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Conservatism in Ireland

Richard‘s and Gerry’s discussion reminds me of the episode of Questions and Answers involving Brendan Howlin, Eamonn Delaney and Dan McLaughlin – in relation to the Irish Ferries dispute.

Gerry’s answer to Richard:

Like it or loath it, social partnership was a crucial element in forging the Irish model of social and economic governance. The Irish model can be best characterised as “social liberalism” and is characterised by low taxation, deregulation and creating a climate favourable to enterprise. But it also contains elements that necessarily go against the grain, at least to some extent, of economic liberalism or what Richard would define as conservatism. It was considered necessary that a national consensus be generated to aid economic recovery from the fiscal crisis of the state and so business, trade union and government elites begat social partnership. Thus Irish-style corporatism had elements of both economic liberalism and social democracy. The hypocrisy that Richard dislikes is a product, at the rhetorical level, of a concrete mode of governance. What I’m saying is that a full blown conservative government would probably not have been able to build the consensus that created the successful Irish model in the first place.

It played out between Howlin, Roche and McLaughlin. McLaughlin seems to have easily forgotten the role social partnership had in the development of the Celtic Tiger. You can watch the clip here.

Hanafin rumbles

Sarah gets a reply from Mary Hanafin in relation to last week’s article in the Sunday Times. She seems a tad miffed. Sarah replies on her blog.

Her other very carefully chosen phrase is that “in the coming school year” the pupil:teacher ratio will be 10:1. The Principal explained how the Minister is able to say this. Since the school is closing, they are not taking in a new class of pupils in September as it would normally do. Furthermore some of the parents have found schools for the pupils and want to move them now to get in ahead of the main pack when the school does close in 2007. Therefore, as a result of the decision to close, they have less pupils, which has brought the ratio down from 15:1 to 10:1. But Hanafin allows you to believe that the teacher loss in itself would have meant a 10:1 ratio. Very sneaky.

Indeed. Ya gotta love those politicians.

Late Late Show gaffes

Jaysus the Late Late is full of gaffes tonight. Gay Byrne made a no-holds barred claim that several judges of the judiciary are fond of the gargle. He even used the ‘swiggin imaginery glass to your mouth while saying glug glug’ jibe. I know the allegation isn’t surprising but the way he did it, and given his job, it was.

Later in a discussion about Jesus-related subjects, a Catholic priest, when asked if he would be going to see the Da Vinci Code, replied that he would, but would not be paying. Further digging the hole he said he would be getting it copied when it comes out on DVD. The Plank reminded him that such action was criminal, to which the priest replied that Dan Browne or Sony Pictures won’t miss the few bob.

Jaysus indeed. Priests advocating copying DVDs because you dont want to give movie studios money. What next?


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