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DÁIL OPPOSITION PARTIES showed rare unity this week with the speaking rights row, but it doesn’t look like there will be a repeat of it anytime soon.
It was an unusual sight on the plinth on Wednesday night.
The party leaders of the Opposition walked out the main doors of Leinster House, side-by-side, making their way over to the media to speak about their common cause.
Earlier in the day, all hell had broken out in the Dáil over the issue of speaking rights, with concerns raised about those in the Regional Independent group, who were part of government formation talks, getting speaking time that belonged to the Opposition.
It’s a rarity to see all of the parties singing of the same hymn sheet. But for a long time now, there have been calls for there to be more of a united front from the Opposition benches.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy called for a “united left alliance” before the election, stating it could potentially remove Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil from office.
He said cooperation among the left parties on the Opposition benches should be a more formal arrangement.
After taking the final seat in the Dublin constituency in the European elections, Labour’s Aodhán Ó Ríordáin made similar calls, stating that it was time for Labour and the Social Democrats to “join forces” and “stop pretending that there’s any difference” between them.
None of this came to fruition for the general election campaign. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael came out as the majority in forming a government.
However, Wednesday’s spectacle showed that unity among the Left (and even throwing Independent Ireland into the mix) can work, if the stakes are high.
During the mayhem in the Dáil, in between all the suspensions of the House, party leaders and party whips were huddled together in groups, strategising their next move.
It was an unusual sight.
Instead of fighting between each other, they were working together against the government bloc. Something many have said for years they should be doing at election time.
The events clearly bother the Fianna Fáil leader. Micheál Martin accused Sinn Féin of orchestrating and co-ordinating a “subversion of the Irish Constitution”. However, it was pointed out to him that it was actually the entire Opposition that worked together in unison on the issue.
So could it be repeated over the next Dáil term?
Those The Journal spoke to on the Opposition benches gave the impression that Wednesday was more of a ‘flash in the pan’ kind of event, rather than something the public will be seeing more of.
While that doesn’t appear to be a particularly smart move, it would appear that there is still too much disparity between each party for them to join together on the big ticket items that will come down the line in the next five years.
One Sinn Féin TD said how much time the Opposition gets to speak in the Dáil is an issue that all the parties can get behind, as it is in all of their interests to hold on to the those precious air-time minutes.
However, when it comes to policy matters, each has their own principles and ideals.
A TD in another Opposition party said there is often cooperation between groups at the Dáil Business Committee on matters, but said it had to be acknowledged that there are significant differences among the parties on a range of issues.
While they said on the issue of the Occupied Territories Bill there appears to be cross-party support, they added that they didn’t think the events on Wednesday was a sign of things to come, stating that they didn’t see ongoing cooperation across a number of issues happening.
This TD was also of the view that there was a narrative being spun about a united left, stating that there’s a deliberate strategy by some parties in Opposition who are trying to position themselves as “leaders of the Opposition”, which they said is not something that everyone is going buy into.
There has been some chatter that one area that the left might be able to get it together on is with this year’s presidential election.
There has been talk that left-leaning parties might work together to pick one candidate, that would palatable to all, and who they could all get behind.
It is understood that political parties have had initial conversations about candidate selection, but that it is very early days. There are already lots of names in the mix.
But, given that it appears a show of unity might be a once-in-a-Dáil-term event, it would seem getting everyone to rally behind one presidential candidate might be an uphill battle.
The Labour Party leadership are in power for the sake of power and nothing else, they can’t see beyond the next election, which will be the last for many of them
It’s a bit late for Nessa to be talking about ‘core values’. Should have thought of those a year ago and refused the poisoned chalice of office in partnership with the Blueshirts under the control of the troika.
Here’s the way it is, Nessa — Labour’s conscience struggled with its opportunism long ago, it was a short battle and conscience lost. Any values were abandoned. We suffer now —next election, Labour will.
If Nessa has any core values left, she would leave this rotten sellout party.
Fianna fail put party before country for years, have we learnt nothing. It should be country first before any party
labour can look at the green party to see their future. the leftist feel lied to and betrayed and will voice that by voting socialist or independent, worse still, sinn fein will probably profit on labours loss, labour is in power but its future is bleak
Talk is cheap Nessa. You haven’t expressed anything that we don’t already know.
Labour won’t pull out of government. Are you then going to leave labour?
Like that’s really going to happen. Maybe Fine Gael will pull out too!
What you predict is already in motion nessa. They are supposed to be partners in government not bumbling sidekicks. I won’t be voting for labour anytime soon based on current performance unless something radical starts happening. though I don’t regret giving a preference to tommy broughan at the time, I believe he upheld labour values.
Well the Greens sold their souls to FF a lot of their members resigned from the party, you have to give credit to those members that resigned for upholding their beliefs. I don’t see any labour TD doing this, what does that tell you about them?
Labour has to look past its own interests and put the country first. Pull out of Government and what then?? There is no comparison whtsoever between the PDs, the Greens and the Labour Party. The Labour Party has strong core values and is seeking to implement them and defend them in Government under very difficult circumstances. The easy thing to do would be take no reponsibility, stay out of Government and surge ahead in the polls and what type of selfish, tribal politics is that? The kind that got the country in the fix it’s in, in the first place. Labour must take the hits, persevere and remain in Government to ensure fairness and to protect the most vulnerable. There has to be more to politics than simpl;y seeking to get elected the next time. There is more to Labour than slogans and the politics of protest, as we offer viable strategies and progressive and positive solutions to problems. Labour must forget about the polls and cynical protests playing to the gallery and on peoples fears. The public elected Labour to Government to do the right thing by the country.
“The public elected Labour to Government to do the right thing by the country.”
So why are they not doing it?
I recall ‘burn the bondholders’ for one.
Opposition to fiscal austerity, now transmogrified into support for the EU Fiscal Compact deal which would lock any future government into foolish and damaging compulsory EU budget policy.
Stop the bullshit, Senator. You sold out, and that’s that.
What positive solutions does he speak of?? Paying unsecured bondholders whilst the citizens of this country slide into dire poverty, is that what he means? What does he mean by cynical protests? The thousands of people who have been rallying and marching is that who he is referring to? The “doing right thing” he says what is that? Making us a slave state under Franco/German rule is that what he means by the right thing?
Mr Whelan my Grandfather was proud to have Met with Jim Larkin and James Connolly and to have become a member of the party at it’s foundation in 1912. He remained true to his socialist principles all his life and passed this on to his family. Mr. Whelan my Grandfather is turning in his grave at what his party has become, how dare the leaders of the party abandon their origins in their grasp for power at any cost and how dare they abandon the people who gave them that power.
I and many others will be protesting outside your conference tomorrow and the spirit of my Grandfather and the founding members will be with us because we are the people that your party deserted.
Senator,
“…..we offer viable strategies and progressive and positive solutions to problems….”
No, you don’t.
You only offer some minor moderations within exactly the same failed neo liberal economic framework that both created the crisis & continues to damage prospects for recovery.
Essentially, ‘Neo Liberal Lite’, just like the UK Labour party & US ‘Democrats’.
Do not be frightened to look beyond the mainstream of macro economics thinking that has been thoroughly ‘captured’ by the flawed assumptions & ideological bias in favour of the 1%.
There are real & transformative policies available that you & your colleagues could really fight for in the Eurozone, making common cause with other states being similarly oppressed in the interests of the top few percent of wealthy & financial elites. There are no barriers to such options in terms of economics or ‘costs’.
Please take the time read my other post below & consider it carefully. I can explain it personally to you if you wish (msg my facebook a/c).
Latest poll figures to come out this weekend don’t look too good for Labour.
So Labour will soon be pulling out of Government then Nessa, as I struggle to see anything being implemented by this Government which a person could describe as ‘Labour values’.
Labour values are gone down the tube everyone in the country knows this bar the cowboys sitting at the top table.
When we the people vote in a government, they put the party before the people everytime. Labour are the red headed step child of Irish politics and should all band together and waddle towards the door with their well fed asses
Ehhh… “If a power struggle is to take place in the party it should not sputter on for years, it should end soon and decisively.”
Personally think she’s writing to hurt Gilmore, nothing more.
In saying that, if she is being genuine & not just playing politics, than fair play to her.
Oh dear the cracks are starting
“I believe there is no excuse not to seek more progressive solutions.” – Nessa Childers
Quite so Nessa, but all we ever hear IS excuses, together with 180 degree U-turns from all the bold rhetoric your party leaders spouted BEFORE they were elected. (e.g. Mr Gilmore’s ‘economic treason’ statements, before he got into to power & then continued with precisely the same policies of the previous regime.
Allow me to assist you Nessa if you are TRULY interested in the ‘progressive’ solutions that ARE available if your party & FG can grow a pair (even small ones).
For a start, you will struggle to find a macro economist anywhere much in Europe not completely ‘captured’ by the failed paradigm of neo liberal (neo classical) economics that caused the crisis in the 1st place & making what has followed infinitely worse than it need be. (In fact, had the policies & thinking, offered below, been adopted 4 years, Ireland would be near fuly recovered & fully employed, bank losses taken on or not.)
Sadly also you will not find any useful economists in the so-called ‘progressives’ of the trades unions.
Start here:
http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/
and here:
http://neweconomicperspectives.org/
With apologies to regular readers here, I repeat the policy option (based on the MMT principles explained in those links), which could be adopted immediately with transformative effects & no ‘cost’ to anyone.
As posted at the Journal previously:
“Just as the Euro Central Bank (ECB) created from thin air (as the Euro currency issuer) €1,000 billion to give to banks in the last 3 months, it do the same to reverse unemployment & stimulate economic growth throughout the whole currency union. There is no ‘debt’ or ‘cost’ incurred to anyone – this is what a currency issuer authority can do if we the people demand it.
Specifically, a minimum wage job, thus financed, can be offered to every unemployed person who wishes to take it up. (It must be purely voluntary, or it will lead to even worse exploitation.) The jobs offered must not compete with existing or normally waged employment in private or public sector. They must be flexible & not inherently designed to be permanent – workers will naturally migrate to ‘real’ jobs as the economy grows & recovers. Most ‘Job Guarantee’ jobs would be administered by the charity, voluntary & community sector, where extra labour is always needed for socially enhancing projects in the community. Projects not otherwise ever affordable or justifiable within normal public sector activities.
Whilst there are real social & community benefits to had (& possible experience & training benefits to participants), the important thing is the economic stimulus effect of them spending wages into the economy. Plus, of course, the savings in reduced aggregate unemployment benefits of the member governments. Savings which can make both debt payments sustainable & allow some restoration of frontline services & public investment, further stimulating growth & recovery.
There are no ‘financial’ or ‘economics’ reasons why this solution could not be adopted tomorrow. Only political will & vested interests of the elites are preventing such a policy.”
Ráiméis. Labour would never pull out! All rhetoric which people no longer buy in to. Actions speak louder than words, Nessa.
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