Should Politicians Change Their Minds?

I wasn't actually going to write anything on this issue - not wishing to give the oxygen of publicity to YFG and the personalised campaign they have waged against me over the past few weeks and the fact that I changed my mind on the 80kph speed limit for the Outer Ring Road.

Firstly, and perhaps most depressingly, I am so disappointed at the tack that YFG has taken in how they have dealt with this issue - aping as it does the tired old, same old, failed old tactics of previous generations of Irish politicians. In fact it is one of the reasons which makes me rejoice that I am no longer part of a political party and no longer forced, sheep like, to follow the same well trodden paths already taken by so many un-worthies already. It is infinitely depressing that 'Young' Fine Gael have nothing new to add to the lexicon.

However, back to the issue. You would be forgiven for thinking that YFG had discovered the fourth secret of Fatima, they're that delighted with themselves. So what happened: I signed a YFG petition about 18 months ago supporting the raising of the speed limit on the Outer Ring Road to 80kph from its originally set speed of 60kph. They claim that this is somehow a private stance (????) at odds with my now public stance that the speed limit should remain at 60kph.

Now I will admit that the Outer Ring Road is a great new road - and any driver, not knowing the speed limit might be forgiven for assuming that it should be at least 80 if not 100kph. I am no different and prior to looking at the issue in more detail that would certainly have been my opinion. (Hence my signing the petition.)

So what happened? Am I some political deviant misleading the public as to my actual stance? Am I guilty of some dastardly skeletons-in-the-closet type political scandal? Quite simply I would contend: NO. So what happened then? I changed my mind - a move for which I make absolutely no apology.

The crux of the issue is perhaps, why did I change my mind? Was is to annoy YFG? No. (But that is a bonus!) Was it to ingratiate myself with the voters? No. Most people I speak to think that the speed should be increased to 80kph. Was it so that I could be accused of flip-flopping? No. This is generally seen as a weakness in politics (one which YFG, for example, are now seeking to exploit). So why then? Simply this. Information. I learned, in examining this issue that raising the speed limit to 80kph is just not the right thing to do in the current circumstances.

So what are those circumstances? Well, I ask you this: if you learned that something you wanted to do would increase the danger to people walking; would not be doable unless and until a lot of money - which you don't have - was spent to fix certain problems; would leave your organisation and perhaps yourself open to legal action as a consequence and that finally all the expert opinion was against your proposal; would you persist? Would you increase the danger? Would you risk yourself and/or the tax-payer being sued? Would you commit the money? Would you call the experts liars?

I would call that fool-hardy and irresponsible. But YFG seem to be advocating that despite all this, we should go ahead and change the speed limits - merely so that they as a political grouping can be seen to have rail-roaded through their proposal.

I for one say no. No to the speed increase unless and until the issues which have been identified are dealt with. No to YFG and their insistence that I stick by an opinion regardless of what I have learned and No to their tactic of trying to personally attack me for my stance(s) on this.

Furthermore, if and when the paths are separated from the roadway and some work is done on sight-lines in areas, I will, perhaps, consider something that is likely to enrage YFG even further - I may change my mind again!

The sooner the political parties young and old learn to change their minds as they learn more, the better I say. Perhaps that might stop us only half way down some of the blind alleyways we've been led down over the years by our politicl masters. It looks like FG will form some part of whatever our next Government in this Country will be - lets hope they will bring something new to the pot. On the evidence I am, sadly, not optimistic.

Finally I would ask Young Fine Gael one question: will they look in the eyes of any family who may suffer an injury or bereavement on the Outer Ring Road as a result of any speed limit increase and tell them that it was the right decision?

I will change my mind one hundred times rather than stick to a wrong decision - especially on an issue where lives, quite literally, are at stake. That surely, is the criteria and nothing else. When I change my mind because of something I have learned, I congratulate - not chastise - myself.

I hope I keep on learning for the rest of my life. I look forward to many more changes of mind! And furthermore I refuse to be bullied or cowed into submission by YFG - or anyone else. That, to me, is a political principle worth standing up for.