Jim Hacker knew a thing or two about politics UK style, his infamous defence of the British Sausage saw him into Number 10 in a comedy series that we now know owed a lot more to real politics than was admitted at the time. Comedy or not many the domestic politician realises that bashing Brussels and the “eurocrats” is good for domestic appeal. Fine as far as it goes politicians have to get by. However the constant euro bashing down the years inevitably comes home too roost. It is hard to have the informed debate that everyone claims to want if prominent politicians insist on passing off all difficult issues and bad news on to the hapless officials in Brussels.

This also applies to over simplifying and reducing what Europe is all about. Like for example explaining the benefits of Europe as being loads and loads of cash and a big free lunch for us like structural funds etc. Down the years those favouring European integration in Ireland unfortunately did the cause little service with this sort of carry on, anybody remember Albert Reynolds promising 7bn for a yes vote in the Maastricht Treaty! While the EU did bring many undoubted benefits it is important to communicate what it does warts and all, the “flags and balloons” approach to the EU does nobody a service. Often the issues are more complicated. The differing institutions and their respective roles viz a viz the national governments can mean communications need to be subtle and nuanced.

So are there many Jim Hackers in the Irish political ferment? Too many unfortunately, all trading on the hope that mere mortals don’t know or won’t find out how things really work. So instead of the Great British Sausage let’s look at the great Irish water debacle.  The water framework directive is a major piece of EU legislation to ensure the quality and availability of drinking and other water, a key benefit for European citizens. The directive went through a long and arduous legislative journey with little or no interest from the Irish or indeed many others. In early 2008 it transpired that schools in Ireland would now be liable for water charges.

The general response of the Government (and the Eurosceptics) was…blame the EU. The Questions and Answers programme led with a question “Are we to have a no flush no wash policy in our schools just because Brussels says so?”  However unlike many decisions taken in Ireland, it is possible to see the documents when EU decisions were made, another part of the EU democratic system. They’re here http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/00/st12/12294en0.pdf

It’s worth quoting in full

STATEMENT 88/00 Statement by the Irish delegation

“The Irish delegation fully supports the objectives of the Water Framework Directive and its basic provisions. Ireland is satisfied, following legal consultations, that the final text accommodates the case advanced by Ireland in relation to the domestic sector, enabling that sector to continue to be exempt from water charges in accordance with established practice.”

So the Irish Government “fully supported” the adoption of the directive…pass the sausages please Sir Humphrey!