INTERVIEW:Minister believes Brian Cowen's achievements have been ignored and that his long-term vision will tackle major issues
MINISTER FOR Education Batt O’Keeffe believes no one has examined how a government and a taoiseach with historically low popularity ratings has managed to survive one of the biggest political crises to have occurred since the foundation of the State.
“Nobody has asked the question: how has this been manoeuvred?” he says. He promptly supplies his own answer to the unasked question.
“[Brian] Cowen has succeeded by doing all the work in the background, accommodating diverse views and strands, and pulling them together strategically.
“This is the underestimation of Cowen. Sure, he is not as upfront as we would all like him to be. But we know that he has developed the strengths that he certainly in his younger days did not have.” Among the strengths that O’Keeffe instances are “infinite patience” and an ability to take the long-term view on big issues.
“He surprised everybody in terms of the homework he can do and the way he can anticipate things. He’s also a very good man to delegate functions. Having done so he expects you to deliver.”
O’Keeffe is one of the Taoiseach’s closest allies and a long-time member of the loose collective known as the “bar lobby” – those Fianna Fáil TDs and Senators who have socialised in the Dáil bar with Cowen over the years. Other prominent members are Frank Fahey; John Curran; John Cregan, Michael Finneran and John Maloney.
Most were elevated when he became Taoiseach in May 2008. And arguably none higher than O’Keeffe, who moved from being a newish junior minister in the Department of the Environment to be appointed Minister for Education.
For O’Keeffe, it was partly a reward for being loyal to a taoiseach whom O’Keeffe himself strongly believed had been far too loyal for far too long to departing taoiseach, Bertie Ahern.
For his part, the Cork politician’s rise could hardly have been described as meteoric. He was 63, and had been in the Dáil for 21 years, when he became a senior Minister. He once said he was the “longest serving member of the backbenches”.
He was never close to Ahern and, according to him, it resulted in his lack of preferment. With Cowen, it was different, though he has said the “bar lobby” was overstated and a “myth”.
O’Keeffe has surprised as a senior Minister. There was a view that he would try not to ruffle too many feathers. But in his 18 months in the job he has floated a number of controversial, non-populist measures (including third-level fees and withdrawing grants from Protestant schools) as well as adopting a more confrontational approach with the unions than his predecessor Mary Hanafin. There have been tough tussles about the pupil-teacher ratio and an allegedly higher rate of absenteeism among teachers on Mondays and Fridays.
If there is a hard side to O’Keeffe, it’s tempered by his personality. He always seems unruffled no matter how much the bother. His presentation is also freighted with charm and bonhomie – a little like the Tory grandee Kenneth Clarke, you always sense that O’Keeffe is on the verge of telling a good joke.
The interview focuses on his assessment of the state of the Government and of Cowen’s standing. From where he comes from, a staunch loyalist, it’s unsurprising he defends both strongly. The nearest he comes to criticism is a tacit acknowledgement that Cowen has not perhaps sold his vision as stridently as he could.
At the same time, O’Keeffe argues that the public and media commentators have unduly focused on Cowen as a communicator and ignored his other achievements in Government. He is of the strong belief that getting over the three major hurdles of 2009 – the Lisbon Treaty, Nama, and the austere Budget – has set the platform for a strong revival in Government fortunes.
The Minister contrasts Cowen’s style with that of Ahern, who had a constant public profile.
“I have the firm view with Cowen that his reputation is going to be [built] in the long term. Public appreciation of him will take longer to manifest itself,” he asserts. “If he can deliver what he has set out to achieve over two years, I am confident we can survive [until 2012].” Echoing the line from Brian Lenihan’s Budget speech that the “worst is over”, he says the biggest task for the Government will be to sell that message assertively in 2010.
“In our own way we must look at how we start communicating our message, that we have been prepared to take short-term disdain for what I term long-term gain for the country.
“If we can bring the country out of financial difficulties and show in a year and a half’s time that significant progress has been made, we will gain respect. We will be far higher in the polls.
“By mid-2011 it will become manifestly clear where we are. At that stage, we will have another year to go to an election, a year to pull it out of the hat.” O’Keeffe says the Government needs to engage more with people and to let it be known there is no need for further cuts in the public service if flexibilities and efficiencies are achieved.
“We need to be more positive as a government. In the latter half of 2010, there’s going to be growth. We want to instil confidence, so people are more comfortable about spending.” When he became Taoiseach in an uncontested accession 18 months ago, Cowen was eulogised by the media and his party as the natural successor. In the interim, the slump in his political stock has been as dramatic as that of the economy. It has not been helped by his failure to convince the public he’s in control and not sitting at the wheel of a runaway train.
O’Keeffe’s take on Cowen’s performance doesn’t tally with that analyis. It’s no surprise he believes Cowen is the right person to lead the party and the country.
“This fellow has bottle and has a fabulous vision. He has a virtuous vision of Ireland. It’s unsullied by selfishness or any other machination. His approach is for the common good which he’ll put before anything personal.
“There’s no leader who is closer to Fianna Fáil as a party and has the interest of the party at heart more than he has. It would hurt him very much if the party suffered under his leadership. And come the next elections, I believe we can come good.”