Irish politics: Standing still amid world events

You would not be blamed for taking your eye off domestic politics while international events, including President Donald Trump’s tenure and Brexit, occupy the headlines.

But I want to reassure you that I and all at Digest Towers have been keeping a very close eye on all that occupies the corridors of power in Leinster House.

And I can now confirm it has been a whirlwind of excitement, a powerhouse of policy, an avalanche of activity. . . . in fact, many have commented on how busy things are.

For example, this week alone, we saw the 196th launch of the Action Plan for Jobs to coincide with the Action Plan for Education and the Action Plan for Rural Ireland.

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We hear that next week’s Cabinet agenda includes the Action Plan for Action Plans.

In an unprecedented event, rural independent TDs sought more money for rural roads, while Senators in the Upper House finally received word that they could vote electronically.

While in the committee dungeons of Leinster House, Shane Ross and Bus Éireann discussed the difficulties at Bus Éireann . . . in separate rooms . . . beside each other.

And I want you to have no fear. Do not worry about the implications of Brexit or the influence of Trump because our parliamentarians are (still) debating whether we should pay for water or not.

But look, we all know parliament can only do so much. Government makes decisions, and that is why this week’s Cabinet had a heavy agenda of 16 items.

They varied from moving Departmental officials to the annual report of the Commissioners of Irish Lights.

We should not allow Trump or Brexit to distract us from these significant and, in fact, crucial moments in Irish history.

For in years to come we will look back at this time as one of the crucial moments in Irish politics. The time we stood still while the rest of the world raced ahead of us.