John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I genuinely wish all the Ministers well, including those who have resigned or are being replaced. I notice there has been a purge of my former comrades from the Democratic Left and the Workers' Party, in what might be regarded as a reverse takeover.

There is often a media tendency to over-hype the impact of reshuffles, but history shows that they have little discernible effect on the lives of many people. I cannot see how a few fresh faces will get over problems such as the massive public distrust of the current Administration. More than 700,000 people, including at least 200,000 children, are living in poverty. Hundreds of thousands of people are on the live register. One in four children is now growing up in a home where no one has a job. People do not believe the Taoiseach will make the changes. They are deeply sceptical that he can manage the economy and the public finances. It is not that voters are apathetic, indifferent or lazy. It is that they know from long experience that the identity of Ministers in charge makes only the slightest dent in departmental policy. What difference will any of this make to single mothers, given that 58% of lone parents will lose a proportion of their income shortly? What difference will it make to the thousands of unemployed husbands and wives in this country? What difference will it make to hundreds of thousands of workers earning well below the liveable wage? What difference will it make to a young mother carrying a foetus with fatal foetal abnormalities? Because of a brutal and uncompromising system, supported by this Government, she will be forced to go abroad for a procedure. As has happened in the past, she will probably come back with the remains of the child she loves in a box in the back of a car. It is outrageous and appalling. Irreparable damage has already been done to the lives of many women and children. Jobs, homes and people's dignity have been lost and, in many cases, people's lives have been lost also.

During the week, I met a member of the Government for whom I have respect. I had a coffee with him and asked him what he really thought. He said: "People have already made up their minds about this Government. It's too late." He added: "It's like a person on the Titanic. It doesn't matter which way they turn, left or right, they're heading towards the iceberg."

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