Labour Comment Editorial:—March 2007

Ireland Can Snore Away With Labour

ON THE morning the Labour Party held their pre-election Conference in Dublin, shoppers in Shandon Street in Cork learned to their dismay that the last of that old street's 13 bakeries had finally closed after 86 years. You can't stop change. This writer went to a neighbouring shop and the only bread he could get was a Polish loaf. Aye, things change all right, don't they? Though people on the Northside of Cork still eat bread!*

In reading the national broadsheets, and viewing the RTE coverage on Saturday morning (10.2.2007), and the leader's address this writer came across just one single reference to Immigration. Remarkably, the coverage on that subject was exactly the same at the Progressive Democrats Conference in Wexford on 17th February 2007.

Crime, Health, Education, E-voting, Waste, and Climate Change: they were all listed and pronounced upon, even the complex theme of Happiness and Quality of Life was addressed. But no, the "I" word was not mentioned. It used be the "N.I." word. But you dare not mention the 'North' in Dublin company these days. And to be truthful : if their response to the "I" problem is anything like their spineless attitude over 30 years to the "N.I." problem, they will need more than a Ministry to "prevent race riots".

Dick Spring
on Immigration

The most important political declaration made on the weekend of the Labour Party Conference was not the leader's speech, it was the remarks made by the former leader of the Labour Party Dick Spring on RTE on the Sunday morning when he called for a debate on Immigration.

Dick Spring said there is a need for "an open debate" on immigration and accused politicians of being afraid to grapple with the issue.

On RTÉ Radio 1's Marian Finucane programme on Sunday, February 11, 2007, Mr Spring noted that at current levels of immigration, within four years 20 per cent of the population would be non-native Irish.

He said politicians were afraid to grapple with the issue for fear of being associated with "a taboo subject". He acknowledged that "Enda Kenny, in fairness, tried to start the debate but he got poo-poohed by the intellectuals and others". It came down to

"…what number of people we can actually cope with", he said. "I don't know how Brendan Drumm, the HSE, is feeling about 200,000 more people to provide services for at a time when the health services are in crisis and will be for a long time to come given what is not happening."
"We need to see what the needs of the economy are, what numbers of people we can cope with in terms of infrastructure, in terms of health services. The debate during the week was all about schools and the lack of teachers to teach children who do not have English as a basic language. These issues are going to have to be faced up to."

Where existing immigrants were concerned, he said, "we are not providing any, adequate services in terms of integration. You see them in rural Ireland on a Friday evening going to the supermarket and off-licence, just stocking up for the weekend".

He added: "They are certainly not participating in Irish society at the weekends and I think that is extremely dangerous."

"Labour has also been stuck in a policy rut and has been slow to come to terms with the changing nature of the economy and the collapse in trade union membership among private sector workers." (Irish Times, 12.2.2007).

"Ministry needed to 'prevent race riots'"

"A JUNIOR ministry overseeing integration should be created to help prevent race riots in the future, a major study has found.

"And the call has received the backing of the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice, which commissioned the document.

"Centre director Father Tony O'Riordan said: "I think we are at a unique stage in relation to immigration in Ireland.

"We are beyond deciding whether we want immigration—it is here to stay. It is a question now of how we manage it."

"Fr O'Riordan said there were still large questions to be dealt with regarding the Government's immigration policy, which was "very focused on providing labour and people to fill job vacancies".

"A minister for state, dealing specifically with integration, would add coherency to this policy, he added.

"To allow Government policy go on in an ad-hoc way is imprudent and it is only storing up problems for the future if we don't take a co-ordinated approach now," Fr O'Riordan said.

"The document, 'Immigration and Integration: Realities and Challenge', is to be launched today." (Irish Independent, 12.2.2007).

Two things here, Fr. O'Riordan! I cannot recall ever being asked: "whether we [I] want immigration". The arrogance and naivety of those who denied the electorate that prerogative has changed very dramatically indeed if in such a short time they are suddenly seeking a Ministry to "prevent race riots". What's happening?

Compared to past pre-election conferences, the weekend gathering lacked Labour's customary cut and thrust.
Doubtless, this reflects the party's deep-seated desire to get into government. (Editorial, Irish Examiner, 12.2.2007).

 

Labour Party
and Taxes

Finance Minister Brian Cowen said Labour had undergone a "Road to Damascus" conversion on tax rates and this won't be accepted by the voters.

"It is simply not credible that Mr Rabbitte and the Labour Party will now implement a policy approach in Government that they have opposed so strongly for the past 10 years," he said. (Irish Independent, 12.2.2007)

Enterprise Minister Micheal Martin said the policy change lacked credibility. "From our perspective, we are the party, with the Progressive Democrats, who brought low taxation into this country." (ibid).

Although he was in favour of lower taxes, Mr. Martin said Labour's promises, combined with its plan to create a €2.5 billion fund to help young homebuyers, could threaten State spending. "Fianna Fáil won't get into auction politics." (Irish Times, 12.2.2007).

Surely, if this is the case, Cowen and Martin will state unequivocally that there is no way Fianna Fail will have any truck with the Labour Party after the next election—the media have hounded the Labour Party leader on this issue for twelve months, is it not now appropriate in the light of the 'Helix' for the media to turn the same question on Fianna Fail?

As for "Auction Politics"—have Brian or Micheal ever heard of Jack Lynch and the The abolition of Domestic Rates and Car Tax in 1973, the consequences of which still live with us in the scandalous price of housing. Surely the "Daddy of All" ideas ever devised in the name of "Auction Politics".

There is no doubt about it, the Labour leader spoiled the fun when he proposed to take the Standard Rate from 20 cents to 18 cents. But he spoiled something else too, he destroyed whatever facade existed in the perception that any real political difference exists between the major parties in Leinster House.

How many in the Labour Party electorate if given the choice of a full, comprehensive, universal health system or a two per cent reduction in the Standard Tax rate would choose the latter? The present writer has yet to see the country which can boast of a thorough Welfare State and a low tax regime!

Could the tax 'distraction' also not be an admission that the Labour Party is no more capable of taking on the vested interests in the Health service than its political counterparts?

"However, he said the key issue today is not tax, but on providing the services and infrastructure needed for a five million-strong population: 'That's where the real pressure is. The priority won't be the level of tax in my view. We will continue to reduce taxes as resources permit, but it's not going to be the big issue,' Mr Ahern said." (Irish Times, 12.02.2007).

Are Fine Gael
a 'beaten docket'?

It is hard to believe that Fine Gael were last elected directly into government in December, 1982, under the leadership of Garret FitzGerald, that was 25 years ago almost. They gained power by default in 1994 under the leadership of John Bruton and lasted to May, 1997.

The reaction to Enda Kenny's speech on Immigration on 23rd January 2007, provoked a response from one of the 'godfather' families of Fine Gael which makes distressful reading for those who believe the party may have a future in politics in this state:

"Had Enda confined his comments to Christianity he would have had the doubtful merit of at least being consistent with our constitution.

"But that 'Celtic' reference smacks of nationalistic bilge, with its toxic implications of racial purity and blood sacrifice, the sort of quasi-mystical nonsense championed by Patrick Pearse, Sinn Féin/IRA and the mercifully dwindling band of xenophobic primitives who still haunt the nether regions of Fianna Fáil.

"It was very painful to resign, as I did, from the party that my family had represented in the Dáil and Seanad for over 50 years.

"After two deeply uncomfortable years of Mr Kenny's leadership I finally realised that Fine Gael had no ideas, no courage and no convictions.

"But even then it was a hard decision to make.

"Had I realised Mr Kenny believes in this kind of twaddle, it would have saved me the soul-searching.

"As I say, poor old Fine Gael, a party for which I retain a considerable affection, a party of decent people who are daily betrayed by the gaping void that is its leadership." Maurice Dockrell, Blackrock, Co. Dublin. (Irish Examiner—27.1.2007).

We print below the remarks by Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny at a special meeting of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party and Dáil candidates on 25th January 2007 at Clontarf Castle, Dublin, which occasioned this protest:

"The recent dramatic growth in the rate of immigration into Ireland is resulting in what is arguably the greatest economic and social transformation of our country since independence.

"I believe that this transformation presents Ireland with both a huge challenge and huge opportunity. Given Ireland's history of emigration, the country has a special responsibility to address the challenge of immigration.

"I believe that immigration can be excellent for Ireland's future. But the thing is we must get it right.

"We live in a country that exported our people… not by the boatload… or by the planeload… but by the generation.

"We live in a country where hundreds of thousands of families lived for the postal order that put food on the table and clothes on their backs… thanks to a father and often his sons… slaving on the building sites of London and New York and San Francisco.

"So, it's safe to say, that we live in a country where you'd have to have a very small mind, a very short memory and a very hard heart not to welcome the stranger, who is trying to make a better life, a more hopeful life for themselves and their families.

"As a Celtic and Christian people, we understand better than most the special challenges of immigration and integrating new communities. Now is time for a real national debate on these issues so that we can make the necessary changes to meet these new challenges. We have a chance to get this response right and to avoid the mistakes that were made elsewhere.

"I believe that immigration and multi-culturalism can be good for Ireland but the current system is not being managed well. We need a system that is good for the Irish and good for the immigrants. As of now, we have a system that is not serving the interests of either." (25.1.2007).

Labour leader Pat Rabbitte described the speech by Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny on immigration as "thought-provoking" and "powerful" and called for a wider debate on the issue:

"From what I read of his speech it was very thoughtful and there is absolutely no reason why we should have a taboo on discussing this issue," he said on a constituency visit to Tipperary.

"Mr Kenny said on Monday that immigrants should be refused entry if they had serious criminal records and deported if they were jailed here for five years or more. Ireland had the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of other countries and to benefit hugely from those who had come to live in Ireland, he said." (Irish Times, 27.1.2007).

Mr. Rabbitte said yesterday immigration had the capacity to—

"greatly enrich Irish society" but only if we "patiently and carefully manage it".

"As I pointed out a year ago, and I am glad that the rest of the political establishment has caught up with me now, there is a necessity for us to patiently manage it and not just regard people coming here as a source of cheap labour."

He agreed with Mr Kenny's proposal for the appointment of a Minister of State for Immigration and Integration. "I have schools in my constituency that have more than 40 nationalities, many who cannot speak English. The teachers are absolutely stretched. There is no provision for the teaching of English, for example."

He said there were a number of ideas in the speech, which he described as "a powerful one" which must be taken seriously.

Mr. Rabbitte said there were no plans for the two parties to do a joint proposal on immigration before the election, but said it was something the two leaders had broadly discussed in the past.

Labour and
Fine Gael

If Fine Gael fail to gain a foothold in Government at the coming General Election, it could be 2012 before the opportunity rises again. If the Labour Party fails to gain a place in Government on this occasion, considering the 'huggermugger' relationship with Fine Gael, surely it would be in the interests of both parties to seriously consider forming a single Social Democratic party?

"Labour are primed to be the engine of electoral change. That prospect seemed to make them nervous rather than happy." (Irish Examiner, 12.2.2007).

The Standard Tax rate is now on its way down from 20% to 18%; the top rate will be down from 41% to 38% if McDowell and the P.D.s have their way—and we have two more pre-Election Ard Fheisanna. Who said politics isn't exciting!

And don't forget about the 15 Euro coin Bertie has introduced in co-operation with the Croatian Central Bank!

What a Summer lies ahead—hope there's no riots!

FORMER Labour spin doctor Fergus Finlay was back, quite literally centre stage, at the party conference. The former chief adviser to Dick Spring and Pat Rabbitte left the party backroom two years ago to become chief executive of Barnardos.

At the front of the stage on Saturday night, Finlay acted as director for the live TV address, letting speakers know how much time they had left and when to wrap up. (Irish Independent—12.2.2007).

The Labour Party may end up in the unique position of holding three National Conferences this year.

The party must hold a separate full Conference before the end of the year to elect a new National Executive. However, if Labour makes it into government after the election, it must convene a Special Conference to secure approval for the leader's post-election strategy.

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