This morning TheJournal.ie ran a poll asking whether or not their readership thinks the vote in the Dáil on legislating the X Case should be a free vote or not. To clear things up, or by way of a needless explanation, the choice to poll that it should be a ‘free’ vote is the antithesis of the way these parliamentary votes seem to be cast in other cases. Either it is a ‘free’ vote, or it is a Party Politics vote, i.e. the members of certain majority political parties will be forced, sorry, strongly advised to vote the way of the party and not on the back of their personal morality.

As reported, “coalition party leaders have made it clear that all TDs will be expected to vote against the motion, despite what their personal beliefs may be, because it is being put forward by an opposition party.” Needless to say, this does not look like ‘strong advice’. This looks like the Irish version of Malcolm Tucker political bullying. A slightly more balding and insecure Communications Director officiating the bastardised sensibilities of major party politics.

Moreover, the comments underneath the poll in question read as one would expect a forum board to: people bandying opinions back and forth, with the prevailing, albeit unpopular, opinion being that this is just how politics works. Why would the electorate have voted a party into power only to have them bicker internally? To these yay-sayers, it makes complete sense that a party votes as one unit, toeing the party line, regardless of individual moral impetus. The oddity occurs when one considers that in our PR democracy we are urged to vote on the basis that it is ‘one person, one vote’; a system wherein one vote can change the course of the matter at hand, whatever that may be. Out of this process our many voices become one, and we speak communally and authoritatively. Cheesy and hubristically narcissistic, but ultimately effective in theory. Why then, when we glimpse inside the lacklustre epicentre of our democracy, is this concept thrown out the window?

From The Thick of It to The West Wing and everything in between, we have been fed the supposed normality of Party Politics/Partisan hackery, and that this process of toeing the line is fundamentally normal to the on-going productivity of our Government. The difference between the examples given is that one satirically illustrates the tragic paralysis that results from this kind of ideological game, while the other only serves to promote patriotic party affiliation. Sure, if we let individual politicians express their opinions through voting then we’d just become Greece or some other nation of infamy. Sounds like fear mongering to me. The question remains though, why does the promoted pure brand of democracy cease to exist inside the Dáil amongst the heinous bowels of party politics? I guess we didn’t read the terms and conditions. What’s more, why have the coalition lines been drawn so clearly in the sand over such an important and pertinent issue?

A lot of commentators and Facebook keyboard jockeys have propagated the opinion that this is the old school Catholic persona of Ireland, leering its face about the seats of Government; that this is somehow the action of a not-so bygone generation of hard-line conservative Papists trolling the opinion polls of the country and acting atavistically, recalling the principles of an age long since passed. There may be a grain of truth to this argument. However, it might also be the case that the answer is far simpler. This is political hackery in action. The coalition is fundamentally petrified to shake up favourable polling in the electorate. The last two referendums we have had as a nation speak volumes in the post-game analysis. The total turnout for the Fiscal Treaty was a little over 50% (50.6% to be precise), while the numbers for the latest Children’s Referendum were even more depressing at 33.5%. Following the latter vote, Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell criticised the USI for not running registration drives and the like. The USI President waited a while to hit back, claiming that it was the Government’s botched grants scheme and lack of employment among students that led to students not being able to vote. Regardless of grants or employment among students, the voter turnout numbers are shameful, and in many ways highly reflective of what is happening behind the closed doors of the Dáil.

The youth vote is highly selective, volatile and apathetic. While Savita’s tragic and unnecessary death has temporarily galvanised the young vote, it may only be a matter of time until, as was pointed out by a speaker at the protest last Wednesday, we all go back about our business and conveniently forget for another 20 years. As an example, recall the violent and aggressive incidents surrounding the last large student protest over proposed fees. It was quietly heard behind closed doors and among certain circles of friends that large numbers of those out giving it everything they had in the name of free and accessible education were not even registered to vote. Building on this, it can be seen that the Government, more often than not, rely strongly on an older generation to retain power and legislative ability. They pander and concede to the social issues that prevail throughout the 35+ margin. These are the ones who vote; not necessarily because they inherently care, but because it is what you do. It is what has to be done. It’s buying shit for the fridge because there’s none there and it’s going to mass simply because it’s Sunday morning.

This is why the coalition wants their more morally minded members to walk the line. Not because it is the personal belief of the Táiniste or the Taoiseach that X Case legislation is wrong or abhorrent, but because it is the closeted opinions of their public electorate. It may not be an entirely Catholic hubris driving the political swing of the parties, but it could very well be the house-parents, OAPs and conservative affluence that keep them in their seats. To them, our young vote, in the light of all our vehement protesting, historically looks like nothing but an empty threat.

Yep, looks like they’re concerned…

The individual vote of party members should not only be permitted, but applauded. The action of the protests over Savita’s death and the need for X Case legislation has pushed party politics in this country onto a dangerous edge. A few more gargantuan nudges and perhaps an aligned TD may step out of line and cast a real vote. An assurance from young people and students across the country that they will vote from now on, regardless if they think “oh, it’ll be a yes vote anyway so why would I bother going out?”, and party politics in this country may actually have a stroke.

Jake O’Brien