Salary debacle has diminished the call to public service

THERE is a significant disconnect between this Government and the people. It is perhaps said of many governments. But particularly in the shadow of the pandemic, when society banded together to face a common foe, it is to be seen in increasingly sharp relief.

This week the controversy over the €81,000 pay hike for newly installed secretary general of the Department of

Health Robert Watt re-emerged. The initial controversy over the deal – made at the height of the pandemic – was dampened down when Mr Watt decided to forgo the increase, while economic uncertainty and unemployment reigned.

Subsequently, although it is not entirely clear when, Mr Watt decided such conditions no longer held sway – and, as such, he would now take what the health minister was prepared to offer him. This was not an unsurprising turn of events, seeing as his initial rejection was always conditional.

But the farce of the department refusing to confirm the change and for its stance to be backed by An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar on the grounds of GDPR is beyond the Pale. Every other secretary general’s pay was to be known, but not Mr Watt’s? Belatedly the department came to the realisation of the realpolitik of the situation.

But not without further damaging the credibility of the Government. Time and time again, this is the pattern.

Increasingly, the average citizen no longer sees the ideals of the founders of the State within the everyday workings of that State.

And the elected representatives, there to represent the electorate one presumes, seem invariably to be on the side of the man, who in this case is being paid €294,000.

The argument for high pay in such roles is that it is required to attract people of calibre.

As such, the idea of a calling to public service no longer seems to be the key determinant of who should be in charge of our departments of State.

If Mr Watt believes he can earn more in the private sector, we wish him well. Otherwise, he should do the decent thing and give back the money permanently.

TIME TO BITE THE BULLET ON HOMES

WEASEL words. This is how Darragh O’Brien – when he was housing spokesman – described the argument that the housing crisis could not be solved quickly or overnight. Four years ago, he criticised then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for saying there was ‘no quick fix’ for the shortage in supply and vastly inflated rents being demanded for properties that actually were available.

This week, the now Housing Minister – the very same Darragh O’Brien, over a year and a half into his tenure – has decided to rely on a variant of the same defence when declaring ‘no silver bullet’ can solve the housing crisis.

It is this type of cynical communication that lies at the heart of the voters’ malaise directed at the Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael-led Coalition. Electors no longer believe what ministers are telling them about a housing crisis that far too many know and despair of from first-hand experience.

The time for spin has ended and the time for soundbites on this issue never started.

The minister would do best to think back to that person he was in 2018 and see if there is any part of him that understands why his pronouncements this week will be viewed in a similar vein by those without the trappings of power.