Irelands PDs are no more-Today the party votes itself out of existence

A special conference of the Progressive Democrats has voted for the party to go out of existence, after the leadership stated it was no longer politically viable.
Delegates voted by holding voter registration cards aloft. The final tally was 201 votes to 161 against a motion to continue with the party.

The PDs were founded in 1985 following a split in the Haughey led FF party. This split had its genesis in the arms trial of 1970. This was an opportune time to found a new political party in Ireland as the economy was struggling.
FF TDs Desmond O’Malley, Mary Harney, Bobbie Molloy and Pearse Wyse left to form the new political party. They were joined by FG TD Michael Keating. Michael McDowell (not a TD at this time) also left FG to join the new party.

The PDs took on the mantle of tax cutters and proclaimed themselves as liberal on social issues. O’Malley and Harney when members of FF staunchly supported the disastrous FF Manifesto which swept FF to power in the 1977 general election. This give away manifesto was a major causative factor of Irelands economic problems in the 1980s. It was the brainchild of Martin O’Donoghue who also joined the new PD party. In the 1987 general election the PDs won 14 seats mainly at the expense of FG. Indeed FG never fully recovered from the PD threat until the 2007 general election.

The party’s strongholds were: Waterford city, Cork city, Limerick, Galway and parts of South Dublin.

In reality the party was an uneasy amalgam of anti- Haugheyite FFers, independents, carpetbaggers , political opportunists and extreme right wingers, many of whom failed to progress in FG and FF. It frequently in its initial stages poached FF and FG members. It never became a fully-fledged national political party. In reality the strongholds were personal fiefdoms. In most parts of Ireland, PDs were as scarce as icebergs in the Sahara. In contrast FF and FG have members in every parish. These are the eyes and ears of those parties. The PDs once proposed to remove God from the constitution-further emphasizing their lack of the common touch.

After the highs of the 1987 general election the new party gradually lost popular support. It fell into decline in Waterford and Cork. In Waterford PD TD Martin Cullen defected to FF. It lost Pat Cox following a divisive leadership contest involving Mary Harney and Cox. In its initial phase it put tax cuts and competition on the agenda. Frequently these were delivered in a cynical manner. The revenue foregone was recovered by means of Stealth Taxes.

Fortuitously for the PDs the party managed to secure the election of sufficient TDs to go into coalition with FF on four separate occasions. In essence the party became FF’s mudguard. However it had many apologists in the media.

In the 21st century the party had dispensed with any pretensions to radicalism. It binned any real commitment to tax cuts. It cynically supported FFs huge public expenditure splurges in the run in to the 2002 and 2007 general elections. In the 2002 general election it fared reasonably well by securing eight seats with a miniscule share of the vote. Some FG supporters switched to the PDs to prevent an overall FF majority. When Michael McDowell replaced Mary Harney as leader he became more FF than FF itself. McDowell continued to savagely attack FG. This was political folly as he had secured election largely with loaned FG votes. Mary Harney ran into serious difficulties as Minister for Health.

The electorate finally administered the coup de grace in the 2007 general election. The PDs returned with just two TDs- Mary Harney and Noel Grealish. The party lost high profile TDs such as McDowell, Liz O’Donnell, Tim O’Malley and Tom Parlon. It was fatally wounded even though once more it joined FF and the Greens in coalition.

Since the 2007 general election the party has continued to haemorrhage support. PD TD Noel Grealish intended to join FF.
Mercifully today the party was put out of its misery. Mary Harney intends to function as an independent whilst Fiona O’Malley and Noel Grealish will join FF. Party leader Ciaran Cannon may join FG. FG is the party, which stands to gain most as the PDs-though an FF splinter party- managed to siphon off support mainly from FG.

Ireland- A Government of contradictions.

The Government is glued together by the elixir of power. Nevertheless it is a Coalition beset by contradictions.

Noel Grealish PD TD for Galway West launched an attack on the Mahon Tribunal on Morning Ireland this morning. Loyal FF supporters were no doubt highly impressed. Noel continues to foster the illusion that the PDs exist as a meaningful party. Meanwhile he engages in negotiations with FF to smooth the path for an eventual return to FF. Noel comes from the FF gene pool so FF is his natural home.
Mary Harney acting PD leader-who will retire at the next General Election- refused to lend support to Grealish's utterances but then sought to divert attention by introducing red herrings about the opposition. The PDs are no longer a meaningful political party. In most constituencies PDs are as scarce as Eskimos in the Sahara.

The Green party in opposition strongly opposed the redrafted EU Constitution. In Government Green Party Ministers will urge a yes vote in the referendum. Will the rank and file members jettison Green Party policy? The Greens have consistently opposed the use of Shannon Airport by the US military. In Government they have acquiesced in its use.
In opposition they opposed incineration. In Government they have accepted that incineration will be a cornerstone of waste disposal.

In Government the Greens have adopted the same policy as FF on the Tribunals. Namely that there should be no rush to judgement until the Tribunals report. In opposition they condemned FF. John Gormley did state that he had full confidence in the Mahon Tribunal.

Up to seven FF Ministers have come out and lambasted the Tribunal. Yet John Gormley and Mary Harney have expressed confidence in the Mahon Tribunal.
FG intends to introduce a motion of confidence-in the Dail- in the Mahon Tribunal
How will Government Ministers square the circle?

Ireland-Noel Grealish A Conditional PD

The news that secret negotiations have taken place between Fianna Fáil and PD Dáil Deputy Noel Grealish with a view to him ‘jumping ship’ is hardly surprising. The PD party resembles a ship heading for the rocks. PD members are as scarce as snow in the Sahara in most constituencies. The appalling general Election performance appears to have been the coup de grace.

The PD party grew out of the split in FF in 1985. This essentially resulted from personality differences between Desmond O'Malley and Charles Haughey. There were also major differences on Northern Ireland. The PDs consisted of anti Haugheyites, a ragbag of independents, some disillusioned FGaelers, carpetbaggers and extreme right wingers. Many of its founders-as FF members -supported the disastrous FF Manifesto of 1977 which was a major cause of Ireland economic difficulties in the 1980s. The party espoused low taxation and liberal policies. In reality income tax rates were reduced through shifting the burden to indirect taxation. Taxation as a percentage of GNP is rising in Ireland. From 2002 to 2005 the burden of personal taxation has risen. The PD input in the last FF/PD Government was negligible. The PDs have consistently formed coalition governments with FF. Haughey and O'Malley have departed the political stage. There are no major ideological differences between FF and the PDs. The PDs no longer have a raison d'etre.

Grealish comes from a strong FF background so it is inevitable that he will return to his natural political home. Apparently he is waiting for the results of an study into the future of the party. PD councillors are in many cases contemplating departure from the party. Many will probably join FF. Others will join FG.