Political farce overshadows real issues

As the Bertie scandal disappears in a welter of smoke and plain glass, we are left with two not very consoling points. Firstly, even though a majority of voters don't believe that Bertie was right to take the money given to him, that majority still prefers to see him in charge of government than the Rainbow alternative. It's a bit like the Huey Long slogan when he campaigned for governor of Louisiana: "Vote for the crook you know!"

But secondly, isn't it illustrative of the sheer bankruptcy of our politics that this "scandal", which was at best a matter of appearances (for nobody can seriously argue that Bertie Ahern is personally corrupt), completely dominated political life for two weeks, leaving more substantive issues unexamined and undiscussed.

Like the non-publication for five months of the report into the Leas Cross nursing home, or the non-implementation of its urgent recommendations; or Shell's attempt to break the Rossport protest with massive Garda deployment in the early hours; or the C&AG report that establishes that Michael McDowell paid twice the proper rate for the purchase of a prison site at Thornton Hall. Not to mention the huge hospital protests in Monaghan, the continuing scandal of the low level of available affordable and social housing or the looming collapse of the peace process.

None of these matters were deemed urgent enough by the Irish Times to merit shrill comment, but the chance of tripping up Bertie and the government on a minor matter that happened more than 10 years ago was jumped on with glee – and the political lemmings just dutifully followed the lead their betters had shown them.

And what of the Irish Times? I'm a bit sanguine about government complaints about leaks considering the dirty way they did for Frank Connolly and the Centre for Public Inquiry by leaking files against him that they couldn't use in court because they couldn't stand them up.

But contrast what Geraldine Kennedy says about her role in this story – she deliberately shredded the documents in order to avoid handing them over to the tribunal – with what she wrote in an editorial when the Rossport Five were sent to jail for breaching a court order.

She wrote, "Mr Justice Finnegan, president of the High Court, stood alone in recent weeks in upholding the rule of law, a duty he executed with exemplary even-handedness and for which he deserves to be thanked. During this controversy too many people, and most regrettably several members of the Oireachtas, showed a lack of understanding, or were simply unwilling to accept, the proper separation of powers that underpins the correct relationship between the legislature and judiciary. It would be a grim day if government ministers had the power to intervene in cases of contempt of court such as this."

So one rule for the Rossport Five but another rule for the Irish Times. But why should we be surprised? This rag has always considered itself above the law because the law is made by the mere Irish, and we all know which way they vote.

The arrogant humbug of D'Olier Street is, indeed, hard to take; but when will our politicians stop dancing to that west British tune and start arguing with passion and commitment about the things that matter, that affect the lives of real people?

Of course, the Irish Times had no monopoly on humbug. Various voices from the general public complained bitterly that when they suffered marital breakdown they had no wealthy friends to turn to, and so on. What is the point of these comments? Do these people believe that inequalities of wealth are wrong? Or do they stare contemptuously down at those less fortunate than themselves while begrudging those who are luckier?

Personally speaking, I do believe that inequalities of wealth are wrong and that public policy should be directed to ending such inequalities. And I vote accordingly.

But it's obvious that a big majority of Irish people vote for parties that uphold inequality – Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats, Fianna Fáil – or condone it – the Labour Party. If people really are outraged that Bertie has rich friends which the rest of us can't have, then they should vote to change our social system.

That is the real point. As the smoke settles, it becomes more and more obvious that there are little if any policy differences between the major electoral blocs. Politics has been reduced to a jostling for power between individuals, and the public interest remains a conceit of the Irish Times.

No wonder people are cynical about politics.