Bishop Kevin Doran, Bishop of Elphin and Apostolic Administrator of Achonry (Catholic Communications Office archive)
The long-awaited General Election has finally been called, and the candidates have been out campaigning for seats in the 34th Dáil. The exercise of public office is a service to the common good and we are fortunate in Ireland to have so many people who are willing, in spite of the pressures of public life, to put themselves forward as candidates. Democracy is far from perfect, but we do at least have the opportunity to elect a new government every five years.
This is not an easy time for politicians. Their job-security is at risk. Their motives are questioned as well as their policies. It is part and parcel of democracy that political policies are examined, questioned and sometimes rejected, but candidates for public office should be treated with respect and not subjected to verbal abuse.
The common good is the good of each and of all. Good government has to be about the good of the human person. That includes the good of every citizen, of all those who live and work among us and of the wider world community of which we are a part. Policies and manifestoes must be judged primarily on the impact that they have on people. It is with that in mind that I want to offer some thoughts now on some of the questions that I believe must be of particular importance to Catholics as voters.
The Right to Life
The right to life is a fundamental human right and when life is taken away, all other rights are taken along with it. In 2018, the Oireachtas legalised abortion, with the assurance that it would be rare and safe. Over a five-year period, more than thirty thousand babies have been aborted, the vast majority of them under twelve weeks and with no suggestion of any medical reason. Who even asks the mothers what is going on for them, emotionally, physically or economically?
The Dáil recently voted to receive the report of the Oireachtas committee on assisted dying. This vote had no immediate effect, but it does give us some idea of the number of politicians in the last Dáil who would be prepared to consider legalising Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. The majority of TD’s representing the constituencies in our two Dioceses voted against receiving the report but, if this had been about passing legislation, there were enough “yes” votes nationally to legalise assisted suicide and euthanasia, with all the same promises about it being safe and rare.
The availability of Assisted Suicide would further weaken respect for life in our society and put pressure on elderly and the sick people who are already vulnerable. It would also seriously undermine doctors and nurses whose professional commitment is to support life. Election candidates should be questioned on their past voting history on this matter and on their intentions for the future.
Housing
Housing is another fundamental human right and there has been a serious housing crisis in Ireland for many years. It was not caused by Refugees or Asylum Seekers and any attempt to blame them for the situation is unfair. In a market which is dominated by the private sector, subsidies and grants only serve to increase prices, because the same number of people are looking to buy the same number of houses.
Government can no longer leave the provision of housing to developers who are in the market for profit. Public policy needs to focus on the building of far more houses which will be owned and managed by local authorities at rents which are realistic. It needs to be made clear to candidates that the time for promises is over. Families need homes, not hotels and office blocks.
Childcare
There seems to be no shortage of policies about the funding of childcare, which like so many things, is becoming more highly regulated and more expensive. Our economy is designed in such a way that preference is for both parents to work outside the home and for the care of children to be left to third party providers.
All the focus is on providing subsidies for parents whose children attend child-care facilities. Why would we not also consider subsidising parents of young children, at least those under school-going age, who would prefer to stay at home and look after their own children? Surely that would be a positive way for government to recognise the essential contribution that parents make in caring for their own children (cf. Art. 42 of the Irish Constitution). In the final analysis, the primary consideration should be given to what is good for children rather than to what might be good for the economy.
Rural Development and Policing
On my visits to parishes in our two Dioceses, I have become conscious of a growing concern, both among parishioners and among the clergy, at the apparent reduction in the presence of Gardaí on the ground. When it comes to petty crime and anti-social behaviour in our towns and villages, the visibility of An Garda Síochána is an important preventive measure. When phone calls are made, the response often seems to be that there is no car available.
I imagine this must be a source of frustration and concern for the Gardaí themselves. Most of them live in our communities and, if they are not properly resourced, they themselves are also being placed at risk. In a healthy economy such as ours, one must question how public spending is prioritised.
Migrants and Refugees
Diversity has been a feature of our society in recent years and the presence of men, women and children from other cultures has brought a new richness to our culture. Many of those who come to live among us bring gifts that we need and provide essential services in many sectors, including the Church. Others come in search of refuge, just as thousands of Irish people have done in the past in the UK, the United States and Australia. Our aim, as a society, should be to help these people to integrate in our society and, in due course, to make their own contribution.
Placing large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers, many of whom are traumatised by their experience of war, into remote places where there is no prospect of either work or integration, is of no real benefit to them. It clearly causes concern in communities where limited services are put under pressure.
There is no justification for violence or racism against refugees and asylum seekers. Candidates for election need to be reminded of the many promises that have been made about the re-development of publicly owned buildings to provide accommodation which is fit for human habitation, in places where there is public transport and the possibility for people to access work and education.
Prayer
My prayer for all of the candidates is for a safe and respectful election campaign, resulting in a good and stable government, that serves the common good. There will be winners and losers in the polls, but anyone who seeks to serve deserves our appreciation.
ENDS
- Bishop Kevin Doran is Bishop of Elphin and Apostolic Administrator of Achonry
