Dialann Sraid Chill Dara
Kildare Street Diary
Kildare Street will be a weekly insider's guide to Leinster
House. Micheal MacDonncha will report on the work of Sinn Fein TD
Caoimhghin O Caolain as well as the wider political goings-on in
the corridors of power.
BY MICHEAL MacDONNCHA
It is a strange feeling to be the first Sinn Fein activist to
work in Leinster House. The historical echoes are very loud. In
the entrance hall are two huge portraits - on the right is Cathal
Brugha in IRA uniform and on the right is Michael Collins in Free
State uniform. Both were killed in the Civil War 75 years ago.
Whatever we may think of Michael Collins there is little evidence
that the high idealism which motivated both him and Cathal Brugha
is present in many of the current occupants of the House. In
particular there seems to be little sense of the momentous phase
of the peace process which we are experiencing at present.
When the House returned on 10 September to discuss the McCracken
Tribunal Report there was a brief debate on the ratification of
the Agreement with the British government to establish an
International Commission on Decommissioning. As soon as this item
of business was reached the chamber emptied, with only a handful
of deputies bothering to stay on. Yet this was the first
opportunity Leinster House had to discuss the peace process since
the IRA cessation of 20 July and the entry of Sinn Fein into
talks on 9 September. We often castigate Westminster MPs for the
rows of empty benches when Ireland is discussed but this time it
was closer to home.
No sooner had the newly elected TD finished canvassing nearly
every house in Cavan and Monaghan when the roles were reversed.
We were inundated with canvassers from other parties, and from
independents, looking for our votes in the Senate election.
Caoimhghin had a vote as a TD, along with the other Sinn Fein
county and city councillors.
You would be amazed at the people who came looking for support.
In fact the very first visitor to our office here in Kildare
House was a former TD from a party which would be regarded as
Sinn Fein's most bitter opponents. Such is politics.
Of course the Senate itself is an undemocratic body, a strange
combination of waiting room and retirement home. Aspiring TDs
wait there for their next chance to get into where the real pull
is; superannuated ex-TDs are glad of the platform to air their
views. The system of election, much like the nomination system
for the Presidency, is controlled totally by the the big parties
- Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour. The body was conceived by de
Valera supposedly to represent different sectors of society. What
it represents is the power play within and between the dominat
parties, with some very limited scope for independents. The whole
set-up should be abolished and if there is to be a second chamber
it should be truly representative and elected by universal
suffrage.
Leinster House returns after the long summer holiday next week on
30 September. The scene will be dominated by the politics
surrounding the presidential election. Mary Robinson rescued the
presidency from stagnation, but now that she has made her career
move to the UN, we are left with a legacy of hype which totally
exagerrates the the importance of the office. It is getting so
bad that this writer is nostalgic for old Paddy Hillery who
played golf and didn't bother us much, as befits the occupant of
an office which is almost wholly symbolic.
While the contending parties continue to use the presidential
election to score points, we will be getting down to the business
of marking our mark as the first Sinn Fein team in this place.
Interesting times ahead.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)