THE CULTURE of secrecy is “still alive and well” in Irish politics and administration, according to a senior civil servant writing under a nom de plume.

Using the pseudonym Slí Eile, the civil servant writes that public servants show excessive deference to the political establishment and this holds them back from providing more independent and provocative advice.

Slí Eile welcomes the constitutional review that begins in the spring but warns the Government may start piecemeal change based on “low-hanging fruit” while shying away from a more fundamental review and change. A second risk for the review is that particular groups could seek to hijack the debate and push particular agendas.

The official, described as “internationally recognised”, criticises the rowing back of Freedom of Information as undermining democracy and the use of such phrases as “under deliberation” to avoid providing key information.

Dáil question time reveals a “marked reluctance to be completely open or to answer directly the question asked” and, as a result, parliamentary questioning is “reduced to a political tennis game where frequently the main issues are avoided and politicians score points before the public and media gallery”.

The official’s critique of the political system and public administration is part of a series of essays on the theme of the “Flourishing Society” about how Ireland can become a society of equals.

The essays are published by equality think tank Tasc and are available on its website, tascnet.ie.

In Slí Eile’s essay, entitled Changing the Political, Institutional and Legal Framework for a New Civic Republic, the official states that, during the boom, “there was an acceptable level of inequality so long as social peace was maintained”.

During the Celtic Tiger and now, no political party would have the courage to “truly afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. The impression, widely shared, is that afflicting anyone, especially the comfortable, is not a vote winner.”

There are “shallow cliches and half-truths and downright untruths such as ‘there is no alternative’, ‘we have all taken the pain’, ‘the money isn’t there’.”

The official adds that “in the public service instead of vision we have business planning and the semblance of accountability but none in reality”.

http://tascnet.ie/

