Meathman's Diary: Having respect for our elected representatives

I don't know about you but I enjoyed the first episode of the 'Iarnrod Enda' programme on TV. It features the former taoiseach touring around parts of Waterford. He cycled up and down greenways through that fine county. He hopped on little trains that took him down tracks that have been painstakingly restored by enthusiasts who love their choo-choos.

Whoever came up with the idea of putting the affable former Fine Gael in the centre of a programme like that was onto something. Yet not everyone was so enamoured with Kenny trying to reinvent himself as a intrepid adventurer.

A few days before 'Iarnrod Enda' was broadcast, a story was posted on the Meath Chronicle website highlighting the upcoming screening - and there was a huge response from people, most of it negative. This was before they even saw the programme.

It was amazing to see some of the vicious comments about Kenny and his days in politics and what he did and didn't do. To me he is someone who stepped into the taoiseach's chair in 2011 and guided the country out of an economic quagmire. Remember? We were in a mess but he, along with the likes of Michael Noonan - and of course the public who had to endure swingeing, painful cuts in wages - ensured we got back on track.

The government Kenny headed provided calm and stability when it was badly need. Others, however, clearly see him in a very different light - as the vicious side-swipes showed.

It was also disturbing to read recently how Leo Varadkar had to leave his home in Castleknock for a more secure location in Dublin city. There were, the Sunday Independent reported “credible” threats to his life.

Like them or not politicians, no matter of what their persuasion, are crucial to the way we do things in this country - or any democratic country for that matter.

We have seen the ill-treatment of politicians at a more local level too. Some years ago Noel Dempsey had his office in Trim vandalised. In 2015 Ray Butler, then a Fine Gael TD, had both his constituency office and his home in Trim beseiged by 20 to 30 protesters. The politician said his family was "traumatised" by the behaviour of the protesters. "I didn't go into politics for this or to have this put upon me," he said.

Last year, then Cllr Sharon Keogan had her office in Duleek firebombed. She had bravely spoke out about the evil of drugs in the local community and said she was "shocked" by the experience of walking into her office to see it so badly damaged.

The attack was clearly meant to intimidate her - and that's what bullies do. Intimidate. When the Nazis sought to get a grip on power in 1933 they burned down the house of parliament - the Reichstag - and blamed the communists.

We must be wary and watchful of forces that attack our elected representatives. When they attack them they attack us as well.