More Energy - Less Diplomacy?

national | miscellaneous | opinion/analysis Saturday October 02, 2004 12:06 by Sean Crudden sean.crudden at iol dot ie Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth. 087 9739945

Some Effects of the Reshuffle.

A look at possible new emphases (for better or for worse) in public policy in a few key areas.

Dermot Ahern, when he was in charge of the relevant department (Communications, Marine and Natural Resources), never seemed to grasp the essentials and fundamentals of the "energy" question for which his department was responsible. Judging from a phrase or two that I glimpsed on radio the other day the new minister, Noel Dempsey, seems to be more inclined to get this issue into better focus and nearer to the centre of the stage. Dempsey may get it wrong (he may get it right?) - but one thing about him is that he is less inclined to duck. Anyway this is an issue which has been tossed about by Cooley Environmental and Health Group since our winter workshop on "Energy" took place in January 2002 and I can only say that I feel more reassured now that the question which is part of a geo-environmental conundrum will begin to be addressed intelligently in this small country of ours.

Judging by a letter headed "Rather not learn Spin from ‘Army’" which appeared in The Argus a few weeks ago Mr Ahern seems to know more about slagging than he does about diplomacy and, incidentally, seems to convey more concern for spin than for substance.

I think that the energy and organisation of Sinn Fein is a useful addition to the political scene both locally and nationally and although, as a Progressive Democrat, I would not hesitate to trip them up on political issues, I welcome the politicisation of the armed struggle and I look forward to a satisfactory completion of the peace process. Let’s hope that animosities will be kept to a minimum and that The Department of Foreign Affairs will not be used to give a sour taste to the final stages of the peace process nor to put Sinn Fein at an unfair disadvantage politically.

Mary Harney Minister for Health - what can I say? Really I think it’s "Chicago or bust." Mary Harney’s capacity will be taxed to the limit but I think she will do it and I wish her well.

Yes. It seems to me that the reshuffle was a clever rearrangement of available "resources."