Labour Conference: Anything New?

The Labour Party conference was held this weekend in Galway, at what has to have been the lowest media coverage I have ever heard. On the radio yesterday, several stations ignored it. At the time I wondered why.  After re-examining several of the speeches, I think I understand.

Very little new policy has come to light this weekend for the Labour Party. This has to be viewed as disappointing, particularly when I personally wouldn’t know what left-ist policies are in the first place, as I’m sure is the case for many of the swing voters in this country.

Gilmore talked about him being Taoiseach.  A mantra which dies on many ears. The likelihood of that happening is tiny to say the least. Personally, I believe, many voters would respect him a lot more if he was honest and realistic to the Irish people. The real burning question I want answered, is how Labour plans to be in the next Government. Right now, the prospects are somewhat blurry. Since 2007 Fine Gael and Labour have moved in totally opposite directions. Fine Gael has moved more to the right and Labour appears to have moved more to the left. Even after the next election, say Fine Gael need a further 10-15 seats to make a Government, will Labour be the 1st phone call? Rumour’s have it that Amhrán Nua and The Liberals plan to run  candidates in the next election. If several of these right-ist politicians get elected along with for example several of the usual independents, then suddenly Labour is not possibly the best option any longer. In relation to the Labour and Fianna Fail option, well I believe, this is looking like a great possibility. AS the economy recovers over the next 12-18 months (Coinciding with the next General Election) Fianna Fail will recover some percent in the Poll’s reducing the loss of seats. After the next election FF and Labour may be a very workable ideology for many people.

So what did Labour say this weekend, that should be debated? Liz McManus talked about allowing Labour into the final RTÉ debate before the next election- a debate for future leaders, either Cowen or Kenny, hence this is purely ridiculous.  A further personal loss in respect for the Red Rose. Several delegates mentioned about how the banks have been bailed out and of course how the Irish people haven’t..etc etc..Blah, blah! Nothing NEW!!! Are the Irish people really to believe that Eamonn Gilmore would actually start dipping into the NPRF to create jobs, refund teachers for their salary losses or help homeowners who cant pay their mortgage? Absolutely not. If that was to be done, the financial markets would punish Ireland for pure insanity, using the pension investment fund to finance current spending? That economic treason quote may come back to haunt Gilmore very soon…

Education is once again top of the Labour agenda. Along with fellow opposition bashing:

“Councillor Aodhán Ó Riordáin told members that the only thing more frightening than Mary Coughlan as Minister for Education, was the prospect of a Fine Gael minister holding the portfolio.”

I’m sure Brain Hayes may refute that claim  greatly. All this commentator will say to that, is at least Fine Gael have proper plans in place on how to actually finance 3rd level education. Since 1997 the sector has been greatly under financed due to an infectious Labour policy which has cost this country millions. The rich and famous can now get their children through 3rd level education whichout paying a cent in actual fee’s. We dont give these people medical cards (Perhaps this will be the next Labour policy to foul this good state) so why should they get off the fee’s they can well afford to pay? Fine Gael has solid, costed policies on how to actually fund 3rd level. The Labour claim that the state can do this, has clearly been shown to be totally false. Last weeks UCC conferring fee is testament to that. (Along with its 13 million euro debt)

Joan ‘Battleaxe’ Burton claimed this weekend that the Government “has got everything wrong” in relation to the economy. This is the same party who voted against the Bank Guarantee scheme last September when the country was told that we were hours away from the collapse of the banking system. What exactly would Labour have done then? Anyone voting for Labour won’t be doing it if they have an economic conscience. The Burton ‘Battleaxe’ would single-handily destroy this country. I’ll take a Fianna Fail Finance minister before I’d let Labour get their Left paws on it. Labour have also vowed to oppose domestic water charges, hardly something on top of everyone’s agenda.

Labour also will help 30,000 new apprentices get qualified. Re-read that sentence everyone. Apprentices, means plumbers, block-layers, electricians etc. Thousands of whom are qualified and on the DOLE! Why should the state finance the training of another 30,000? Labours credibility should be throughly damaged by Gilmore’s rhetoric this weekend. His speech contained no idea on how to actually fund his plans. It contained no new amazing policies that will really change Ireland for the better. Labour claim to be the party that will help especially the lower class. Yet every time they have been in Government they have failed to really implement any policies which have actually helped improve the situation.

One very worrying side note to his speech was quoting Karl Marx

“From each according to his ability, to each according to his need”

To think that Gilmore is flirting with the extreme Left at a time of economic peril for the state is very frightening.

This conference has reinforced what many of us already knew. That Labour can’t be trusted in key portfolio’s and that Gilmore is nothing more than a sound-bite politician. The real question is- when will the Irish people realise this?