Mayo Fine Gael Deputy Michael Ring spoke to CSPE Junior Cert students in St Louis Community School in Kiltimagh last week. The Mayo Advertiser went along to see the students put him through his paces, and these are the replies the students got to their questions.
Political inspiration
Dep Ring took his political inspiration from his uncle Joe Ring who was killed in the Ox Mountains during the Civil War at 27 years of age where he fought for the Free State.
Ring v Kenny as FG leader
Dep Ring said he always supported the leader of the party and he supports Enda Kenny the same. He said there is no vacancy as leader at the moment but if he was the leader he would be heard. He said Fine Gael were very unlucky in the last election not to get into government but he thanks God every morning that they didn’t because they would only be blamed for the bad state the country is in at present.
What job would he do if not in politics?
Dep Ring was always self-employed as a bread man and as an auctioneer. He is one of the few TDs in the Dáil who has no other income than from politics. He believes you can’t do two jobs. If he wasn’t in politics he would still be an auctioneer.
Education
Dep Ring has worked since the age of 13 and didn’t enjoy the opportunity to go to third-level education. Coming from a family of 13 he has worked from a very young age. He advised the students to make the best of their education as only highly educated people will take up the high-powered jobs which are coming to this country. He said there was no hope for the future without education.
Present Taoiseach
According to Dep Ring, as Minister for Finance Brian Cowen didn’t make the correct decisions. He accused the minister of spending and spending and not putting money away for a rainy day. He said we should have been ready for the rainy day but added that the current problems are not all the government’s fault, world factors are at play.
Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern had a great personality, according to Dep Ring. But Brian Cowen is the opposite. He is a very nice person, according to Dep Ring, but doesn’t have the same personality on television.
Budget
It will affect every aspect of your lives, he told the students. The minister has a difficult job.
Most rewarding part of the job?
The most rewarding part of the job according to Dep Ring is when someone comes back and says thank you after you have assisted them and their family in their hour of need.
Why FG?
That goes back to his history and his uncle’s fight for the Free State. He said Fine Gael is a party of honesty and decency. His family were always associated with Fine Gael. He said he doesn’t always agree with the party’s policies but there are times when you have to toe the party line and times when you must speak out.
Football team
Dep Ring supports Leeds Utd and also Sunderland in the Premiership because of Roy Keane’s involvement. He also loves the GAA during the summer months and congratulated the minors on doing the county proud this year.
Which department would he like to be a minister of?
There are two: the Department of Environment and the Department of Transport. The first thing he would do is build a dual carriageway from Westport to Longford.
Is he taking a cut in his wages?
He doesn’t agree with his party leader on this point. The five per cent cut which Enda Kenny is taking from January is not compulsory. When ministers and ex-ministers give up their pensions he will consider taking a cut in his wages which are his only form of income. He said his wife works in his office and doesn’t get paid for her services so the government are getting value for money from Dep Ring.
Outcome of second Lisbon vote
The first campaign was handled very badly according to Dep Ring. Despite being supported by FF, FG, Labour, Irish Independent, RTE, people still didn’t understand the treaty. He said the public’s main concern was that we will lose our commissioner and people are sick and tired of directives from Brussels. He said he is pro-Europe himself but he wasn’t sure about Lisbon either. We are over-regulated in some areas, he added, and said Europe has stood idly by during the current banking crisis. There are a lot of lessons to be learned.
Why can’t people drive at 16?
Cars are a dangerous weapon, said Dep Ring. Seventeen is the correct age to start driving, but he added that students should be taught to drive in school, starting with theory in third year and practical skills in fourth year.
Most successful politician?
Michael Collins. It was a shame he got killed when he did, said Dep Ring, who added he would like to have seen Michael Collins’ vision for Ireland, which wouldn’t be the greed and materialism of Ireland today.
Corrib gas dispute
What happened is a pure scandal which has divided families and communities. The people of Erris are getting very little out of it, the county is getting very little out of it. It has been handled very badly by Mayo County Council and the State, said the Westport deputy. There is right on the protesters’ side and on Shell’s side and wrongs on both sides too. Ministers have visited Rossport recently. He wished that was done ten years ago. “It has personally caused me a lot of heartache but I can see both views. It has been handled very badly,” he added.
Has the recession affected you?
People are coming to me again with the same issues that were there ten years ago. I hate to see people suffering.
Underage drinking
Drink is a lovely thing if not abused. We have been too accepting of the abuse of drink in this country. It has taken more lives and affected more families. Drink is a curse when abused. I hate to see young people drinking. They think it’s cool. They will be long enough over 18 and able to enjoy a drink. Lovely people turn into demons with drink. The tolerance of drink really annoys me in this country. I’m glad to see the tightening up of off-licences and bars.
