From the Chamber to the Kitchen Table Turning Policy into Everyday Language

Most legislation starts with values: fairness, safety, equality, opportunity. But by the time those values are wrapped in clauses, amendments, and votes, the human meaning can get lost.

Constituents don’t speak in policy jargon. They speak in rent, roads, buses, hospital visits, water bills, childcare fees, phone coverage. The disconnect is not because people aren’t smart—it’s because political language too often speaks about them, not to them.

❝ Policy is what happens in Leinster House. Politics is what happens at the kitchen table. ❞

Where the Message Gets Lost

We say: “We passed a motion to adjust the capital funding framework for regional infrastructure priorities.”They hear: “More money for cities again, right?”We say: “We’re reforming the local government act.”They hear: “No idea what that means. Probably won’t change anything.”

This isn’t about dumbing things down. It’s about translating power into relevance.

How to Translate Policy into People’s Lives

Start with why. What problem are you solving? What concern did someone bring to a clinic or doorstep?Use names, not acronyms. Nobody outside government knows what the “NDP” or “URDF” is.Anchor abstract policy to tangible change.
“This law affects your neighbour Padraig’s disability allowance.”
“This means 4 more GPs in your town.”
“This is why that new bus route now runs on Sundays.”Say it the way you’d say it to your Mam. If you wouldn’t use the phrase “statutory instrument” at the family dinner table, don’t use it in a Facebook post either.

Powerlines Tip

People vote based on what they feel, not just what they know. That’s why emotional clarity matters as much as legislative accuracy. You’re not just explaining what happened. You’re helping people understand why it matters—and how it connects to their everyday life.