Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

celtic tiger

Micheál Martin: Social partnership wasn't equipped for the economic boom

Martin said that there were a number of mistakes made by the Fianna Fáil administration during its 14 years in office.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO3S0Du95ps

FIANNA FÁIL LEADER Micheál Martin believes that social partnership wasn’t the right mechanism for the period of economic boom in Ireland.

Martin said that there were a number of mistakes made by the Fianna Fáil administration during its 14 years in office.

These including too much government expenditure, reduction in taxation and lack of political oversight of the regulatory system.

He was speaking at Leinster House yesterday when he was asked about his views on social partnership – the tripartite, triennial national pay agreements the government hammered out with business and labour between 1987 and 2005.

“I don’t think during the boom period, that it was equipped or the right mechanism to deal with the issues that arose then,” he said.

Earlier, Martin had told Today with Seán O’Rourke on RTÉ Radio 1 that former taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s “greatest mistake” was his faith in the social partnership process which he had instigated as Minister for Labour during the economic downturn of the late 80s.

Watch more in the video above.

Micheál Martin: ‘I do feel a certain degree of guilt over Magdalene Laundries’

Column: Public sector increments are like a parallel universe

Previously: Report to blame social partnership for country’s financial woes

Your Voice
Readers Comments
51
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.