On Thursday 27th October, the people of Ireland go to the polls for 3 separate votes. The most obvious ballot, that to elect the state’s ninth president, is arguably the LEAST significant vote of the day.
Seven candidates, none of whom are particularly appealing, each vying for a 7 year term, an annual salary of €300,000 approx. and a grand residence provided for by tax payers funds. I, for one, am deciding for which candidate to vote through a process of elimination, last man or woman standing gets my tick. I’m now down to a choice of 3. It has become a political X-Factor & the eventual winner probably has as much relevance as that of the ITV ‘talent’ show.
The other two votes that day are of far more importance, although have received significantly less coverage in any medium and certainly no public debate. Why the secrecy? Where are the dissenting voices? Why are we being kept in the dark? One thing the electorate should have learned from the previous regime is to question all things related to the government. Perhaps this is 10-15 years too late, but we should not vote and acquiesce just because the government of the day says so. It’s not always with the long term, or even short term, good of the nation that our government act.
One referendum to be voted on “proposes to give the Houses of the Oireachtas (the Dáil and Seanad) express power to conduct inquiries into matters of general public importance and, in doing so, to make findings of fact about any person’s conduct” As was the case in the Abbeylara inquiry, currently the Oireachtas does not have the power to compel witnesses to give evidence or produce documents. Nor in my opinion, should we grant it to them. If we vote for the amendment, no future government is likely to relinquish the power. It is granting powers to the Oireachtas that should remain as the sole preserve of the judiciary.
The other referendum is that on judges’ pay. A populist vote in the current climate, and one which the government does not expect to lose. On the surface, reducing the pay of judges while everyone else is suffering from economic hardship sounds like a good idea. But remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Judges remuneration is constitutionally protected for a good reason. The last thing a democratic society needs is a judiciary that is constantly looking over its shoulder hoping its latest ruling pleases their paymasters, i.e. the government of the day. Do not listen to the disinformation out there. Reductions in judges’ pay is possible, although voluntary. Only 6 judges have not voluntarily had a reduction in their remuneration. Is it worth diluting the independence of the judiciary just to cut the pay of 6 judges?
Think before you vote. Not only are we granting judicial powers to politicians, we are potentially reducing the independence of the judiciary by making them answerable to the government of the day for their salaries. That is why I’m voting NO on both amendments on Thursday.
