tyrrelltalks-blog

[tyrrelltalks-blog]

LC & RENUA - ready to stir it up a little

This weeks Late Late Show was a who’s who of exceptional women - no doubt about it. Judy Murray was likeable and down to earth, Heather Mills was her usual formidable self, the three sisters of imprisoned Ibrahim Halawa were endearing yet impassioning and of course Sonya Lenon was effortlessly cool as always. What a collection of women to have on the show. Especially just two days before Mothers Day. 

But the woman in whom I was most interested was Lucinda Creighton, leader of Ireland’s brand spanking new political party Renua. Appearing alongside Eddie Hobbs, an economist who has somehow managed to achieve semi-celeb status in Irish homes across the country, LC struck me initially as stylish, attractive and ready for battle. There was something in her demeanour, a je ne sais quoi, that gave her the aura of a woman who was all fired up, ‘I mean business,’ her face warned. I was immediately impressed. 

I must confess that I know relatively little about LC, she’s never really been on my radar, so this interview was my first real insight into the woman behind Renua. The first shock came when she spoke about her views on abortion - she’s against it. I was surprised that a woman of her age, at thirty-five she’s only a decade older than me, could take such a stance. Yet the more I thought about it the more I respected her for it. Well done you for making a statement that you must know will earn you brownie points with the over 50′s but is very likely to limit your popularity with the under 50′s. Brave woman. At least she’s honest. 

Then she went on to talk about Irish Water. When pressed by Tubridy on whether or not Renua would abolish water charges she answered very clearly that it would not. Again, inevitably a statement that will turn voters against the party. I can’t remember a time when one issue stirred such levels of public discontent for such a long period as Irish Water has done. Another brave, honest answer. My admiration grows. 

But it was when LC brought up the issue of the civil service that I really felt myself warming to her. It has been my own misfortune to have spent a number of excruciating years dependant on social welfare payments (that’s another story for another day) and throughout those years I was constantly appalled at the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the staff with which I had weekly dealings, not to mention their jaw-dropping lack of professionalism across the board. Of course I don’t mean to brand all civil servants with the same brush. Many of my closest friends are teachers and nurses, and all work exceptionally hard and are dedicated to their chosen professions. But LC argued that there is something fundamentally flawed in a system which disallows management from rewarding those civil servants who work hard, show ambition and demonstrate potential while simultaneously forces management to maintain staff who are lazy, uninterested and altogether not worth their salary. Well said LC. Well said. Is it any wonder we can’t get the HSE to work? If it was handed over to the private sector tomorrow you can bet your ass any businessman or woman would have that place ship shape by the end of the week.Now I don’t advocate for the privatisation of all sectors - there can be no reasonable denial that the public service forms an important part of all modern societies But the civil service as it stands in Ireland today breeds complacency and the harsh fact of the matter is until that culture is tackled there is little hope for our health service, or any other public services for that matter, and I have to admit that to hear a politician say it out loud was music to my ears. 

So LC overall I am definitely impressed. As you walked onto my screen I braced myself for a plethora of vague answers, wishy washy statements and pandering. Instead I am happy to report that I found you honest, clear, bold and more than a little refreshing. Only time will tell if your party and its policies truly appeal to the minds of voters today, but one thing I know after watching that interview is certain - LC and Renua are ready to stir it up a little and I’m looking froward to watching them do it.