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It saddens how much group think still exists in Irish political reporting. There are notable exceptions, of course. Most political stories focus around familiar themes that the media tends to buy into wholeheartedly. There are good guys and there are bad guys.
The good guys tend to be those who have spun most successfully. What gets written in black and white seldom reflects black and white thinking. Complexities and the existence of alternative valid perspectives are deemed inconvenient to presenting a clear narrative.
I can remember that on establishing a new government in 2007, a story was placed onto the front page of a national newspaper. It contended that the first issue that had been discussed in the preceding negotiations had been that of a prospect of a ban on live animal transport.
The story was vivid in its reporting, accompanied by a claim that a fist had been slammed on the table added to with a declaration that "We will not be having that".
The story was planted on behalf of our partners in government to convey the impression that as junior partners we should our know our place, and not expect that which would not be agreed to. The audience for this message were that party& #39;s supporters across the country.
That might seem like a legitimate message to pass on, only it was based on an event that never actually happened. It was not the first issue that was talked about at the negotiations. In fact the issue was not raised at all at any time during those talks.
We never raised the issue because we had no expectation it would be agreed to. The first issue was the economic growth projections for the following five years. Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats had suggested growth rates that were far more optimistic than The Greens.
The insistence of the Fianna Fáil negotiators was that their projections be agreed to. An obvious attempt to dominate the process and set the tone for the rest of the talks. I said fine they will have to be re-adjusted after the first budget. And they were.
Of course that was never reported on. The fact that The Greens walked out on negotiations in 2007 also seems to have been removed from folk memory. Our frustration at the ongoing gamesmanship that was taking place had tested our patience too much.
On day three of the talks I asked the Fianna Fáil delegation what policy concessions they had made. We have made several they claimed. Such as? I probed further. They could not answer.
Understanding the psychology of politics seems to be hugely lacking in current reporting on government formation. Most political reporters receive their information from established politicians from traditional political parties.
This allows them to present themselves, and be presented, as the serious politicians. Those who frustrate them are neophytes. They are the adults the others spoilt children. Most perniciously they are the people who are most attached and committed to the national interest.
Conveying impressions are deemed more important than being open and honest on what it is you believe and what it is you want to try to achieve. It& #39;s time for the game playing to stop.
