A regional approach
IT’S A YEAR SINCE DEPUTY MARC MACSHARRY TOOK A SEAT IN THE DÁIL FOR THE FIRST TIME. HERE HE TALKS TO PAUL DEERING ABOUT FINDING HIS FEET AS A TD AND THE PRESSING ISSUES FACING SLIGO
IT was in many respects a long time coming. Marc MacSharry was elected to Dáil Eireann in February 2016 but he had been knocking on the door as it were for awhile, being first elected to the Senate in 2002. The Dáil was always an ambition for Marc, following in his proud father Ray’s footsteps. A period of uncertainty followed the election with Fine Gael finally cobbling together a Government with the support of independents plus of course the tacid approval of Fianna Fáil who have committed to supporting three budgets.
There’s two more to go and while the jitters are beginning to become apparent the Government under Taoiseach Enda Kenny is holding steady for now at least and Deputy Marc MacSharry says he believes the party will stick to its three year commitment.
“Micheal Martin is man who oozes integrity and anyone who has met him would agree with that. He is extremely cautious and he is very focussed on wanting to do the right thing as I’m sure all are and Michael more than most.
“He has agreed to support three budgets, so three years, subject to broad policy agendas including certain items and directions and barring those being substantially broken he will want to honour that commitment. And I think because of the uncertainty around Brexit which is huge, the Apple tax ruling and other issues people would like to see another few years of Government before having to contemplate another election.
“So, I don’t think the kind of opportunism that might have been there from other people in the past and I don’t think Micheal Martin is one of those types of people and so I think it is going to go the distance barring a major political scandal or something like that which would leave him with no option.
“It’s obviously a unique scenario with this confidence and supply situation. Some people might take the view well you’re going to have to particpate in keeping the Government in place in terms of supporting budgetsand yet arguably you don’t have a massive imput into the policy that the Government is pursuing.
“So, that said, it was probably better than causing another election especially with variables like Brexit, the Apple tax ruling and I suppose international uncertainty generally between the Trump administration and what impact that’s going to have on us here.”
With his Senate background Marc didn’t have the learning curve that might have been there for a brand new TD. “So, I was able to hit the ground running in terms of participating in debates and contributing to legislation.” Frustration comes at the pace at which change can be made. The issues are the same as they were this time last year, he says.
“If you were to take Ireland as a dancehall and I said this in a debate recently, we’re only using about 60% of the space we have. We have a whole region here that’s never been resourced by consecutive Governments.
“That was the message I was promoting during my campaign, that we needed to get Government and Dublin to take a strategic view of the North West and the regions, what can we give these people in order that they achieve their potential and making a sustainable contribution to the national effort.” There’s been the recent Pic: much heralded launch of a Rural Plan by the Government but he says like all these strategies the proof will be in the pudding.
“As a concept I agree with it but it’s all going to be down to resources to be applied to the aspirations in that plan.”
In terms of priorites very good road and broadband access was essential and a refocus and rebalance of the budgets of Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland. was also necessary. He also stresses that in many ways Dublin was beyond capacity, the pressure needed to be taken off it to allow it catch up with itself.
“And, we have capacity here. We need a strong Capital city but it’s facing a significant issues such as a housing and homelessness crisis and Government is going to have to look to the regions for solutions.”
He’d like to see Government take a strategic view of the regions and begin to use the spare capacity here. Fiánna Fáil appointed Eamon O’Cuiv as a Minister in 2002 for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs amd Marc points out that Local Improvement Schemes, the Clár programme were rolled out under his watch.
Now, that focus on rural Ireland is missing he says and it’s been a surprise with a Taoiseach from the West of Ireland. “It seems to me that he has over compensated for his rural base by exclusively focussing on urban areas, particularly the East coast conurbation.
“The Dublin/ Galway drive is now a two hour journey thanks to a motorway but it’s still a difficult route to Sligo, particularly depending on the time of day. It’s a much better road than it was 30 years ago but an upgraded route would make the job of IDA Ireland that much easier.
Deputy MacSharry says he spoke to IDA representatives before and they’ve told him that they are already making excuses about the state of the N4 when picking up potential clients for the region at Dublin Airport. “They’re losing before they start in many respects.”
“We’ve always been seen as something like a pain in the national side. Throw them an odd bone to keep us happy from time to time with the odd project or whatever rather than an overall strategic approach. with the appropriate resources.
“The one thing about this plan which worries me is that when proposals come in it has been suggested that they’ll be assessed by the Department based on scientific research and that scares me because if we were to run the entire country purely on the basis of a business and the provision of certain services as such, the ESB would be turned off in Mullingar and the water somewhere else and we’d all be expected to move.
“We have a culture in this country of living in rural areas and any Government has a responsibility to service those areas and we can do it better than we are doing it because there is that lack of a strategic vision.”
The regiond also lacks jobs but the days of a major industry locating in Sligo appear to over
It’s been quite a time since we’ve had a stand alone announcement. There was strong talk of Paypal coming here a couple of years ago but a last minute change saw them go to Dundalk instead and that “was an awful setback at the time.” I think that because of the situation Dublin is in there’s going to be no choice but to focus on the regions. But to make the IDA’s job easier we need the access infrastructure.
On Brexit he says it’s the biggest threat since the foundation of the State and claims there seems to be a level of complacency on the issue with the Government.
“They say they have a plan but I think the people would like to know what it is. Some € 470m is the loss in the last few months alone in the agrifood sector he says. Brexit also had the “potential to wreck the Good Friday Agreement.”
A special deal to leave free movement in place between the North and South was vital. “A hard border would simply be a disaster he says, adding that “we’re all consumed with worry” and that the Government should have appointed a Minister for Brexit. A further concern was the Apple tax ruling which may mean some companies delaying on a decision to locate here until they see the outcome of that appeal.
President Trump has been an evocative approach but he feels the Taoiseach Kenny should still go and see him onm St Patrick’s Day as we’re one of only a few countries afforded that kind of access to the US Administration “Above any year he should definitely be there, particularly with regard to the 50,000 illegal Irish,” he says.
Marc holds clinics on Mondays and Fridays but they wouldn’t be like in his father’s days when there would be a queue at the house on a Saturday morning. TDs are more accessible now all week through email, mobile phone and social media.
The issues coming are would be 60% housing related, 15% health, 15% social welfare and 10% miscellaneous.
“A TD can’t necessarily turn a no into a yes but but we can navigate the process for them to make it that little bit easier and quicker by ringing the right person and that comes with the knowledge and experience of having dealt with similar cases.
“It’s thoroughly enjoyable, it’s hugely time consuming being a TD and there is a price for that in a personal capacity but it’s what I do and I’m very privileged to have the opportunity to do it,” he says.
A minority Government has its advantages too he says one being parliament is a lot stronger when it used to be subservient to the Government of the day. It has already been defeated on a number of occasions and mendments brought to legislation from the floor which was a positive thing.
Ray MacSharry finished a distinguished political career as an MEP but Marc says Europe is not on his radar.
“The whole political thing for me has been something I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. As far as I’m concerned the place to effect the change I want to see is Dáil Eireann.
“In terms of ambition, politics for me is not about providing me with position it’s about what policies I can get over the line and amplify the case for the North West at every opportunity through speaking time and through my role on various committees such as Public Accounts.”