This leader inspired only apathy in Bebo generation
Wednesday May 07 2008
I REACHED the grand old age of 22 last week. For half my life, the leader of this country has been Bertie Ahern. For others of the Facebook and Bebo generations, Ahern is the first leader of this country they have encountered.
So how will he be remembered by the "youth of today"?
Well, in my view, Ahern just inspired apathy. Sure, he was doing a good job running the country. There weren't any particularly contentious issues -- college fees weren't going to be reintroduced, the drinking age wasn't going to be put up to 21, condoms were legalised and, as far as the "youth of today" are concerned, abortion and same-sex marriage are on the way . . . so why worry?
Instead, Ahern gave us Dail na nOg -- an expensive photocall and the Government's attempt to show the under-18s that they're listening.
Result -- several million euro later, there's a few playgrounds around the country. He gave us the Ombudsman for Children, an office which can't look into matters in schools. He's allowed the registration fee at colleges to continually rise and the real funding for Irish universities to fall.
As far as young people are concerned, Ahern stayed away from us.
So he wasn't exactly the revolutionary; he was a lover, not a fighter. He wore make-up and liked hanging-baskets. He was a "socialist", a soccer supporter and he kept a pair of Nikes in his office, just so he could watch some Champions League game on a late night. All very endearing, but is it really statesman-like?
To me, he was a figurehead -- he was a celebrity, rather than a statesman. In fact, he was so much of a celeb that his brand stretched to his entire family. It's all a bit of a joke really.
And at the end of the day, lest we all forget, Ahern has perhaps made young people more cynical than ever. Charlie Haughey was a crook and Ahern has resigned with a cloud over his finances. This doesn't exactly reinstate my faith in public officials.
As for Brian Cowen, the man who will replace him? Well, he's bullish and dogmatic, characteristics of a leader, but to the more substantive points, Cowen certainly can't do a worse job. Niceties, endearing qualities and celebrity status are lovely, really, they are, but how about giving young people a voice and really listening to what they have to say?
How about addressing the young people of Ireland in a way that isn't superficial or tokenistic?
Over to you Brian.
Daire Hickey was director of publicity with the Rock The Vote campaign and is a 3rd year student of Business and Economics at Trinity College Dublin.
- Daire Hickey
