If you are like me, you probably feel like screaming. And if you do, I recommend you instead treat this week as a time for reflection on the way forward. You only lose when you lose the lesson – and, I hope, hoping to learn. Here are my 5 reflections on the General Election.
1. If not now, then when?
From the first debate until the final day, the narrative has narrowed around a familiar theme – the choice between the leader of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil for Taoiseach.
Whether you agree with Sinn Féin or oppose them, they were due to be in a historically unique position of overthrowing the old order of things in Dáil Eireann. Sinn Féin stormed in the 2014 Local Elections and gained local seats in every local authority. They found themselves pushing forward into second in national polling behind Fine Gael, and that same party declared that the 2016 General Election would be a straight battle of ideologies between themselves and Sinn Féin.
This has failed to materialise.
Breaking 35 seats was not an outside possibility. Now it looks closer to being around the 20 mark. A gain of just six on 2011.
This will be a crushing disappointment to some – but is a dizzying high compared to when Mary Lou McDonald lost her European Parliament seat in 2009. A lot of this will be blamed (and not unjustifiably) on the dismissive attitude of Independent Newspapers, RTE and other media to their campaign.
But we must ask how a new progressive force can now break the mould and push aside the old order? When will there ever be a better opportunity given the high level of cynicism and public anger with not only the Government but also the main opposition party?
We live in a furious country – we all see it every day. The duopoly in this election on offer does not represent that at all. What hope is there that that will change the next time?
2. No party for new parties.
We were told for a year and a half in countless Op-eds and blogs that the cynicism and hopelessness among the public would be solve by a “new” and undefined political party. We got two high profile ones with considerable media attention.
One to the left of Labour (led by one of their former Ministers who resigned on an issue of conscience) and one to the right of Fine Gael (Led by one of their former Ministers who resigned on an issue of conscience).
Despite promising debate performances and traction for policies, both parties have a combined national support of 5%. And look set to only re-elect their respective top brass to Dáil Eireann.
Is this a failure of communication from new entities? And if dissatisfaction with the political parties cannot be solved by new entities with no legacy issues, then how will we heal the deficit in public trust in politics?
3. Red Card for Green Issues.
A friend of mine – A committed ecologist, but not a Green Party member – voiced concern in 2011 over the implosion of the Green Party after their term in Government.
His worries were that without Green voices in Dáil Eireann, that pressure on the powers that be to change and reform our environmental efforts would fall away, leaving the entire ecological movement locked outside of the Dáil.
The classic argument in response to this was two fold: The first being that progressive parties like Labour and Sinn Féin would fight the corner with greater numbers, the other being that even Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil would accept their environmental responsibilities.
This has proven conclusively to be false. My friend was right. He takes no pride in being correct.
Mentions of climate change issues in the media have fallen dramatically and the existential challenge of our lifetime has featured barely in the election campaign and in the manifestos of all the political parties.
Green issues are not the only issues that have been ignored or marginalised in this election, but where will we be by the time that changes? Will we be abandoning Cobh and Tramore? Will we be evacuating Salt Hill and Cork City?
4. Labour Pains.
Many of us on the Left will likely take great pleasure in the punishment Labour will almost certainly face when polls close. We are at a point where a return of 7 or 8 seats will be considered a great success.
Labour will be a point where it only have slightly more TD's than the AAA-PBP Alliance (who are set for an important breakthrough and consolidation of their efforts) and with likely a third of the Sinn Féin representation.
Let us not spend our time celebrating Labour's demise on the day when Fine Gael return with 60 or so seats. There is no victory for progressives when FG and FF join forces to carve up the resources of the state in a firmly right-of-centre government.
Labour faces a difficult choice when they return to Opposition. Stand still, and face almost certain irrelevancy in the eyes of their former constituency. Or move to the left and be a real alternative to the Establishment many have felt they have become unforgivably a part of.
There is no more moderate Left in European politics. Irish Labour will not be the exception. Radicalise or perish.
5. Is it our fault?
An army of us every day take to social media in all forms and voice our disdain, discomfort and dissatisfaction with the status quo. We are a mobilised and powerful generation of young people who have always been political engaged and aware. Dáil Eireann will not represent that.
Enda Kenny referred controversially to “whingers” in his own constituency. Obviously this was a gaffe, but maybe there is a deeper nuance we can take from it.
I like many on my news feed post about homelessness, inequality, injustice, deprivation, penal taxes and charges, emigration and lack of services and investment. Facebook is a fantastic way to spread ideas and organise people – especially our fellow youth - for change. But how many of us go beyond sharing and ranting into something more tangible and real?
Are we doing enough to make sure that action online translates to action on the streets? Do we need to log off and log back into our communities and parishes?
I have to change if I want to see change. I hope you'll join me in this
