BLAGAROON

PDs demise joins
funeral of Neo-Con
sham economics:

The demise of the so-called “Progressive Democrats”, the party founded 23 years ago by Fianna Fáil right- wingers Harney and Desmond O’Malley was a fitting accompaniment to the shambolic collapse of their borrowed American Neo-Con philosophy world-wide at the same time. Burying two dogs in the same hole is a good way to save energy. The final wind-up of the Nasty Party was effected at a meeting in a Mullingar hotel last weekend where Harney herself proposed the motion of dissolution to the rag-tag remnant of her disgraced bunch of would-be mould breakers.

Having only a brief burst of support in one election while promising to “break the mould” of Irish politics their only achievement was to become the Nasty Party instead; hectoring, moralising cant their stock in trade, repeating parrot-like every shibboleth that dripped from the poison pens of the American Neo-Cons. In a ludicrous, whinging editorial in the “Irish Times” this week, Editor Madam Kennedy, herself a former PD deputy in Dáil Éireann, provided much mirth for the nation praising the “intellectual rigour” of the PD Party. About as much “intellectual rigour” as a flea’s arse there, now exposed for all to see in the ignominious collapse of the false and fraudulent Neo-Con “economics” with its “asset-backed securities” accompanied by cynical contempt for working people who produce the entirety of real values in the world’s economy.

Harney, the Marie Antoinette of Irish politics, in her ministerial positions, first in the Department of “Enterprise” then, latterly, in the Department of Health, pursued policies adopted wholesale from the Reagan-Thatcher programmes of privatisation and asset-stripping of public utilities which have ultimately destroyed the real economy, while shunting entire areas of manufacturing and the services economy into bankruptcy. Her latest scam, the proposal to give state land to privateer, profit-driven, medical service providers to “co-locate” on the grounds of public hospitals has, thankfully, been bankrupted by her own failed economic insanity. A suitable accompaniment to her own political swan-song as she has declared she won’t be contesting the next election. No loss.

Nevertheless, she should not get off scot-free for the damage she has caused to this country’s economic viability and the hardship imposed on people who depend on the ramshackle public health service she leaves behind. Labour should propose a motion in Dáil Éireann to reduce her pension to the same level as the state contributory pension she expects everyone else to live on.

LATEST: As this post was published a vote was taken in Dáil Éireann on an Opposition motion condemning Harney’s decision to postpone a Health Service programme for a new vaccine against cervical cancer to be given to 12 year old girls throughout the country. Dr James McDaid, Fianna Fáil TD from Donegal, announced he would not support the Government on the motion but would abstain. Although the Government still had a majority in the voting, the Greens having trooped in like the sheep they are, this further defection from the Government ranks severely undermines Taoiseach, Brian Cowen’s, authority in a public way following last months defection by Wicklow TD, Joe Behan, and the political disaster of the “emergency” Scrooge budget.

Harney’s decision, which will risk the lives of young girls is all the more scandalous given the Government’s €400BN guarantee of Bank Deposits and the fact that the Government collected a cool €4BN last week in a new bond issue. Yet, she can’t provide €500,000 for the health of schoolgirls? Shame heaped on shame by this disastrous Government.

FearFeasa Mac Léinn

Áth Cliath/DUBLIN, 12 Samhain/November 2008.