Well done, Leo... but now the work begins

THERE can be no greater aspiration for any parent than that their children should have the opportunity to achieve anything, but as Leo Varadkar himself said yesterday, his election as Fine Gael leader – and thus taoiseach – demonstrates that in this country, it holds true.

Certainly, background and personal orientation are no barrier to the highest office in the land – and this is something of which we should all be justifiably proud.

Mr Varadkar has achieved this position not because of his family ties or longstanding political connections, but through sheer hard work and the force of his arguments. He deserves every credit, and we wish him well in the great office to which he now seems certain to ascend.

His parents also deserve enormous praise for instilling in him such a commitment to the values of honesty, plain speaking and diligence.

But while the celebrations may well continue for a while, the fact remains that there is a great deal of work to be done – and it must start immediately.

For more than a year, our Government has appeared paralysed, partly by uncertainty over the leadership, and partly by its unpreparedness to take decisive action where required.

Top of the list for most people is the housing crisis. For all the statistics with which we are deluged, the situation has worsened rather than improving.

Record numbers are sleeping rough, rents are still soaring, young people cannot afford starter homes, and supply is still appallingly inadequate.

Only yesterday the chief executive of Nama revealed that just 3,000 homes had been built on lands which should have seen 50,000 new properties constructed.

People don’t want to hear any more about budget allocations, the difficulties of planning or new transitional hubs; they want to see homes being built – now.

Through Nama, the State controls vast landbanks on which the required housing could be built; the public simply want the people who run the country to make it happen.

At the same time, the whole country knows that we have a police force that is utterly dysfunctional at senior levels, headed by a Garda Commissioner who has lost the trust of the public and, indeed, most politicians.

Our new taoiseach should replace her – but also scrap the ludicrous ban on foreign candidates taking up senior roles in An Garda Síochána. We need a new force headed by a new executive regime of experienced outsiders who are untainted by the scandals of the past.

Meanwhile, of course, the challenge of Brexit looms large. There remains a powerful argument for a dedicated minister to coordinate our response on both the international and domestic stages.

The election of Leo Varadkar is indeed a defining moment in the history of this State. The message of inclusiveness, of openness, and of opportunity that it sends is one we should all celebrate.

However, what matters now is not what has happened, but what Mr Varadkar chooses to do in the 18 months he is likely to serve as taoiseach before facing the electorate again.