This is not a time to park journalism and opposition politics

“What journalism is really about-it’s to monitor power and the centres of power”- Amira Hass

From the start of this public health crisis, we were told that the plan was to test, test, contact trace and isolate.

On March 19th last, we were assured that there would be 15,000 tests per day within days.

Two weeks later, testing is only at 10% of that.

Indeed, the criteria for testing was significantly narrowed and still the delays continue.

Public representatives like me are listening to the serious and heartfelt concerns of our front line health workers every day about the shortages in vital personal protective equipment.

We need real answers from the HSE and from the acting government.

We also need answers on the lack of supports for businesses and many workers and we need answers on how to bail out whole sectors of our economy.

We need to know who is standing up to the banks and the insurance sector for their wilful failure in this crisis?

“What journalism is really about-it’s to monitor power and the centres of power”- Amira Hass

For weeks now, too many Irish journalists have not truly monitored our centres of power in Ireland. Perhaps that was understandable in this war-like emergency.

That is now changing.

Similar to journalism, the role of public representatives/ politicians that are not in power is to monitor those that are. To hold them to account and to put forward alternative solutions.

Now, more than ever, the hard questions have to be asked.