Samantha makes our own politicians look very petty

AS we march towards the centenary of the Easter Rebellion, can we take time out to rejoice in the ceasefire in Syria. In doing so we should salute the skill, diplomacy and ability of the most powerful Irish person in the world today – Samantha Power, the United States ambassador to the United Nations.

As Irish politicians and their guests were treated to the annual knees-up in the White House, Power – who was born in Castleknock and schooled in Goatstown, south Dublin – was busy trying, with some considerable success, to hold the fragile February 27 Syrian ceasefire together.

With the death toll in the five-year long conflict now approaching half a million and double that number fleeing to Europe in 2015, the horrors of the civil war are unimaginable.

Samantha Power has been a powerful advocate of immediate cessation of violence; realising that while many naysayers are of the belief that a political transition is not possible in the Levant, she knew the first prize had to be peace.

Managing to get more than 100 rebel factions to join the ceasefire, ensuring the malevolent influence of Putin and the Russian army was removed from the area while gaining the trust of groups deeply suspicious of the USA, has been a remarkable achievement .

Not for her the petty squabbles of Irish politicians crying over a security cock-up as they were trying to get into a party in the White House – and immediately reaching for comparisons with one of the bravest and greatest civil rights campaigners America has ever seen, Rosa Parks.

For Gerry Adams to compare himself to the ‘mother of the freedom movement’ and the ‘first lady of civil rights’ because of a 90-minute security delay – which, in truth, we’ve all encountered in airports as we queue for our seats in economy – either displays his fantastic sense of humour, or proves he is a greater admirer of that other American icon, Walter Mitty, than we thought.

We may have a caretaker govern- ment, but has anyone noticed that we are still paying the same income tax, USC, VAT and penal excise duties on petrol and alcohol? So there is no need to panic here in Ireland – life goes on.

That is why I come back to the Syrian catastrophe. On St Patrick’s Day in Áras an Uachtaráin, Barack Obama honoured the members of our defence forces who rescued so many refugees from the treacherous waters of the Mediterranean. It’s a reminder of the difference a small country can make.

My own colleague Valerie Cox, another great woman, headed with her husband and son to help the refugees as they landed in Greece. Her television programme on the project broadcast this week demonstrated what a difference one person can make.

Samantha Power still has many connections with Ireland. She was married in Waterville, Co. Kerry, in 2009 and has two children, Declan and Rian – but she has kept her eye on the bigger picture. She puts things in perspective.

Irish politicians could learn a few lessons from this great woman.