The Wexford Pimpernel.
They seek him here, they seek him there, those Soc Dems seek him everywhere.
Is he in hiding?
Why won’t he come down?
That damned elusive Minister Browne.
(With apologies to Baroness Orczy.)
Taoiseach Micheál Martin keeps asking the Opposition to outline to the Dáil their solutions to the housing crisis instead of just constantly criticising his Government’s many initiatives.
And the Opposition keeps telling him they are doing this, all the time, but nobody from his Government can be bothered to listen.
On Tuesday, Labour leader Ivana Bacik complained that Minister for Housing James Browne wasn’t in the chamber last week for her party’s motion on the crisis – the first opportunity for TDs to debate housing in this Dáil term.
Not one senior Minister showed up. “There was tumbleweed on the Government benches.”
Martin insisted there is nothing he would like more than a proper debate on the issue, but without Opposition grandstanding and “misrepresentation” of his words.
That cracked them up across the floor.
The Taoiseach also stressed he has no issue at all with a Dáil debate on the Housing Commission report.
“You’ve been saying that for nine months” harrumphed Richard Boyd-Barrett of People Before Profit-Solidarity.
Well, there’s nothing stopping the Opposition scheduling debates in its own time, instead of always expecting the Government to yield some of its precious allocation, replied the Taoiseach.
“But you don’t turn up for those debates,” retorted Boyd–Barrett, to hearty agreement on his side of the House.
It’s never too late to make amends. “We have another opportunity this week,” said Ivana, referring to the Social Democrats’ motion on housing scheduled to run for two hours on Wednesday morning.
At the appointed hour, Soc Dem housing spokesman Rory Hearne, a housing policy expert, rose to propose the motion and open the debate. Bang on time, Robert Troy, Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for Financial Services, rushed through the doors and slid into the Minister for Housing’s seat on the deserted Coalition benches.
He didn’t get the warmest of welcomes.
Rory thanked Robert for turning up, even if he would have preferred he didn’t, sitting there in front of them like an insult in a suit.
It was “deeply frustrating” not to see James Browne in the chamber to answer questions, said the new TD for Dublin North-West. “It’s an insult to the people of Ireland ... The Government has been asking us to bring forward solutions and then when we do, the Minister responsible doesn’t bother to turn up.”
His party colleague, Gary Gannon, was first in a long line of deputies to back him up. Where was James Browne? “It’s becoming farcical at this point.”
Robert Troy, ignoring the farcical remark, prefaced his moving of the Government’s countermotion with some personal news.
Why are there still so few women in Irish politics?
“It is a matter of public record that I am a landlord. I just wanted to put that on the record of the Dáil.”
Probably best to say it again, although there is already plenty on the Dáil record about the Mullingar deputy’s property interests. They were the reason his first stint as a junior minister ended in resignation when he failed to properly declare all of them.
Robert then tried to soothe the miffed Soc Dems with some words of comfort.
“I am here representing the Government and I can assure you that the Minister for Housing is aware of the debate that is ongoing today.”
Acting Soc Dem leader Cian O’Callaghan was not reassured. “Is this what democracy in the Dáil is reduced to? The senior Minister responsible doesn’t turn up but we are meant to be okay with him being aware the debate is taking place?”
He was disgusted.
Wherever the Wexford Pimpernel was, his ears must have been burning.
[ Has Fingal County Council found a solution to our housing crisis?Opens in new window ]
For two weeks in a row now the senior Minister has been missing for housing debates, but this line that he “is aware” the debate is happening is “a new low”.
The Social Democrats were taking this very badly.
“As a new TD, I am truly stunned,” thundered Sinéad Gibney. Only one representative on the Government benches for this debate when all they talk about is not getting solutions from the Opposition and when they offer them – “this is the showing we get”.
Then Sinn Féin got stuck in. They didn’t want to see poor Robert there either.
Eoin Ó Broin, the party’s housing guru, declared he had never seen the like in all his years as a member of the Dáil.
Fair enough, he conceded, James Browne was stuck at a Cabinet meeting last week. But did he have the courtesy, as is the convention, to inform Labour that he would be absent?
He did not.
This week, he presented the Opposition with a further abomination. The junior minister sent in for the debate wasn’t even from the Department of Housing.
Pearse Doherty had a theory about James Browne.
“It now seems that he’s hiding, that he’s scared to actually talk about housing and it’s ridiculous. There is no doubt the public was sold a pup.”
That’s a bit harsh on Robert Troy.
Oh, sorry. “Sold a pup at the last election.”
It’s all very disheartening for a large swathe of the Opposition.
“It’s very disappointing, yet again” sighed Conor Sheehan, Labour’s new TD for Limerick City, to witness another ministerial no-show.
Last week, James Browne “didn’t even have the courtesy” to contact him, as co-sponsor of the motion, or party leader Ivana Bacik, with his regrets.
And now no adequate explanation for the latest absence.
“Perhaps he’s been locked in a box by lobbyists or investors.”
On it went. At this stage, Christopher O’Sullivan, a junior minister in Housing, nipped in beside the beleaguered Troy just in time to hear Boyd-Barrett asking why the Minister “didn’t bother his backside” to turn up for two debates in a row.
But it was Ruth Coppinger of People Before Profit-Solidarity who didn’t hold back when faced with the sight of Troy across the floor at the beginning of the debate.
Not content with not sending the senior Minister, the Government “has the brass neck” to dispatch deputy Troy in his place, she fumed, accusing him of “profiting off the housing misery and housing crisis by selling homes to local authorities and not declaring them”, among other things.
Staring contemptuously across at him, she said the Government should have shown respect to the Social Democrats and not “started the debate with the likes of that”!
Troy said her accusations were factually incorrect and asked her to withdraw them.
Finally, as the debate was drawing to a close, Browne made an appearance.
He said he couldn’t attend the Labour-sponsored debate on Tuesday because he was at Cabinet.
“Where were you this morning,” shot back Hearne.
“I’m here,” replied James. “I’m here. I’m here.”
“You weren’t here for the debate.”
“I’m here. I’m here.”
“You came in at the very end.”
“I’m here.”
The Wexford Pimpernel read out his speech about the Government being absolutely committed to building more homes in Ireland ...
Then Rory Hearne closed the debate.
“I appreciate the Minister coming in for the last 10 minutes,” he said sarcastically. It was “disrespectful” of him to claim he was there for the debate when he only arrived at the very end of it.
What did Rory expect? James had graced them with his presence and that, in itself, was enough.
They seek him here, they seek him there ...
