Television coverage of the 2008 Labour Party Conference

This week the Fás director, Rody Molloy, has resigned following the exposé of his over-indulgence in luxury, at taxpayers expense. Following Senator Shane Ross’s investigations, Mr Molloy angered the public. Many were appalled at his jetting around at a time when people are being laid off along with the economic downturn. He didn’t commit criminal activity, it’s just his extravagance has come at a bad time. Mr Molloy did his decent duty and, following severe criticism in the media, resigned. Fás, one imagines, has been rocked by this news. There will have to be reform implemented for people’s confidence to return to Ireland’s top employment / training agency.

It’s Saturday morn and the television is on. We are greeted by Michael D Higgins in his typical, forthright and fighting best. He is addressing the Labour Party Conference being held in Kilkenny. I have a lot of time for MDH and he has considerable experience in foreign affairs. It is a shame he was never a tenant in Iveagh House. He was wearing, what looked like, a hastily put on tie. Always a passionate speaker he spoke on the importance of the unity of the left in Ireland. I am non-partisan when it comes to Irish politics however I have long admired this Galway TD with his super-intellect. We need more people like Mr Higgins in public life. Bono once said he’d be ‘pissed off’ if MDH wasn’t in government. Not half as much as me, Mr Hewson.
Next to speak was Joan Burton TD. She spoke in rather sonorous tones but, like an abandoned car alarm, I got used to her siren. Opening her speech she told delegates she’d got her hair done (a reference to Mary Harney’s media hounding over her follicle expenses). Speaker after speaker addressed delegates and they included: Manuel Cortes (British Trade Unionist), Willie Penrose TD, Roisín Shortall TD and Joanna Tuffy TD.
Jack O’Connor of SIPTU talked, or rather preached, to delegates in an extremely passionate manner. Mr O’Connor was scathing of the current government. I thought his glasses were going to fall off, at one point, like a skier going off the piste. JO’C had a rather aggressive speaking style (similar to another Unionist north of the border). He angrily denounced the government along with the banking system. If the Labour Party was more powerful, a la Fianna Fáil, Mr O’Connor’s clout would be near insurmountable.

Labour has, electorally, a much lower attraction to voters. Around 20 – 30 seats in the Dáil is about as far as they can go. It’s the ‘glass ceiling’. The Irish people will be closer to the economic policy engineered by the likes of Charlie McCreevy (former Finance minister) rather than Labour’s economic doctrine. However left-wing politics is grounded in a political ideology that seems never to have been fully embraced by Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael. From the era of William Martin Murphy to that of Michael O’Leary, Labour has always stood up fro workers rights, even if they represent a minority.

I’m watching David Begg (SIPTU) speaking. He, like JO’C, sports a beard but is less angry in the way he speaks. Intellectual rigour appears to be his style. Indeed he’s considered and logical. I imagine he would be good at reminding a more right-wing government of its responsibilities. He politely tells those listening of the depressing economic outlook in Ireland right now. Mr Begg talks of the importance of Irish people to spend and spend (like Mr Brown’s fiscal stimuli in the UK). Keynes, as well as other economists, gets name-checked and Begg earns warm applause when he speaks of the ‘Credit Crunch’. He provides a clear analysis of the current problems – nearly everyone has their own analysis – that face the Irish economy and of workers rights. Mr Begg finishes his speech by quoting, scourge of the left, Donald Rumsfeld: "I used to think I was wrong but by then I thought that I was wrong to think I was wrong". He has the delegates reeling.

Of all those who spoke this morning the most impressive was Seán Sherlock TD. The Cork deputy opened a well crafted speech with reference to Marx (Groucho, not Karl) and delegates duly chuckled. Lean and well dressed, Mr Sherlock spoke clearly and finished his address by quoting from Billy Bragg’s book The Progressive Patriot. I hope and expect Mr Sherlock’s star to rise.

The news, this morning, is headed by the Taoiseach’s meeting with County Councillors. He may also need to listen to those gathered in Kilkenny this Saturday morn in late November 2008. There is a distinct chill in the air and I’m not referring solely to the weather. Economic matters demand attention and this conference is unlikely to offer Mr Cowen much respite.