It was a relief to hear Leo Varadkar, the new Irish Minister
for Health, when he broke with tradition in August by telling his listeners in interviews that the policies of his predecessor and fellow cabinet
member, James Reilly, are not deliverable in the time frame that had been proposed and need to be reviewed. He openly acknowledged he had come to this
view in light of the briefing documents he received.
Catching up with last weekends’ Financial Times Life &
Arts supplement last night, his remarks are additionally interesting. ‘Boring snoring?’
is an article considering the death of political interviews and the need for
their restoration to life. Ian Katz, of BBC’s Newsnight, the author, offers
four ‘modest ideas’ as to how the deadlock he sees politicians and their interviewers caught in might be broken - to the benefit not only of both but of their
listeners.
It is a more serious matter than simply the question of what
makes good radio and television. Politics itself is coming into disrepute.
Turning off – whether by zoning out, flipping channels or moving to Netflix – has
the subliminal effect of suggesting politics itself is irrelevant. When we
remind ourselves that ultimately politics is what we depend upon to find
solutions to problems that otherwise are solved by warfare, Ian Katz’s article
and Leo Vardakar’s fresh approach are to welcomed.
Far from being attacked for what could be seen as Government
failure, Varadkar’s remarks were positively received and led to questions that
have been met with a rare, degree of openness. This has led to constructive discussion
on the challenges of delivering health services, both across the globe and
here, in the economic context of emerging from a bail out.
Katz says, ‘So, here’s a challenge to politicians: if you
will dare to be a little more candid, to come to the crease a little less
padded up, to answer questions rather than avoid them, we will give you the
space to explain your politics and yourself, to show the public that you are a
well-intentioned and rounded human being, to earn that most precious of political
commodities, authenticity.’
Enda Kenny, the Government, and the media here in Ireland,
ought to be very careful about how they respond to Leo Varadkar’s candour. He
has won the rare respect, in current times, of the audience for political
interviews. He may be showing the way forward. It is, at very least, an
experiment to be encouraged.
