Keep Examiner Clean Let's And Election General Irish The View: Civil

Irish Examiner view: Let's keep the general election clean and civil — The Leah Green Colleagues House On Party Leinster Farrell/rolling Outside Leader Picture: Parliamentary Thursday Plinth Party Roderic News And O'gorman On His

Fri, 08 Nov, 2024 - 01:08

Friday’s formal announcement of an election could be described in several different ways, but it certainly couldn’t be called a surprise. If anything we seem to have been teetering on the edge of a full-blown campaign for weeks at this point, with some participants already in full canvassing mode.

It might be timely, then, to remind all involved that disagreeing with someone on policy is not a licence to dish out abuse, either verbal or physical.

Last Monday, a man pleaded guilty to assaulting Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman as he canvassed in Dublin.

This week, O’Gorman gave an interview to Virgin Media in which he outlined some other shocking experiences.

“Even three weeks ago on a Sunday, myself and Ray [Mr O’Gorman’s husband] were out getting a coffee in Phoenix Park,” said O’Gorman.

“And an older couple — maybe in their early 60s — and the man started shouting: ‘You effing paedo, I’d effing kill you if you weren’t in public’.

“So, in my head, I’ve partially normalised this a little bit because it’s happened so often — it is what I have to do to keep moving.”

There is no doubt that public discourse has coarsened in recent years; this is hardly surprising given the example set by the likes of Donald Trump in America, whose deployment of crudity, racism, and misogyny has found favour with many.

However, abusing those in public life in the manner mentioned above is unacceptable, full stop.

For politicians of all kinds, engagement with voters is an essential part of the job description — candidates who cannot present themselves or their policy positions coherently will not last long (even if the recent European Parliament elections might offer evidence to the contrary).

For many voters, there are plenty of issues which have a serious and ongoing impact on their quality of life — issues which need to be addressed and resolved for the benefit of all. When a candidate knocks at the door, mutual engagement is the path to resolving those issues, not abuse.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

Antisocial behaviour on public transport

On Thursday, Operation Twin Tracks clicked into gear across the country, with members of An Garda Síochána boarding intercity trains, the Dart, and the Luas as part of “high-visibility” patrols aimed at deterring antisocial behaviour on public transport.

The operation took place in partnership with stakeholders Iarnród Éireann, Luas operators Transdev Ireland, and the National Transport Authority (NTA). Outside Dublin, gardaí from several different divisions were involved, including Cork City, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway, and other areas.

This is a welcome move in and of itself, as those using public transport are entitled to do so without fearing for their welfare. The basic reliability of many services is an ongoing issue for users without having to reckon with antisocial behaviour as soon as one boards a bus or train. Providing a safe travelling environment for all is a basic requirement of any transport provider, and there have been high-profile incidents reported in Dublin, Limerick, and Cork, which show the necessity for this week’s police intervention.

That intervention may open other arguments, however, such as the possibility of a dedicated transport policing body.

The presence of gardaí on buses and trains this week during Operation Twin Tracks is bound to act as a visible deterrent, but only for as long as they are visible. The obvious question to ask is how much antisocial behaviour would occur on public transport if gardaí or transport police were present on an ongoing basis?

Another point worth making is that despite the official election announcement only being made today, Friday, we are already in full campaigning mode.

Users of public transport could be forgiven for viewing this week’s operation with a jaundiced eye, seeing it as an election stunt or photo opportunity rather than a long-term commitment to improve safety on public transport.

Then again, ‘election stunt’ is a description we are likely to see used quite a bit over the next three weeks.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

Last breakdance for 'Raygun'

The Summer Olympics in Paris left Irish sports fans with some unforgettable memories.

We heard ‘Amhrán na bhFiann’ ring out as we delighted in the performances of rowers Fintan McCarthy and Paul O’Donovan, swimmer Daniel Wiffen, boxer Kellie Harrington, and gymnast Rhys McClenaghan, among others. When we weren’t glorying in the medal rush, we enjoyed Tom Cruise at the opening ceremony, admired the grace of Leon Marchand in the pool, and were dazzled by Simone Biles. Yet for many the standout memory of the Games was Australian Rachael Gunn, who announced her retirement this week.

Gunn was the breakdancer whose routine became a viral sensation. Breakdancing was a new discipline for the Olympics, but even to the untutored eye, Gunn’s routine, which included an unforgettable kangaroo hop, did not appear to challenge the outer limits of athletic possibility. She was duly eliminated early on.

Widely ridiculed online, Gunn was backed by the Team Australia chef de mission at the Games, and the World DanceSport Federation also offered the support of its safeguarding officer in case she experienced mental health problems due to the attention — a timely reminder of the unwelcome pressures which can arise due to sudden online fame.

Breakdancing is not returning as a sport in the 2028 Olympic Games.

Irish Examiner view: Impact of Donald Trump’s win will be felt globally