The future was on Michael Noonan’s mind as he visited Trinity this evening. And not just the future of Ireland – the future of Europe and the future of the world as a whole.
Noonan was speaking to the College Historical Society (the Hist) this evening, as he received the society’s Gold Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Public Discourse in the Graduates Memorial Building (GMB).
The former Minister for Finance, who still remains Fine Gael TD for Limerick City, has had a long and varied political career, serving as Minister for Justice, Health, Industry and Commerce and Energy. In addition to this, Noonan served as party leader of Fine Gael while in opposition in the early 2000s.
Noonan’s time in the Daíl has been surrounded by controversy – with his handling of the Hepatitis C crisis as Minister for Health in the late 1990s coming under particular fire – but in recent years the 74-year-old has had something of a comeback, with many citing him as a key figure in the recovery of Ireland’s economy and improved relationship with the EU.
These years of public service seemed to inform Noonan’s discussion in Trinity tonight. He struck a self-congratulatory tone as he discussed his party’s efforts to rehabilitate the economy and exit the EU’s bailout programme – what he called a “box ticking exercise”.
While Noonan took no shame in describing what he saw as his political successes, his speech took a broader approach to the problems facing the government today, as the subject matter quickly shifted to more global issues.
Noonan encouraged the audience to think of Europe as a part of the wider world, and consider the influence of three main powers: Russia, China and the EU. He made no apology for voicing his concern with the strength of the EU, saying “of the 60 biggest cities in the world only one is in Europe – and that’s London, which is about to leave”. Ultimately though, his outlook was optimistic, advocating collective action to promote positive change, asserting that “Europe has its future in its own hands”.
With this focus on broader issues, there was a sense of Noonan giving the audience what they wanted to hear. It’s telling that almost all of the questions asked by audience members focused on Brexit and the future of Europe. Discussing Ireland’s place in the EU, Noonan seemed to strike a balance between pushing for autonomy and commitment to unity, espousing the ideology of subsidiarity – that “decisions should be taken at the most local level competent to take it”.
Noonan had time to discuss other issues as well, promoting aid to developing countries as a potential solution to the refugee crisis and discussing how the Labour party had been “severely punished” by the electorate for its role in the coalition government. Noonan also mentioned a need to promote competition in the financial sector, in part to disrupt the partnership formed between Bank of Ireland and AIB, claiming that “competitiveness is very important”.
These comments will likely bristle some, but regardless of one’s political persuasion, one thing that can’t be denied is Noonan’s wit and oratory skill. He brought a razor sharp sense of humour to the GMB, making quips about subjects as varied as former auditors of the Hist and the French Revolution. Noonan brought a wide body of knowledge to the table, drawing on Keynesian economics in tandem with discussion of Russia’s nuclear arsenal.
Ultimately Noonan’s message was a simple one. Ireland – and Europe as a whole – needs to face its problems head on. Party politics aside, this seems like something we can all get behind.
