DRAPIER: Ned O'Keefe claimed over the summer that a third of the Cabinet and half the junior ministers should be sacked. Some might consider this an understatement.
The PDs have two Cabinet places and, no matter what scandal breaks, it would take a crane to move them; the Taoiseach certainly will not reshuffle himself, so that leaves 12 Cabinet ministers, a third of which is four. Half the Fianna Fáil junior ministers equates to about seven.
Drapier would not be so unkind as to suggest which 11 ministers might make way. However, the following could bring a new look to the administration:
The hard-working and articulate Pat Carey; the sporting Tony Dempsey; Seán Fleming who has financial expertise; former rugby international Jim Glennon; the astute Seán Haughey; the artful Cecilia Keaveney, who has undiscovered musical talent; the youthful Billy Kelleher; Tony Killeen, former chairman of the Fianna Fáil Councillors Associa- tion; the affable M.J. Nolan; Brendan Smith, who spent 15 years as adviser to former Tánaiste John Wilson, and Seán Power, who would bring with him a good sense of humour.
Drapier is not sympathetic to those writers who compare the Opposition, who have little opportunity to set the agenda, with Cabinet Ministers who have all the cards in their hands. Drapier sees the possibility of a very good Cabinet and second rank among the membership of the Opposition and will return to this subject in a future column.
More importantly, a centre- left government could set an agenda of enterprise and fairness which would give this country badly needed leadership.
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Last week the SDLP had its annual Dublin dinner. It was a well-attended event and Drapier understands morale is high.
Given the eulogy that has been undeservedly heaped upon Provisional Sinn Féin and the Provisional IRA by both politicians and press in the Republic, some are forecasting that the SDLP will come in behind the Provos in the upcoming legislative Assembly elections. If the SDLP can transfer its high morale into enthusiastic constituency campaigns, the Provos may yet not have it all their own way.
Drapier is awaiting the publication of John Hume's memoirs so that some of the self- serving claims made in Gerry Adams's recent publication can be laid bare. Unfortunately, that will not happen this side of a Northern election.
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Did Drapier miss the point or was the real issue about Judge Mahon's chairmanship of the tribunal, not who leaked the information? The Revenue Commissioners and the Judicial Appointments Commission are not known for leaks. The only other persons who had access to information about Judge Mahon's tax affairs were Cabinet members. Did someone in the Cabinet leak this information?
That is the question which should be pursued. If any member of the Cabinet has a vested interest in undermining a tribunal set up by the Oireachtas, it is a grave matter indeed.
Tribunals wouldn't be necessary if parliamentary questions were properly replied to. As Enda Kenny's questions have shown, at best, the Taoiseach to be careless with recent replies.
Drapier believes that the office of Ceann Comhairle needs to be reformed so that the holder upholds the rights of the Dáil. Ministers who give replies which do not even attempt to address the questions asked or are mis- leading should be hauled before the Committee of Procedure and Privileges, chaired by the Ceann Comhairle, and told that they will be named in the House.
With the creation of the Commission to run the Houses of the Oireachtas new opportunities present themselves in relation to holding ministers accountable.
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The European Parliament constituency boundaries have been announced. Clare goes into what was Connacht/Ulster to form a North-West three-seat constituency, but who will join Jim Higgins on the Fine Gael ticket? Seán Ó Neachtáin will be joined by A.N. Other for Fianna Fáil and Dana Rosemary Scallon may yet come under pressure from Marian Harkin who contested the 1999 European elections and won almost 50,000 first-preference votes.
Munster has been reduced to a three-seat constituency and has been renamed South. The under-rated and skilful John Cushnahan is stepping down, former Fine Gael leader Michael Noonan may yet enter the fray. Brian Crowley will be the front-runner for Fianna Fáil and Pat Cox will be a shoo-in.
In the new circumstances, Gerry Collins will have his work cut out for him if he runs again.
What was the Leinster constituency is now called East and is wide open. Green Party member Nuala Ahern may be under some pressure, Avril Doyle seems likely to be re- elected for Fine Gael. Fianna Fáil will take a seat but its front runner has yet to emerge.
Dublin may be the most interesting constituency and it remains a four-seater. Proinsias De Rossa and Ivana Bacik of Labour were prominent in the 20th anniversary of the anti- abortion constitutional amendment protest.The anti- abortion lobby is in the main made up of decent people and John Bruton could do a public service by rescuing the issue from the over-zealous who fail to carry the people with them.
Drapier predicts that this will be a European Parliament election issue.
Patricia McKenna could at last be vulnerable and Eoin Ryan should hold the Fianna Fáil seat. Drapier forecasts one Fianna Fáil, one Fine Gael, one Labour and one seat up for grabs. The fourth seat could go to one of the parties, even Sinn Féin, or to an independent. It is by no means a foregone conclusion.
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In the Third World, hunger, HIV/AIDS and poverty are endemic.
At home prison reform is not even talked about. Access to third-level education and health for lower income groups is poor to non-existent. There is a housing crisis and homeless- ness is at an all-time high.
In this environment, the hard "left" puts bin charges in Dublin top of its priorities. Those on low incomes are exempt from bin charges, so from Castleknock to Malahide, and Blackrock to Rathgar, the "left" is championing the cause of the well-heeled. If the left objects to double taxation as a high principle, why not take on RTÉ and the TV licence fee? Not a chance, RTÉ can fight back. Bin-collectors are easier to jostle than media people.
David McWilliams last Thursday in his Prime Time exposé on the absurdity of house prices has shown more concern for ordinary struggling citizens than all the self-serving, poster- carrying, public-house socialists added together.
Pat Rabbitte should take back the agenda from this noisy self-indulgent minority.