THE Government did its bit for populism this week. Figures from the two bigger parties in Government frequently decry the rise of populism, particularly the tenet thereof that infers there are easy solutions to intractable problems.
However, nobody in Fianna Fil or Fine Gael ever acknowledges that populism, as it is currently evolving, is a product of misrule by establishment parties. Another example of that misrule was in evidence this week.
Planning legislation has become highly complexand technical, over recent decades. Holes are repeatedly picked in laws, especially by judges ruling on challenges brought against planning decisions.
This prevailing culture should ensure that new laws are drafted and legislated for with the utmost care. After all, getting it wrong when shaping the law will inevitably lead to greater cost, delays, and quite often the requirement to come back to the Oireachtas to do it all again.
In 2018, then chief justice Frank Clarke touched on this, calling for clearer legislation in planning, particularly in relation to the environment.
There will continue to be projects which, even though they may successfully clear all hurdles at the end of the day, may suffer by being held up for too long.
Never is such sentiment more relevant than in the middle of a housing crisiswhere there is an urgent need to get homes built.
Despite that, Darragh OBrien, the housing minister, couldnt help himself in attempting to ram through planning legislation this week without proper, or even any, scrutiny.
Last Thursday evening, opposition politicians were given details of 48 pages of amendments to be added to a 20-page planning bill going through the Oireachtas.
Two-and-a-half hours have been set aside on Wednesday to debate these amendments along with amendments from the original bill. It will be impossible for proper scrutiny to be applied in the Dil in that kind of timeframe.
If all of the amendments were uncontroversial that might be acceptable, but some deal with access to the courts and how bodies such as An Bord Pleanla can adjust rulings effectively in the middle of a legal challenge.
These issues go to the heart of the EUs Aarhus Convention, which determined that the public has a right to be fully engaged in the planning process.
Moving the goalposts
Solicitor Fred Logue says the proposed amendments in relation to a planning authority being allowed to change its ruling mid-stream in a legal challenge is effectively moving the goalposts.
Under Aarhus, the system has to be fair, equitable, and not prohibitively expensive, he says. Its basically unfair if you spend money on a judicial review and then the goalposts are moved and youre left challenging a fundamentally different decision. And there is no procedure in how this is done.
A spokesperson for the department said that it had been working in conjunction with the Attorney General (AG) on the amendments since last year but it was not possible to finalise the schedule until now.
Sinn Fin housing spokesman Eoin Broin points out that there is no urgency with these amendments and therefore no valid reason to rush them through the Oireachtas.
There is nothing ever simple or technical about changes in planning and they need to be thought through, he says.
Im increasingly getting the impression that the AG is directly planning reform rather than the minister and Im concerned about mission creep beyond his legal advice.
Ultimately, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that the amendments are being rushed through to avoid controversy, negative media coverage, and the requirement to actually explain what is at issue. The result is that the role of the Dil is being completely undermined.
Yesterday, following pressure from various quarters and coverage of the issue in the Irish Examiner, the most contentious measure concerning legal challenges was withdrawn. Questions remain as to why it was proposed in the first place.
Notwithstanding that rethink, dozens of other amendments remain, which will not get the kind of scrutiny that would ensure the resulting law is robust and fair.
The approach being adopted by Government is straight out of the populist playbook they claim to oppose.
Populism offers a direct relationship between the strong leader or party and the people. Democratic institutions can be bypassed, as attempted by right-wing populists such as Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, who undermined the roles of elections and parliament respectively.
The Governments actions this week amount to undermining the Dils function to scrutinise legislation and hold the Government to account in its lawmaking.
Not a one-off tactic
Unfortunately, this tactic is not a one-off. Last week, just two hours were allotted to debate over 100 amendments tabled in relation to the mica compensation scheme.
That scheme involves paying out at least 2.7bn of public money, yet the Government quite obviously calculated that proper scrutiny of the legislation including the finding of any fault would be sacrificed to avoid negative publicity that might attach to a debate.
Instead, it was rammed through as if the Oireachtas had no more function than to watch and envy the executive executing its will.
In mid-June there was more of this kind of thing when the housing minister again published an amendment at the last minute that made provision for political parties to run super-draws.
This was brought in under the cover of an electoral reform bill and, once more, a couple of hours were set aside to debate it and 100 other late amendments.
This is not down to sloppy scheduling. Social Democrats housing spokesman Cian OCallaghan pointed out this week that plenty of time had been given in the planning bill to amendments that were not controversial.
Ramming through the legislation only really applies when something awkward is involved.
Apart from anything else, conducting government business like this engenders cynicism among large sections of public. How can people trust the system if it is being abused in this manner? In whose interests is it being abused?
Cynicism begets the kind of populism now in vogue. If the establishment parties are holding the institutions of democracy in such contempt, how can they simultaneously accuse others of being intent on holding the institutions of democracy in contempt?
Meanwhile, there is the third stool to the governing coalition. The Green Party is in situ to pursue policies concerned with tackling climate change, an honourable and urgent pursuit.
However, the apparent failure to intervene when a Fianna Fil minister is rushing through legislation on planning is worrying. If this is a price for coalescing, perhaps they should check again what kind of bang theyre getting for their buck.
Go here to see the original:
- Scholz warns of the rise of right-wing populists ahead of EU elections - Euronews - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- An ex-GOP congressman blasts the 'populist wave' that he says has corroded conservatism: 'Now we're impeaching ... - Yahoo Canada - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Thinking About A Truly Populist Party - Above the Law - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- The Polish response to the WCK incident exposes the dangers of populism - Ynetnews - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Greatest threat facing EU is populism, Mitsotakis tells ND faithful - Kathimerini English Edition - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Polish pro-EU wing wants local vote to end 'age of populism' - EURACTIV - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- US election: how populists encourage blind mistrust and how to push back - The Conversation - December 19th, 2023 [December 19th, 2023]
- Lessons from the Netherlands on the rise of the populist radical right - UK in a Changing Europe - December 19th, 2023 [December 19th, 2023]
- Opinion | From Jacobites to Populists - The New York Times - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- Why Right Wing Populism Is Unable To Address the Climate Crisis - Impakter - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- In our debased world, a new, benign Manhattan Project is ... - The New European - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- Populism has given the elites more power than ever - Financial Times - July 19th, 2023 [July 19th, 2023]
- Starmer should beware a Left-wing insurgency - UnHerd - July 19th, 2023 [July 19th, 2023]
- The French Far-Right Tsunami Is Coming - The Media Line - July 19th, 2023 [July 19th, 2023]
- Can Spain hold back the right? - The New European - July 19th, 2023 [July 19th, 2023]
- Populism, authoritarianism and agrarian struggles - Transnational Institute - July 19th, 2023 [July 19th, 2023]
- Mainstream Conservatives Are On The Run in Europe, Too - POLITICO - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Opinion: The Perils Of Populism - Hingham Anchor - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- In the global struggle with populism, elections are a salve - Frederick News Post - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Column: The push me-pull you of political populism - Omaha World-Herald - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Why the World Is on the Brink of Great Disorder - TIME - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Europe's liberals should take a page or two out of the populist movement's book - Euronews - June 2nd, 2023 [June 2nd, 2023]
- Smith, Trump and the Paranoid Populist Assault on Democracy - TheTyee.ca - June 2nd, 2023 [June 2nd, 2023]
- Other GOP candidates still pave the way for Trump's vile populism - National Catholic Reporter - June 2nd, 2023 [June 2nd, 2023]
- Terrorism and voting: The rise of right-wing populism in Germany - CEPR - May 31st, 2023 [May 31st, 2023]
- From Donald Trump to Danielle Smith: 4 ways populists are ... - The Conversation - May 31st, 2023 [May 31st, 2023]
- Pluralism vs. Ultra-Nationalism: The Real Cleavage Behind Turkey's ... - E-International Relations - May 31st, 2023 [May 31st, 2023]
- The Erdogan era lives on, as does the power of populism - asianews.network - May 31st, 2023 [May 31st, 2023]
- Democratic backsliding in Mexico: Lessons for opponents of ... - Wilson Center - May 31st, 2023 [May 31st, 2023]
- Can Ron DeSantis Out-Populist Donald Trump to Win the GOP ... - Boston University - May 31st, 2023 [May 31st, 2023]
- Danger of populism - Daily Pioneer - May 31st, 2023 [May 31st, 2023]
- Algeria: A populist leader challenging our notions of what is possible in the Middle East - Middle East Monitor - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- How Imran Khan's populism has divided Pakistan and put it on a knife's edge - The Conversation - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Slovakia to Get 'Expert' Government But Return to Populism Looms - Balkan Insight - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Portuguese president: empowering youth will be the death of populism - EURACTIV - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- LETTER TO THE EDITOR: The anti-intellectualism of conservative ... - Winnipeg Free Press - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- The populism of Matthew Goodwinand its many problems - Prospect Magazine - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- The Business Nightmare of Dealing with Government - The New York Times - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Ciarn Fitzgerald: Focus on food prices is mere populism - Agriland - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Populism in the United States - Wikipedia - February 26th, 2023 [February 26th, 2023]
- What is Populism? | Political Science - Stanford University - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- Why Populism Is Rising And How To Combat It - Forbes - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- Mexicos Dying Democracy: AMLO and the Toll of Authoritarian Populism - December 28th, 2022 [December 28th, 2022]
- Trump, Brexit, and the Rise of Populism: Economic Have-Nots and ... - December 26th, 2022 [December 26th, 2022]
- Pope lunches with poor, denounces sirens of populism - December 21st, 2022 [December 21st, 2022]
- 3 steps forward, but 2.5 back for populism - bangkokpost.com - November 25th, 2022 [November 25th, 2022]
- Pence warns of 'unprincipled populism,' 'Putin apologists' - Fox 34 - October 21st, 2022 [October 21st, 2022]
- London lesson: The 44-day govt in Britain is a reminder to our politicians to give up fiscal populism - Times of India - October 21st, 2022 [October 21st, 2022]
- Left-wing populism - Wikipedia - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Populism on the rise in Canada as unelectable Pierre Poilievre sweeps ... - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- The Left Is Demonizing PopulistsFor Pushing What the Left Once ... - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- DAILY | Poilievre vs. Media Party; Trudeau on populism, disinfo; Mayor ... - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Globalization is fueling the populism surging across the Western world - The Hill - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Smith rides high on populist wave Winnipeg Free Press - Winnipeg Free Press - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- J. D. Vance and the Collapse of Dignity - The Atlantic - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- 7 non-fiction book releases to add to your TBR - The Daily Vox - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Ian Bremmer: How crises opened the way for some positive change in Europe - New Zealand Herald - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- From OPRF to Poland with a focus on Ukraine - Wednesday Journal - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Florida's DeSantis takes conservative populism to the Rust Belt - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Journalism and the Threat of Neo-Populism - Geopoliticalmonitor.com - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- History As It Happens: The 'fake' populists - Washington Times - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- European populist parties vote share on the rise, especially on right - Pew Research Center - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- DYER: Progress and decline of populism Red Deer Advocate - Red Deer Advocate - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- The Populist Pugilist Vying to Replace Conor Lamb - The American Prospect - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Understanding Europes shift to the right - POLITICO Europe - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Trump still "king" and "kingmaker" to some in Pennsylvania - CBS News - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Investigation reveals Poilievre, populist and pro-natural gas groups spread fertilizer disinformation to whip up outrage against Trudeau - Canada's... - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Citizens or consumers | The Times - The Wellington Times - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- The Challenges of Epistemic Communities in Shaping Policy in the Age of Post-Truth - E-International Relations - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- The EU, not Meloni, is the threat to democracy - Arab News - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Bulgaria's elections could threaten NATO and EU unity on Ukraine - Washington Examiner - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- I'm not optimistic about the future of the global economy and I don't expect the next 10 years to be particularly good - CTech - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Brazil's election: The rise and impact of populism - University of Michigan News - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Opinion | Right-Wing Populism May Rise in the U.S. - The Wall Street Journal - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Survey: Right-wing populism ex pat Estonians' main negative image of home - ERR News - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Jair Bolsonaro's Hard-Right Populism Is Horrifying. But He Didn't Come From Nowhere. - Jacobin magazine - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- The Wild Ones - by Nick Catoggio - The Dispatch - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Political scientists to study populist rhetoric as a threat to democracy - The Source - Washington University in St. Louis - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]
- Italy's opposition blame disunity and populism for defeat - Reuters - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]
- Utopian Nostalgia and the Radical Right - The Dispatch - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]