They call him ‘Mr Whistlefinger’.

“Labour in Government has now lost our bearings. Its role in influencing the debate within Irish politics and society towards a more just, equal and tolerant Ireland is being lost through compromise and a failure of nerve by those in leadership position. We are removing ourselves from the debate through our actions and words.”

“The current Party Leader has described the issue of equal marriage rights as being the ‘civil rights issue of our generation’. I agree with him that this is an important issue of relevance not only to the individual couples discriminated against by our current laws but also to wider society as an issue of injustice calling for resolution.”

“Its role in influencing the debate within Irish politics and society towards a more just, equal and tolerant Ireland is being lost through compromise and a failure of nerve by those in leadership position. We are removing ourselves from the debate through our actions and words.”

“However, this issue and other social issues, while undoubtedly important, are not the ones that are tearing communities and families apart through emigration. These are not the issues that are leaving many families and individuals worrying over how to pay their bills and to retain the ability to raise their children in dignity. Unfinished estates and the fairness and objectivity of the new property tax, and the failure to adequately address both will become an issue that will haunt both Government parties.”

“We need to stop running away from the area of economic and labour rights – the very issues that Labour was created to address. The right to a  job, the right not be forced to emigrate from your country, and the right to protect and promote the welfare of your family are the rights the lack of which are affecting far, far too many of our citizens right now in ways that are causing significant hardship.”

“The issues of reform of the legal profession, pay and pensions of current and former Government Ministers and other senior public servants, bankers’ pay, and upward only rents are areas where real tough decisions are needed but lacking. What these have in common is that they would involve taking on powerful vested interest groups with the ability and means to resist changes.”

“The current Party Leader has commended TDs who have supported tough decisions but this has referred to cuts to disability services, cuts to families and cuts in education. What these have in common is that they do not have the ability and means to resist. The next ‘tough’ decision demanded of Labour TDs seems likely to be the passing of an Act to enable the seizure of family homes by the banks.”

The State We Are In (Colm Keaveney’s blog)

(Pic: Galway Independent)