Important politics seen as an attractive job

IT seems that every new week this year brings a new political drama – whether abroad, or on this island.

Before and after our Taoiseach’s shock decision to step down – which nobody seems to have predicted, at least not this year – were reports of would-be politicians either putting their names forward, or sitting TDs and councillors deciding to opt out at the next election. The exodus from politics is nothing new, but the volume of names coming forward in recent weeks to say ‘thanks, but no thanks’ to the electorate has been sending shockwaves through some parties.

There is no doubt that a combination of factors is behind these decisions – from strains on relationships, to pressure of work, to the perceived lack of ability to change things, to the toxic world of social media.

This week The Southern Star decided to have a sit-down with the three TDs who represented Cork South West a decade ago. In a special long-length read and podcast available to our online subscribers, we revisited how the constituency looked in 2014.

The three men then in situ – Jim Daly and Noel Harrington from Fine Gael and Michael McCarthy from Labour – have all, interestingly, left politics since. And the one thing they all commented on in the podcast was the vast improvement in the quality of lifestyle they have experienced in the intervening years.

While just one of the three opted not to seek re-election, (the other two lost their seats), all three have since found themselves working in regular roles, where set hours mean they can now guarantee time off for big family events like Communions, Confirmations and birthdays.

They all spoke of having to, many times, put politics before family and always being ‘on’ when out and about in their local towns, as people always wanted to talk to them about some issue or other, even during what was meant to be their ‘downtime’ at home at weekends.

All three agreed that being there now more often for family members, and especially young children, was the silver lining in the dark cloud of leaving politics. Not one of them wanted to return to the world of politics, although they all agreed they missed the excitement and drama of their former roles.

It is a lesson that should be well observed by anyone planning to enter politics for the first time.

It certainly appears to be something of a vocation nowadays, such are the time and dedication commitments.

While all three men were seasoned politicians and not easily ‘spooked’ by the demands of the job, they nevertheless all admitted that the 24/7 ‘always on’ element of the role would put a strain on any relationship.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar admitted as much the day after announcing he was stepping down, when he referenced the late night and early morning element of his job. He said he had spent the rest of the previous day in meetings with officials, got back home at 10pm, ate a takeaway, did some prep for a meeting in Brussels the following day and was up again at 6.45am.

‘Matt’s delighted. This life was never really for him,’ he said of his partner Mathew Barrett, outlining in a few short words the gruelling schedules that successful politicians are expected to endure.

Add to that the incredibly vitriolic online abuse that is levelled at them at every turn, and sometimes in the opinion pieces in the national press, and it’s a wonder anybody willingly submits to such a life – for however long they can tolerate it.

Of course, they are fairly handsomely rewarded for their efforts with healthy salaries and pensions. But, then, were it not for the financial reward for the work, it would be hard to envisage anyone offering up several years of their lives for it.

And, monetary remuneration aside, it’s no wonder that the past few weeks have seen a steady stream of both men and women opting out of the race.

Which certainly implies that money alone is most certainly not the main attraction for getting involved in the demanding life. That, in itself, is a reassuring thought and one that solidifies the need to keep the salaries from becoming too attractive, in order to attract the right candidates. But we should also work to ensure that our politicians get a good work/life balance, and that the role can be enjoyed rather than simply endured.

As in any job, a happy politician is a productive politician.