It’s always nice to visit your school again. This was my second visit to St Declan’s College in the last few weeks. I attended a few weeks earlier when the President visited to mark the 50th anniversary of the school.
This time I was there to participate in a Q&A about political life and the Oireachtas. All I had to do in the last visit was be there and relax. This time I had to work!
I started off by giving an overview of the role of the Oireachtas. I then explained what a normal day looks like for me, both in the Seanad and in the constituency. I dealt with a huge number of questions from the pupils.
They included:-
Is there any politician that I dislike? (there is one, I said why but wouldn’t name him)
How do I cope with a loss of privacy? (I find that the overwhelming majority of people respect my time off and when I am with my family).
Would I like to be Taoiseach? (yes, but it never happen. I value family life too much and I have to become a TD first!!, which will be hugelydifficult to do).
Do I think Brian Cowen is doing a good job (short answer – No, but spent a long time explaining why).
Really enjoyed the morning. Found it so energising.