O’Gorman is a green minister in every way

ONE of the more difficult elements of being in a coalition government is being forced to atone for the mistakes of your onetime political rivals. It’s difficult enough for TDs when one of their own makes a hames of something or becomes embroiled in a controversy and they have to make excuses for them on their local radio station.

But when it’s not one of their own it is even more difficult. There was a noticeable absence of Government TDs on the national airwaves yesterday as the Mother and Baby Homes controversy rumbled into its second week.

Over the weekend, there was an attempt by a few Government TDs to calm the waters after days of emotional debate as the controversial bill passed through the House of the Oireachtas.

But there was relative silence yesterday as TDs sought to manage the onslaught of criticism from the public. The correspondence some deputies received seemed orchestrated, but then it’s not unusual for campaigners to brief supporters on how to petition politicians.

But other TDs said it was clear the controversy had struck a chord with their constituents. “People made sure to include their address in emails, to let us know their vote is at stake,” one TD said.

Then there was the online abuse that elected representatives are expected to endure these days. It’s wrong, but it seems to come with the territory once you’re elected. The offices of TDs were also targeted.

But all this pales in comparison with what the survivors of the Catholic Church-run institutions endured during their time in the Mother and Baby homes.

The Government is scrambling to address the concerns of victims, and ensure there is transparency around the investigation into the conditions they lived through. But by the time they fix the problem, the public will have moved on. Many of those who believe the Government is trying to keep the Church’s hideous secret under lock and key will not be paying attention when a resolution is found.

The fingers of blame for this particular controversy are pointing firmly in the direction of Children’s Minister, Roderic O’Gorman.

There was some sympathy for the Green Party minister when he came under attack from the Opposition. But after a series of less than convincing media performances, the sympathy turned to anger. “He’s completely out of his depth,” one Fine Gael TD said. “He shouldn’t be allowed out in the media,” said a Fianna Fáil TD. “First-time TDs should never be made ministers,” another Fianna Fáil deputy said. And so on.

It is clear O’Gorman is a green minister in more ways than one – and does not have the political savvy to spot a nuclear missilesized controversy aimed squarely at the Government. His party colleagues want to shift the blame on to his departmental officials, but that is to misunderstand the dynamic between the civil service and the minister.

The more seasoned members of Fianna Fáíl and Fine Gael will not be so forgiving of the minister’s handling of what should have been a straightforward piece of legislation.