THERE was a noticeable difference in the level of election canvassing this week as the ‘walkabouts’ seemed to step up a gear all over the country.
West Cork was not immune, with the Tánaiste himself having been enlisted to accompany local TDs Christopher O’Sullivan and Aindrias Moynihan on their rounds in Bandon and Macroom.
Deputy Martin even bumped into Fine Gael senator Tim Lombard in Bandon, who was also on walkabout, gearing up for what now looks like an election at the end of next month.
The date of November 29th is being thrown about like confetti, though, at time of going to press, there was no confirmation.
But any date before that would probably be too soon and the weekend after is December, and the Late Late Toy Show, which has already been moved from its usual home of November. Would any politician dare to incur the wrath of an Irish mammy or daddy or, indeed, future voters, by having the show shortened, or overshadowed, by coverage of the general election voting day?
And they can forget a last-minute surge to the polls that Friday, as most people will be in their jammies from early evening, in anticipation of the seasonal cheer that only the Toy Show can be relied upon to bring.
Anything later than early December would incur its own type of wrath – cold evenings for canvassing, streets full of stressed shoppers not interested in palm-pressing, and shop staff just wanting to get home after coping with the madness of the pre-Christmas retail industry.
So end of November seems like the most reasonable date, which means we can all brace ourselves for the ‘Christmas present’ headlines about various parties doing well, and the ‘bah humbug’ ones for those not so fortunate in the polls.
But, come Christmas, what can we really expect from Election 2024?
Will it be a ‘hung jury’ – too close to call, and weeks of will they/won’t they negotiations and a ‘they stepped in/they stepped out again’ vibe?
Or will the outcome be so cut and dried that we can all relax over our turkey dinner knowing what’s ahead of us in 2025 – whether it’s to our liking or not. There is nothing more unsettling that uncertainty, as we know too well in this country.
But with all the talk of election timing, it is sometimes easy to forget that the majority of the public are not that bothered with dates, but instead are more interested in the deals – what’s in it for us? Who is promising what, and when, and – most importantly – can we trust them to deliver.
It’s been a very tough few years for anyone searching for a home – whether to buy or rent, and also for those who have come here seeking a better life, and finding that Ireland isn’t always the land of a thousand welcomes.
Then there are those working in the health sector – whose stress levels are matched only by those relying on that same sector, be it on an outpatient or inpatient basis.
Add to that the parents who are in need of State assistance for children, either in mainstream or special schools, or by way of mental health services, and there are an awful lot of people with an axe to grind.
That’s even before you mention the huge staff shortages being experienced in the hospitality, teaching, policing and Defence Forces sectors.
And the cost-of-living crisis which shows no real sign of abating, is yet another factor to add to this sense of malcontent for so many.
And with all those factors combining, is it any wonder that so many sitting TDs are opting not to put themselves in front of the electorate again?
Which, in turn, means there will be a lot of new faces in the next – the 34th – Dáil, all vying for attention.
But, so far, all the polls are suggesting the main players forming the government of the 33rd Dáil will remain pretty much static – although a smaller party, or parties, or independents, may well prove essential in the mix, and it may not be the Greens this time.
It’s all to play for, but at the very least, it will make for some interesting conversations across the Christmas dinner table.
Not everyone escaped Ashley
NOT everyone in West Cork escaped unaffected by last weekend’s Storm Ashley. In fact, there were very few homes, especially rural ones, which were not affected to some extent, either by way of a rogue tile making its way from the roof, to a fencing panel displaced, or at the very least, a gaggle of twigs and sticks finding new locations around the property.
But then, Cork, wasn’t in the orange weather warning area, unlike our next-door neighbours in Kerry.
But it’s unlikely we will get through the entire winter without some more challenging weather, especially as the changing climate is creating ever more regular and aggressive storm events.
