Ireland-The Government has the responsibility to rule-not the opposition

The FF/Green/PD government with the support of 4 Independents can muster 89 votes in the Dail to the opposition's 76. The Ceann Comhairle will give his casting vote in favour of the government in the event of a tie. In essence the government has a majority of 13 seats. Interestingly in recent weeks a new current of opinion -set in motion by some journalists- is beginning to flow.
Shane Coleman has floated the idea in the Sunday Tribune that there should be all party agreement on health reforms. Essentially the opposition should get the government which has a 13 seat majority off the hook because it lacks the resolve to carry through its policies on health. Shane must be joking.

Today's Irish Examiner editorial floats the idea of a new Tallaght Strategy. It states "After all, we cannot keep going the way we are". The editorial writer essentially argues that FG should bail out a government with a 13 seat majority . This argument is nonsensical. If the government cannot take the hard decisions it should resign. Government ministers have the merks and the perks. Surely they can absorb the pain fortified, by the huge pay rise granted recently.

Thankfully there is a strong opposition. Ireland requires a vigilant opposition and not a one party state . It is the duty of the opposition to oppose in a constructive manner and to keep the government on its toes. The health of our democracy requires as much.

Ireland-Sunday Independent savages Cowen once more.

The Sunday Independent appears to have a major problem with Brian Cowen. Prior to the General Election it flailed him mercilessly on the issue of Stamp Duty. It then swung in strongly behind FF in the three weeks prior to the election.

The attacks on Cowen have recommenced. Jody Corcoran today in a front page article calls him a "doom and gloom" merchant. Cowen expects a growth rate of 3.5% in the economy whilst NCB brokers expect a 5.5% growth rate. The Stamp Duty issue appears to be at the root of the attack.

When Cowen speaks he has the support of the cabinet including the Taoiseach. He is expressing the Governments view and not just his own. FF is now laying the ground work for the 2012 General Election.


There will be sharp cuts in public expenditure. Within three years the Government will once more have the wherewithal to loosen the purse strings. Public expenditure will once more rocket in the lead in to the 2012 election. A grateful electorate-suffering another dose of amnesia- will once more return FF. That is the FF expectation.


Prior to the 2002 General Election FF allowed public expenditure to spiral out of control. Having won the election Charlie McCreevy slashed public expenditure and introduced a raft of Stealth Taxes. By 2005 the Government was flush with cash. The purse strings were opened and public expenditure reached 13% in 2007. The Government duly won the election. After all the Irish people have short memories. The FF/PD/Green government is now about to adopt the same approach as was used after the 2002 General Election.


The Sunday Independent also carries a front page headline-"State Waste of €10bn in 10 years." FF led Governments are responsible for this. Why did the Sunday Independent support the outgoing FF/PD government?