One of the reasons that politicians are so obsessed with constituency work is that you need so few votes – by international standards – to get elected. Less focus on constituency work would enable more time for work on policy, on committees and for thinking about how to solve the country’s problems and prepare it for the future. If they reward politicians who spend all their time on constituency work, then that’s what politicians will do. Make fiscal rules binding on governmentMinister for Finance Simon Harris unveiled the latest medium-term fiscal framework before Christmas. Of course, because of pressure from voters, politicians find it hard to discipline themselves.

Source: The Irish Times January 04, 2026 14:01 UTC