REARVIEW:There's a lot of negativity out there. It's only a matter of time before somebody blames the Government, the bankers or the IMF for the current spell of freezing weather.
I mean, who has been regulating the forecasters? For God’s sake, those ministers in their big Mercs should be made get out there and grit the roads, with signs saying: “I was in charge when the snow came, the buck stops with me!”
The cretin who decided to scrawl “Tratiors” on the constituency office of Transport Minister Noel Dempsey in Co Meath recently might have come up with such a suggestion. But I know who I’d rather have in charge of the roads and transport networks.
And indeed, at a time when blame is being dished out liked mashed spuds in the pubs, clubs, and supermarket checkouts around the country, maybe it is time that some of the positive aspects of Fianna Fáil and Mr Dempsey’s reign should be pointed out. For a bit of balance, perhaps.
He is the minister whose tenure saw the introduction of random breath-testing to catch the idiots who still think it is a bit of a lark to get behind the wheel after downing a few pints.
Dempsey has taken on the publicans and has insisted that he is going to go ahead with lowering the drink-driving limit. One only has to check the road death statistics to realise that there are people alive today because of some of the decisions taken in Transport House.
Dempsey is the man who was in charge as Ireland finally got a joined-up motorway network – you wouldn’t be embarrassed these days to take the likes of Ajai Chopra on a drive to Cork, Limerick or Belfast. Amazingly, you can now even stop at a motorway service station without getting stuck behind a tractor and trailer in Ballygobackwards.
We have the Luas. Admittedly, it’s not very joined up and benefits a lucky few who live near it, but it is a joy nonetheless. We have some grit this year and the Minister for Transport is in the country –- be thankful for small mercies.
It might be time to throw the Government out for their economic misdeeds but let’s not forget some of the good news.
Credit should fall on the heads of those who deserve it just as much as the cleaver of public criticism.