Audience with Gilmore

Eamonn Gilmore came to NUI Galway last night. I went into the lecture hall where he was to speak vaguely excited, wondering what I would hear, willing to listen to what the man had to say and hopefully to challenge him with a couple of questions.

I guess I am naive to believe that everyone thinks like myself, and appreciates discussion, interaction with ideas and simply a bit of a decent debate. The State of Ireland was built on the principles of freedom. The philosophy of democracy is built on a foundation of openness, respect for essential human liberties, and a sincere honesty.

Today's reality is not so. Recent Irish history has shown that the bit about honesty was buried and forgotten about years ago. As for human liberties, there are so many new ones being invented every day, its hard to keep track; the words 'I have the right to...' can be applied to almost....everything. Except murder. Unless of course you can a bribe a psychologist to write out a certificate for you, or you've got a granny who told you it was all right to give her a bit of an overdose if she went unconscious someday. Openess is a myth. Irish political society is as clannish and cagey and suspicious as the KGB. And that goes for the whole shebang, Student Unions included.

I firmly hope that I've learned my lesson once and for all from last night. I was enraged coming out, to be honest. Here is a man who looks good on posters. And on economic policies. And last night he did a simple job of buttering up a crowd of giddy students and some dedicated gang members with a few jokes, a couple of smiles and the promise of jobs in energy conservation projects and in the food sector. Wow. I thought we might have learned our lesson from Lisbon 2. Those make-believe jobs that Jim Higgins and Co. promised still haven't materialised, and we know they never ever will. It seems that we've lost the astuteness that used to single us out as a clever people who couldn't be fooled. We're being deceived by politicians left, right and center, and we're still smiling inanely at the latest pretty face that shows up on our screens, promising us the world, when he hasn't got two cents to rub together.

Those who can tell lies with self-assurance are bad enough. When they can get away with it is even worse. Mr. Gilmore mentioned a couple of times policies which sounded dangerous to me, including the nationalisation of the health system, education and public services. He also expressed a desire to change the Irish Constitution - saying that 'the Constitution was written in a different time' and that 'we need to determine now, what sort of Ireland we want.' Well, dear Sir, I know exactly what sort of Ireland I want, and you're not in it. He supports government controlled markets and is emphatic that free markets are dangerous - even though in some countries they've led to great wealth, independence and development. Mr. Gilmore wants to do away with that which has made Ireland unique - its Constitution, its attractive markets, its liberty. Recession has hit us, but we must not sacrifice the most important aspects of our country in an attempt to get money back into Ireland.

Mr Gilmore and his party will not be getting any vote for me. I shudder however to think of what awaits us in the future if Fianna Fáil loses the next election - a FineGael/Labour coalition. Definitely a very bad nightmare. I will be expecting the worst and will be try to be ready for it when it comes - but if I must go down, it won't be without a fight. I know the people of Ireland and mushy as it might sound, I am a patriotic soul at heart.

Suprise suprise - I never got to ask a question.