Preventing The Future? Palestine: Families Nurses: Trade Brendan Clifford replies to And Policy Union Equality? Professor Garvin Conor Lynch Labour Comment page 15 page 8 back page IRISH POLITICAL REVIEW JUNE 2007 Vol.22, No.6 ISSN 0790-7672 and Northern Star incorporating Workers' Weekly Vol.21 No.6 ISSN 954-5891

Election 2007 "The Greatest Nation On Earth" Remember 62 The British Prime Minister said some years ago, when launching one of his five wars, The result of the 2007 election was that Britain has never made war except in a just cause. This must mean that Britain is Fianna Fail 78, Fine Gael 51, Labour 20, the agent of divine Providence in this world. Green 6, Sinn Fein 4, Progressive Demo- When making his retirement speech a couple of weeks ago, this same Prime Minister crats 2, Independents 5. The share of first . confirmed that was his meaning. He said: preferences was 41.6%, 27.3%, 10.1%, "…This country is a blessed nation. 4.7%, 6.9%, 2.7% and 6.6% respectively. The British are special. The world knows it. In our innermost thoughts, we know it. This is the greatest nation on earth." Fianna Fail obtained the same percent- age as the 2002 election but lost three No Irish political party or newspaper uttered a note of dissent. To have done so would seats (it had already lost two since 2002: have been 'divisive'. Beverley Cooper Flynn and Charlie It was not divisive on the part of the British Prime Prime Minister to assert that Britain McCreevy). Nevertheless it can claim to was the greatest state in the world—that it was a blessed state. But it would have been be the big winner in this election. It has divisive for any representative figure in Ireland, speaking out of the Irish experience of been in power for all but two and a half of English blessedness, to comment that Blair's statement was an expression of either the last 20 years and, after all the changes extreme Jingoism or of megalomania. Such is the condition of the relationship between in that period both in Irish society and the Ireland and Britain today. world, it remains the dominant political party in the state. The Taoiseach was invited to address the British Parliament to celebrate the joint achievement of London and Dublin in putting Northern Ireland back in the box, where Reflecting on his success, Ahern it is to engage in a make-belief politics outside the political life of either of the states. claimed on RTE that Fianna Fail had been Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said to the assembled Westminster Houses in Westminster the most successful political party in Hall: Europe. His success was all the more "I had the honour last week to welcome the new First Minister of Northern Ireland, the remarkable because it was achieved in the Right Honourable Ian Paisley MP, to the site of the Battle of the Boyne. This was a battle context of a vicious media campaign for power in these islands and also part of a wider European conflict. Its outcome resounds against him. On the Saturday after the through the centuries of Irish and British history to this very day. That time marked the election the Labour Party leader Pat beginning of an unbroken period of parliamentary democracy in this country." Rabbitte compared Fianna Fail to a tribe Here we have unconditional surrender by the leader of Irish democracy to English in its loyalty to its chief and admitted that, history—o r to the English Story. if any other party leader had been subjected continued on page 2 continued on page 4

critically by the media. His problem is, even though it is obvious that, in order to A Post-Election Coup? that, after years have gone by and millions do this, he must either join forces with As we go to press Justice Mahon and the have been spent, he has come up with Provisional Sinn Fein—or, if his Stickie Irish Times, aided by the Daily Mail, are nothing on which charges can be based partners baulk at this, he must mend his trying to change the outcome of the General against anybody, and he is taking it person- fences with Lowry and pay a million and Election after the Election, by means of an ally and has resorted to dirty tricks. We a half pounds to Beverley Cooper-Flynn intensified libel campaign against the will not speculate on whether this arises so that she can clear her debts to RTE over Fianna Fail leader, who, by any reasonable from political bias or sheer inadequacy. the libel action. And this supposes that stan dard, won the election. In view of the happenings of the last she and other Independents would be Justice Mahon is a would-be tax cheat couple of months, the Mahon Tribunal willing to make nonsense of themselves who had to disgorge £20,000 in 1992 and and the Irish Times must be regarded as a by supporting him. blames the late Fianna Fail TD, Liam combination. The fact that Lowry and Beverley Lawlor, for revealing this fact to the media. The Fine Gael leader has responded to Cooper-Flynn were poll-toppers shows He launched an assault on the Taoiseach the encouragement given to him by the how much credence the electorate places the first day of Tribunal business after the spurious Tribunal and the Oath-bound in the “corruption” indictments concocted Election. He had nothing new—or nothing British newspaper by refusing to concede by a few powerful people in Dublin for of substance—to do it with, but he knew that he lost the Election. He says he can reasons which have nothing to do with that the assault would not be looked at form a rag-bag Coalition of bits and pieces, good government. and govern them. It was the influence of C O N T E N T S the principles of the French Revolution, which survived the defeat of France, that "The Greatest Nation On Earth". Editorial 1 led to the first, very small, extension of the Remember 62. Editorial (Election of 24th June 2007) 1 Parliamentary franchise in Britain in 1832: 142 years after the Battle of the Boyne. A Post-Election Coup? Editorial 1 Irish Times Suppresses Debate. Cathal Brugha on the Fourth Estate (letters) 3 What was at issue at the Battle of the Boyne was religious freedom. King James Editorial Digest (Albert Reynolds; Harold Whelehan; Martin McGuinness; BBC, NI introduced it in the 1680s. The victory of Brian Feeney; Messines; Political Policing; Le Monde 3 King William led to its abolition for almost a century and a half—until 1829, when it Tally Ho Ho Hoey. Joe Keenan 6 was partially conceded in the face of mass Fianna Fail And The Decline Of The Free State. Jack Lane 7 rebellion in Ireland threatened by Daniel O'Connell. Fair Employment: The Flynn & Debast Case. Mark Langhammer 7 Another immediate consequence of Family And Policy. Conor Lynch (Reflections On Palestine, Part 5) 8 the Battle of the Boyne was the throwing of the slave trade open to private enterprise, The Great Debate. John Martin (Ahern v. Kenny on television) 10 which led to England becoming the main Irish Men And England's Wars. Seán McGouran 12 slave-trading nation in the world within twenty years. The Irish Times Campaign Against Bertie Ahern. IPR Group, Press Release 13 A consequence which took a generation Preventing The Future. Brendan Clifford (Part 2 of reply to Prof. Garvin) 15 to work out was the reduction of the monarchy to a figurehead behind which Shorts from the Long Fellow (Irish Times: 1. Opinion Poll Strategy; 2. Corruption the aristocracy and gentry ruled. But the Strategy; French Election Special) 19 disembowelling of the monarchy—which began with the Whig coup d'etat of 1715, A Brief Summary Of "Bertiegate". Editorial 22 introducing a German King who couldn't speak English—was not a measure which Labour Comment, edited by Pat Maloney: established popular government. What it The Nursing Dispute And After, back page established was the complete freedom of The Mid Cork Election Ballad Of D.D. Sheehan, page 23 the aristocracy to do as it pleased with the people. Carroll Professor Roy Foster was said. But there has been nothing constant highly praised a couple of years ago for in English history except the fact of the Popular rights require a framework of his book The Irish Story. What he meant English State and its pursuit of power. law maintained by a national state to which by the title was that the Irish make up a But the Story at any given moment always all classes are subject. That is not what the Story of Ireland and present it as history, tells of constancy of another kind, and Glorious Revolution of 1688 (made secure with little or no regard for historical fact. massages historical fact into compliance at the Battle of the Boyne) established. But, alas, the truth is that there is no longer with it. That is what it abolished. an Irish Story, invented or researched, Or, if there has been a constant ideal The national state, which existed in false or true. There is only a variation of which accompanied the unrelenting connection with the monarchy, was broken the English Story for Ireland. pursuit of power, it was an ideal which at up and its place was taken by a system in The English Story, both of England a certain point it became unprofitable to which the local aristocrat was the State itself and of the English contretemps in speak of—anti-Catholicism. and the Law as far as the local populace Ireland has now comprehensively margin- Democracy is certainly what it was was concerned. Parliament was a collect- alised what there was of an Irish Story in not. ive body of the aristocrats in which they less subservient times. did each other favours, such as passing England does not welcome "revision- Democracy was not inserted into the Bills authorising the Enclosure of common ist" tampering with the story of itself, Story as the constant ideal until two lands. which it tells itself and others. centuries after the Battle of the Boyne. If Irish history-writing had not been The "unbroken period of parliament- entirely subordinated to the English Story Three and a half centuries ago John ary democracy" can hardly have begun of the moment, it would be known that the Milton, Cromwell's Secretary of State, until the Parliamentary franchise came substance of the movement of the United wrote: "Let England not forget her prece- reasonably close to including at least all Irishmen was anti-aristocratic, not anti- dence of teaching the nations how to live". adult males. And that did not happen until monarchical. This was made explicit in And, three and a half centuries later, the the early 20th century. scores of Resolutions adopted at Parish Prime Minister says that England is blessed The war against France from 1793 to Meetings in the core United Irish area of among the nations and nobody guffaws in 1815—the first English war for which the Antrim and Down in the 1790s. The derision—even though this is the age of Irish provided most of the cannonfodder— demand was essentially that the anarchic disbelief. was a war against democracy, and for the power of aristocrats should be brought During these three centuries and a half, restoration of authoritative monarchy in under a system of law enforced by the the Story has not been the same Story all Europe and curbing the democratic forces state. the way through. The durability of the stirred up by the French Revolution. What the people of England got from same story over three and a half centuries The French were defeated and the the Williamite victory at the Boyne was is not what impresses. At different points monarchy restored. But the French had freedom from the illusory threat of Papism, along the way England stood for drastically torn up the roots of monarchy and it and the right to give free vent to the anti- different things. But the Story is a story of wouldn't replant—unlike the English, who Catholic bigotry which the aristocracy constancy to one thing. "England has her having executed the King in 1649 begged stimulated and manipulated for their own constancy no less than Rome", Gladstone his son eleven years later to come home purposes. 2 What Ireland got was anarchic aristocracy plus the anti-Catholic bigotry. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR · LETTERS TO THE EDITOR· LETTERS TO THE EDITOR·

It was not easy to reduce Ireland to the condition in which it lay at the time of the Famine. Only England could have done Irish Times Suppresses Debate it. Cathal Brugha is not a regular writer of letters to the Irish Times. All the more significant therefore was the failure to publish his following short letter, sent in on 10th May, at a crucial And it was not easy to perform the point in the paprr's attempt to prevent Fianna Fail being re-elected. Incidentally, the Irish mental lobotomy which abolished realistic Independent failed to publish the letter as well. historical awareness from Irish public life. The Irish Times could not have done it. The public have shown that they wish the election campaign to be about policies and Only Fianna Fail could have done it. programmes. The media have made it a personal attack on the Taoiseach, based on issues that have nothing to do with the last decade of government. The election has become dominated by two high-profile media figures, one a supporter of Fine Gael, the other of Labour, but who do not preface their interviews by publicly acknowledging their bias. Edmund Burke described the media as a Fourth Estate that was more important than all Editorial Digest the other three "Estates" in Parliament. There is no doubt that the Fourth Estate plays an important role as guardians of democracy and defenders of the public interest. Albert Reynolds added to the pressure on However, there is a danger when the Fourth Estate tries to alter the balance between itself Bertie Ahern by blaming him for the and our democratic institutions, in order to make a play for a more dominating role in break-up of his Coalition Government our society. with Dick Spring's Labour in November During an election campaign there are limits on expenditure by politicians so as to 1994 by allegedly failing to pass a crucial ensure that money is not a biasing factor. Maybe the Press Council should consider the file on to him (IT 10.5.07). introduction of guidelines to moderate the activities of some of its more partisan Harry Whelehan, Albert Reynolds' members, in order to protect democracy, at the only time when it is vulnerable to erosion, Attorney General—who brought the X- which is during an election. Case and whose legal ambitions helped to sour relations within the Reynolds/ Cathal Brugha has also sent the Irish Political Review the following observations about the Spring Government is currently working way that the media obscured real issues by their continued focus on the Taoiseach: as a Barrister. Though repeatedly recommended for judicial promotion by The Fourth Estate the Judicial Appointments Board, he has never been promoted (SI 20.5.07). "NI State": Peter Hain promoted the A Chara, The election outcome was a great disappointment to the media, whose illusion that the NI Executive has real relentless personal attacks on the Taoiseach moved the campaign onto matters that had political control when he urged it "to nothing to do with the last decade of government, or with the next five years. Pushing stop contemplating its navel and start discussion of issues off the agenda led to a FF/FG polarisation based to a great extent on facing the world with confidence" (IN whether one believed Bertie Ahern was fit for continuing in the role of Taoiseach. The 5.5.07). unfortunate consequence is the loss of the most incisive, witty, honest and bright Ian Paisley jnr, while looking forward members of the Dáil, from Michael McDowell to Joe Higgins, people who made to cooperation with Dublin on the basis significant contributions to policy development. Their exclusion diminishes the quality of "mutual respect", declared that SF of future debate in the incoming Dáil. "must accept the legitimacy of the state" The public clearly wished that the election be about policies and programmes, and (IN, SF Must Accept Northern State welcomed the Taoiseach's detailed discussion of the issues in the television debate with Says Paisley jnr). Enda Kenny. Up until then the media had flouted the wishes of the public to see the issues Martin McGuinness, now Deputy First discussed in public. The media had their bias finally exposed when they declared the Minister in NI, has said debate a draw despite the clear view amongst the public that Bertie Ahern had won. The "The only piece of legislation the irony for the media is that the public rallied behind the Taoiseach from that moment at Nationalist Party got passed in this least partly because they saw the unfairness of the media position. building [Stormont] was the Wild Birds Act in all the time that they were here… Now I'm walking into an administration Andrew Colman, BBC NI Head of community peace initiative, marking the with five Sinn Féin ministers and an News and Current Affairs, replied in a 90th anniversary of the Battle of SDLP minister—well capable of putting letter on 9th May, claiming that the Messines, in which the 16th Irish and in place all sorts of legislation and "duty of a free press" included "asking 36th Ulster Division fought together for taking all sorts of very important difficult questions. the first time. decisions in the interests of not just Political Policing: The PSNI rejected republicans and nationalists but Brian Feeney, in The Writing Is On The everyday within the community. So Wall For 'Britishness' (IN 2.5.07) SF's charge that its prosecution of Brian what was 800 years of British suggested that, in accepting the new Arthurs, a builder of Dungannon for involvement in Ireland all about?" (IT Executive, "they have also voted for money-laundering. Police said that it 7.5.07). structures which emphasise their was part of a mortgages investment BBC, NI: Jim Gibney, the former SF separatedness from Britain, that point investigation (IT 24.5.07). Press Officer, highlighted in his IN them towards the rest of the people on Le Monde journalists voted to oust the column how BBC interviewers were the island they live on?" He added, director o the paper. Unlike the Irish attempting to disrupt the new Power- "…Can it be long before unionists Times, which is controlled by an Oath- Sharing Executive by questions and support SF's demand for representation bound directory sworn to keep its analysis "locked into old battles and in the Dail?" proceedings secret, the journalists and prejudices". He asked "On whose behalf Messines: Martina Anderson is to travel other stakeholders in Le Monde have are these questions being asked?" to Belgium in June, as part of a cross- real power and operate in a transparent (3.5.07). manner (IT 24.5.07). 3 every election since the "Spring tide of number of seats as they went out with, but 1992" when it won more than 30 seats. are entering an interesting phase in their The amalgamation of Labour with political development and may have the Remember 62 Democratic Left has failed to revive its option to participate in government. The continued fortunes. The one consolation of the 2002 Green Party, unlike other small parties in election was that Labour was only 10 the history of the state is unlikely to go seats behind Fine Gael. It could have away. It may be in a strong pivotal position to what Ahern had been, such a leader challenged that party for the leadership of in the formation of governments for many would have looked behind him to find his the opposition. But Rabbitte has only years to come as have its counterparts in troops had all gone. Fianna Fail is some succeeded in giving new life to Fine Gael, continental Europe. tribe! And Ahern is some Chief! which looked moribund 5 years ago. Apparently there is no challenge to the The big losers were the Progressive The media campaign failed to break leadership of Rabbitte, which indicates a Democrats. That party's political origins the morale of Fianna Fail. On the contrary lack of ambition and life within the party. arose from the split within Fianna Fail in it galvanised the rank and file and only Given the age profile of its TDs and the the late 1980s. But it has become a made them more determined to succeed. paucity of successors, the prognosis for receptacle for disenchanted Fine Gael the party is not good. voters. Accordingly it has waxed and But the groundwork for Fianna Fail's waned in the opposite direction to the electoral success was laid many years In the post election analysis politicians fortunes of Fine Gael. It lost six seats and before. After the 2002 election it realised from the smaller parties complained that the two seats it retained, Mary Harney and that the most significant threat to its they were squeezed by the presidential Noel Grealish (Bobby Molloy's old seat), position would come from Sinn Fein. It style of the campaign. The primary respon- have their origins in Fianna Fail. decided to reassert its republican values sibility for this must rest with Rabbitte with the 1916 Celebration and indications who enabled Kenny to appear as a plausible This magazine is no friend of Mary that it would tackle "historical revision- alternative Taoiseach. Labour de- Harney, but although she only barely ism" . It also consolidated its working class politicised the campaign by its alliance scraped in she must have noted with some support by moving to the left despite the with Fine Gael, which unlike under other satisfaction that many of the "hospital" continued participation of the Progressive Labour leaders was in place years before candidates had lost their seats along with Democrats in government. Charlie the election. It was not just an electoral Fine Gael's health spokesman Liam McCreevy was dispatched to Brussels and alliance since it determined the framework Twomey. If the health service is in crisis the more left wing Brian Cowen replaced of political conflict well before the election. the voters had no confidence in the him as Minister for Finance. It was clear to left wing voters that any alternative on offer. Labour policy to the left of Fianna Fail It was very noticeable that Ahern would be neutralised by Fine Gael. The Although the Progressive Democrats portrayed himself as an ordinary working Fine Gael/Labour alternative was not Party has recovered from electoral setbacks class guy in the debate with Enda Kenny. offering political change but merely a before (in 1997 it was down to 4 seats), it On the question of class sizes he admitted change of personnel. The election became is difficult to see how it can continue after that he hadn't achieved his target of a a contest between the competence and to this election. Its problem is that its political student-teacher ratio of 20 in the general a lesser extent the integrity of the outgoing ground has been on a too narrow basis. It population, but that he had done it in the Government as compared to the Fine Gael/ has been dependent on winning Fine Gael disadvantaged areas. He claimed that this Labour alternative. first preferences and Fianna Fail transfers. was always his priority. His claim that the Fine Gael's revival and McDowell's Fine Gael policy of not abolishing the The de-politicisation of the campaign disastrous leadership undermined even PRSI ceiling meant that the latter's policy marginalised the smaller parties and this narrow base. His obeisance to the favoured the top 3% of the population was independents. Sinn Fein was further media on the subject of Ahern's finances a masterstroke. isolated by the refusal of the two main and then his hasty change of mind sealed political blocs to countenance Sinn Fein his fate. On the last count in Dublin South Fine Gael can be satisfied that it won participation in government. But Sinn Fein East he obtained only 43% of the Fianna 20 seats, but the claim that this achievement also fought a poor campaign. Gerry Adams Fail candidate's transfers despite there was "historic" is an overstatement. All it appeared completely out of touch with being no other Fianna Fail candidate in did was recover most of the 23 seats it had society in the south. The four Sinn Fein the field. lost in its disastrous 2002 campaign. Its TDs who retained their seats did so by number of seats and share of the vote their own efforts. Despite its success in The role of the media and in particular remains below that of the 1997 election the North it lost one seat in this election The Irish Times has been examined else- and way below the dizzy heights it and does not appear to have made any where in this magazine. The Irish Times achieved in the November 1982 election progress since 2002. Its most likely and indeed any other newspaper is perfect- (70 seats and 39.2% of first preferences). prospect of gaining seats is in the Border ly entitled to declare its political allegiance County of Donegal rather than the urban in an open and honest way, but that is not More important, it is likely to remain working class areas of the Republic. Its what it did during this election campaign. in opposition for another 5 years, a serious political influence is not unlike that of It attempted to set the agenda around the setback for a party which needs the oxygen Sinn Fein the Workers Party in the early question of Ahern's finances. All of this of power to sustain it. Nevertheless it was 1980s with the significant difference that had been dealt with last October. But The on a life support machine in 2002 and no Sinn Fein has made a political Irish Times devoted acres of newsprint to one can claim that that is the case in 2007. breakthrough in the North. But in this this question during the election, even election Sinn Fein failed to obtain any though nothing new emerged and it had This was another bad election for the electoral benefit from its success in the been requested by the Mahon Tribunal to Labour Party. Labour has gone backwards North and it is not clear that this will desist from using leaked documents which under Pat Rabbitte. A loss of one seat in change in the future. were supplied by Ahern on a confidential this election may not seem bad, but the basis. Labour Party has been at a low ebb in The Greens came back with the same 4 Not a shred of evidence has been "Now here they were, two hours thread in the blanket of corrosion. In produced to indicate political corruption. further on, and they had not lost. To be Cashel, a businesswoman and Fianna But as Brian Lenihan Senior remarked sure, the thrusting new leader hadn't Fail voter, forced to work three menial after his unsuccessful bid for the landed the crushing blow he should have jobs to support her two children while presidency: landed on the grizzled old timer, but being pursued through the courts for heck, the show was still on the road." details of her husband's whereabouts "Honesty and integrity don't count after his desertion 20 years ago, railed for anything anymore, what matters now The only problem with this is that the against the 'cheek of Bertie in his big is 'credibility' and 'credibility' is what "thrusting new leader", who "should have" Government job… saying he needed a the media choose to believe at any given landed a blow, is five months older than dig-out, using his separation as an excuse point in time". the "grizzled old-timer". But why let the to take money from businessmen. facts get in the way of propaganda and so: Separated and divorce people will never A second feature of The Irish Times's forgive him for that.'" campaign was to pretend that Fianna Fail "… for all Bertie's tombstone grin was in disarray. It completely ignored the and fighting form, dread hangs around Kathy Sheridan deserves an Irish Times evidence of its own opinion polls that this Fianna Fail like a shroud. For one friendly employee of the month award for that was not the case and indeed that Fianna Fianna Fail regular at Treasury Buildings paragraph alone. It touches pretty well all Fail had increased its support during the (or Meltdown Manor, as some denizens the 'politically correct' bases. But it is very have christened it), 'it's like going to curious that the anonymous Fianna Fail campaign. An example of the bizarre someone's house where something really coverage of that newspaper was a one- terrible has happened and everyone has voter describes Bertie as being in a "big page news feature by Kathy Sheridan on been locked in for a long time. The Government job". Why not "Taoiseach"? the Saturday before polling day when it campaign isn't really functioning. was clear that the opposition had been put Something's just not working. They're So what is the consequence of all this on the back foot. coming across as an old, tired team doom and gloom for Fianna Fail? who've had their day'" The headline in the article was: "High "Two months ago, a well-known drama at party HQ, sour mood on the Fianna Failer, chatting about the party's doorsteps". The first two paragraphs of And even the good news was bad news: electoral prospects (and who probably the article show a complete misreading of "The marvellous celebratory set- had access to the private polls), tore a the debate between Ahern and Kenny: pieces that have conferred a deserved page from a notebook and wrote down a place among the greats on Bertie Ahern, figure: 'Hold on to that. See if I'm right.' "To some of us out in RTE on and were seen to be brilliantly strategic It read '62'. Thursday night, it was the post debate in their timing, have also associated "If it materialises it spells melt down, scene that told the story. As Bertie rushed him, however, with Tony Blair's 19 seats gone south. This week, after away to steady the troops back at Fianna unseemly clinging to power and hitting the canvass and what he called Fail election headquarters at Treasury interminable farewell. Blair had to 'the semi-final of the Eurovision' (the Buildings, a spectral PJ Mara hovered, concede, finally, that 10 years is enough. four smaller parties' debate on Prime telling anyone in earshot that his boss Clinton is gone because the American Time on Wednesday) he texted a had won 'by a country mile. Of course'. people hold that no president is worth message: 'Remember 62'" People nodded politely, but no one was more than two terms. That leaves Bertie, clamouring to hear more. Il Duce's right battling gamely for a third. 'Fear is the But Fianna Fail returned with 78 seats hand man, lyricist of the smash, only tactic in town now', says a Fianna 'Showtime!', looked like a man who had and no reduction in its First Preference Failer', i.e. 'The left is nigh'". lost his mojo." share. Kevin Rafter of the Sunday Tribune on the day after the election blurted out on Classic Irish Times! After more than And this was not just at Fianna Fail RTE that the campaign bore no relation to head office: 20 years Mara is not allowed forget his the result of the election. And he said it jocose fascist reference. But meanwhile… "In the soundest of Fianna Fail areas, without a hint of self irony. suspicion crackled too around the "In the Fine Gael hospitality room, decision to hold the election on a At his first television interview after by contrast, Enda Kenny and his handlers Thursday. The issue raised its head lingered contentedly, too drained, too repeatedly, as parents complained that, the election Ahern commented on the choked with gratitude to the election having imbued their children with the media campaign. Interestingly he said that gods, to rise and break the spell. The air duty to vote, they were almost being he had nothing against the individual was thick with relief. After weeks of disenfranchised." journalists involved. They had well paid warnings that the contest was his to lose, jobs, but had to "do as they were told". they were toasting not victory, but basic And: survival." "Waste and arrogance were constant So Kathy Sheridan cannot be blamed. themes." The next paragraph reads like an extract Nor can the Dditor of The Irish Times. They were only doing what they were from Mills and Boon: And on the stump: told. The ultimate responsibility lies with "Never mind the issues. The "What often followed was a tale of the secret oath-bound directory, which movement for change was evident on horror about health, school places, or controls the newspaper: the Governors of the way in, when he resisted such classic, three-hour commutes, often with a curse The Irish Times Trust. turn-off Enda-isms as the silly thumbs- on the heads of those who wasted pots of up and the lame clenched fist. The clean, public money on electronic voting and vigorous leap from the Mercedes, the management consultants. One quoted Check out the jacket slung over the shoulder, were an Noel Dempsey's famous riposte about Athol Books website at echo of Blair in his pomp. His few words the 50 million euro electronic voting to the media conveyed quiet confidence project—that 'it wasn't a lot of money … with a dash of humility, acknowledging relatively speaking'" the useful sparring practice gained at www.atholbooks.org 'impromptu press conferences' around And of course Ahern's finances also the country in recent weeks." came up: Write to Irish Political Review at And in similar gushing prose Sheridan "Bertiegate of itself is not enough to [email protected] wrote: sink the Fianna Fail ship: it's just another 5 people to become members and active Fees. A certain leftist fantasy has had members and I don't think many of Gordon Brown, who voted for all of that, them will probably be voting for Peter conspiratorially at the back of the back- Hain." bench revolts. In which case Ms. Hoey Now then, what's to be said about this. may find herself well-regarded by the Tally Ho Ho Hoey First that Blair did not "bring in consent". Pumpkin and his friends. It's possible. But Labour's position on Northern Ireland then she voted against the abolition of since the Fine Gael-led Coalition's hunting. So it's not very likely. It's another case of the unspeakable declaration of an Irish Republic was that no change to its constitution could be Tally ho, hounds away! Kate Hoey MP in pursuit of something Joe Keenan rather inedible, but not a fox this time. Ms. enacted without the consent of its Parliament. The abolition of Stormont Note on 'apocolocyntosis': Philosophers Hoey, who opposes the ban on hunting generally have had little enough sense; and has ridden with the Duke of Beaufort's made that formulation redundant and Labour's Irish policy for some years was usually just enough to keep out of politics. Hunt, was being interviewed on BBC Those who haven't kept out of politics Northern Ireland's Hearts & Minds an occasional Troops Out crescendo have often come to a bad end. One thinks (Thursday, 10th. May) about Blair's legacy played against the background of a fugue. and the coming election for Deputy Leader Long before Blair that dissonance was of Socrates and Boethius. Also Seneca. of the Labour Party. cleared up when Labour committed itself Seneca was a philosophical and literary The interviewer, Noel Thompson, asked to campaign for "Unity by consent". That senator of the early Roman Empire. The her if she agreed with Ian Paisley's remark is the position now. Labour is committed emperor Clau Clau Claudius took Seneca that Blair's willingness to conciliate to campaigning for Ireland to be united, under his wing and promoted the with the consent of a majority in the North. Republicans had delayed the bright dawn hypocritical lickspittle well beyond his of a brave new day in this part of the world And that will be the position a month from now when Mr. Blair undergoes his merits. He became tutor to Claudius' and Ms Hoey did, in her forthright way, adopted son and heir Nero and part of the kind of, like, sort of, agree, if you know apotheosis (or perhaps his apocolocyntosis, with Brown's election plot which arranged the assassination of what I mean, like, kind of thing: the one and succession of the other. "Well I think there certainly were marking the pumpkinification of New times when I felt that there was being Labour). So far so good and pretty much par for too, it wasn't so even handed as I perhaps the course. But Seneca then set the seal on had thought it should have been. But In any event, while Ms. Hoey clearly his treachery by writing the you know, whatever has happened in looks forward to the establishment of Apocolocyntosis—a satirical skit on the the past the reality is, as Alf (Dubs, British Labour in Northern Ireland as yet Pumpkinification rather than the former NIO minister) has said, he did another small u unionist party, no Deification (apotheosis) of Claudius in stick to it and I remember being also in announcements of the next week or two which the former emperor joins Julius and Northern Ireland in the very early days can accomplish that. British Government when he (Tony Blair) made it very clear policy these days is made and changed Augustus not as a fellow God but as an that he was not in favour of what had whimsically, on the backs of Lottery eternal pumpkin. Having helped murder been the Labour Party policy that a his benefactor the philosopher had set United Ireland was what the Labour tickets, at the drop of a stetson. Labour Party was campaigning for and that Party policy is still subject to conference. about ridiculing him. was changed in the whole way of British Labour in Northern Ireland may Seneca lasted a few years after that as a bringing in consent was very very soon attain the status of a Forum Group rather ineffectual eminence grise. Then important because it gave people in along the lines of the Irish Labour Party tiring of him Nero gave him the option of Northern Ireland some confidence that organisation. It is possible. But that, and a good death or a bad one. So Seneca they weren't going to be sold out. And any other formal arrangement, will leave finished by cutting his veins in a nice in the end you know that has worked it committed to working for unification. out that at least what has happened now warm bath. Another glorious martyr for has been a result of the people of the noble cause of philosophy, or so some Northern Ireland voting for the parties In recent years Ms. Hoey has been voting against Blairite measures, against very silly classical scholars would have us that in the end have delivered a back to believe. the assembly." Foundation Hospitals and against Top-up

After rubbishing current Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain's candidacy in the election for Deputy Leader Ms. Fianna Fáil, The Irish Press Tally Hoey then had this to say: "There is no doubt about it, there has And The Decline Of The Free State been a feeling in the Labour Party that the leadership has kind of left the by Brendan Clifford membership behind and Parliament itself I think has been, there's been a Index. 172pp. ISBN 978 1 903497 33 3 feeling that Parliament has been Euro 12, £9 ignored. So I think we'll see all the candidates. I personally won't be supporting Peter Hain and I'm hoping Aubane Historical Society that those small number of people in Aubane, Millstreet, Co. Cork Northern Ireland who are allowed to join the Labour Party and of course ORDERS: [email protected] that's been something that has changed. Membership can now happen in Northern Ireland and, indeed, in a week All advertised publications can be ordered through the website at or two, we'll see some announcements that will make it even more possible for www.atholbooks.org or through your local bookshop 6 Report: Aubane Community Centre, Centre about two years ago when he ration in the ‘Celtic Tiger' years and he Saturday, 12th May 2007 discussed the tourist potential of the area saw the challenges of creating strong and the development of the Butter Road. communities. Fianna Fail And The He was glad to see the recent improvements "One of the means by which our new in the road. citizens can become part of us is to Decline Of The Free State It was very appropriate to dedicate this share with them our own history, our book to Jack Roche who personifies all own unique stories from our own unique places" he said. PRESENTATION TO BATT O'KEEFFE TD that contributes to a vibrant rural society. The Aubane Historical Society (AHS) He embodies the spirit of those who fought It is unfortunate and regrettable that the organised a local launch of its latest for our freedom in his idealism and the men and women of the Independence struggle are sometimes denigrated today. publication and presented a copy to practical projects he has initiated in a Minister of State, Batt O'Keeffe TD. It is variety of areas. A publication like this helps to set the called "Fianna Fail and the decline of the record straight by showing the difficult— almost impossible—choices they all had Free State" by Brendan Clifford and is He liked the way that the AHS had dedicated to Jack Roche. recorded local history and also put it in a to face and it thereby tries to be fair to all national context. The material was concerned. Jack Lane INTRODUCTION sometimes challenging and controversial Jack Lane of the AHS welcomed all but independent thinking was very import- *"Fianna Fail and the decline of the Free State" by Brendan Clifford published by the and apologised for the short notice. He ant when it comes to the study of history. Aubane Historical Society is available at Liam explained the background to the publica- This latest book dealt with a period that he Russell's in Cork, Wordsworth's in Millstreet, tion and that it was a continuation of the was particularly interested in. Philips in Mallow, Kanturk Bookshop and story published by the AHS in Sean He noted the strong tendency of immig- Macroom Bookshop. Moylan's memoir and dealt with develop- ments after the war over the Treaty and the coming to power of the first Fianna Fail Government. He was pleased to have a Government Minister present because the Government's Fair Employment: decision to open the Bureau of Military The Flynn & Debast case History archive and their decision to also make available the records of the success- Almost twenty years ago, the Northern have been allowed to discriminate on ful applications for War of Independence Ireland Fair Employment Act provided a religious grounds when making pensions should be acknowledged. This legal basis for the requirement on employ- appointments, a practice otherwise illegal involves making available tens of thous- ers to monitor and report on the religious under fair employment legislation. The ands of invaluable documents—primary composition of their workforces. At the Equality Commission argued that the post sources of information. This was a great time, the forerunner of the Irish Political was a “promotion”, with the school contribution to the study of Irish history. Review, the Northern Star, opposed the employers arguing that it was an “appoint- Disputes and disagreements are inevitable illiberalism of branding workers, but made ment” and therefore outside the scope of but all should accept that maximum the point that—if this sort of engineering fair employment legislation. As a test information is the key to a proper under- was to be engaged in—then formalized case, the ruling ensures that “Discrimin- standing of our history. The essential quotas might be safer for all. ation Rules" in any post. The right to requirement for settling disputes and dis- discriminate, although challenged by agreements is very simple—let's have all The employment of teachers was one Catholic teachers in the state sector, the facts. The Government have helped area of employment excluded from the predominantly protects the ethos of greatly in this. provisions of fair employment legislation. Catholic schools. The book was dedicated to Jack Roche In essence, this was to protect the “ethos” in recognition of the great work he was of faith schools which, in Northern Ireland, The issue is important. Thirteen years doing for all aspects of Irish culture and are predominantly Catholic schools. The after the ceasefires, and with a new Assem- history, locally and nationally. He had recent case in the Northern Ireland Court bly in place, should the right to discriminate been a supporter of the AHS's work for of Appeal, Flynn and Debast Vs Laurelhill in appointments be continued? Or in many years and helped ensure its Community College and the South Eastern promotions? Protected discrimination was successful publishing efforts in the early Education and Library Board has put in place to protect the ethos of particular years through the support of IRD demonstrated some of pitfalls of the schools, but such measures appear now to Duhallow. legislation and, in particular, how discrimination in education is imbalancing be out of proportion to the limited measures actually required to protect “ethos”? JACK ROCHE the teacher workforce. Jack Roche said it was a most worth- One side effect is a developing and while publication and dealt with a In May, the Court of Appeal determined unhealthy community imbalance in North- contentious period in our history which that a challenge to the right of Northern ern Irish teacher supply. Figures recently has been by and large ignored. He dis- Irish school employers to discriminate on revealed through Parliamentary Questions covered quite a lot that was new to him. religious grounds was “out of juris- show that, since 2002, St. Mary’s He emphasised the lack of history as a diction”. The test case, backed by the University College has had an exclusively subject in our current education Equality Commission, was brought by Catholic intake, with Catholics making curriculum. This was deplorable and he two Catholic teachers applying for internal up around a quarter of the intake at hoped it would be rectified. The work of promotion within a state-controlled school. Stranmillis University College. The “chill the AHS was filling a vacuum. They applied unsuccessfully for the post of Head of Modern Languages. The job factor” of the right to discriminate may be having negative impacts on opportunities BATT O'KEEFFE went to two non-Catholic teachers on a to teach—with Catholics starting to The Minister of State recalled his job-share basis. dominate the profession? previous visit to the Aubane Community Traditionally, Northern Irish schools 7 Schools of all sorts are funded almost committal statement which, whilst land. entirely by the taxpayer. Should discrimin- welcoming Equality Commission involve- It will have to be taken back. And the ation, therefore, have a place in the profes- ment, challenged neither the teacher least that is needed to achieve that is a sion, or should discrimination not be exclusion in recruitment nor the treatment Palestinian State-in-waiting which is restricted to the small minority of posts of “promotions” as “appointments” powerful enough to alter the balance of requiring particular doctrinal qualifications? within the legal ruling. power and policy in the region. Whilst the DUP made a robust statement against discrimination, raising the con- It seems unlikely that the Kerr, All the efforts of Israel and its allies are cerns about an imbalancing of the Campbell and Girvan ruling will be the directed towards ensuring that such a State- workforce, Sinn Fein’s Equality spokes- end of the matter. in-waiting does not emerge. If it does person, Martina Anderson made a non- Mark Langhammer emerge, it will, along the way, have weakened Israel, made the United States take account of it, and altered the thinking in the neighbouring Arab states in regard to their policies towards Israel.

Reflections On Palestine Part 5 RIGHT OF RETURN The tendency in Palestinian politics which is amenable to the two states solution or to a fragmentation of Palestinian Family And Policy Protectorates in the West Bank and Gaza have already abandoned any demand for A Fatah politician told me that he was close to believing that this is possible, and the right of return for refugees and are at coming around to the view that the that their people could live happily in a best ambiguous about the position of Arab Separation Wall may be a good thing as it series of disconnected independent little East Jerusalem. could finally define the limits of the Israeli fiefdoms. In 1948 over 600 Arab towns and State—something which that State has This would entail their security being villages, and the land farmed by the refused to do since its inception. guaranteed by some outside body. Much inhabitants, were emptied of their popula- He, and others, were of the opinion that of the apparent kow-towing to the tions, and most of them were razed to the their first duty was to those that they Americans is an effort to get the United ground. In many cases the local Arab represented, and they should aim to carve States to agree to be that body. leaders were executed and there were a out a defined territory where their people few massacres. could at last live in peace. That feeling is This mentality has led to several towns These events were not covered up by understandable but I don't think it is or cities, Hebron for example, being quite the Jewish militias but were publicised realistic, apart altogether from the fact proud of their foresight in insisting that and exaggerated by them as widely as that it abandons an awful lot of Palestinians refuge camps were sited well away from possible. By this means rather than direct to Israeli control or to permanent exile. their populations. This does not reflect expulsion, the Arabs were "encouraged" any hostility towards or lack of sympathy to take to the road as refugees. They had The Separation Wall, which is a lot for the refugees. But a perception that the not intended to leave for long but, at the bigger than the old Berlin Wall, is not a close proximity of families in the refugee end of the 1948 "war", when they tried to fixed structure. It is made from concrete camps who have no organic connection to return, this was forbidden. panels which can be, and regularly are, the local soil will disrupt the indigenous So they were housed in tent cities in the removed to alter its course. For example, social structure. surrounding territories of Egypt, Jordan, it was recently altered to enclose the I can see the logic of this. And I've had Syria and Lebanon and as far away as Iraq. area around Rachel's tomb near it pointed out to me several times that With the temporary expulsion of Egypt Bethlehem. It can and does move about Nablus, which didn't have the foresight to from the Sinai and the permanent expulsion the place and is designed to do so. exclude the refugees, is nothing but trouble. of Jordan from East Jerusalem and the It encloses some Jewish settlements, I cannot say that the refugees are the cause West Bank, most of the refugee camps, especially in the Jerusalem area. But a of any trouble. I don't know. But the place now crowded concrete settlements, came great many more are on the Arab side. certainly has a more anarchic air about it under Israeli control. Then there is the permanent settlement of than most places. the land along the Jordan Valley and the In theory these are now under the control military and civilian occupations Still I wouldn't want to give any of the Palestinian Authority, but I have throughout the West Bank as described in impression of lawlessness—far from it. never seen an Authority official in one of an earlier article. Last year a group of Irish people visited them. They are financed to a small extent Nablus. One man left his camera on a cafe by themselves but for the most part by The view expressed to me about the table and, when someone asked whose it UNRWA, a section of the United Nations, wall comes not just from a sense of what was, a young boy said it was his and off he which raises money in various ways. is practical or achievable for Palestinians. went. A day or two later the boy's father This seemed to me to be a quite laudable It also reflects the nature of Palestinian found the camera and contacted the Al outfit and quite distinct from the main UN society. This is a society based on families Aqsa Brigades and eventually I was given refugee body, the UNHCR with its dubious or clans which are, and always have been, the camera and took it back to Ireland. connections to the Americans. Until a few settled in very definite areas. While this years ago, UNRWA always had a non- results in an almost indestructible society, When I then ask what is to be done Palestinian on the staff of each camp. The it also leads to an attitude of "the devil take about the refugees, I am told that they Israelis disapproved of this and the hindmost". must be given their old lands back—of assassinated the UNRWA administrator If there was some guarantee of peace course, silly question! And we are back to in Gaza—so bringing the practice to an and security for individual and separated square one again. If one thing is certain in end. areas, there are many who would accept that part of the world, it is that no one is this. And there are quite a few who are going to GIVE the refugees back their (Similarly the Israelis achieved the 8 9 abolition of the old system of UN he would be raiding the 2.5 billion budget monitoring in South Lebanon when it on existing projects such as breast assassinated four senior UN military screening and other projects. officials in the course of its recent war Kenny waffled about priorities and was with Hezbollah.) The Great Debate very unconvincing in his reply. UNRWA now only has international Kenny was very weak on the issue of officials in East Jerusalem. Its monitoring There is no doubt that Bertie Ahern crime. Again Ahern was able to show system is excellent. Every six months it won the "Great Debate" with Enda Kenny through statistics that crime had not gone produces detailed maps showing such on RTE, the Thursday before polling day. up since 2002 and was quite low compared things as all Israeli barriers, road blocks, Although honours might have been even to other countries. Ahern scored heavily occupation zones and exclusion areas in in the early stages, as the contest wore on when he accused the FG Justice spokesman the Occupied Territories. I only found Ahern grew stronger and Kenny weaker. of quoting wrong figures. Kenny's weak these maps available from the Jerusalem Early on the question of the Taoiseach's reply was that Jim O'Keeffe may not have UN and from Palestinian shops. Leading finances was raised by the Chairperson had the statistics to hand. But Ahern London and New York map publishers Miriam O'Callaghan. Ahern said that he persisted by saying that the statistics were and distributors claimed never to have did not do anything wrong. O'Callaghan available, asking him if he was disagreeing heard of them. then asked Kenny if he accepted that the with his own Justice spokesman. Kenny Taoiseach was a man of integrity. Kenny ended by saying that O' Keeffe was an When the British were land grabbing in replied that it was not up to him to pron- eminent lawyer and was doing a great job. Africa, they claimed that they were settling ounce on this; it was a matter for the on land that belonged to no one. This was Mahon Tribunal. Kenny then said that if Kenny preferred to use anecdotal true. It belonged to everyone. That line elected he would introduce ethics legis- evidence throughout the debate, possibly was being peddled in advertisements as lation. Ahern replied that the legislation sensing his weakness in backing up an late as the 1960s to attract settlers to had already been introduced. All donations argument with facts and figures. In support Rhodesia and is still the mantra of the to politicians over 499 euros had to be of his contention that crime was out of ranchers today when Zimbabwe wants to declared. control, he gave the example by the alleged carry out a partial land redistribution. perpetrator of a victim of abuse who was Occasionally Israel comes up with the The issue of the Health service was informed that the case would not proceed. same line as it redefines what comprises considered the Achilles heel of the Ahern expressed surprise that Kenny was land ownership or "free" land in the case Government, but Kenny failed to land a raising this because this was the responsi- of Arabs. But not even the pretence of punch. Ahern claimed that the main bility of the Director of Public Prosecutions such an excuse is possible in the case of problem was in Accident and Emergency, who was independent. The Justice Minister the refugees of 1948. Theirs was a settled but even there in only a handful of hospitals could not intervene. Kenny quickly retreat- community with the farmers having paper around the country. Waiting lists in areas ed by saying that, of course, he fully as well as traditional titles to their land. such as Cardiac surgery had been reduced accepted that (in that case why raise it?). They still have those papers today. from years to months. A friend of mine visited the land where Kenny was particularly weak on the his father was born. He was immediately On the question of co-location of private number of Gardai he would put on the accosted by an Ethiopian gentleman who hospitals on public land—a policy that streets. Again Ahern claimed that of the shouted "get off my land". My friend this writer opposes—he was plausible. He 2000 new Gardai in Fine Gael's manifesto replied that legally it was actually his claimed that there were already 20% of only 1,000 were provided for in its spend- land. So the Ethiopian called the police beds in public hospitals which were ing plans. In the discussion that followed and my friend spent the next three nights allocated to private patients. The building it emerged that 1,000 of the 2,000 due to in jail before being returned to the West of the new hospitals would free up these be on the streets were Gardai already in Bank. He got off lightly. private beds for public patients. Ahern training and due on the streets anyway. In some camps, such as Jenin, the claimed that the private sector built Kenny just repeated 2,000 new Gardai refugees can look out and see the land hospitals more quickly than the public would be put on the streets by a new Fine from which they were driven. According sector. This was not something that a Fine Gael-led Government. to UNRWA the following are the numbers Gael leader could easily dispute, but he But, later on in the discussion, Kenny of Palestinians in camps. Those living claimed that Ahern's own Fianna Fail TDs talked about the 1,000 new Gardai on the outside the camps are given in the totals in were distancing themselves from the streets. Ahern picked up on this and then brackets. policy of co-location. The Chairperson Kenny repeated that Fine Gael would put Gaza: 320,470 (586,540). West Bank: Miriam O'Callaghan, who was very fair, 2000 more Gardai on the streets. Ahern 126,400 (477,190). Jordan 239,180 helped Kenny out by raising the issue of expressed scepticism about this and other (1,047,940). Syria: 90,670 (308,410). cherry-picking by the private hospitals figures in Fine Gael's manifesto. The Lebanon: 164,590 (328,360)—minus (cheap procedures would be performed longer the debate went on the more Ahern however many the Lebanese Army have by Private Hospitals, leaving costly ones looked like a boss lecturing a subordinate. killed in Tripoli as I write. to be borne by the State) but Kenny couldn't One fear of the Israelis was that their take advantage of this. The big question concerning Kenny is state, as it expanded, would contain more why he has been around for so long and Arabs than Jews if the refugees returned. All through the debate Ahern showed has made so little impact. During the That excuse is becoming redundant as the an impressive mastery of statistics and debate he mentioned that Cosgrave had Arab population of Israel increases year was not caught out once. But Kenny was handed the economy over to Jack Lynch on year and the Jewish population declines, exposed on more than one occasion. He in good shape and then Fianna Fail then even including the large numbers from was very unconvincing on where the wrecked it. Ahern pointed out that that Russia and Africa who are only pretending money would be found for the 2,300 new was a long time ago (it was in 1977 and to be Jewish. beds in the Fine Gael manifesto. Ahern Kenny was already a TD by then). Ahern Conor Lynch accused him of not providing for these in claimed that the subsequent FG/Labour To Be Continued. his budget. Ahern asked him to accept that coalition raised the National Debt to record 10 levels. indicated that Ahern won the debate, but Opinion Polls and therefore the onus was Regarding his lack of experience (he that there was no knockout blow. However on Fianna Fail to land a knockout punch: only served briefly as Minister for Ahern came very close to delivering such "With the Fine Gael and Labour Tourism), Kenny said that he had served a a blow in the area of tax policy. He actually alliance ahead in the polls in the days long apprenticeship and that Fianna Fail succeeded in getting Kenny to admit that running up to the debate their supporters had been in office for most of the last 30 Fine Gael's taxation polices benefited the will be happier with the closeness of the years. (The present writer doesn't remem- top 3% of income earners. Ahern repeated contest which is unlikely to change the ber him as Shadow Front Bench what Kenny had admitted a number of dynamics of the campaign." spokesman either). Kenny said that the times. At this stage Kenny looked dis- economy was handed over in good shape orientated. And then he reached for the The methodology of the Opinion Polls is dubious. But even the most favourable by the Rainbow Coalition to Fianna Fail. panic button and kept repeating that Fine Ahern replied that it had been handed over Gael's taxation policies benefited 100% Opinion Polls indicated that the Fine Gael/ by himself as Minister for Finance in good of all taxpayers. It was very noticeable Labour coalition was short of an overall majority. Also, the trends in the Opinion shape only two years earlier. that any time Kenny got into trouble he reached for the nearest party political Polls at the time of the debate were not Kenny said that he would defend the platitude. going particularly against the Government despite what the media were saying. But 12.5% Corporation Tax and would exercise his veto in the EU if necessary. This having been said, the debate was no onus was placed on Kenny to deliver a He also claimed that the Rainbow Coalition of quite a high standard which reflects "knock out" blow. In the discussion of the debate many introduced the 12.5% Corporation Tax. well on RTE, Miriam O'Callaghan, and Ahern said that under the Coalition both candidates. boxing metaphors have been used. But, in Government in the 1980s it was 35%. boxing, if the contender does not score more points, the champion is declared the (The truth about corporation tax is that the THE IRISH TIMES ON THE GREAT DEBATE Haughey Government began decreasing winner. Corporation Tax because the EU indicated Although most commentators believed The Irish Times report tended to be that Ireland would not be allowed to that Ahern had won, the exception, of continue with the 10% rate for manufactur- course, was The Irish Times. Any pretence impressionistic: ing. Under the Haughey Government it of objectivity in that newspaper has been "Mr Kenny looked confident and was announced about 5 years in advance abandoned. It used to refer to itself as the alert while the Taoiseach looked tired that there would be a phased reduction paper of record. In recent years it has at times. Mr Ahern did pressurise his each year until the tax was at 12.5%. The diluted this to the paper of reference, but opponent on how he would deliver on Rainbow Coalition merely continued to in this election even that more modest his "contract" within budgetary claim could not be sustained. constraints and he also did well on implement that policy when it obtained crime." power at the end of 1994.) It is not often that a reader of a newspaper reads about an event that he There is an element of truth in the Kenny was also weak on the joint himself has witnessed. But this was the above paragraph. Ahern did look tired. He polices of the Labour/Fine Gael Coalition. case with the election debate. had a much harder election than Kenny. Ahern pointed out that Fine Gael's policies Vincent Browne remarked on his radio The headline in the following day's were going to cost 4.9 billion while Irish Times (18.5.07) was: Kenny scores show that Ahern looked much older than Labour's cost would by 5.8 billion. Kenny on confidence and Ahern on detail. The Kenny even though they are in fact about said that only 2 billion of Fine Gael's the same age. Browne added that it was clear impression that any reader would policies were agreed with Labour. Ahern get was that the outcome was a draw. But, not surprising given that Kenny hadn't kept asking how 5.8 billion was going to given that it was a draw (per The Irish experienced the pressures of high office. fit into 4.9 billion. Times), Kenny really won. This is the On child care Kenny said that every logic that it used: In the same impressionistic vein The child under five would have free GP care Irish Times report continued: "Given that Mr Kenny had much under the FG/Labour coalition. There more to lose if he failed to demonstrate "However, Mr Kenny's argument followed a discussion of how it would be his ability to hold his own in such a about the need for change and his pledge implemented. It was clear that this would crucial contest his supporters will be to do things differently and hold his be rolled out on a phased basis. Ahern happier at the outcome. There was ministers accountable for delivering on made the telling point that no child alive certainly no knockout punch from either the promises of the alternative today would receive free GP care under a man in the course of the contest." government was expressed forcefully. "At times the debate descended into Fine Gael and Labour Coalition. This has been a line that has been detailed argument and assertion about widely accepted by the media. There might figures between the two men that would Regarding Fine Gael's famous 'contract be some logic to it if Enda Kenny was have left many viewers confused but with the people', Ahern made the point being perceived as being the weak element there were no fireworks as in the debate that Kenny would be able to stay in office in the FG/Labour Coalition and that, if he the previous night." if unemployment increased dramatically. survived the encounter with Ahern, the Also the contract had nothing to say about strengths of the FG/Labour Coalition It might be thought that a so called Transport policy. would come to the fore. But the policies of paper of reference might have attempted the respective alternatives are very similar to make some sense of the detailed arg- About the only exchange where Kenny and in the present writer's opinion the Fine ument by reproducing it in print, but that made any kind of score was on the Gael Front Bench consists of a collection would be a profound misunderstanding of discussion of Stamp Duty when Ahern of non-entities (with the exception of the role of The Irish Times. claimed that Fianna Fail had been good to Richard Bruton). the Building industry and had ended the Unlike the Irish Independent there was uncertainty. Kenny responded: "You are So what sense does the above-quoted no reference to the most dramatic parts of also the party which has benefited from paragraph make? The argument per The the debate in which Ahern obtained an the construction industry". Irish Times was that Fine Gael and Labour admission from Kenny that the potential Most serious commentators have were the front-runners according to the partners of Labour had a tax policy that 11 most benefited the top 3% of income He kept on talking about a "rights" based earners. Nor, unlike the Irish Independent, society. Could he have been suggesting did it mention that Ahern demonstrated that lawyers should run the country? He that Fine Gael's own Justice Minister had was also quite evasive on the questions he Irish Men And got his statistics wrong. was asked. England's Wars Trevor Sargent the leader of the Green A good proportion of The Irish Times Party came across as being quite sincere, On Friday, 25th May 2007, the Irish coverage dwelled on the "issue" of Ahern's if still a bit rough at the edges. finances which in fact consisted of only a Times , amid all the hoo-ha about the very small part of the overall debate. Rabbitte seemed to be very pleased General Election had an article about Irish with himself. He had some joke about military mercenaries. It's still a long way This magazine has remarked before McDowell being a "menopausal Paris from Tipperary by Tom Clonan ("The that the pictures and the headlines in The Hilton", always seeking attention. It was Irish Times's Security Analyst. He lectures Irish Times are at least as important as the probably funny when it was thought up in the School of Media, DIT" [Dublin first in labour head office, but it sounded actual content of the articles. The pictures Institute of Technology]. Dr. Clonan found a bit weird in a studio debate. and headlines in the coverage of the debate an alumnus of DIT among the members of were quite disgraceful. McDowell was his usual obnoxious the Royal Irish Regiment, currently in At the top of page 8 (18.5.07) a small self. In connection with the drugs problem Fort George in northern Scotland, "Lieut headline read: Enda Kenny says he would he claimed that Adams was on the Army Stephen Swan… Howth… trained in bring a 'new energy and a new motivation' Council of the IRA, which had sold to role of Taoiseach. military know-how to the narco-terrorist Sandhurst at the same time as Prince Then, in a much bigger headline, there organisation FARC. Adams said that Harry…". (Maybe this is simply to 'place' was the rather defensive quote from Ahern: McDowell was unfit to be Minister for this British Army officer, but it reads My energy levels as good as ever. Justice but in general the Sinn Fein leader remarkably like a piece of silly snobbery.) Underneath this headline there was a wasn't that outraged at the accusation. Stephen Swan was "apprehensive" matrix of nine pictures taken during the Adams also said that he was on the about "being assigned" to the RIR debate: four of Kenny and four of Ahern average industrial wage and that his surplus with a picture of Miriam O'Callaghan in ('rankers' are known as Rangers). He felt was given to the party. McDowell said the centre. The top picture is of Ahern that they might all be from Northern that Adams owned a holiday home in Ireland, but was pleased to find "all shades with his eyes closed. Donegal but Adams claimed that the banks Underneath the pictures is a box entitled, of Irishness", where Taigs and Prods "fight owned it. McDowell's riposte was: "the for each other, not with each other for a Kenny v Ahern: what they said. Northern Bank"? It might be wondered why Kenny's change". Well, that's lovely. One can name was first in the above title. As the Nevertheless, McDowell made a telling only hope that the Taliban which was outgoing Taoiseach and leader of the point. He asked the other leaders how they shooting them to pieces in Musa Qaleh largest party should it not have been proposed to create wealth in the country? and Sangin, are pleased at this aspect of Ahern? Then under the heading there are They had no answers. their endeavours. Dr. Clonan blandly four quotes each from Kenny and Ahern. notes that these were "particularly hostile Kenny's quotes are confident and The overall impression at this debate locations" in Helmand province of aggressive while Ahern's are defensive. and in the campaign in general is that Afghanistan. It is almost certain that the Labour and to a lesser extent SF and the About the only concession to reality Greens have accepted all the government other British regiments sent there were came with an insert at the very end of page policies in the last 10 years. from Scotland. That has, traditionally, 8 in which five floating voters were asked been the British way—kill the Celts first. for their opinions. Three out of the five Labour and Fine Gael were hoping that said Ahern was a convincing winner and the people would think that 10 years was Back to Fort George; it was built after the remaining two thought it was pretty enough in a democracy and that we needed Culloden in 1746 no reason is given, but it even but that Ahern had come out on top. a change in personnel to prevent arrogance was to 'pacify' Gaelic Scotland and to creeping in. That was the only change serve as a prison for those who were to be In my view The Irish Times coverage of offered by the FG/Labour coalition; no sent in their thousands to slavery in the the debate was a complete misrepresent- change was offered in the area of policies. ation of what happened. The people Carolinas and Caribbean. This was a consequence of their fighting for their responsible would have been aware that, The other pitch of the opposition was unlike in most reports their readers would that they would be more competent but it legitimate monarch. There is an Irish have witnessed for themselves what was is doubtful whether many people could connection in that many United Irish were being reported on. One can only imagine name members of the FG front bench, imprisoned in the place. But Dr. Clonan how this event would have dealt with if apart from Richard Bruton. And it would is struck by "the universal and unmistak- The Irish Times had been freed from such be difficult to claim that the Fianna Fail able cadence of Irish accents… ubiquitous a constraining factor. led government has been incompetent, presence of Irish cultural symbols… still less that the FG/Labour coalition shamrock insignia… harps… Brian Boru THE LITTLE DEBATE would do a better job. Certainly the the Irish wolfhound…". The commanding The day before the "Great Debate" infrastructure has been bursting at the officer is Lieutenant Colonel Michael there was the "Little Debate" between the seams. In such a case it is easy to pick McGovern from north Belfast, an alumnus holes in projects that were not planned leaders of the smaller parties (Rabbitte, of St. Malachy's College. He tells Dr. well. But for anyone over 35 who Adams, Sargent and McDowell). Clonan that "soldiers from the Republic The little debate was not an impressive remembers the bad old days, the booming have taken a path less travelled in opting affair. Gerry Adams was particularly economy and immigration rather than disappointing. He seemed completely out unemployment and emigration cannot be for a career in the British army…" and of touch with southern society and taken for granted. "have had to overcome a certain amount probably hasn't thought about it that much. John Martin of cultural resistance to the idea of service 12 in the crown forces…". So, unlike a 44 "helping other Irish people". If such was the business of the people who live there, year old man from north Belfast, who his motivation why did he not join the and not the business of the US, the UK, could at the earliest, have joined said Gárda Siochana? It won't wash, and neither their allies and satellites. Crown forces in 1981. will the paddy-wackery. Apart from the The US / UK got involved in Afghanis- wolfhound and shamrockery the unit also tan as a consequence of the last great We have never claimed that the Catholic has a "traditional Irish music group" called worldwide struggle against evil. That one community in Belfast is amœba-simple, the Brewery Boys (this does not appear to was 'godless Communism' (in the form of but this man must be unique. He joined be a misprint, it is written out twice). This Brezhnev's USSR), which got involved in the British Army at the start of the Hunger group is useful in getting the Iraqis to the place. This was always referred to as Strikes period, surely in the knowledge surrender (sorry, the locals like the music, an 'invasion', and probably the Kremlin that he might at some point be patrolling and even the ones who "have quite was up to no good, but a legitimate demo- the streets where he was brought up. He fundamentalist Islamic views… have a bit cratic Government did request its help must have witnessed the behaviour of the of a dance to it…". Quite what the Taliban against Taliban, or Taliban-like groups. Crown forces in his own neighbourhood do is not recorded, they are fundamentalist 'Reagan's America', with Thatcher or at least on the way to and from St. Muslims and elements in Islam have strong cheering from the sidelines, armed the Malachy's. It was never in the Black and views on music—it is sinful. The Wahabis 'Islamists' and colluded in their training in Tan class, but it was occasionally brutal in Saudi Arabia have tried to abolish it. Pakistan. Now the fighters are turning the and did very little to stop the likes of the training and arms on the US / UK, and Shankill Butchers going about their grisly These attempts to make Irish people despite the Irish Government's craven (or business. The 'Brits' in north Belfast also feel that we are playing a part in the great commercial / opportunist) attitude to the tended to be careless about using weapons Manichean struggle against whoever the use of Shannon airport, the Irish people in crowded areas, most of the people killed leaders of the 'Anglo-Saxon' world have have remained remarkably clear-eyed by 'batons rounds' (rubber bullets) were decided are the enemies of civilisation about the realities of Afghanistan and from that area. Presumably McGovern bob up in the media every couple of years. Iraq. just likes the idea of fighting and killing, They rarely succeed, as the Irish people The Royal Irish Regiment are but wants to do on a salaried basis. have a bad habit of looking at what is professional (meaning salaried) soldiers There was (and maybe still is) a time actually happening, rather than at what in the pay of the UK State. They are not when a method of gaining US citizenship the media want us to think is happening. fighting, even in the most tangential was to join the American armed forces. This article is not going to change many manner, for Ireland or the Irish people. This was used by a fair number of people people's opinions: if readers do not know Having a full Regiment of mercenaries from Ireland. Whether it was possible to why Fort George was built, they can make fighting England's wars is a matter for join in Belfast (through the US Consulate) an educated guess. People who happen to silent embarrassment, not celebration. or one had to get to America, I don’t know. have been born in Ireland are in Afghan- Particularly not when they are housed in a The CESA (Catholic Ex-Servicemen's istan killing (and being killed) for reasons prison in which were incarcerated some of Association) carried the Stars and Stripes which most Irish people disapprove of. the founders of Irish Republicanism. on its demonstrations: there were a fair After all, what happens in Afghanistan is Seán McGouran number of former members of the US Army in Belfast, and probably the rest of Ireland. Presumably Lieut. Col. Mc Govern and the rest of the volunteers in this Royal Regiment joined the British The Irish Times Campaign Against Bertie Ahern Army because the likelihood of getting to kill people was higher than in the various The following press release from the campaign was over. A most interesting other armies they could have joined. Irish Political Review Group was not letter was also published in the Irish Times The CESA carried Belgian and Polish reproduced or quoted in any of the print or on May 16th from Liam Young. It is flags, partly because of the Free Poles and broadcast media. It did provoke 91 reproduced after the press release. By Free Belgians, but also because some comments on the Indymedia website (http:/ pointing out that the Irish Times was people from the Belfast area did National /www.indymedia.ie/article/82476) and selective in the way it published details of two comments on the Blog section of the Ahern's finances, Liam Young has Service in Belgium. The French flag was Village Magazine website (www.village.ie strengthened the case that the paper was there because of the Foreign Legion (some and click Blog tab). Rodney Rice most pursuing its own political agenda in the locals had been in the Spanish Foreign likely picked up on it when he asked his controversy. Legion—but that was regarded as mildly guests with reference to the Taoiseach's embarrassing for some reason). personal finances, 'Is there now a feeling The Irish Political Review Group that the media is the problem?' on the The above accusation (of their being Saturday View programme on RTE radio Publisher of Irish Political Review mercenaries) may be a bit brutal, but what (May 12th). Write to: exactly are men from Naas, Ennis, and Apart from these minor responses it is * 14 New Comen Court, "Dublin's northside" doing in Iraq or difficult to measure what influence the North Strand, Dublin 3 or Afghanistan? One Sergeant Major press release had on the controversy. But * PO Box 339, Belfast BT12 4GQ or the question of the role of the media in the attempts to rationalise their situation and * PO Box6589, London, N7 6SG or election campaign has become a topic for Labour Comment behaviour, claiming that Helmand discussion elsewhere. Bertie Ahern C/O Shandon St. P.O., Cork City. produces 80% of the worlds heroin and himself stated on This Week on RTE radio between attempting to destroy that and (20th May) that the media's role would Press Statement "Islamic fundamentalism", they are need to be examined closely when the Wednesday 9th May 2007 13 On the Campaign against the Taoiseach is that no impropriety took place. But in These associations and affiliations do not the judgement of the editor of the Irish force newspapers editors to rigidly follow Times these same matters are sufficiently a party line. It simply means that most The Media important to justify undermining the newspapers have a political orientation Tribunal, destroying an individual's that informs their coverage of current is the Problem! reputation and disrupting the election affairs. Without some form of affiliation As an exercise in representative campaign. to a major political party, a newspaper has government the current General Election nothing to ground it in the political campaign is a shambles. Instead of a A number of points need to be made intercourse of its society. debate about the future direction of against the Irish Times: In many ways Fianna Fail and the Irish government we have the second round of Times represent two centres of power in a controversy that should never have had Firstly, trial by media, as a concept and contemporary Irish society; two a first round. If Taoiseach Bertie Ahern a practice, is offensive to the basic contending worldviews. That one has no had any questions to answer about his principles of justice. It is like a court case overt political affiliation and the other no personal financial arrangements fifteen without proper process, without a judge media outlet is the nub of the problem of years ago, the place for him to do so was and with a peculiarly impressionable and the Irish media. and is before the Mahon Tribunal. Instead inattentive jury. The stock in trade of the we have a distracting witchhunt against a Irish media in one of its fits of morality— Fourthly, the publication of leaked politician with a long, well regarded record suggestive headlines, photographs of documents from the Tribunals should be of service to the state. individuals having to endure the stress of rendered illegal through an Act of the Led by the Irish Times, the print and misrepresentation, and innuendo—have Oireachtas. The Tribunals are being treat- broadcast media have usurped the consti- been used with consummate skill against ed with contempt by media organisations. tutional role of the Opposition in this Bertie Ahern in this campaign. Against If these expensive judicial bodies are not controversy. This subversion of demo- such a barrage no public reputation, to be afforded protection from media cracy has met with no protest from Fine however well earned, is safe. interference, they should be wound up. Gael and Labour. Having little by way of In conclusion, the possibility that the an alternative political programme they Secondly, the scale of the problem of campaign against the Taoiseach is based have been content to trail sheepishly corruption in the Irish body politic has on a hidden agenda on the part of elements behind the media's coattails. Democracy been greatly exaggerated. The Moriarity within the media cannot be discounted. It received a further blow when the Supreme Tribunal was unable to instance a single seems strange that 'Bertiegate' only became Court recently ruled that the Sunday political decision made in response to the subject of newspaper articles after Mr. Business Post should be allowed to publish bribery. Certainly, businesses made politi- Ahern had made a commitment to revive stories based on documents stolen from cal contributions in the hope of ingratiating the commemoration of the 1916 Rising, the Mahon Tribunal. In other words the themselves with the political establish- but we can only speculate about such Supreme Court has ruled that the media ment, but so what? Is that not an inevitable matters. may break the law with impunity. by-product of the economic system we Outside of election time there is little The consequences of that flawed live under? that members of the public can do about judgement can be seen in the following During the seventies a particular the threat to democracy that all of this extract. It is from an Irish Times editorial problem emerged when windfall profits poses. But we are not outside of election of Saturday May 5th: could be made from buying agricultural time! We advise anyone opposed to the witchhunt of the Taoiseach to vote Fianna "The Irish Times received a letter land that would later be zoned for housing from the Mahon tribunal last evening development. At that time a journalist Fail. Alternatively they should consider "to request" this newspaper to "desist with a unique and impeccable record for writing on their ballot papers an off-the- from publishing" reference to inform- investigative work, Joe McAnthony, cuff comment made recently by a ation obtained from the unauthorised succeeded in getting articles published in respondent to a radio vox pop: 'THE disclosure of documents necessarily the Sunday Independent exposing political MEDIA IS THE PROBLEM'. circulated to a number of parties. The corruption associated with land specul- Ends request was made in "the interest of the Contacts: M Lawless, D Alvey constitutional rights of all individuals ation. McAnthony later lost his job and a affected by such premature disclosure". contract he held with RTE was allowed to "This newspaper has investigated run out without his doing any work. When Letter to Irish Times (16th May) the Taoiseach's finances because it has he applied to the Irish Times, perhaps the an equal constitutional duty to serve the obvious home for a journalist of his talents, Your latest Editorial in a long succession public's right to know about its leaders, he was turned down; so he emigrated to of increasingly partisan ramblings today especially during an election campaign. Canada. The moral of the story is that if (May 14th) informs your readers that there Are we now to be silenced? the Irish media had fulfilled its function is an elephant in the room which isn't the "This can't but be an issue in the by employing investigative journalists, recent newborn in Dublin Zoo. Now that campaign. Whether it is a deciding the petty corruption that later became the Taoiseach has, following a series of issue or not in the general election selective and prejudicial Mahon tribunal remains to be seen." endemic in Dublin County Council might have been avoided. leaks published in your newspaper, Such an arrogant denial of a request provided a detailed explanation of the from a judicial body might conceivably be Thirdly, some newspapers, especially circumstances surrounding his personal justified if the security of the state were the Irish Times, have no association with finances, one wonders indeed what or threatened by rampant corruption in the political parties, and the main party of who this elephant might be. upper echelons of government. But the government, Fianna Fail, has no Having studied the statement issued by security of the state is under no such association with a newspaper. This is a the Taoiseach on Sunday, I came to the threat. As a letter writer pointed out the disastrous arrangement. All of the great only conclusion that I believe most sensible amount of money at issue is equal to the political parties of Europe have people could possibly come to, which is weekly wage of a Premiership football associations with newspapers and all of that, although the series of financial player. The matters at issue occurred the great newspapers of Europe have transactions surrounding Mr Ahern's house thirteen years ago and the strong likelihood affiliations with major political parties. purchase was unorthodox, the explanations 14 given are understandable and entirely Reply To Professor Garvin, part two plausible. It seems obvious and entirely rational to me that the primary motivation for Mr Ahern's rent-to-buy strategy was based on a number of factors including his then-recent marital separation, the Preventing The Future uncertainty of his future income given the political instability at that time, and the Ireland after 1921, according to Profes- politics in its first generation of need to ensure he didn't have the stigma sor Garvin's vision, had the object of independence. Furthermore the conflict associated with having a "no fixed abode" averting the future instead of achieving it: involved a systematic attempt by the tag applied to a taoiseach-elect. the future being the situation that came coupiste anti-Treaty IRA to wreck the infrastructrure of the country and ensure No evidence of financial impropriety about three-quarters of a century later. The scene is set in the opening page for the that the Free State remained stillborn" has been uncovered, despite the very best (p1,2). efforts and premature conclusions of the long struggle against the future: media. "The new state [of 1922] was So, over a period of four years, there effectively independent and gradually was an overwhelming vote for Now that we finally have all of the rid itself of symbols of the old British facts, your readers are in a position to independence, followed by a war of connection… The new Irish state, independence, followed by a war over make their own judgments as to whether which came into existence in the Taoiseach acted properly in relation to whether what Britain conceded was international law on 6 December was independence. his personal finances. Your readers would apparently greeted with a deep have, in any case, been given this indifference by its own citizens. This In fact there was no pretence by the opportunity within the next few weeks seems to have been the case despite the Treatyites in the first instance that they when the Mahon tribunal's public hearings overwhelming vote for independence, had gained independence when, under take place. or something like independence, that threat of immediate and terrible war made had occurred in December 1918 and by the British Prime Minister, they signed However, The Irish Times, followed by which legitimated the subsequent Dail the Treaty. If they thought they were other sections of the media, took it upon Eireann's declaration of independence" being offered independence, why did they themselves to circumvent this process "in ~(Preventing The Future, p1). need to be threatened into accepting it? the public interest", despite written warnings from the chairman of the Mahon As the song says: "After you get what The 'Civil War' was not fought between tribunal, and despite a pending contempt you want/ You don't want it" ! a party which thought it had gained of court hearing against you, Madam independence by signing the Treaty and a Editor, relating to previous unauthorised In his earlier book, 1922: The Birth Of party which thought it hadn't. The issue publication of material relating to this Irish Democracy, Professor Garvin was was whether to accept for the time being case. sceptical of the idea that the Irish electorate an arrangement dictated by Britain under had voted for independence in 1918. He The content and tone of The Irish threat of war, which was not independence, suggested that the vote for independence Timescoverage of this entire affair, going or to hold to the democratically-mandated was achieved partly by Republican back to its first leak in October 2006, has Declaration of Independence of 1919, terrorism, which intimidated electors, and now been shown to have been unbalanced, despite the British threat that it would partly by massive personation by Repub- one-sided and possibly illegal. Had The mobilise the military resources of the licans; and that, even so, only a minority Irish Timessimply published all of the Empire for a re-conquest of Ireland. of the votes cast were for independence. information that it had in its possession, The case for the Treaty is not that it was Has further researching led him to then one could possibly argue that in substance British recognition of Irish conclude that the 1918 voting was a publication was indeed in the public independence, but that it averted an all- genuine and "overwhelming" vote for interest. out British war of reconquest. And, five independence? years later, in the 1927 Election, the danger However, the nature of the leaks, of a British reconquest was still the nub of including the fact that some of the Anyhow, the new story is that the the Free State case against Fianna Fail. information available was deliberately electorate voted overwhelmingly for kept from the public by The Irish Timesand independence in 1918. And then, The title Preventing The Future, other national media, raises serious "A short 'Tan War' or War of indicates a problem about time, as does questions about your and other national Independence followed, and eventually the statement that "The new state was media's role in this affair. an Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in effectively independent and gradually rid The Irish Times promises its readers December 1921, in which partition was itself of symbols of the old British that its reports are "honest, accurate and reluctantly accepted by the Irish" (p1). connection". comprehensive, and analysis that is informed, fair and based on the facts". But wasn't something else reluctantly If this new state, whose terms were Your readers have, now, for the first time, accepted as well—and accepted much dictated by Britain which had spent the more reluctantly? Partition scarcely following publication of the Mahon preceding years making war on the tribunal interview transcript and the figures in the dispute within Sinn Fein democratically mandated Republic, was Taoiseach's statement, the opportunity of about the Treaty. effectively independent, why did those The passage continues: reviewing these facts without your editorial who were establishing it retain symbols interference or control, and deciding for "Whether the new Irish Free State which led to war with their colleagues of themselves who lived up to the standards was authentically sovereign remained a moot point and split the national 1919-21? Was it not wanton negligence set for them and who did not. independence movement… The on Collins's part that he left those symbols of submission in place in his independent Given all the circumstances, Madam subsequent short civil war or Cogadh na gCarad (war of friends, relatives) state at the cost of war with his colleagues? Editor, could it be that the elephant in the embittered intra-elite relations for forty In fact Collins did his best to treat the room is, in fact, you. years and certainly contributed mightily most obnoxious features of the Treaty as LIAM YOUNG, Dublin 6. to the stultifying of Irish democratic mere symbols and to exclude them from 15 the Constitution which gave effect to the face of Republican resurgence in Ireland Irish Government established after the Treaty. He was summoned to Whitehall ten years later. Things were possible in 1918Election would not have run the and given a further ultimatum. The 1932 that were not possible in 1922, country well, if Britain had no sought to 'symbols' had to stay. because the British state was not in 1932 destroy it by terror. It set up an effective what it had been in 1922. administration, even despite the terror. In In his earlier book Professor Garvin 1922 that administration was destroyed. said that the British Government decided It has always been a wonder to me that It was an effective condition of the Treaty to concede Irish independence in Decem- Irish historians thought they could write that it should be destroyed and that the ber 1921, but needed to attach some Irish history without writing the history of British apparatus of state in Ireland should Imperial decorations to the Treaty for the the English state, even though Ireland was as far as possible by the apparatus of the purpose of deceiving its Jingoistic very much a subordinate element within Free State. Parliament, and unfortunately it was the the English state from the 12th century to backward and unsophisticated Irish who the 20th. This practice led to attributing to Perhaps there is a history of the were deceived. He seems to have pulled the Treaty, as a document, developments destruction of the apparatus of state of the back from that view in this book, though which were made possible by changes Republic by the Treatyites. I don't say he does not state the other view. But the that occurred in the English state— there isn't. I only say I have never come matter is crucial to an understanding of particularly to the fall of the War Coalition across it. The fact that it happened is what happened in 1922. in the face of Turkish defiance of the something that gradually dawned in my Treaty dictated by the Versailles Victors, mind over many years. Whether it is "The new state was effectively and the inability of the weak party considered a good or a bad thing that it independent and gradually rid itself of Governments which followed to give was done, the fact that it was done clearly symbols of the old British connection". purposeful government to the expanded has an important bearing on the history of But it fought a war in defence of those Empire of 1918. British political life the state and it should be established as a symbols which destroyed the body politic entered a period of demoralisation after distinct fact of history. of 1918-21 and subverted national morale. the humiliating retreat before the spirited The reasonable conclusion from that fact Turkish defiance. Without dismantling The fact that the British civil service in was that the symbols were not meaningless the Empire, Britain began to make com- Ireland became the Irish civil service— emblems left over from an "old connect- promises with developments that were except for a small fraction that could not ion", but expressed the reality of a new eroding Imperial authority. That is the bear to live at one remove from the connection of subordination. meaning of "appeasement"—the name by Crown—is presented by Professor Garvin If the 'Civil War' was fought over which the period is summed up by British as an advantage which the Irish managed nothing, then somebody was mad. If the historians. One of the forces appeased to overcome in order to keep themselves British insisted on war over symbols, while was resurgent Irish Republicanism in the backward and prevent the future. But a their intention was to recognise Irish form of Fianna Fail. civil service is never a neutral body with independence, they were mad. If the administrative skills which it puts at the Treatyites retained the symbols at the cost Pre-revisionist Irish historians paid little disposal of whoever comes along. There of war, when they might have discarded heed to English political affairs. They is a sense in which the civil service of a them, then they were mad. And if the anti- knew that England was "perfidious Albion" state is the state. Hegel was often ridiculed Treatyites rejected independence because and inquired no further. The revisionist for saying that the civil service of the some meaningless symbols were attached historians purported to be breaking out of Prussian state was the end of history. The to it, they were the ones who were mad. the cramped horizons of nationalist history, sense in the statement was that Prussia but actually narrowed these horizons still was the only one of the fifty German states On the assumption that the symbols further. England became invisible to them. of those times with a post-French were meaningless, it was those who They are in substance an Irish regional Revolution state apparatus. Although insisted on war over them who were mad— variant of British history-writing, and their Prussia was a monarchy, it had established and they were the members of the British object is to cloud the history of the English an impersonal civil service which operated Cabinet. state in Ireland. by routine. The Prussian state was But that assumption is false. And there And so we get Professor Garvin's story therefore capable of becoming the state of was not even a misunderstanding. So that the Treaty established an independent a capitalist, or social-democratic, nobody was mad. Irish state, but the Irish fought a civil war democracy. The symbols were intended to express before accepting it because some Modern states which call themselves an ongoing relationship of subordination unimportant symbols were attached to it. democracies pretend to see their roots in between Britain and Ireland. And British ancient Athens, but they are different in insistence on compelling the Treatyites to Also: "The British… left behind a good kind. make war in defence of the symbols, under physical infrastructure, a well-run and a further threat of a war of re-conquest, recently overhauled civil service machine Rousseau said that democracy was not had the entirely rational political purpose and a fair standard of elementary possible in large states. That was a true of making the Irish national body politic education" (p2). So why, with all of these statement if one takes it that a democracy destroy itself. advantages conferred on it by Britain, did is what ancient Athens was. He also said But the symbols were later discarded, Ireland set about preventing the affluent that representative democracy is a which proves that the anti-Treatyites future for which Britain had prepared it? contradiction in terms—or words to that fought a war over nothing? effect. And that is true, in that government The purpose of the Treaty and the Civil by the people and government of the people This is where time and circumstance War was to ensure that the Irish state by representatives are not the same thing. come in. should be a British state at second-hand, What we call democracies are states The Treaty laid down a relationship with the British element in Ireland holding with a permanent administrative stratum, between the Imperial British state and a an influential position within it, even governed by one of two or three stable subordinate Irish state to be constructed though it had no democratic (electoral) parties, somewhat randomly selected by a under its aegis. But the British state was base in Ireland. mass electorate every few years. unable to sustain that relationship in the I know of no reason to suppose that the In modern British political culture, basic 16 truths about the state can only be broadcast is Jewish rule in Palestine since the King became its Pope [Henry VIII]. Rome as comedy. I have seen a perfectly accurate conquest of 1948. And the English did not rejected and condemned the Civil historical account of British conduct in have the excuse of the Jews that somebody Constitution in the early 1790s, but a the Middle East presented in the Rory else had persecuted them. decade later made a Concordat with Bremner Show, with the audience laughing The last four years of English rule were Napoleon, which made the state an uproariously. I have never seen it presented the worst, and its final act the worst of authoritative intermediary between Rome in a serious programme for the purpose of all—the 'Civil War' that it insisted upon as and its Church in France. informing the democratic electorate. the condition of permitting a subordinate History is propaganda. Truth is for the Irish Government. England had the bright idea of enlisting Joker. Otherwise life would become This is forbidden thought in Irish the Catholic Irish for the war against the intolerable. academia under resumed English tutelage. French state which had upset Rome. The And the truth about the conduct of It is ruled out as Anglophobia. Catholic Irish had survived a century of Government was presented in the hilarious systematic persecution and the English comedy series, Yes Minister! A state of mind has now been brought state now had a use for them as canno- The modern democratic state can be about (with Fianna Fail's Martin Mansergh nfodder against the godless French. It was run by the civil service without the elected as one of its architects) which holds that in the course of that war that fundamentalist Government; but, if the civil service was anybody who writes an objective account Catholicism in Ireland began. a bland instrument for servicing the of what England did in the world is in the While recruiting the Irish Catholics to impulses of democratic Ministers the state grip of Anglophobia, which means an make war on the French, the Government would soon be a shambles. irrational hatred of England based on at first made no provision for them in The civil service is specific to its state. groundless fear. (Sean Moylan's reply to Army Regulations, but at some point It is not a neutral quantity, transferable an English newspaper correspondent sixty during that long war Catholic Chaplains between states. If it is transferred, it will years ago: that he did not hate the English, and Catholic Church parades were carry with it, as far as possible, the values he only hated what they did, is a distinction introduced in the British Army. And of the state which created it, and which it that is no longer allowed.) Maynooth College was set up in Ireland. created. Professor Garvin concedes that English Catholicism in Ireland was an easy- There was something like 90% conquest, Penal Laws, Famines, etc. etc going religion until the 19th century. transference of the British civil service to "left behind some evil traces", such as England conquered Ireland in the 12th the Irish state in 1922. And the Ministers urban slums and the "incivisme" of "being century on a mandate from the Pope to in 1922-33 were people who had bowed to 'agin the government", which "hobbled" bring the Church in Ireland to proper the Imperial will of Britain, under threat Irish democracy. He continues: order within the Roman system. But the of all-out war, and agreed to do its bidding. Catholic Irish remained wayward Catho- After Collins got himself killed in the war "However, perhaps the most lics. Then they resisted English Protestan- pervasive legacy of British government that he started, none of them were in Ireland was the partnership that had tism from Henry VIII, through Cromwell. dominating personalities from the War of developed between the Catholic Church to Charles 2, without becoming Independence. They were political small- and the British State, giving the religious fundamentalist. They then resisted the timers, united only by a conviction that organisations the tasks of educating the Penal System during the century following British power would be irresistible if it young, running much of the health the Williamite reconquest, and were still was fully deployed. The strong person- system and controlling much of the easy-going when Maynooth was set up. alities were all on the other side. What one civil life of society. This partnership Irish priests were ordained and Irish sees in the Free State government is the was inherited by the fledgling Irish gentlemen were educated in France, Spain, authoritarianism of weak men. (Lest it be democracy of 1918-22. In effect, this and Austria during the century of the thought that this is a sexist comment, I made the Catholic Church in Penal Laws. The Continental system independent Ireland… a state within should say that I cannot think of any the state… Above all, the Church suited the Irish Catholic temperament. woman who was prominent amongst them. attempted to control, some would say The English balance-of-power strategy The War of Independence women were enslave, much of the intellectual and towards Europe often involved it in sharp on the other side, hence the Free State jibe emotional life of the entire country" ideological contradiction between home about "the women and Childers party".) (p2-3). policy and foreign policy. It was anti- Catholic at home and was usually allied When Cumann na nGaedheal/Fine Gael What Professor Garvin calls the with the Pope in its European wars. This announced in 1933 that it had become a partnership of the Protestant state with the led in the 1790s to an attempt at an alliance Fascist party, the Catholic Bulletin said Catholic Church in Ireland began in the with the main body of Catholics at home that was old news, coming ten years after 1790s. After the conquest of 1690, the for cannonfodder purposes, and the the event. But the Immaculate Conception Irish were defined as Catholic and the independent (but exclusively Protestant massacre, though commended by Penal Laws against Catholicism were put and intensely anti-Catholic) Irish Churchill and others, was not really a in operation to plunder them, deprive them Parliament was forced by its Government strong act of authority comparable with of the right to own property in land, or (which was the Whitehall Government) to the Night Of The Long Knives. Britain personal property above a certain value, repeal some of its Penal Laws. was the Keeper Of Conscience for the to exclude them from public life, and by The notion grew up that Catholic priests imitative strong men of the Cumann na these means to abolish them. educated at home would tend to be more nGaedheal State, and its strength was their But, a hundred years later, they were loyal to the British Crown than priests strength. still not abolished—they were in fact more educated on the Continent. It turned out Unfashionable though it is, the truthful numerous than ever (like the Palestinians) otherwise. The Continental system of answer to Professor Garvin's question: —and England was making war on the Church/State relations inculcated in the "Why was Ireland poor for so long?" is French Revolution. The French had clergy a sense of subordination to the that England took a lot of trouble to disrupt reorganised the Catholic Church by means state. The new Maynooth system, not it and disable it. The nearest thing I can of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. formed within a political structure of think of to English rule in Ireland from the This had some similarity with what national tradition, could not do that. In the conquest of 1690 until the late 19th century England did in the 16th century when its course of the following generation it was 17 the priests from the Continent who were were College-educated, and took part in by their training predisposed towards When a strong national development things like the Legion of Mary. But I think playing a part in the life of the state under went ahead nevertheless, and the country it would be going a bit far to describe even Government hegemony. The French voted for independence, and the British these as being enslaved. Church before the Revolution had accepted state set out to over-rule Irish democracy the state as an intermediary between it and by force, the Church did not as a body Religious practice certainly did not Rome no less than the Church of the Civil condone the resistance of the Irish stultify the intellect—unless the fact that Constitution. The Gallican clergy had democracy to naked British military rule. the intellect did not deploy itself against recognised the King as a source of authority In the area of strongest resistance, the religion is taken to be stultification. And, for them ever since the time of Louis Bishop issued a Decree of Excommunica- in that matter, I would say that a poet in the XIV—hence the alliance of the Pope with tion against members of the Irish army of townland next to mine expressed a very William of Orange in 1690. And, if the resistance. The Decree proved ineffective. widespread opinion with the lines— French clergy set themselves against the Then, when Britain sought to split the With truth and pretence as a mixture changes made by the Revolution, it was Irish body politic with an offer of limited This world is a puzzle profound. not with a view to placing themselves self-government under the Crown, with directly under Roman authority. the threat of all-out war if the offer was not Regarding economic affairs, I could The Gallican clergy in Ireland submitted to, the Catholic Hierarchy urged not see that religious practice had any collaborated with the Government because submission to the Treaty and excom- effect whatever. The place was buzzing of their training within the national church municated all who resisted it by force. with small-scale enterprise. The future in France. They did so without regard for The Free State wing of Sinn Fein then was not being prevented. It was being the fact that the Church in Ireland could established a state in tight alliance both prepared. What is happening now would not be national in the same way because with Britain and the Catholic Hierarchy. not be possible without what was happen- the state in Ireland was anti-national, in The combination of British arms and ing then. In my locality, what was a small the sense of having been for generations Roman anathemas led to the defeat of the carpenter's business then now employs an institution actively hostile to the great Anti-Treatyites. The unconditional more than a thousand workers in the fast- bulk of the population. And the anti- Romanists were herded into the Free State ness of Slieve Luacra swampland. I don't Catholicism of the British state was corral, and the Free State accorded exten- know if they gave up going to Mass as altogether different in kind to the degree sive areas of public life to the Church. But they became more successful. I doubt it. of anti-Romanism built into the Catholic the defeated party in the war of 1922-23, state in France. which had defied the excommunications, Economic growth comes through On the Continent Catholic seminaries went on to become the major party in the overcoming obstacles. There were certain were supervised by Catholic and national state when the British threat of war receded. obstacles, which exercised a strong states. Maynooth could not be supervised However, the State/Church combination retarding influence on enterprise, that were and shaped by the anti-Catholic and anti- had been tightly forged by the time the left behind by Britain after it left in 1922. national state, and it was not a continuation Anti-Treaty party came to office in 1932. Enterprise at a certain point needs of the historic Catholicism of Ireland. It Within that accomplished fact, for which financing. The financial structure of was an anglicising influence in the matter it was in no way responsible, Fianna Fail Ireland for a couple of generations after of language, but it tended to be nationalist conducted itself on liberal lines on the 1922 was dire. The golden threads, that politically in accordance with the actual issue of religion. Connolly warned about but that his national situation of Ireland within a state professional admirers congregated around that was actively hostile to it, on both According to Professor Garvin, the the Irish Times prefer not to understand, Imperial and religious grounds. And so position achieved by the Church in the remained in place until they began to be Maynooth became the basis of a new formation of the Free State enabled it to broken by Charles Haughey's generation, Church formation in Ireland, directly enslave the emotions and the intellect of and largely by Haughey himself. subordinate to Rome. society, especially in rural parts, and thus prevent the future. Professor Garvin doesn't even mention In the 1840s Rome directed the Irish that dimension of economic affairs. His Church against the radical national politics As explained last month, I lived in rural own understanding in that regard seems to of Young Ireland—because it was itself Ireland all through my teens and into my be on a par with that of the less enterprising under pressure from Mazzini's Young Italy twenties, during the high tide of 'enslave- part of the past which he deplores. There nationalism. The British state, having ment', and I was alienated from the are 53 Lemass references in his Index, but failed to establish a party-political base religious dimension of life and refused to Haughey—who brought the Irish economy for itself in Ireland after the Union, was participate. If the texture of life was as into the stage of finance capitalism—has led by the conflict between the Church Garvin describes it, I would certainly have 3 references, all of them trivial. and Young Ireland, and its Fenian noticed. continuation, to try to suppress the national Professor Garvin's argument is a rehash development by according the Church an I couldn't stand religion. I would say of Sir Horace Plunkett's argument about a increasing role in the administration of the that, for a substantial part of the commun- century ago. Plunkett was replied to, and country. ity, say a quarter, it was the case that it did comprehensively refuted by reference to not bother them to go along with the actual economic history, by Fr. O'Riordan Catholic Ireland was subjected to a minimal practice of going to Mass on in a book which was itself an incitement to long oppression by the English state, with Sunday, and they allowed themselves to even greater enterprise by Catholics: the purpose of abolishing it. This be badgered into the annual Confession, Catholicity And Progress In Ireland. It oppression led in the end to Irish Catholic- or at least a decent pretence of it. Most would be interesting to look at that debate ism taking on a fundamentalist character, people approved of religion as quite a again, with a view to helping Professor partly due to the convolutions of English good thing in itself, as it distinguished us Garvin to distinguish between fashionable foreign policy. The English state then from the animals and it was an opportunity religious prejudice and economic fact. If entered into alliance with fundamentalist for socialising A very small number were religion is a bad thing, it is not because it Catholicism in Ireland for the purpose of religious enthusiasts. They were the urban is anti-economic. stifling Irish national development. element who saw themselves as modern, Brendan Clifford 18 multiply the core vote percentages by 100 The Irish Times review section was and divide by 85. This will lead to "adjusted devoted to the so-called "issue" and figures" of FF 41, FG 26, Labour 12, Sinn absolutely nothing new was revealed by Shorts Fein 9, Greens 5, PDs 1, Independents/ the journalist Colm Keena. Others 6. [And this is much how the All of this relates to matters in 1994. from Election came in—Ed.] There is no doubt that Ahern's affairs in Again we see that Fianna Fail alone is every sense of the word were not in order. the Long Fellow comfortably ahead of the combined FG/ In 1992 he didn't contest the 1992 FF Labour coalition. So what "adjusted leadership contest against Albert Rey- figures" does The Irish Times present? Of nolds, following the resignation of Charles IRISH TIMES'S OPINION POLL STRATEGY the 15% undecided it gives 1 percentage Haughey. At that time Michael Smith— The Irish Times has had a problem point to Fianna Fail, 6 to Fine Gael, 3 to the then Minister for State of the since the 2002 election. It has been very Labour, 2 to Sinn Fein, 1 to the Greens, 1 Department of Industry and Commerce— clear that the only viable Government was to the PDs and 1 to the Independents. So commented that "the people need to know one led by Fianna Fail. The opposition the adjusted figures are: FF 36, FG 28, where the Taoiseach sleeps at night". Labour/Fine Gael alternative was consist- Labour 13, Sinn Fein 10, Greens 5, PDs 2 In 1994 following the unexpected ently behind the FF/PD coalition before and others 6. And on this basis it claims resignation of Reynolds, Ahern scrambled this election. From The Irish Times that the FG/Labour coalition is maintaining to sort out his living arrangements since perspective the danger has been that a lead. he was expected to succeed Reynolds as floating voters, concerned about a It appears to arrive at these figures by Taoiseach. government dependent on independents, reducing the "adjusted" (i.e. per normal The Irish Times one page report is would inevitably gravitate towards Fianna calculations) Fianna Fail vote by 5 remarkably coy regarding its own role in Fail. percentage points (i.e. one eighth of the all of this. Buried in the middle of the long In such circumstances it was important 41%). It then allocates this 5% in report Keena only once refers to the hand to build up the strength of the Labour/FG proportion to the strength of the remaining that the newspaper played in Ahern's opposition and pretend that it rather than parties. destiny: Fianna Fail represented stability. A key There is no doubt that opinion polls "Although there was no prospect of tool in its campaign has been the use of influence political behaviour as well as Michael Wall completing the purchase opinion polls. reflecting it and The Irish Times of the house in December 1994, Ahern The Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll understands this—as can be seen from the was anxious to be able to point to a definite rental agreement should he published on 11th May gives the following following comment on the 2002 election from Fintan O' Toole: become taoiseach on Tuesday, percentages for the core vote: FF 35, FG December 6th. Late on Monday, 22, Labour 10, Sinn Fein 8, Greens 4, PDs "With almost every poll overstating December 5th, the day Larkin made her 1, Independents/Others 5 and Undecided Fianna Fail's eventual vote, the polls lodgements with AIB, Ahern was 15. ceased to reflect opinion and began to photographed being driven out of The "core vote" is nothing more than shape it by making it clear that Fine Government Buildings with a list of the Gael were no hopers" (The Irish Times, people he intended appointing to his the votes for all parties including 5/5/07). "undecided". Simple arithmetic would cabinet. But it was not to be. A report in suggest that the core vote for FF alone is As we have seen The Irish Times has The Irish Times of that day caused 35% and for the Labour/FG opposition is more than compensated for that alleged Labour to change tack and go into defect in 2007 in order to present the FG/ government with Fine Gael and 32%. But yet the headline on The Irish Democratic Left." Times front page says "FF increase while Labour coalition as a potential stable alternative coalition maintains lead". Government, rather than the FF/PD And that's all that is said about the Certainly the headline recognises that coalition. newspaper's involvement then. No support for the FG/Labour coalition The picture accompanying the front mention of the fact that it was Geraldine alternative has been falling away despite page opinion poll story (11/5/07) shows Kennedy, the current Editor, who wrote the best efforts of The Irish Times, but on the right side of the page Kenny and The Irish Times story which caused how can it justify the view that the Rabbitte striding confidently forward with "Labour to change tack" and the story was alternative coalition was maintaining its broad smiles on their faces. And on the very far from being just a piece of advice. lead or even ever had a lead? left Ahern and McDowell are huddled The strategy seems to be to devote as The Irish Times buries the "core vote" close, looking down at the ground and many column inches to the so-called story figures in the body of the report and whispering together. under loaded headlines. Very few people concentrates its article on the "adjusted The opinion poll strategy must include will read what has actually been written, figures". The "adjusted figures" are the pictures as well as words and figures! but the impression will be given that Ahern percentages arrived at when the undecided has a case to answer. votes are taken out of the equation. One IRISH TIMES'S CORRUPTION STRATEGY could argue as to how the undecided figures Of course, opinion polls are not the IRISH TIMES'S PROPAGANDA STRATEGY should be distributed. In my view a only weapon in the Irish Times's armoury. In order for The Irish Times to retain plausible method would be to assume that The propaganda against Bertie Ahern some element of credibility it must give the undecided will decide in proportion to has been relentless. With the aid of the appearance of objectivity. But the the strength of the parties as already selective unauthorised leaks from the mask well and truly slipped in its editorial declared. Another assumption would be Mahon Tribunal it has attempted to level of 5th May. The opening paragraph begins that the vast bulk of them will not vote. a charge of corruption, but nothing of with the following sly innuendo: Voter turnout tends to be about 65%. It is substance has stuck. Indeed nothing new "As the only citizen in the State who reasonable to assume that a good has emerged since Bertie Ahern's finances has the power to apply to dissolve the proportion of the 15% undecided will be first came under scrutiny last year. And Dail, it is incumbent on the Taoiseach included in the 35% who don't vote. yet in The Irish Times numerous front- that that constitutional power would be As it happens, both of these assumptions page column inches have been devoted to exercised in the public interest—not lead to the same mathematical conclusion. it during this election. his personal financial interest." To calculate the adjusted figure you should On Saturday May 12th a whole page in Note very carefully what is being said 19 here. The editorial is not saying that the his own privacy", such a stricture should Taoiseach called the election in his own not apply to The Irish Times. The Irish French Election Special political interest. Such a charge would be Times believes that it is perfectly entitled ridiculous. It is taken for granted that the to investigate everything, even if a quasi LE GRAND DÉBAT outgoing Taoiseach of the day is perfectly judicial body such as the Mahon Tribunal It can be interesting to observe how entitled to dissolve the Dail at the most requests it to do otherwise. other countries do things. Just before the politically opportune time for his political The last three paragraphs in the editorial Irish General Election the French Presi- party and therefore himself. (Of course, if indicate the role that The Irish Times has dential election took place. Like in Ireland it is called long before the expiry of the arrogated for itself in Irish society: the French had their equivalent of the full term people are entitled to be suspi- "The Irish Times received a letter "great debate". In their case the debate cious but that is not what happened here). from the Mahon tribunal last evening was more justified since it genuinely was The editorial is implying that the 'to request' this newspaper to 'desist a contest between two candidates whereas Taoiseach dissolved the Dail because it from publishing' reference to in the case of Ireland the Taoiseach would was in his personal financial interest to do information obtained from the not be elected by the people but by the so. He would obtain a financial gain. unauthorised disclosure of documents necessarily circulated to a number of Dail. The next two paragraphs continue with parties. The request was made in "the The debate between Nicholas Sarkozy the theme that the calling of the election interest of the constitutional rights of and Segolene Royal lasted for 2.5 hours, was a ploy to prevent scrutiny of his all individuals affected by such more than an hour longer than our finances. The assumption is that he is premature disclosure". equivalent. It was more about ideas and guilty. That is the only "rational explan- But the "constitutional rights of all was less about details. It was very clear ation" for his behaviour according to The individuals" are of no account because that a clear political choice was on view Irish Times: our "learned friends" in Tara Street (its whereas the debate in Ireland was about "Undoubtedly, from all that we new base) have ruled that: which candidate would be most competent know, these separate events weighed to do the job. "This newspaper has investigated heavily on Bertie Ahern's mind. He The Long Fellow prefers the French the Taoiseach's finances because it has became desperate, realising that he approach to politics, but the Irish system an equal constitutional duty to serve the would have to exercise his public public's right to know about its leaders, has much to recommend it as well. It is function to prevent a personal especially during an election campaign. very clear that the Irish candidates are disadvantage on the eve of the election." Are we now to be silenced? much more in touch with what ordinary "This is the most rational explanation "This can't but be an issue in the people think. Also, there was an unreal for Mr Ahern's furtive visit to President campaign. Whether it is a deciding issue aspect to the French debate. The candidate Mary McAleese in the early hours of or not in the general election remains to last Sunday morning to dissolve the for the government party, Nicholas be seen." 29th Dail." Sarkozy, felt no obligation to defend the And no bounds on the public's right to record of the Government in which he In the above two paragraphs the editorial know are stated. served. Sarkozy was the candidate for says that he called the election to prevent change rather than the socialist candidate a "personal disadvantage". It doesn't say Segolene Royal. It seems that The Irish Times believes that it was to prevent a "financial" The Long Fellow thought that that that it and the rest of the media should disadvantage. But that is already implied Segolene Royal did quite well in the debate. decide the issues to be raised. In the in the first paragraph. The use of the words He was surprised at how agressive she Weekend Review section of The Irish "desperate" and "furtive" also implies was. At one point she accused Sarkozy of Times (5.5.07) Fintan O' Toole regrets wrongdoing. hypocrisy when he advocated handicapped that the 2002 election unlike the 2007 The editorial continues along these children being educated with normal election did not go to plan. lines, but probably the most obnoxious children. She said his Government had cut The title of the article is Spinning out of paragraph is the following: back on the specialists who gave individual Control and the opening blurb is as follows: "People believed then that Mr Ahern, tuition, which would make such a policy as he asked them to believe, had given "The ideal election for party handlers possible. She accused him of being them the full picture about his own is one they prepared earlier—but it "immoral". Sarkozy responded that she personal finances, bared his soul, looks as if some are not getting their should calm down. A French President infringed his own privacy surrounding way this time." must be calm. She said that a French his separation from his wife and told The long article contains the following President can be angry, especially a them all in the Bryan Dobson interview remarkable sentence on the 2002 Election: healthy anger. Then Sarkozy tried to say on RTE. We now know that this was that it was nerves. She said that it was not the case." "The stage managing of the campaign became even more effective anger. Sarkozy then expressed What an interesting form of words! because, with the media ceding control disappointment at her aggression. She then Ahern infringed "his own privacy". The of the agenda to the dominant parties, said sarcastically "are you hurt?" The editorial can't say that he infringed his the election turned into a kind of meta- Long Fellow thought Sarkozy was visibly wife or his family's privacy because that election." shaken by the exchange. would be untrue as well as libellous. Ahern The ceding of control by the media Royal also seemed to catch him out on would have committed an illegal act. So almost invalidates the election?! some technical points with regard to nuclear we are left with the charge of infringing power. One suspects that Ahern's appeal over Royal didn't have it all her own way. "his own privacy". The paragraph doesn't the heads of the media in his Bryan Dobson The Long Fellow thinks she is very weak say he lied, but it does say that he did not interview was by no means the least of his on foreign policy. As regards Turkey: give Bryan Dobson "the full picture about sins. Sarkozy stated his unambiguous opposit- his own personal finances". So there we have it. The 2007 election ion to Turkey joining. He went on to say So on the one hand it is implied that is a battle between the media agenda and that those who oppose Europe wish to Ahern must not "infringe his own privacy", the agenda of the democratically elected expand it so as to prevent a political Europe but on the other hand he must tell all. political parties. On that basis the Long from being achieved. Royal on the other But if Ahern is obliged not to "infringe Fellow will be voting for Fianna Fail. hand wants a referendum. 20 Royal also was taking a hard line on the 35 hour week (effectively abandoning organise the vigilance and the struggle. Darfur. She proposed that France might it), she kicked for touch by suggesting a From this evening I call for a consider boycotting the Olympic games referendum or greater consultation. reinvigoration of the active forces of in Peking because of what China was Another small consolation is that the the left to make the legislative elections doing there! Sarkozy didn't think this was Socialist Party recognises that it was a [in June—JM] a reaction to the very a good idea and noted that she didn't defeat. It is not making any excuses. The heavy defeat we have just suffered. We must not let all power in the hands of include herself in that boycott since she rivals to Royal within the socialist party Nicholas Sarkozy. It is necessary that had recently visited China. were advocating a political change within all those who wish to contribute to the On the 35 hour week, Royal defended the party. Dominic Strauss-Kahn has been riposte be able to form a united front to it and said that the reason why it had not advocating an adaptation to new conditions elect the greatest possible number of been abandoned by the government was and a more social democratic approach, deputies resolute in their opposition to that it was seen as a social progression. It which sounds suspiciously like Blairism. the right. facilitated family life. However she Lauren Fabius, on the other hand, wants I call on left wing voters, in the light conceded that there were aspects to the an updating of socialist strategy in the of this, to elect the many candidates law that were too rigid. light of globalisation and the expansion of representing or supported by the the EU. communist party. They will be, with a parliamentary group, an indispensable POLITICAL DISASTER force of resistance to the right, and as a There is no doubt that the election of FRENCH ELECTION: COMMUNIST REACTION reservoir of support for the many social Sarkozy is a disaster for the French and The following is a statement of the mobilisations and struggles. indeed European working class. Sarkozy leader of the French Communist Party, Beyond that I wish to say that the is a Thatcherite having to adjust to French Marie-George Buffet after the French defeat of Segolene Royal this evening, political realities. His mild criticism of Presidential Election after that of the defeat in 2002, poses crucial questions for the left. The US foreign policy during this election significance of this result is that must be taken with a grain of salt. His "A Political Catastrophe! Nicholas Sarkozy has succeeded in acceptance speech amounted to a Today the French have voted making credible beyond the right wing declaration of intent. He said that his massively. Nicholas Sarkozy has been electorate brutal answers to the election signalled a break from the past elected President of the Republic. problems of our society. The failure of and the old ways of doing things. At this point, I think above all of the left, by contrast, shows the necessity those who will be the first to be to bring alive the values of equality, of Sarkozy is not just a creature of political threatened by the projects of the new fashion: his commitment to introduce liberty and of social justice in a political President of the Republic. I think of the project in the context of Europe and the Anglo-Saxon values into France is wage earners, who exhausted by work profound. As well as abandoning the 35 World dominated by Global finance do not earn the means to live in dignity, capitalism. hour week he wants to encourage greater of all the victims of inequality and This failure is that of each of the home ownership in France by freeing up discrimination, of the unemployed, and forces which consist of the left. They credit and giving tax relief to domestic of those on the poverty line. I want to are all obliged, the Communist Party mortgages. say to them that the communists will be included, to understand the reasons and The intellectual antecedents to Sarkozy at their side. Everywhere, in all areas, rebuild hope by opening a genuine can be traced to the unsuccessful right we will take with them initiatives perspective of change. I am strongly allowing them to oppose with committed to engage in this. wing Presidential candidate of the 1980s determination and responsibility. Edouard Balladur, who wrote an influential More than ever our people need a I want to say to men and women of great force of resistance. I call on all book entitled "The End of Jacobinism". the left, to democrats that I share this The Sarkozy project includes a re- those who wish to engage in the battles evening their dismay, their bitterness to come to join the French Communist evaluation of the French Revolution and and their great worry. Party." subsequent French historical events of I say in all solemnity that the election democratic significance. of the president of the UMP and the During the later stages of the election serious failure of the left constitutes a campaign an interview appeared in a real political catastrophe. For the first philosophical magazine in which Sarkozy time since the Liberation there is someone in the highest echelons who is Editorial Note expressed the view that people are born guided by the political ideas of the bad or weak and can't change. He believed extreme right and who openly supports Due to pressure of space, we that paedophiles would always be the economic and ultraliberal paedophiles. More controversially, he said programme of the MEDEF [employers have had to hold over a number people who commit suicide have a organisation—JM]. Our social of articles to the July issue. weakness in their character. system—already undermined by years One of these is an unpublished The implication being that you should of political liberalism—and our letter of the late Michael identify who is bad and lock them up to democratic rights are in danger. We protect the rest of us (a kind of extreme must unite to resist the policies that the O'Riordan, written in April 1939 Protestantism). right wants to implement. I urgently to Bill Gandall, a Lincoln call on all of the forces of the left to organise a riposte. Brigader (Spanish Civil War), NOT MUCH GOOD NEWS The Communist Party will not lower giving him an insightf Irish The bad news is that there is not much its arms. Everywhere, in the cities, in history. The letter is introduced the localities, in businesses, its militants, good news. However, some small by Manus O'Riordan, who consolation can be taken from the fact that its elected local councillors, regional the French Presidential election result representatives, parliamentary explains the circumstances of representatives will be by the side of how the letter was found, and represented a triumph of politics over our people to oppose the social division image. Royal was consistently vague about and attacks on our liberties. Against all gives some background about her policies and when difficult questions, these attacks they will work tirelessly the fate of some of the arose such as the admission of Turkey to to unite all those who have, at heart, Brigadiers. the EU or introducing greater flexibility in social progress and democracy to 21 · Biteback · Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback· Biteback

A Brief Summary of "Bertiegate"

The Mahon Tribunal investigated allegations made by a property developer, Tom Gilmartin, that Bertie Ahern received payments from a rival developer, Owen O'Callaghan, in connection with the Quarryvale development. To put it mildly Gilmartin is not exactly a credible witness. Apart from his differences with O' Callaghan some media reports indicate that he has had mental problems. Also, other allegations made by Gilmartin have not been investigated because they lack any basis in fact. In the course of investigating the Gilmartin allegations the Mahon Tribunal requested Ahern to submit his financial records, which Ahern did. It was these records submitted on a confidential basis which were leaked to The Irish Times and other media outlets and which led to "Bertiegate 1".

BERTIEGATE 1 No connection was established between the leaked records and the Gilmartin allegations, but the records did reveal that Ahern had financial difficulties as a result of a marital separation. In December 1993 he received 22,500 Irish pounds and then in October 1994 he received a "loan" of another 16,500 and a gift of a further 8,000 in sterling from friends. At the time he was the Minister for Finance. But he was also considered a likely Taoiseach. He was not living in the marital home and there was a feeling among his friends that a Taoiseach should not have the status of "no fixed abode". In the event Ahern did not succeed Albert Reynolds as Taoiseach in 1994 as expected. It is interesting that The Irish Times has been remarkably coy about its role in preventing this. It was an Irish Times story by Geraldine Kennedy which persuaded Labour to support John Bruton as Taoiseach. No evidence of political favours being given for the financial help has ever been revealed.

BERTIEGATE 2 For all the digging and for all the numerous articles that have been written, nothing of substance has emerged in "Bertiegate 2", which followed a new round of leaks just before the election campaign. Bertiegate 2 amounts to this. A lodgement of 30,000 "sterling" in 1994 was recorded at 28 thousand odd in Irish pounds (in that year the Irish pound was more valuable than the pound sterling). The Mahon Tribunal, according to the media argued that the lodgement was a few hundred pounds more than it should have been at the exchange rate at that time. Bertie responded that the 30,000 sterling may have included some Irish pound amounts (the donors were Irish after all). The Mahon Tribunal suggested (at least according to the media) that the Irish Pound amount equated to exactly 45,000 dollars at the exchange rate ruling then. The implication being that this was money (from an offshore account perhaps?) that Ahern didn't declare to the Tribunal. Ahern denies that the US dollar exchange rate was exactly equal to that. He also denies that he ever received dollars. No indication has come as to where the alleged 45,000 (whose existence is disputed) came from. The focus of attention in "Bertiegate 2" was the purchase of a house by Ahern. Ahern bought this off a close friend Michael Wall in 1997. He had rented the house from Wall since 1994. It was always the understanding that Ahern would buy the house eventually when his personal and political situation became more stable. About the only thing that can be said of Ahern's dealings with Wall is that they were not orthodox. But financial transactions between friends are quite often unorthodox. Wall was in the coach business and received a lot of cash in the course of his business. He gave Ahern 30,000 sterling in cash to build a mews and carry out refurbishment on his house which Ahern was renting. Ahern's then partner Celia Larkin dealt with this. There was also an understanding that Wall, who was based in England, could stay with Bertie any time he visited Ireland. An editorial in The Irish Times (14.5.07) didn't like the "architecture" of the whole thing. And that's all it can say. Colm Keena in his article in The Irish Times (12.5.07) claimed that logic (i.e. his logic) would suggest that Ahern should have bought the house in 1994 and not wait until 1997. The implication being that Ahern was really the purchaser in 1994. Keena also implies that the fact that Ahern had plenty of cash indicates that he should have been in a position to buy the house. But we know that Ahern took out a loan and we don't know how much he borrowed. So there is no firm evidence that he was in such a great financial situation. Certainly Ahern's dealings with Wall were not exactly at arm's length. But if there was anything corrupt in the fact that the house was sold to Ahern at below market value (and it is very arguable that it was sold below market value) why would Wall have left the house to Ahern in his will without telling him. And if Ahern was the real owner in 1994 how could Wall legally leave the house which he didn't own to Ahern in his will. And if Ahern had known that Wall was going to leave the house in his will (which someone doing favours would want to be made known), why would Ahern want to buy the house in 1997? One of the set pieces of the early part of the campaign was a confrontation between Vincent Browne and Bertie Ahern at a Fianna Fail press conference. Ahern was very happy to discuss the Quarryvale matter in which there was a real issue of political corruption but Brown accepted his bona fides in this and persisted in questioning Ahern on the house purchase. There are times where journalists keep a big story going by writing small stories around the subject. This is very dubious from an ethical point of view because an innocent man could be hounded without any justification. But if the big story emerges, the journalists can be vindicated in retrospect. But there is no sign of the big story yet and it looks as if it was never there. If nothing emerges, the media campaign led by The Irish Times can be seen for what it was: a political campaign, which had nothing to do with the public interest.

22 NURSES continued last month were angry that teachers are of public servants awaiting the outcome still making productivity changes even of the deliberations of the public service It feeds a public service that thrives on though their spending power is being Benchmarking body. reduced." precedent and pay scale envy. Its primary The TUI, ASTI and the Irish National purpose is to placate public service unions The issue was also raised by delegates in return for electoral security. Teachers' Organisation made a joint at the Association of Secondary Teachers submission to the Benchmarking body Never forget the bedrock of much of Ireland (ASTI) annual convention at Fianna Fail's electoral power lies in the last year, seeking a 10% increase on the Easter, after an emergency motion was common pay scale for primary and second public sector, they have always been passed seeking the deal to be renegotiated. regarded as the real friend of the Public level teachers. and Civil servants: the Gardai, Teachers Their concerns and those of a number and the Health sector. But we are living in ********************************************************** of other unions have been raised with the THE ASTI yesterday voted in favour unreal times, for some, especially the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), middle-class, there is no tomorrow! of holding postal ballots of all 17,000 whose General Secretary David Begg members in future. There's a fecklessness out there that discussed the difficulties caused by rising just seems to prevent sections of the society inflation at a recent meeting with The surprise decision was seen as a from standing back and taking stock. A Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. nurse has a job for life. A pension at 60. victory for the moderates in the teachers' union. They pointed out that many The INO/PNA commence a work-to-rule He has also said the matter is likely to campaign, then two and three hour decisions about pay and action were voted be at the centre of debate at the ICTU on by tiny numbers at branch meetings stoppages and demand that they lose no biennial conference in early July, 2007 if wages in the process. and the votes were not always the rise in inflation continues. representative of the "silent majority". (Irish Independent, 13.4.2007). If Benchmarking is to continue it must Teachers are one of the largest groups be transformed into something more ****************************************************************** rigorous and transparent. The Benchmarking process added The Mid Cork Election Ballad of D.D. Sheehan around 1.2 billion to the annual cost of running the State. Men of Mid-Cork prepare yourself before it is too late The process lacks any semblance of And prove to Josie Devlin that you will not tolerate transparency. The second phase which is To be represented by a henchman of his choice due to be launched this summer must But send him back from where he came in no uncertain voice. avoid past mistakes. It must be fully transparent. A parallel universe for public Say who is Billy Fallon or who heard of him before sector workers cannot be allowed develop From the village of Kilmichael to the cross at Donoghmore any further. Or from far famed Ballingeary all over dell and glen By the River Lee to Inniscarra where brave Mackey drilled his men. The cost of living has clearly escalated in recent years, and despite much bluster, When the sheriff and his agent and the burly peelers came not a lot has been done to control it. To hunt you from your homesteads in the King of England's name The whole debate about 'rip-off' Ireland Who was foremost in the struggle to stop that hellish work has totally missed the point and the removal But the gallant D.D. Sheehan ever member for mid-Cork. of the Groceries Order was a total red herring and was never going to lead to the Who negotiated purchase and secured you in your land fall in prices that were promised. Free forever from the bailiff or the cruel eviction band And brought joy and consolation to your children and your wives TEACHERS AGAIN Which they ever will remember to the finish of their lives. TEACHERS have repeated their calls for a review of the latest pay deal as Who obtained commodious dwellings for the hardy sons of toil inflation continues to erode the increases Not alone in this division but throughout the Holy Isle granted to public servants. For that very Act of Parliament would never see the loom The Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) But for Mr. D.D. Sheehan and O'Brien at Macroom. said the pre-election frenzy has clouded the fact that the annual inflation rate, at And will you now abandon him and let yourself be fooled 5.1% in March and April, is far higher By that milk and water turncoat whose known as Dr. Goold than the Towards 2016 pay deal, which Or that sanctimonious auctioneer, that hypocritical jackeen sees 4.6% annual increases over 27 months The likes of which our county Cork had better never seen. . TUI General Secretary Jim Dorney said Shout it back to Josie Devlin and his standing committee workers, including his union's 14,000 To the laity and the clergy of every degree members, are feeling the pinch as cost of That no power can damp your gratitude that burns in your souls living rises are outstripping their wage When you boldly vote for Sheehan and elect him at the polls. hikes. "When inflation went up Post election epilogue unexpectedly in the past, the wage agreement at the time was revisited, so Mid-Cork sent its answer right back to the mob there's no reason it can't be done this To poor Billy Fallon who failed in his job time," he said. They wanted no Mollie to be their M.P. "The delegates at our annual congress They got what they wanted and that was D.D..

23 NURSES continued A number of delegates pointed out that BENCHMARKING the ASTI had gone it alone on pay but had "Those fuelling the public sector rejoined the ICTU last year. grievance factor of relativity claims greater trade union movement. Margaret Moore from Dublin northeast cite other usually small groups which The suggestion was made during an said the union had never taken its lead have even fewer working hours than emergency debate offering the ASTI's from other teacher unions such as the TUI the claimants. One of the purposes of support of the right of the Irish Nurses' and the I.N.T.O. Benchmarking was to put an end to this Organisation (INO) and Psychiatric endless shuffling queue of public sector She called on the union to "lead by relativity claims, where people emptied Nurses' Association (PNA) to negotiate example", pointing out that the ASTI had their pay and working hours claim outside the ATM and immediately rejoined the not joined ICTU to be compliant, passive queue for more. The health sector has the public service Benchmarking process. and "well behaved". "We joined it to shake been a major source of such claims. The motion passed unanimously by it up", she said. "If relativity claims are not to be almost 500 delegates stated that the At its Conference in Bundoran, in Co. abolished by Benchmarking, as we were deficiencies and inflexibility of the Donegal, the Teachers' Union of Ireland told at the start of that process, and are Benchmarking arbitration process must passed a one-line motion saying: "that used to impose a massive increase in not be used to isolate, obstruct and demean this Congress fully supports the Irish Public Service pay bills, we must a caring profession. Nurses' Organisation and all other unions consider abolition of the posts— Dublin South delegate Bernard Lynch effectively buying out the current outside the Towards 2016 agreement" contracts with a once-off payment and said the issue at stake was much wider (Irish Independent, 13.4.2007). than the nurses' claims, but also about the re-employing nurses on new contracts with a working week similar to that quality of the under-funded public service. THE GARDA prevailing in the public sector. He called on the Irish Congress of GARDAI are warning that they will "Buying out these posts, unpalatable Trade Unions (ICTU) to do what unions submit a knock-on pay claim if nurses are as it may be, would be a better option are supposed to do and support the nurses given any concessions outside than extending them by precedent across in pursuing their claim. Benchmarking. the public sector or undermining the ASTI rejoined the ICTU a year ago, The stance will strengthen the Govern- wider economy by any attempted after withdrawing its membership during ment's position that any improvement in extension to the private sector. (Barrett- Sunday Business Post, 6.5.2007). its own pay dispute in 2000. pay and working conditions given to the "The biggest obstacle to the nurses nurses outside the system will be followed THE teachers unions' backing of the getting their pay claim properly dealt by claims from gardai, teachers and other with is not the Government, who would nurses' work-to-rule is an attack on the settle in the morning because of the public servants, which could lead to an Benchmarking system. general election. undermining and eventual collapse of the The actions of the teachers and nurses "It's not the state of the public whole Benchmarking process. represent a concerted challenge to the finances which have never been better The Garda Representative Association, authority of the Government at its most or it's not the media. It's ICTU, who are at its Annual Conference in Co. Mayo vulnerable. supporting pay deals that are destroying yesterday, gave its support to the nurses The nurses have made clear their health and education, driving Irish and psychiatric nurses who are escalating attitude to Benchmarking. teachers and nurses out of their their action. professions," Mr. Lynch said. They feel betrayed by a system which GRA General Secretary P.J. Stone said was introduced in 2000 in the wake of a he hoped the nurses would achieve their Bernard Lynch claimed the ASTI had series of public service disputes, including objectives but warned that they would be their own strike and the Garda 'Blue Flu' been "sucked back in" by Congress and by next to follow suit. SIPTU He said that Jack O'Connor from farce. SIPTU and David Begg from Congress "We are sending out a little signal should show their support for nurses. that we will not be behind the door in The teachers' approach is more coming out if other people are facilitated problematic. Paddy Mulcahy, Cork, a member of the in relation to their working conditions. ASTI's Standing Committee which Having declared support for the nurses' You cannot treat one section of the work-to-rule, delegates at the ASTI proposed the motion, said the intention public service differently than others." was not to make the case for their convention have demanded renegotiation colleagues in the nursing unions. But social partnership does treat one of the terms of Towards 2016. "It's about one group of workers section of the trade union movement For their part, the INO and PNA have supporting the right of another group of differently to another section? workers to negotiate a fundamental right He believed that An Garda Siochana spurned the social partnership in pursuit of any union. Some might say they was being left badly behind in terms of of what they consider to be fair demands. were silent during our dispute, so why And consequently, the situation in the industrial relations mechanisms. should I be silent now," he said. front line of the health service deteriorates, "Let us show the trade unions within "That's what we've been told year day by day. ICTU the real meaning of trade union after year after year. We are prepared to solidarity and remind all union members present our arguments." In declaring their support for the nurses, of the motto of Congress: “An injury to one is an injury to all”," he said. the teachers have effectively thumbed their Mr. Stone said he was not talking about noses at Social Partnership, without the blue flu but the promotion of industrial actually having to revisit the humiliations East Galway delegate John Molloy said relations mechanisms for the Garda. he supported the nurses but wondered of 2003. Currently members of the force had no The message for the Government, one what the motion was saying to the 300,000 access to the Labour Court or the Labour which may haunt them on polling day if trade unionists in ICTU who had accepted Relations Commission and he believed Benchmarking. they fail their current test, is that Bench- Gardai were as entitled as other workers marking in its present form is a flawed, to that access (Irish Independent, "Does it mean that we do not accept secretive and undemocratic system. the Benchmarking process?" he asked. 3.5.2007).

continued on page 23 24 NURSES continued bank holiday. This work is part of their public the facts about the efforts of basic 39-hour week. these dedicated professionals," he said. We are all aware of the commitment (The Irish Times, 18.5.2007) patients are human beings, not nuts and and invaluable work of the nurses. And bolts, well not yet, at any rate. In the nut we know that the profession is, or at least CONSULTANTS and bolt factory have no doubt, the price was, one that only those with the correct Senior medics have now struck another for such an exercise would be the loss of characteristics could hope to succeed at. bodyblow when consultants rejected the maybe 10 jobs out of a 100—it would be We are also aware that commitments HSE €205,000 salary offer, a 10% bonus impossible to apply this principle to the had been made to nurses going back over and €20,000 allowance in return for health system (maybe the administration) 20 years that they would get reduced working exclusively in the public sector. but not direct carers, nurses, midwives, working hours. Equally, we are aware that Negotiations have gone on for two years. doctors, etc. such commitment and vocation was taken Some medical consultants described And just imagine for a minute, a worker as signs of weakness by the employers' the proposed salaries as "Mickey Mouse". on strike in the private sector demanding groups who forgot the commitments five The salaries are probably the highest in that he be paid whilst out on strike! minutes after they were given. the O.E.C.D. countries. We even appreciate that the most On 21st May 2007, they began industrial Just what pay do important part of an effective health service action boycotting meetings with HSE INO/PNA get? is at the coalface, i.e., with the patients— officials. yet health boards and the HSE have shown This is over a decision by Health Dr. Sean Barrett claims the health sector Minister Harney to go ahead and advertise has never published its pay levels or staff by their actions, unlike their words, that the only areas given adequate staffing 68 consultant posts. The Irish Medical numbers in the Central Statistics Office's Organisation (IMO), the general series of pay data for both the public and were in administration. And, yes, these folk are well paid and get a 35-hour week, practitioners, have instructed doctors not private sectors. However, the "Sunday to apply for the jobs as negotiations on Independent" (13.5.2007), published the some it is believed are on 33 hours. So, it's easy to understand the nurse's frustration. their new contracts have failed. wages recorded for the Mid-West region The Irish Hospital Consultants' which appear to be the only available Association General Secretary, Finbarr figures in the country. CARE WORKERS V THE NURSES Fitzpatrick, is a former General Secretary In an address to the IMPACT Health of Fine Gael. Their President, Mary It appear that of the 3,275 nurses and Welfare conference, National McCaffrey, is the wife of Cork city Fine employed by the HSE in the Mid-West Secretary, Kevin Callinan said it would be Gael Councillor, Colm Burke. area, whose headquarters are in Limerick, "giving early attention to the fact that care fewer than 800 of them work full-time or assistants work a 39-hour week". TRADE UNION SUPPORT 39 hours a week. In his address, Mr. Callinan made a "While the wider trade union Of these, almost half of the full-time number of veiled comments about the movement and social partners are nurses and midwives working in Limerick, nurses' dispute. ominously silent, the government and Clare and North Tipperary are making "There has been a lot of talk about main opposition parties deserve credit more than €60,000 a year in gross pay. expanded roles lately. I want to put it on for not allowing short-term fleeting The Mid-West figures also reveal that record that the role of every health electoral advantage to inflict long-term last year 379 full-time nurses and midwives professional has expanded in recent harm on the Irish economy. If any made over €60,000 after allowances, shift years and is continuing to expand. In a political leaders cave in on the 35-hour pay, overtime, and on-call payments were complex multi-professional health week demand, they will destroy their added onto their basic pay. system, it is simply not possible to credibility in the election." (Barrett, Sunday Business Post, 6.5.2007). For 2006, an Assistant Director of focus on one profession in isolation. mental health nursing in the Mid-West Everyone is upskilling and expanding roles," he said. On April 12, two teaching unions made approximately €99,869 in gross pay declared their support for the nurses' after earning just under €59,000 in basic In their campaign, the nursing unions campaign for better pay and work pay. highlighted a pay anomaly that saw some conditions outside of Benchmarking. The same year, a Senior Staff Nurse in nurses paid less than care workers who The ASTI and TUI, who are both within mental health made almost €95,000 reported to them. Mr. Callinan said care the Irish Congress of Trade Unions— including €45,129 in basic pay. workers were victims of "deeply insulting which has signed up the national pay Some of the Mid-West rates of pay and misinformed criticism during the agreement—Towards 2016, unanimously include a mental health nurse who made dispute". carried emergency motions of support for €87,767 in gross pay after basic pay of the nurses. €43,959. An assistant director of nursing "These people do an extremely Although the motions do not mean the collected €86,234 in overall pay after difficult and sometimes dangerous job—often with the most deprived, teachers will take any direct action making €65,880 in basic pay. themselves, their support has been Most of the nurses making more than disturbed and challenging young people. It is a vital job in residential welcomed by the nursing unions in their €60,000 annually work in non-hospital care and secure units, which most people row with the Government. roles. in our newly prosperous society would never choose to do," he said. THE APOSTLES OF A graduate nurse starting in the Irish Mr. Callinan said for years care workers FREE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING public health services will earn a basic were paid a pittance and that when proper On Thursday, 12th April 2007, the starting salary of €31,233. pay scales were secured, it was linked to Association of Secondary Teachers of This is exclusive of premium earnings stringent qualification requirements. Ireland (ASTI), at their Annual Conference that are on average an extra 23%. Sundays "This union chose not to intervene in in Sligo, announced their support for the and public holidays are paid at double the debate when another union was in nurses in the health dispute stating that the time. dispute. But I have to say, Minister, it power to resolve the matter lies with the A staff nurse will receive an additional was a shame that nobody on the €218 for 12 hours' duty on a Sunday or management side felt willing to tell the continued on page 24

25 NURSES continued to other groups in the health service getting health service has a serious productivity higher pay rises without any explanation. problem. Some 11,100 extra nurses have been added to the payroll since 1997. The department's document also "I think it has to be more open and "In August 2005, Mairead Lavery maintains that it would cost an additional transparent. Various categories of staff and Margaret Hawkins of the "Irish have to see the basis on which decisions Farmers Journal" published the results €166 million to fund the introduction of a were made but that wasn't possible with 35-hour week for non-consultant doctors. of their Freedom of Information (FoI) Benchmarking one." (Irish Independ- requests for data on hospitals. The data The document says the estimates for ent, 3.5.2007). nursing and non-nursing staff are based showed extremely low productivity, especially in the Dublin area. on flat rates of pay. The nursing unions held a one-day "One of the hospitals first targeted in The document also states that a shorter delegate conference in Dublin on May 10, the present dispute was St Vincent's in week would generate other costs in the 2007, inviting representatives of the main Dublin. 'The Lavery-Hawkins data health sector and could also trigger political parties to address them. showed that it had 479 beds and 1,016 increases in health insurance charges. Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny addressed nurses, or 2.1 nurses per bed. The the gathering of nurses, as did Health number of admissions per nurse per LABOUR PARTY Minister Mary Harney on behalf of the year was 30, or one admission every 12 "NURSES should be given a time Progressive Democrats. days. Patients who lost their place in frame for the implementation of the 35- The Green Party have said employers hospital because of a one-hour work hour working week to halt their strike stoppage were extremely unlucky. The should negotiate with the unions on a 35 479 beds had a staff of 150 consultants action, it was claimed yesterday." (Irish hour week and give a date for its Independent, 3.5.2007). and 251 doctors in addition to the 1,016 introduction. The Green Party don't nurses. Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte said it support the nurses' call for a pay increase "The health sector has never was an entirely feasible way of resolving outside Benchmarking. published its pay levels or staff numbers in the Central Statistics Office's series the dispute. Sinn Fein fully support the claims of of pay data for both the public and "In other words, an hour, or an hour the nursing unions including the pay private sectors. In the absence of data, and a half now, in six months time increase outside Benchmarking. a fog has been created around the present another hour and a half, and the dispute. There have been media calls remainder six months later, to be for a ''creative approach'' to solving the accompanied by the necessary changes FIANNA FAIL dispute, fogging up the issue further. and reforms in the health services." On the part of Fianna Fail, failure to "Mary Harney, the Minister for hold the line on this occasion would have Health, told the Dail on April 3 that the The man is a genius with figures. resulted in the collapse of everything the average salary for nurses in 2005 was Taoiseach had fought for—a commitment €56,000 and that the increase since He blamed Health Minister Mary to industrial peace at a national level. 1997 had varied between 75% and Harney for allowing disputes with nurses, Even with this partial climbdown, the 103%. The increases included 8% to seeds have been sown for greater 16% under benchmarking and 13.16% consultants and health insurance under Sustaining Progress. companies to break out since she had disruption once the election is over. Couple that with downward trends in "The 2007 average pay rate is taken the job. €59,900, based on the minister's data the economy and it is not going to be a announced to the Dail on April 3. The "There is widespread disquiet in the pretty sight. And given that, Bertie Ahern health service. In my own view, you minister estimated that the claims at the have to be able to motivate the staff and just might be looking at some reflective core of the present dispute translated bring them with you in terms of time on the back benches, letting the other into a 22% pay increase, which implementing the necessary reforms to lads to make a mess of it before being combined with the 10% under Towards improve the health service." welcomed back as the man to get things 2016 gives a 32% increase. right. "Nurses' wages are already some 90 However, Mr. Rabbitte maintained his The Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) per cent higher than those in the party's position that the nurses' claim for a and the Psychiatric Nurses' Association manufacturing sector, the sector which (PNA) took on the government when it generates the output to pay the taxes to 10% pay rise could not be settled outside finance the health service. There must of the Benchmarking process. was in a tough position and made the lives be an open approach to publishing full of its Cabinet members and Dáil candidates data on health sector pay and numbers By acceding to the 35-hour week, he seeking election even more difficult than employed so the debate can be informed has effectively handed them an 11% wage they already were. A mortal blow may by the facts. Based on information now hike. have been dealt to some sitting TDs. available, no government—incumbent "I think that if they reflect on it, they or aspirant—should concede the present will understand that you can't allow a THE CLAIM claims." (Dr. Sean Barrett, Sunday parallel pay determination system to "Health trade unions are perversely Business Post, 6.5.2007) grow up." rewarded for pursuing the 35-hour week. If the claim were to succeed, an The 35-hour work week is the nub of A parallel system already exists extra 4,230 staff would be required to this dispute! Multiply 45,000 nurses and between trade unionists in the private make up the 7.7 million hours no longer midwives by 4 hours, the number of sector and their public counterparts. worked by the incumbent nurses. reduced hours in the claim—who does the Deeply moving media presentations cover for those lost hours ? Surely, the Both Labour and Fine Gael are trying from an A&E near you on the world of INO/PNA are not suggesting that their not to lose the votes of the 40,000 nurses overworked health staff would aim to members will cover the four lost hours on secure the extra staff. overtime? but also not to appear to support a pay "This would bring the total staff to claim which could shatter the 112,000 compared to 108,000 today In a nut and bolt factory, with state-of- Benchmarking process. and 98,000 in 2004. This followed a the-art technology and flexible work Mr. Rabbitte said the nurses had a five-year period in which the health practices, we could achieve this, however, genuine grievance about the secrecy of budget increased by 125%, the staff by hospitals are about patients, not profit— the Benchmarking process, which had led 47% and bed nights by 4%. The Irish continued on page 25 26 NURSES continued Already nurses in both unions however former Fianna Fail Councillor in Killarney, have lost out on the first set of pay increases called on Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny to under the national wage agreement which come out stronger in his support for the 'LAND OF NOD' have been given to colleagues in SIPTU nurses. When it appeared that the HSE might and IMPACT who are not in dispute. It Both unions decided that the best refuse to pay them for the work they're not means that from June when another stage place "My own vote and the votes of doing, it is regarded as: of the increase comes into effect they will more than 40,000 nurses are up for Both unions decided that the best have lost out on a 5% pay increase (Irish sale," she declared. place"… the most provocative and Independent, 5.5.2007). inflammatory stance taken by an ********************************************************** employer in the history of trade union The INO refused to sign up for the new Spiral of pay and prices hits Ahern's disputes" (Michael Dineen, INO national partnership programme, Towards poll hopes spokesman, Evening Echo, Cork, "SPIRALLING wage demands and 9.5.2007). 2016 when it was negotiated last year. Their General Secretary, Liam Doran is a huge rises in the cost of living are But— threatening the Government's hopes of "We can no longer sustain costs of member of the ICTU Executive. The PNA is not affiliated to Congress. being re-elected. Pressure for wage rises €2 million per week, which we are from nurses, doctors and teachers came paying people to do the work nurses We now learn that they will not be normally do," said Barry O'Brien, of docked under the Settlement proposals as new figures showed inflation at the HSE issued by the National Implementation 5.1%." (Irish Independent, 13.4.2007). Body: ********************************************************** In fact the people doing "work nurses "The NIB urges the parties to accept normally do" are probably nurses from "Other public sector workers who these proposals in order to avoid further have signed up for Towards 2016 and employment agencies, many of them planned stoppages, the ongoing work, members of the INO itself. Benchmarking II, rightly expect the to, rule and proposed salary deductions, Government to keep to its side of the Mr. O'Brien also suggested the dispute and in the interest of patient care.". bargain by not allowing major special had already cost the HSE €10m to date deals for others," states Minister for and said nurses were in breach of their PRIVATE HOSPITALS Health, Mary Harney. contracts by not co-operating with the use Only one major stand-alone private "Taxpayers, who pay for the public of modern technology. hospital, St Patrick's Psychiatric Hospital sector wage bill agreed in Towards in Dublin, had been singled out by unions 2016, will be deeply concerned at any Responding to Mr. O'Brien's comments, for work stoppages. unravelling of Public Sector pay INO General Secretary, Liam Doran Asked why public patients had borne policy." (Irish Times, 3.5.2007). warned of a "significant change in the the main brunt of the disruption so far, tone and tenor of the dispute if the HSE Dave Hughes of the Irish Nurses Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said nurses had docked nurses' pay". Organisation (INO) said the unions did been fair in their negotiations over recent not have members in all private hospitals. days: Mr. Doran went on to recall that the The union had served the claims on "They have pointed out that there health authority did not cut the pay of private hospitals where they had members are a lot of flexibilities, a lot of productivity that they can give to the senior health managers when they went but as they were a separate employer to system which will ultimately bring this on a work-to-rule for six weeks in late the State they were negotiating with them to a cost-free basis, or as near as they 2004. (Irish Independent, 8.5.2007). can to a cost-free basis. But the problem "Those managers got a pay increase is, and it is a problem for everybody and their jobs guaranteed for life," he POLITICAL RESPONSE now, is that it can't be done in a short pointed out. PNA General Secretary, Des Kavanagh period. And that is the difficulty," he "This is the most provocative and said the protest had become part of the said. inflammatory stance taken by an fabric of the election. employer in the history of trade union Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said that disputes. The very same senior Speaking at a one-hour stoppage by if elected to Government the next Minister managers who made the decision to for Health would be mandated to act with dock nurses pay were themselves nurses in the Mater Hospital in Dublin, involved in a work-to-rule situation in Des Kavanagh of the PNA said flexibility and creativity in relation to the 2004 when they managed to secure government parties and the Opposition nursing dispute. 11.5 pay rise." (Michael Dineen, INO, would pay a price at the polls for their He also said he would change the Evening Echo, Cork, 9.5.2007). stand on the dispute. Benchmarking process. He added: He said the opposition parties had not Meanwhile, the Department of Health "Do not forget that senior gone far enough and they needed to be has forecast that it would cost nearly €550 management implemented a six-week unambiguous in their support for the million per year to introduce a 35-hour work to rule before the changeover to nurses' stand—otherwise votes will "not working week across the wider health the HSE and got jobs for life and an go to them either". service. 11.5% pay increase." (Irish Examiner, Other unions such as SIPTU have 9.5.2007). "There are a lot of votes available signalled that, if the Government agrees from nurses and their families and the to these claims, they will seek similar It is understood the HSE Employers question now is who is going to come forward with a solution. arrangements for their members. Agency has told the nursing unions that, The Department of Health document even if they signed up to Towards 2016 at "Our votes are not going cheap. It also projects that it would cost a further that stage, their members may not qualify really does require an absolute €144 million to provide for the introduction for a three per cent pay rise which was due commitment and guarantee that they are going to sort it out," he said. of a 35-hour week for non-nursing staff in last December. The threat was made on the health service. the basis that they had not refrained from INO Vice-President Sheila Dickson, a industrial action. continued on page 26 27 VOLUME 25 No. 6 CORK ISSN 0790-1712 The Nursing Dispute And After Solidarity, Fraternity but no Trade Union Equality On 23rd May 2007, the Irish Nurses "significant victory". "This is a significant victory for Organisation (INO), which represents the nurses—45 days ago we were being clear majority of nurses, involved in the It now brings to an end a dispute, which told a 35-hour-week was not possible. health dispute, returned a 54% acceptance has caused medical chaos in hospitals and "Now we have for the first-time an after members were balloted on the healthcare facilities throughout the acknowledgement from management introduction of a 37.5 hour working week country. of the legitimacy of our claim and an by June 2008 and the examination by an offer for an initial 37.5 hour week The unions have now ceased all followed by an examination of how a independent commission of how a 35- industrial action. 35-hour-week can be achieved, within hour week could be introduced without a six month period, by an independent additional costs. The Health Service Executive (HSE) is commission." also rescinding its earlier threat to dock "The proposals are designed to be The second largest union involved in nurses' pay. balanced and fair—fair to nurses, fair the row, the Psychiatric Nurses Associ- to all other parties of the Social ation (PNA), will announce the results of Nurses balloted on the following propo- Partnership agreements and fair to their ballot on June 5. The PNA yesterday sal from the National Implementation taxpayers— through cost neutrality and suggested that continuing the industrial Body: on the basis that they involve no action on their own was not practicable. reduction in services to patients. Most * A 37.5 hour working week by June importantly, they offer the prospect of an early resumption of full, Commenting on the outcome, Professor next year and an independently chaired review of how a 35-hour week might be uninterrupted health services to Brendan Drumm, CEO of the HSE, stated patients." (Government statement, that a solid platform had been built on— achieved which would report back in a six-month period. 17.5.2007). "which to expand and enhance the role of nurses and midwives during the The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO- * Their claim for a 10.6% pay 35,000 members) and Psychiatric Nurses coming years without reducing services increase and an expanded role for to patients. Association (PNA-10,000 members), nurses/midwives would be dealt with "I accept that implementing the representing 45,000 nurses and midwives, N.I.B. recommendation will be a by the Benchmarking body. commenced a work-to-rule campaign on complex and probably, at times, Monday, 2nd April 2007, for the challenging exercise but I believe it INO spokesman Michael Dineen said: introduction of a 35 hour week and a will greatly support our four year 10.6% pay rise. Transformation Programme." Subscribers to the magazine are regularly The Minister for Health and Children, offered special rates on other publications However, other unions such as SIPTU Mary Harney said: and IMPACT which represent sizeable Irish Political Review is published by number of health workers refused to "Together we can deliver changes the IPR Group: write to— for patients that do not involve reduction participate in the I.N.A./PNA action. in services or new cost for taxpayers. 14 New Comen Court, North Strand, The value of working within social Dublin 3, or Both unions decided that the best place PO Box 339, Belfast BT12 4GQ or partnership has beendemonstrated to argue their case for improved pay and again." PO Box 6589, London, N7 6SG, or conditions for nurses is in the Benchmark- Labour Comment, ing process. This is due to report later this How anyone with a knowledge of the C/O Shandon St. P.O., Cork City. year. health service can seriously believe that by reducing by four hours the work of Subscription by Post: SIPTU (8,000 nursing members) were 45,000 nurses is not going to reduce service 12 issues: £17.50, UK; also concerned that a damaging dispute in to the patients beggers belief! As for not Euro 25, Ireland; Euro 30, Europe. public hospitals could give ammunition to adding cost to the taxpayer, that is simply Electronic Subscription: those who would like to see greater private incredible. Euro 15 / £12 for 12 issues sector involvement in the health services (or Euro 1.30 / £1.10 per issue) generally. Nurses have described the 17TH May You can also order both postal and breakthrough in the seven-week dispute electronic subscriptions from: with the Health Service Executive as a www.atholbooks.org continued on page 27