Man with a Pram

The Daisy Gogarty incident on Monday seems to have divided the nation in a Keane vs McCarthy sort of way.

I can see many reasons why Paul Gogarty should not have allowed his baby daughter to be pictured in the press conference. Similarities could be drawn to Michael Jackson and the incident where he dangled his son "Blanket" out the window. You would also wonder whether there weren't hangers on-ers in the background that could have looked after the child for the few minutes.

I have been leafletting twice for the Green Party with my 1 year old daughter Maeve, once 6 months ago with her strapped to my chest. People are less likely to give you grief! In fact we were just joking about bringing her canvassing last week (won't be happening!)

But, maybe he was right. Daisy Gogarty, like Maeve, will be paying for the incompetence of Cowen and his party for their whole lives. It is Daisy and Maeve who will probably have their children's allowance cut, have their class sizes increased, and if they make it to College will have to pay massive "registration" fees. They will be paying the taxes to bail out Anglo and the developers for much of their working life too.

Maybe, like me, one of the reasons Paul is in politics is to make a better Ireland for his daughter.

The man with a pram is also a potent symbol of Ireland in 2010. So many men previously employed in construction and related fields are now left at home to mind the children. Look on the streets and you will see many men pushing prams. My personal experience is that we are still viewed with suspicion, or with a condescending "great to see a man with a pram."

On top of that, many men of my generation (and I presume Paul) want to do the best for their children. Children at the age of 1-2 are at their most formative pyschologically and need lots of "daddy time" as well as time with their mothers. Many in the profession of teaching, particularly primary teaching are female, so children need male role models. Many fathers in their 30s and 40s have recognised this, and are making time for their children. I take half a day parental leave a week which I spend with Maeve.

The other issue too, is that it brings some humanity into politics at a time when it is being relegated to a sideshow to the EU/IMF economic dictatorship we are moving into. There is more to life than economics, and maybe we need a baby at all press briefings to bring this home.

For an equal and inclusive society, we have to stop getting outraged when we see something different. Men have the same right to push prams as women do, so lets get over our stiff adherence to the old roles.

But, at the end of the day, some parenting advice for Paul, get that baby used to other people so you don't put her through this again!