With the President's dissolution of the 27th Dail the electorate now has a little more than three weeks to decide on a government to take this State through the turn of the century and into the new millennium. Any general election, by definition, is important. But the votes to be cast on June 6th will have an influence which will be unusually far reaching. The next government will be charged with responsibilities which may perhaps shape this society for generations. Ireland faces a confluence of critical issues which will demand wise and stable government.
Remarkable achievements have been recorded in our economic performance. Our living standards are now on course to converge with the EU average. But the economic transformation is not incapable of being undone. Failure to effect firm control over public finances, injudicious fiscal policies, or any retreat from the social consensus which has underpinned growth could contribute to a reversal of these positive trends.
Fundamental questions must be determined in our relationship with the EU. Economic and Monetary Union, once in place, will be followed by further issues of political integration and sovereignty. The institutions of the EU have to be reformed. The role of smaller states will be challenged. The very constitution of Europe may be altered as it has not since the Treaty of Rome.
There will be another attempt in the North to reach a new settlement of ancient quarrels. That will only be achieved with the support of this State and that, in turn, will involve new political structures and almost certainly some amendments to our Constitution. Traditional claims and attitudes will be challenged and may have to be amended or abandoned.
And among ourselves, hard questions have to be asked as to the sort of society we want in our newfound affluence. How do we confront the cycle of deprivation which grips a significant minority of our people? How do we conserve the wellbeing of our physical environment? How do we deal with the issues of a criminal justice system which increasingly fails to meet the needs.and expectations of the citizen?
Two combinations appear to be presented to the electorate. Mr Bruton's Rainbow Coalition is offering itself for reelection on the basis of its performance over the past two and a half years. Fianna Fail, under Mr Ahern, offers itself in hesitant combination with Ms Harney's PDs as an alternative government. But it would be wrong to rule out any possible combination of parties at this stage. A hung Dail could concentrate minds wonderfully. Nonetheless, differing ideologies are on offer. In respect of each of the issues a dumb rated above, the electorate has to make up its mind.
The Irish Times approaches this general election with its editorial position open and uncommitted. It carries no torch for any one combination to the exclusion of others. As a newspaper which is not aligned with any interest, political, commercial or social and whose independence is assured under the terms of its trust, we follow the dictum of the great editor of the 19th century, C.P. Scott, that while comment is free, facts are sacred; that the voices of opponents no less than friends have a right to be heard and that while it is well to be frank it is better to be fair.
Between now and election day we will identify the major issues facing the electorate, analysing them in our election pages and evaluating them in a series of leading articles. We will set out the policy positions of the respective parties, assessing the effectiveness of past action and the potential of promised performance. And for each, we will offer an independent and informed view of where we believe the best choice lies on June 6th for the future of the Irish people.