Epistle from Saint Patrick to the people of the Republic of Ireland - October 2018.

national | irish social forum | opinion/analysis Friday October 12, 2018 20:34 by Joe Terry

What, in God’s name, can any President of Ireland achieve in a second term that could have been achieved in a single seven years term?

EPISTLE from Saint Patrick to the people of the Republic of Ireland - October 2018.

What, in God’s name, can any President of Ireland achieve in a second term that could have been achieved in a single seven years term?

Last time around, seven years ago, I favoured M D as being the most deserving candidate from a poor field.

As it turned out, the incumbent office-holder, a perceived socialist, instead of exhausting all alternative options, including refusing and resigning, he signed the “water bill”. An earlier President resigned, on principle, for a matter less deserving than the wishes of the tens of thousands of water tax objectors who protested in the cities and towns across Ireland.

On gaining independence from Britain, my dear people of Ireland, you set about replicating the institutions of a nation running an Empire, Áras an Uachtaráin being an example, the “Irish Buckingham Palace”. Wouldn't you have thought that a prudent ”socialist” President would have initiated the trimming down of the costly aspects of running the presidency instead of living on the ”lap of luxury”, for example, enjoying a three thousand euros sleep-over in a continental hotel?

People of Ireland, my people, you deserve a principled President, an honest President, not one who commits to serve a single seven years term and does not honour that pledge.

There are five candidates contesting this election. Three male TV Gameshow participants are vying for the cushy position. I note some are called stars. Not being a viewer of TV, I never heard of them except for one who unsuccessfully contested the election seven years ago.

Accepting the election is not a beauty contest, who wants a President who's image is the best photo-shopped on expensive posters cable-tied to electricity poles across the country, a person small in stature that looks like a vertically elongated giant, another looking like an advert for facial cosmetics, yet another, showing teeth whiter than white on a toothpaste advertisement; air-brushed images showing no facial age lines?
On this upcoming election, I judge Joan Freeman as being the most deserving candidate, a person who has served and rescued the most vulnerable in society through her Pieta House organization, a person who will lift the spirits of the disadvantaged and who has the ability and resolve to engage in the many duties of State.

Sláinte,
Pádraig
Patron Saint of Ireland