Demise of Progressive Democrats welcomed.
Published: 9 November, 2008
The demise of the Progressive Democrats was inevitable. It is welcome that such a negative element in Irish politics has been removed. Their anti-republicanism and their opposition to social and economic equality meant that they were neither truly progressive nor truly democratic.
The reality is, however, that the policies of the PDs are alive and well in Fianna Fáil. With the PDs over the past decade Fianna Fáil presided over a taxation system that allowed the wealthiest to pay little or no tax. They were responsible for a totally market- driven housing policy that failed to meet housing need, inflated property prices, allowed reckless lending and massive mortgage debt. That FF/PD approach has led directly to the current economic recession.
The privatization ethos of the PDs has been allowed to infect our public health service. The two-tier public/private hospital system has been reinforced under PD health Minister Mary Harney with the full backing of Fianna Fáil. She has rewarded the private health business at the expense of the public health system, which is now been hit by cutbacks. The private for profit hospital co-location scheme is going ahead with generous tax breaks for developers while public health programmes like the CPV Vaccination Scheme are being cancelled. The demise of the PDs is welcome but real change will require the ditching of failed right wing policies. I sincerely hope that Minister Harney will do the honourable thing and resign immediately.
|
