Yesterday some gent on the radio was blathering on about something and finished by demanding the Government act immediately. Someone else gently pointed out that we currently don't have a Government only for the blatherer to counter that the Fine Gael/Labour coalition was still in power until a new one is agreed upon.
But the Mayo Moron went to the President on the 3rd of February and asked him to dissolve the Dail. The moment that little leprechaun of a President granted the wish, Enda ceased to be Taoiseach and all 158 TD's lost their seats. For thirty days thereafter, this State won't have a Government and that is where we're at right now.
So who, I ask, is going to trot over to Washington on Paddy's Day to present Obama with a bowl of shamrock, as has become the custom? And for the 1916 commemorations later this month, who will salute the honor guard on the day. The "Leprechaun in the Park," is still bouncing around on his seat of power and he always loves a self-important outing at the citizen's expense.
But already Enda has booked himself on a flight for Paddy's Day in Washington and a penny-to-a-pound the fucker will be up there outside the GPO looking down all statesmanlike at the parade with you and me picking up the tab for both occasions. The question is "Why?". Who decided that citizen-Kenny should have those honours? Were you invited, 'cause I wasn't!
Parking all that though, what happens if we're invaded before the squabbling politicians get their act together on a new Government? Who'll immediately surrender on all of our behalves? Some experienced pundits are saying it could take months of horse-trading for either an agreed coalition or we could even be sent back to vote again, ala Lisbon. What strikes me is that none of them appear even slightly concerned about it. Nobody is expressing any worries at our lack of a Government. Isn't that odd?
If it is not a problem that we haven't had a Government for a month so far and may not have one for months to come, then do we actually need one at all? Have any of you felt less safe this last month because no-one is in charge of you? Is it a source of secret dread and a nagging worry for you? Maybe you didn't notice any difference just like me? Nothing has changed in Mayfield for sure and I can tell you that when I was in Dublin for a few days when we weren't being governed and I saw nothing different there either.
This leads me to conclude Irish Governments are not noticed until they decide to do something. It is important to understand that the sole responsibility of all elected candidates is to make new laws. Honestly! That is all they are empowered to do. They perform no other function than to draft more stupid laws. They meddle with the Departments they think they are heading up but in reality the civil service runs this country and we don't get to elect any of those mandarins. They are faceless and unaccountable and the only mercy is that at least they can't make the laws.
This begs the question though, do we really need any more stupid laws. The ones we do have are rarely enforced anyway but the saving grace is that most of us obey them naturally, and some begrudgingly. And if we don't need any more new laws then why do we have a damned Government at all? The Constitution is there regardless and the civil service grinds on. The teachers and nurses and doctors still go to work every day and are paid to do so. The Gardai still operate as do the courts, the local authorities still supply the water and the shops are all open. Belgium got along fine for over a year without a Government so why can't we?
I say hand the whole caboodle over to someone like Michael O'Leary telling him, "Mick, keep an eye on it for us, will you? And don't bother us unless there's something really important about to go down."
Now there is a new and novel new way to do things.
P.S. For those not in the know, Michael (MICK) O' Leary is the guy who owns Ryanair!