Covid Bonus for Everyone in the Audience is the Worst Type of Auction Politics.

Covid Bonus for Everyone in the Audience is the Worst Type of Auction Politics. – Tóibín

Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín and Meath West TD has castigated the political establishment for falling into the “worst type of auction politics”. He stated;

“The Government is talking about giving a Covid bonus to practically everyone in the public sector. While this sounds lovely there is a shocking cost to this plan. Well over a billion would have to be taken from government expenditure on the housing crisis, the health crisis and the education crisis. Should we not be taking people out of living in cardboard boxes first, should cancer patients not have timely treatment first and should children not be moved out of school prefabs first?

“I agree that front line health workers who were in PPE, who put their health at risk should get a financial bonus. I agree that there we should look at the idea of a bank holiday, but we need to cop on as a country if the bonus is to be given to practically everyone. If you continue with the FF/FG/Green logic should front line retail workers who came out to work day after day in the middle of the worst days not get a bonus. The government is talking about not being divisive but their plan is now creating great division”.

“The idea that we are doing this while the country is careering towards a debt of €281bilion means that political establishment has learned nothing from the Bertie Ahern days. This is auction politics. This is political parties seeking electoral advantage with citizens hard earned taxes. There needs to be some injection of reality, some injection of common sense into this debate now.

The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.