritised while bread-and-butter concerns were all but abandoned. So currently, about 570,000 people are seeing their health worsen as they wait for their first outpatient consultation. That’s 11% of the entire population, with only part of the population actually sick. Scoliosis care for children is a disgrace, trolley numbers are worsening by the week, child mental healthcare is in tatters, disability care in ruins and the image of Angola persists. Another political gift from Mr Varadkar as he waves goodbye.
Tragically, the same applies in housing and homelessness. There are now a lot more than 13,000 people in emergency accommodation, including more than 4,000 children. When Mr Varadkar took over as Taoiseach in 2017, there were 4,377 people homeless. How unconscionable is that?
The housing crisis has also worsened during his two spins on the Taoiseach’s merry-go-round. It’s estimated we need about 60,000 new homes a year to cope with current and demand backlog – and we’re not even building half that.
Which explains why prices in Dublin, (where a three-bed semi has now hit €365,000), and much of the country, are now well outside the reach of even a couple on decent wages.
Mr Varadkar’s failure to solve the major issues nationally confronting regular people is reflected in the poor prospects now facing Fine Gael after almost seven years of his leadership.
He presided over the loss of a third of Fine Gael seats (down to 35 from 60 in 2016) in the 2020 General Election and his resignation as Taoiseach follows a doubleslap across the face for him in the March 8 Family and Care referendums. Little wonder the number of Fine Gael TDs voluntarily walking the plank before the next election is now well into double digits.
The Taoiseach’s decision to quit now proves he’s not blind. Mr Varadkar didn’t need Specsavers for him to see the writing on the wall.
But his resignation betrays a lack of political courage and places his own interests above those of the party. Political cowardice prevented him from staying on until after the local and European elections in June when Fine Gael are expected to ship another battering. At that point he could have headed off as the sacrificial scapegoat in the hope of drawing public anger away from the party.
But he chose not to. Leo doesn’t do humiliation, certainly not for a second time in the one year.
Micheál Martin told of his surprise at the Taoiseach’s resignation, but the Fianna Fáil leader could be the biggest beneficiary of Mr Varadkar’s white flag. Seeing Fine Gael implode could result in Middle Ireland rallying to Fianna Fáil in the hope of protecting centre politics from Sinn Féin.
Another term as Taoiseach beckons for Mr Martin, who has proven to have the most enormous staying power since taking over Fianna Fáil 13 years ago. Martin has been ‘Uno Duce, Una Voce’ since 2011 and will soon have to deal with a third Fine Gael leader, while already contending with a second Sinn Féin boss and a fifth Labour Party leader.
Mr Varadkar’s time as Fine Gael leader lacked any discernible political strategy for growth. He never connected with real issues concerning regular people at the bottom. He never connected with real party supporters and his leadership will be viewed as nothing more than a misadventure.