After three runs at Dáil 'I don't think it's right or fair to hog it'

It was no trauma for Martin Mansergh to lose his Dáil seat, and he appreciates his freedom

IF THERE is one service Fianna Fáil has done the State, it may well be “that the anger was expressed through the democratic system at the ballot box”, Martin Mansergh believes.

“Fortunately we have been spared the street riots in this country, and that is infinitely better than smashing shop windows, street demonstrations or strikes. The democratic system works in this country,” he says of the decimation of Fianna Fáil’s parliamentary party.

The former minister of State and Tipperary South TD insists that while voters harshly punished Fianna Fáil, “we have done a lot of heavy lifting for the new Government. They have been able to enjoy a honeymoon because they sensibly let the Finance Bill through so they would have a breathing space before they had to take tough decisions.” He is not despairing of Fianna Fáil’s future. “I know Enda Kenny said the election result was a democratic revolution, but if so, only in the sense that Kevin O’Higgins said we are the most conservative revolutionaries ever.”

Ireland has been dominated by two broadly central parties for 90 years, and in that time “there has been no left-wing government”.

It is Fine Gael’s turn now, but “if the electorate gets sick of Fine Gael I’m not convinced that they won’t turn back to Fianna Fáil, rather than either to some more right-wing alternative or to Sinn Féin, or . . .”

People were extremely angry at Fianna Fáil. “But has it radicalised people in a left-wing direction? I don’t think so.” He believes the party has to reconnect with the labour movement. There were excesses, “but not so much due to social partnership. It was with the higher remunerated public servants, including obviously ministers and judges”.

The middle level of the public services got real increases, but nothing out of the ordinary in a prosperous country, he says. “Where there were 80 per cent and 100 per cent increases in a decade was at the top end.”

He adds that “if the story is true that some judges got into difficulties with investments on property, isn’t that the proof that they were overpaid”?

Of Fianna Fáil in government, he says: “I don’t wish to diminish the disaster that hit us and happened on our watch, but there was a global economic crisis. It was very much more than home-grown, but the decisions made at home make it worse.”

The last government “should have restrained growth more, should have got rid of property incentives earlier and shouldn’t have allowed 120 per cent mortgages, and the reckless development”.

He believes the “decisive moment” was in 2001 when EU commissioner Pedro Solbes “rapped Charlie McCreevy on the knuckles because of over-rapid growth. We all got very indignant and the electorate a few months later rejected the Nice I referendum – maybe in part because of that. He was right and we were wrong.”

When the economic crisis hit, that government thought that if it “ramped up” spending it might achieve growth. But “obviously that went out the window as the situation deteriorated”.

In 2002/2003 Fianna Fáil “became very unpopular because the brakes were slammed on quite hard after that election. I think there was a desire not to have that sort of reaction again post-2007”.

Another factor was the looming change in leadership and the need to maintain support. He defends Brian Cowen, who appointed him minister of State for finance and the Office of Public Works. When he became taoiseach, he was headed into “a perfect storm. I think it is remarkable that the government lasted as long as it did, given all it had to do between July 2008 and January 2011. He managed to hold it together.”

For a long time the government’s view was: “We’re only one year in office, we’ve another four years, we’ll be able to turn the situation round. But in autumn 2010 it was suddenly clear there was no light at the end of the tunnel, certainly not in our electoral term.”

As a former TD he is now “appreciating the freedom”. It was no trauma to lose his seat. “I was elected in 2007 with the princely majority, after a recount, of 59 votes.” Even if it had remained “the best of times”, re-election would have been moot.

“I’d have to admit I was a bit more distressed about not doing better in the Seanad.” He was not on the leader’s shortlist of preferred candidates.

“Effectively the leadership was against my being elected. I felt a bit sore about it but I’ve got over it and I’ve had some good meetings with Micheál Martin since, and I support him.”

He appreciated the “one-line letter” he got from former taoiseach Garret FitzGerald, saying “sorry you lost your seat at the general election. Keep at it”.

An Oxford university doctor of history, he worked in the Department of Foreign Affairs before becoming political adviser on Northern Ireland to three taoisigh – 11 years with Charlie Haughey, then Albert Reynolds and Bertie Ahern. He turned to electoral politics at 55 in 2002 as a senator. In 2007, on his second attempt, he made it to the Dáil.

People told him he was mad to run for the Dáil, because as an adviser “you probably have far more influence than you have as a senator, deputy or even minister of State”. But he had done the job of adviser for 21 years and he was asked by Brian Lenihan in 2002 to run for election. Now though, at 64, he takes the view that he has had three runs at the Dáil, the second one successful. “I don’t think it’s right or fair to hog it or attempt to hog it,” he says.

He is planning to write a political memoir. He spends “at least half the week” on the suckler herd and beef farm he owns with his brother just outside Tipperary town. For the other half he is in Dublin where his wife is based, working as an antique oriental carpet restorer. The couple’s five children are grown up. “We make it work,” he says. “Lots of married couples have to do that.”

He has undertaken speaking engagements and will “continue to take an interest” in politics and contribute to the party and public debate “probably in a less partisan way, although I do remain an ordinary member of the Dan Breen cumann in Tipperary”.

MARTIN MANSERGH - FIANNA FÁIL

Constituency: Tipperary South

First elected:2002 as a senator

Dáil service: Four years

Status:Part-time farmer