The PD's legacy

[hopi watcher]

Ok Clanny. My point was that their founding principles did not accentuate neo-liberalist economics but more a liberal social agenda. O'Malley was no fan of tooth and claw capitalism but rather a capitalism with something of a safety net for the weakest in society. It only went hideously wrong when Harney became leader of the party and the greed creed took over economic thinking, such as there was at that stage.

Very true. The PDs were tjhe product of an offended ego, from there the idea was to shift the political debate away from coot hoorism to a more rational level, however it became totally corrupted by those with vested interests. O'Malley could not hold the line and when Harney took over it was akin to IBEC walking into the room. Harney has no vision for the country and she is merely earning a living (and what a living) The greed culture was given it's head and we are now where we are as a result.
McCreevy was a latter day type PD. He has no concept of community and at times I really think that he is just a dope and was putty in the hands of the backroom boys who took over the PDs. But one thing is certain, they have left in their wakle not only a country that is bankrupt but which is riven from head to toe with the gap between the haves and the have nots at a very dangerous level. It will take enormous skill to guide the country through this crisis and avoid social unrest.

[Panopticon]

Does Ireland really have no "safety net for the weakest in society"?

I can't think of any party that opposes that, so that can't be the problem that the left had with the PDs.

[bob3344]

Does Ireland really have no "safety net for the weakest in society"?

I can't think of any party that opposes that, so that can't be the problem that the left had with the PDs.

We have such a poor safety net that people travel thousands of miles to avail of it.

High dole, childrens allowance, rent allowance, free medical cards etc - to such an extent that it is bankrupting us, and we are still hearing this rubbish.

[Pauli]

We have such a poor safety net that people travel thousands of miles to avail of it.

High dole, childrens allowance, rent allowance, free medical cards etc - to such an extent that it is bankrupting us, and we are still hearing this rubbish.

From Nigeria, right?? This is more a product of having no infrastructure in place to deal with immigration and no stomach to enforce the law when bogus scams are uncovered. Nothing to do with the safety net. By European standards, the safety net is modersate at best. It compares favourably to the UK safety net but that is always a lazy comparison.

[irish_bob]

From Nigeria, right?? This is more a product of having no infrastructure in place to deal with immigration and no stomach to enforce the law when bogus scams are uncovered. Nothing to do with the safety net. By European standards, the safety net is modersate at best. It compares favourably to the UK safety net but that is always a lazy comparison.

the uk has a relativley generous safety net and wellfare state , ours is extrordiarily generous , due to the absence of a right wing party and the dominance of the liberal media , the public are conditioned into believing otherwise

[Pauli]

the uk has a relativley generous safety net and wellfare state , ours is extrordiarily generous , due to the absence of a right wing party and the dominance of the liberal media , the public are conditioned into believing otherwise

The UK has a better health system but lower unemployment benefit. Ours is not extraordinarily generous but simply ill-thought out.

[irish_bob]

The UK has a better health system but lower unemployment benefit. Ours is not extraordinarily generous but simply ill-thought out.

if your unemployed here , healthcare is free , have you never notcied that doctors surgerys and casualty rooms are always full of skangers