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With the spotlight firmly focused on the drama of a different political party in recent days, Labour’s annual conference was always going to find it difficult to wrestle back the attention so badly needed this close to June’s local and European elections.
However during the first day of the party’s two-day meeting, delegates still made the attempt with party leader Ivana Bacik’s keynote speech yesterday evening seeking to create a spotlight of its own.
In a 15-minute address at the Helix centre in DCU, the Dublin Bay South TD sought to encourage party members in the audience while winning over new support on TV screens nationwide.
Housing, migration, climate action and transport were all to the fore of her speech.
And while talk of Fine Gael’s likely new leader Simon Harris – who was described by Labour TD Ged Nash as being like “a yappy dog chasing a car” earlier in the day – was kept to a minimum, Deputy Bacik still took the opportunity to try to throw some shade over Leo Varadkar’s successor’s newfound political spotlight.
Housing
In keeping with her party’s renewed focus on back-to-basics issues, Deputy Bacik used her speech to stress that housing is her party’s “number one priority” and the “civil rights issue of our generation”.
The Labour leader repeated her commitment to build one million homes in a decade if Labour is elected to government, saying that despite criticism last year over the credibility of the claim it can be done.
Signposting key policies she believes are central to Labour’s housing strategy, Deputy Bacik also said her party wants to re-introduce the no fault eviction ban which ended last year, regulate short-term lets and turn the Land Development Agency into a State construction company.
She said while it may take time, politicians must stand up for Ireland’s 4,000 homeless children, young adults unable to move out of family homes, and people stuck in “a rental trap”.
“Far too many young people still living at home with their parents, stuck in arrested development. Or stuck in a rental trap, paying off someone else’s mortgage, unable to save for one of their own.
“Young couples are even delaying having their own children because of the housing crisis. This is the reality of modern Ireland,” she said.
Migration
Migration was also to the forefront of Deputy Bacik’s remarks, both for political and personal reasons.
At the start of her address, the Labour leader reminded delegates that 80 years ago her own grandfather Charles Bacik “sought refuge” in Ireland after leaving what was then Czechoslovakia.
She said Charles’ contribution to Irish society “shaped my life”, and told delegates that this still-recent story is at the core of Labour’s ideology.
Noting concerns over the reported rise of far right and anti-immigration views in Ireland, Deputy Bacik took applause from the watching audience as she said her party will always stand with people who need this country’s help.
“My grandfather’s story, and the story of so many migrants who have done so much for our country, confirms our need to show solidarity with those who seek refuge here now.
“Solidarity with those sleeping in tents on Mount Street. Solidarity with the tens of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s brutal invasion and war.
“And as famine takes hold and the relentless killing of Palestinians continues – we need a permanent ceasefire and the release of all hostages,” she said.
Climate action
Deputy Bacik separately told delegates that climate action also remains a key Labour policy, saying it is unacceptable that “Ireland has the highest household electricity prices in the EU while fossil fuel companies make record profits”.
She said Labour views the climate crisis as linked to the cost of living crisis, and that as part of its climate plans it intends to “cut the cost of electricity for families and small businesses down to the EU average” – a €700 per year reduction.
Deputy Bacik also said Labour wants to make public transport “more accessible and affordable” and will do so by “ramping up renewable energy” and creating targeted home retrofitting grants “so that everyone can afford to upgrade their homes”.
“Our world is on red alert and running out of time. Our planet needs action now for us and future generations,” she said.
Wider political issues
While the key policies dominated Deputy Bacik’s address, however, that doesn’t mean the reality of how to manage the political drama of recent days was ignored completely.
Repeating her initial view of Leo Varadkar’s resignation as Taoiseach, the Labour leader said the move “is the ultimate vote of no confidence in his own Government”.
And she had a similar message to Mr Varadkar’s likely replacement Simon Harris, saying the “challenge for the new temporary taoiseach” is the following: “If he has confidence in this Government, he should call a general election now. Let the people decide on that radical change we need.”
The dramatic cliff-hanger remark at the Helix in DCU – a stage more than used to theatrical performances – may not have been enough to drag the political spotlight away from Fine Gael and towards Labour after the events of recent days.
But it could yet increase the heat of that intense spotlight on Simon Harris as he comes to terms with the white-hot nature of his new position.
Perhaps the best outcome Labour may have hoped for this weekend, as its own annual conference moment is forced to play a background role to the wider political realities of the day.
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