A Lot Done More To Do

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bintruckjulienm

Fade Street, Dublin on Saturday afternoon (top) and Julien Mercille (above)

Women want to be with him.

Men want to marry him.

It’s Monday.

It’s 9.45am

It’s Mercille on Monday at 9.45am.

Dr Mercille writes:

By voting Yes in the marriage referendum, Irish people have taken a giant step in altering popular consciousness. The activism that has taken place over years and culminated in Friday’s vote has made Ireland a more civilised country. The referendum also marked the further erosion of Church control over society, which can only make Ireland saner.

The issue of marriage equality attracted massive media attention. I haven’t done a systematic analysis, but it seems that coverage was roughly equal, so that in the press, a Yes article was usually juxtaposed to a No article.

One could say that this is an example of good, objective media performance. But we need to be careful with that tired notion of ‘balance’ in the media. It’s often a cover for driving conservative agendas.

The issue of marriage equality was a no-brainer. What would we say if we had another referendum on, say, taking away women’s right to vote? Would we want a ‘balanced media’ giving all sorts of arguments claiming that women shouldn’t have a right to vote? That would be odd, and we would recognize at once the conservative nature of the media on that issue. It’s a bit what happened in this referendum, where countless groundless arguments on the No side were given ample space in the media.

In any case, the vote has gone through and it might be more important to look ahead than backwards. Democracy is a full time job, and much remains to be accomplished.

For progressives, it will be important to reject the establishment parties’ attempt at propping up their electoral fortunes through the referendum.

Stephen Collins, the conservative political editor of the Irish Times, wrote an important article on this issue this weekend. He said that the political parties will now try to claim credit for the successful outcome of the referendum. They want to boost their popular support as the general election approaches.

Fine Gael, ironically, could benefit even if it was initially reluctant to hold the referendum: ‘By adopting a cause that is clearly so popular with younger voters Enda Kenny has positioned Fine Gael to add a progressive social image to the Government’, even though it is in fact right-wing and conservative.

For the Labour Party, even two extra percentage points in support ‘could make a vital difference to its electoral prospects in less than a year’s time’.

Fianna Fail, on its part, by ‘taking the progressive and popular side’ has given itself ‘a chance of persuading younger voters to back the party in the election’.

But we need to remember that the main parties are the ones who put the country into such a deep mess. There is a long list of problems, including health care, housing, unemployment and deprivation, which still affects 31% of the population, up from 12% in 2007.

This week provided two other concrete examples of issues to address.

First, believe it or not, Dunnes Stores management struck again. Out of the blue, it announced the ‘immediate closure’ of its Gorey Store in Co. Wexford, putting 100 workers out of work. The workers have no idea what will happen to them.

According to the union Mandate, Dunnes’ behavior is ‘despicable and grossly irresponsible’. The reason for the sudden closure appears to be a petty dispute over a side entrance. Last November, Dunnes Stores opened a door leading directly onto the car park so that customers could bypass the smaller shops on the mall. Dunnes was asked to close that door but refused to do so.

To force Dunnes to close the door, a court injunction was granted a few days ago. Following the court’s decision, Dunnes Stores decided to close the store. Mandate says Dunnes is using the workers as a protest against the court’s decision, effectively using their workers as pawns in the dispute.

Second, we’ve heard a lot about ‘the children’ in the referendum. Actually, Irish children are not doing so well, according to a new report compiled for the United Nations by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office. It shows that the economic crisis and austerity have had serious consequences for thousands of children.

The Irish Times summarized it thus: ‘The Government is tolerating ‘unacceptable’ levels of child poverty, standing over discrimination in schools and failing to protect children from violence, homelessness and bullying’.

A few illustrations:

– 138,000 children are living in poverty, i.e., an increase from 6.8% of children in 2008 to 11.7% in 2013. The government’s target is to lift 70,000 of them out of poverty by 2020, but that will still leave 37,000 in poverty, which is ‘unacceptably high’ and means that the government is willing to accept a higher rate of poverty among children than among the general population.

– 1,054 children in 471 families are homeless.

1,400 children are now spending the formative years of their lives in direct provision.

– Over one-third of young people who need mental health care are accommodated in adult facilities.

– Lack of public spending and investment have contributed to ‘protracted delays’ in dealing with children’s issues and impeded their access to ‘vital health services and education supports’.

Not a great record, to say the least.

In short, Ireland has just taken an important step toward a more progressive society — and now is the time to push further ahead.

@JulienMercille is lecturer at UCD and the author of The Political Economy and Media Coverage of the European Economic Crisis: The Case of Ireland (2015, Routledge). His new book, Europe’s Treasure Ireland (Palgrave), will be out in July 2015.

Top pic: Dongle

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38 thoughts on “A Lot Done More To Do

  1. Jonotti

    Now is the time to start the battle for abortion on demand. The Catholic Church is in bits, let’s finish its influence off.

    1. Medium Sized C

      That phrase makes it sound like a T.V. service.
      I suspect that’s by design, being that it really is pro-life phraseology.

      Either way, its a horrible way to advocate for the pro-choice agenda.

      1. Jonotti

        I’m pro-choice. I’ve no problem, however, with calling a spade a spade. Ok, I’ll rephrase it, we need pro-choice in all circumstances. For whatever reason. It’s a woman’s decision. No limits to that decision.

        1. rotide

          That doesn’t make it any better.

          Saying it’s a woman’s decision doesn’t mean there should be no limits. Of course there needs to be limits.

        2. greypalm

          I agree with Jonotti. No limits. Abortion on demand should be available for any woman who might need it.

  2. fuppadoodledoo

    “The referendum also marked the further erosion of Church control over society, which can only make Ireland saner”.
    Wow , Oh my Gawd, like you are just so deep Julien. Marry me please. Your looks , my brains, think of the kids…

  3. Owen C

    Its Monday, so McDreamy from UCD must be complaining about something.

    Merceille: “The activism that has taken place over years and culminated in Friday’s vote has made Ireland a more civilised country. The referendum also marked the further erosion of Church control over society, which can only make Ireland saner.”

    This is a deeply insulting comment about Irish society. Were we uncivilised and insane up until Friday? We may not have been perfect, but few societies are. Just because Merceille didn’t like certain aspects of our society doesn’t give him the right to lambast it. Preaching for tolerance via fairly obvious intolerance.

    Merceille: “But we need to be careful with that tired notion of ‘balance’ in the media. It’s often a cover for driving conservative agendas.”

    Remember, conservative agendas are automatically bad and perhaps shouldn’t be given the same balanced analysis that liberal agendas should. The stench of intolerance here is overwhelming.

    1. Peadar

      “You say you’re tolerant, but then intolerantly hold an opinion that’s different to my own. Hypocrite!”

      This argument always cracks me up!

      1. Owen C

        He doesn’t just hold a different opinion. He doesn’t want other peoples opinions to be given as much weight or balance or coverage as his own.

    2. Medium Sized C

      DAMN FILTHY FOREIGNER WITH HIS FANCY WORDS.
      YOU COME OVER HERE YOU CALL IRELAND A DARK AGED THIRD WORLD KIP LIKE A PROPER IRISH PERSON.

      1. wonder boy in monster land

        Julien is Mulder, Sinead O’Carroll is Scully, and a lot of the comment section people on here are Smoking Man.

    3. Nigel

      ‘Just because Merceille didn’t like certain aspects of our society doesn’t give him the right to lambast it.’

      No, he has that right anyway

      ‘Preaching for tolerance via fairly obvious intolerance.’

      Can’t preach for tolerance because it means intolerating the intolerable.

  4. Joxer

    Owen – ref your first question: He never said we were uncivilised before the referendum. He states that we are MORE civilized now.

    Conservative agendas usually are bad to Mercilles way of thinking and no dount all of Mercilles agenda items are equally reprehensible to Conservatives. Would you be of the opinion that Mercilles agenda is automatically bad?

    on the point of balance i think he makes a valid point – Balance is a load of me Bollox – truth is whats needed

      1. ReproBertie

        “You’re going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.” – Obi Wan Kenobi.

  5. Mr. T.

    Ah yes all the little baby MBA inequality loving young Fine Gaelers ready at their keyboards.

    Fine Gael thinks the marriage referendum will distract people from their deliberate and sustained campaign of inequality in the wider socioeconomic sphere. They hate people like Mercille who really just point out the obvious but take the time to do it an academic format.

    Fine Gael want a country of haves and have-nots. They want a small number of wealthy people who make money by exploiting the desperation of those who are deliberately excluded from the same paths to opportunity as the little brats who adore money and power over society and inclusion.

    Fine Gael are destroying the fabric of society for profit. It’s unsustainable but the wealthy can always move away if it kicks off.

    1. MissMercille

      “Mercille who really just point out the obvious but take the time to do it an academic format.”

      Really Mr T, you think the above piece of dross is befitting of the term “academic format”?

      1. bisted

        …that Mercille has a perspective that may not be to everyones taste is true but you cannot question his credentials or application of a thorough empirical method.

  6. declan

    He seems to have completely missed out that balance in the media over referendums is a legal requirement and thanks to everyones willingness to rush to the courts.

    Also not allowing an opposing view is sort of fascist/communist and yes elitest because Julien knows best

    I will admit he won on the genes lottery though (thats inherited privilege)

    1. bisted

      …it is absolutely not a legal requirement to require balance in sections of the media not publically funded…I’m quite sure the McKenna judgement doesn’t carry much weight with Alive or the Irish Catholic editorials.

  7. Donal

    Yeah these rants are getting old – its the same crap every week

    “For progressives, it will be important to reject the establishment parties’ attempt at propping up their electoral fortunes through the referendum.”

    Why should progressives automatically work outside the political party system?

  8. rotide

    This himbo is actually arguing AGAINST balance in the media?

    RTE went a long way over the top with their balance measures but I’m glad they attempted it and long may it continue. Jules can move to the US and enjoy all Fox news has to offer if balance isn’t his thing.

    Saw him on vincent brown, literally had nothing to say for himself

  9. fmong

    The huge turnout on Friday is a double edged sword for FG. They needed the youth vote to get on board, register for a ballot card and fly home to vote… but this is the youth vote that’s going to vote strongly against them in a General Election, so they need them all to fly off to London or just go back to sleep again now.

    The oposition parties knew this and this is why there was so little support, beyond Dublin, for a Yes vote from FF and even Labour.

    1. Roger

      FG have ruined this country. Unemployment is now below 10% and we have the fastest growing economy in the EU. Shame on them.

    2. ReproBertie

      The youth vote won’t vote against FG in the general election becasue they won’t vote.

      This was a social issue, not a polticial one. Politics doesn’t interest the youth vote but social issues do.

      1. fmong

        I don’t know, I’d say this campaign politicized a lot of people who’d never engaged with ‘the system’ before, especially seeing as it was pretty much a landslide… who knows, ReproBertie, who knows?

          1. fmong

            slap downs by ReproBertie and Rotide, the BS comment section heavy weights, consider me suitably chastised…

          2. ReproBertie

            Heavyweight? There goes the diet!

            It wasn’t a slap down, just an observation. There was a comment on the latest Irish Times Inside Politics podcast about how many TDs outside Dublin didn’t bother campaigning because they knew the people who would be voting in the next election would have been less inclined to support the referendum and so the TDs preferred to keep it at arms length.

            It’s a pity that the youth vote doesn’t turn up as they could throw the main stream parties into disarray if they did. WHile the youth vote can effect big change like this the main stream parties are slow to respond to changes in society because those driving the changes are apathetic about the FF/FG/Lab seat shuffling.

          3. rotide

            I’d say you’re opinion has more weight, not less if I’m seen to disagree with it!

  10. Sinabhfuil

    First thing to open this society out is for the councils to start building decent housing. (Ballymun was ok – except that it didn’t have the necessities for a good social life: working lifts, playgrounds, good shops, work. Were these ever planned for, or was the plan for facilities abandoned once the flats had been built?)
    If there’s a choice of housing, rents will come down, which will stabilise wages and make it easier to provide work. When there’s enough work, there won’t be the anti-immigrant pressure that shamefully keeps families and individuals in direct provision.

  11. eamonn moran

    “The issue of marriage equality was a no-brainer. What would we say if we had another referendum on, say, taking away women’s right to vote? Would we want a ‘balanced media’ giving all sorts of arguments claiming that women shouldn’t have a right to vote?”
    That’s a bloody awful analogy. How about using an example that is even remotely plausable? If anything the burden of proof should be on those wanting to change the constitution. Julien wants the burden to be on the side who oppose his view point regardless of what side that is.
    I completely agree with Declan above. Media balance on the radio and TV are a great thing and if your side of the argument is “a no brainer ” you have nothing to worry about. Those who speak against your “no brainer” will only expose the stupidity of their position. The alternative is a situation where money and power can be used to assuage the public and implement policy change that is against the interests of the general public and in favour of money and power, Fox news being the personification.
    I like that we live in a country where not even the great Julien Mercile gets to decide what is and is not a “no brainer” in terms of constitutional change. Only a referendum of the people can. That’s Democracy. Some progressives who are on a role think that we should just do away with the impositions and restrictions democracy place on their growing feathers. I heard many calls by people on the yes side decrying the unfairness of having to ask for “a right” . They are falling into a trap that would come back and bite them. They seek to tear down reasonable democracy in the cause of expediency. The only way to prove if something is a “no brainer” is to win a vote held on a level playing field. Julien would correctly be the first to object to the shrinking of his opponents goal posts if the shoe was on the other foot.

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