‘Upstart’ ministers have fallen into line as was to be expected

YES, MINISTER – that ingenious British political sitcom – demonstrated with ruthless precision how fresh and bushy-tailed politicians, newly landed into positions of power, appear to be captured by the very ‘system’ they’re now supposed to manage.

Any upstart minister who demonstrated the slightest hint of independent thinking is treated to the classic kiss-me-a**e noncompliment by his civil servant adviser: ‘That’s a very brave decision minister.’ After that resistance is futile.

New members of the Cabinet, Stephen Donnelly and Roderic O’Gorman are each embroiled in major rows on different issues, but for the same reason. They’re not listening.

Mr Donnelly is pressing ahead with a CervicalCheck Tribunal despite objections from the women caught up in that awful scandal that emerged in 2018. Campaigner Vicky Phelan says women are worried about the adversarial nature of the Tribunal and, quite reasonably, she also wants women who receive awards to be able to return should their cancer recur – as with the Hep-C Tribunal.

She also wants reassurance that time limits for women to take negligence claims will not be used against them. Witheringly, she condemns Mr Donnelly for listening to their concerns at a meeting where they were encouraged to believe there would be further consultation and then announcing the Tribunal was to proceed as planned – their objections rejected.

She felt ‘anything but heard’. Mr O’Gorman is another newbie in a complete mess on account of his proposed law dealing with records generated by the Mother and Baby Homes Commission. That Commission delved into our shameful history of torturing and abusing women and children who fell into the cruel maw of pretend care homes.

Mr O’Gorman has fast-forwarded this legislation, which will see records sealed for 30 years, including State records that may have otherwise been available outside of the Commission hearings. There has been no explanation for denying people who gave evidence to the Tribunal access to even their own transcripts or personal and family records.

Ministers Donnelly and O’Gorman need to reset. These are very deep, raw and emotional issues of justice and human rights.