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TÁNAISTE EAMON GILMORE once feared for the financial survival of the State, he told participants at the MacGill Summer School yesterday.
Speaking at the school, which is held in Glenties, Co Donegal, he paid tribute to John Hume, who he said “has shaped the Ireland in which we live today” more than most.
Reform
Nothing that the theme of the 2012 John Hume lecture is ‘reforming and rebuilding our state’, he said:
There were days when I feared for the financial survival of the State.
But he said that following agreement at the European summit on Ireland’s bank debt, and given the progress that it has made on a number of core economic issues, “our prospects of economic recovery have been substantially improved”.
No one doubts that there are still difficulties to confront. No one doubts that the true test of progress is the creation of jobs and improving the situation of those thousands of families in Ireland who have been profoundly affected by the crisis. But we now have a far stronger platform on which to build.
Gilmore said that the core task of this Government “is to deal with the deep economic crisis that we inherited, and to build a sustainable economic recovery”.
It is our clear and stated aim, to restore financial stability, to renew growth, and above all, to create jobs. To restore our economic sovereignty, by exiting the EU/IMF programme.
Speaking about the Troubles, and in particular the Greysteel massacre, the Labour leader said:
That dark and difficult time was almost 20 years ago. The Ireland we live in today is virtually unrecognisable. The troubles as we knew them are at an end.
Change
Comparing Ireland 20 years ago to today, he said “we can see that from great moments of crisis, can also come great change”.
Gilmore said that change will depend not just on the actions of governments, but “on the willingness of individuals both to embrace and work for change”.
Reforming and rebuilding the state is not, therefore, just an exercise in constitutional amendment, the changing of laws or the remaking of institutions.
He added that: “At times of crisis, it is all too easy to turn inwards.”
“We can no longer think of reform and rebuilding this State as a purely domestic project. Our state does not stand in splendid isolation,” said Gilmore, noting Ireland’s role within the wider context of the European Union and the rest of the world.
Trade
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade said that the emphasis on building a political and trade relationship with countries in Asia is spurred on by the fact that “economically many believe that this will be the Asian century”.
He described Africa as “the coming continent”, and said he will be travelling to East Africa later this week.
Of the Irish economy, Gilmore said:
Since the Great Famine, and before it, the economy of Ireland has not, for any sustained period of time, provided a secure and sustainable living for all the people of Ireland.
We should never again allow ourselves to become dependent on any one sector, or any one market, and certainly not on the domestic property sector.
Gilmore said that Ireland cannot allow bad economic management to lead to economic stagnation, and said “this must be the moment when we break out of the cycle of economic crises”.
The Tánaiste said that the Government is engaged in a major programme of reform of how it delivers children’s services, and that it is making changes in education.
He also said that the pledge to introduce universal health insurance is “ambitious”, “but we can do it if we take it step-by-step.”.
Regarding the relationship between Church and State, he commented:
Now is the time to build a new relationship between Church and State in Ireland, based on mutual understanding and respect, but also on the primacy of personal freedom.
Media
Gilmore also spoke of the Irish media, and questioned how it will evolve over the coming two decades:
Twenty years from now, will newspapers as we know them still exist? Where will people turn for reliable information and commentary? How will people be sure that the information that they are getting is accurate, or that commentary is reflective rather than reactive.
He said the country needs a media “that will provide for fair and balanced debate, but the only thing we can be certain of, is that the media will look radically different in twenty years time”.
Hope
In concluding his speech, the Tanaiste ended on a positive note:
I am hopeful for our future. I believe that Ireland is a good country, with enormous reserves of talent, determination and grit. Our economy will recover. But it is not enough simply to put the pieces back together again. We must build something better and new.
Gilmore said that the crisis “can be a turning point” for a “new and better Ireland” to be built.
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Poor fool will go down as big a traitor as biffo and the labour party is over
Their lack of action speaks volumes more than their empty words. That goes for all in government.
and yet for all the criminality, treachery and incompetence of the last Govt. Not even a single FF’er is behind bars. Destroying and robbing the country it seems is acceptable.
P.s.
I don’t think it is possible for anyone to go down as big for treachery to country as Lenihan and Cowen and co. will be recorded in history. That is a level that cannot be replicated, no matter how twisted a Govt. we’ll ever have.
Jeebus, don’t forget Bertie.
In government people see reality not through idealistic tinted glasses be they Blue (right wing), red (left wing) green (Greens) , they have not necessarily changed, they now see things as they really are and thankfully change.
Never mind this speech. The one that will define Eamon Gilmore for ever is “Frankfurt’s way or Labour’s way”.
of course Gilmore doesn’t want us to look inward as this government have killed the domestic economy with their policies. They still blame a Fianna F?il and the Greens for all the bad things. Praise the advances in bailout terms on their work when in truth Ireland’s improvement in terms is because of Spain and Italy. This government have not helped any Irish person. The only reason they are still in government is that there is no viable alternative government.
“To the rulers of the state then, if to any, it belongs of right to use falsehood, to deceive either enemies or their own citizens, for the good of the state: and no one else may meddle with this privilege”
Plato- 428 BC-348 BC
I agree with Plato on this one. What party man is he?
Plato believed a country should be ruled by philosopher-kings, the very wisest and considered of men in society.
Which means that Eamon Gilmore would never have met Plato’s criteria to rule society.
But that won’t stop the fool pontificating up in Donegal for the week with such prophetic gems as ‘There are still difficulties to confront’.
On the same day Spanish bond yields make the eurozone economy scream Eamon moves a bit of furniture around the deck of the Titanic with his middle of the road blaringly obvious observations.
Pure nauseousness.
All rhetoric, and hot air from Gilmore. We might have believed him before but no longer.
I’m fed up of thejournal.ie’s Shinners and Fianna Fail supporters personally insulting members of the government. Can’t thejournal.ie change the rules to force each poster to change his/her avatar to show the political party he/she supports? It’ll give us instant and valuable perspective. It would have been useful to have in the run up to the Fiscal Compact vote.
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