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hiding behind a poster, very good summary.
He deserves credit for the Good Friday achievement, his role was as a facilitator and he performed that role admirably. He is also owed much by the FF faithful for restoring unity post Haughey and Reynolds. In labour relations, he deserves much credit for his negotiation skills and should be credited for delivering peace in the industrial landscape on occasions where others failed.
The negatives, he rode the economic boom yet failed to plan for its demise leaving us with an economy dependant on oil, the US and construction – foresight not one of his or his colleague’s strong suits. The necessary public sector reforms were never delivered upon and the much heralded decentralization strategy central to the spatial plan a disaster sacrificed for political expediency. Lest we forget, the mismanaged flotation of Eircom which has left this country with a telecoms deficit which will require enormous investment to rectify. Speaking of flotations, the spectacular and inept process which was the Aer Lingus flotation, the loss for Shannon of the Heathrow connection and its impact on the west. Lack of investment in public transport (unless 2020 is soon enough for you!), the fiasco that was the multiple Nice referenda, … the list goes on and on.
His association with Haughey, Lawlor, Burke etc and his own Teflon reputation have left us with a generation disengaged and disenchanted with Irish politics – for this he and his buddies can not be forgiven and one significant achievement is not a sufficient offset
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Originally Posted by grandad