[articles]More politically incorrect thoughts from Equality Minister.

mike65

This from Ireland.com

McDowell says inequality an incentive in the economy
Patsy McGarry, Religious Affairs Correspondent


The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr McDowell, has described the Equality Authority as "a ginger group" and said inequality is an incentive in the Irish economy.

The Equality Authority was a "ginger group as well as a statutory body", he said in an interview with the Irish Catholic.

He totally opposed a suggestion from the chief executive of the Equality Authority, Mr Niall Crowley, that a press council would help ensure the media drive an equality-based agenda.

"A dynamic liberal economy like ours," the Minister said, "demands flexibility and inequality in some respects to function." It was such inequality "which provides incentives".

"Driven to a complete extreme, the current rights culture and equality notion would create a feudal society. A society so ordered, static, and where the Government tries to order everything by law, it would become as atrophied as a feudal society.

"The order is imposed from top down and people have to fit into this order, infused by an imposed morality." He did not believe in "the great planned society", Mr McDowell said.

On the Equality Authority's action against Portmarnock Golf Club, for banning women members, he said he did not believe "it was the intention of the Oireachtas at the time of passing equality legislation to outlaw completely single gender or otherwise discriminatory clubs having access to drink licences".

The Equality Authority took a case against Portmarnock Golf Club in Dublin District Court last November, on the basis that the club's men-only policy was discriminatory under the terms of the Equal Status Act 2000.

Portmarnock maintained the club was private and had the power of exclusion, and was not contravening the Act. Last February the court found in the Equality Authority's favour.

Mr McDowell told the Irish Catholic, that "if the Irish Countrywomen's Association facility in Termonfeckin had a drink licence it would not give me a sleepless night".

Speaking to The Irish Times last night, Mr Crowley said Mr McDowell's comments amounted to "soundbites from a bigger position", but "opened up the possibility of a very significant and profound debate on equality in Irish society".

Equality was "not a soundbite issue" but should "be addressed from a thought-out basis", Mr Crowley said.

In the same interview, Mr McDowell said he was "deeply sceptical of State-controlled syllabuses" in schools, and that, when it came to religion in schools, he did not believe it was "an entitlement of the State to impose a syllabus or curriculum".

Leftist response-

From Politics Ireland

Michael McDowell's increasingly desperate attempts to make the PDs relevant to these elections have reached a new low, Labour MEP Prioinsias De Rossa has said "But while he is deliberately courting controversy, his description of inequality in Irish society as economic 'incentive', shows up the true colours of the Fianna Fáil/PD coalition.

"How does sending children to school too hungry to concentrate on their lessons grow the Irish economy?

"How does abandoning people to poverty and distress enhance our GNP?

"How does it make economic sense to bar the gates of our third level institutions to the best and brightest from low-income backgrounds, while those who can pay second-level fees get ahead?

"Does the Minister not know that it was women, and their increased participation in the workforce who were one of the driving forces behind the Celtic Tiger? How does it enhance economic growth to discriminate against them? Where is the economic advantage in discrimination against people on the grounds of race, of sexual orientation, or any other arbitrary basis.

"In fact, the European Constitution, which the Taosieach is supposed to be bringing to fruition makes equality a core value for Europe, and makes equality between men and women one of Europe's objectives.

"Ireland has consistently been shown, in study after study, to be one of the most unequal countries in Europe. During their seven years in office, Fianna Fáil and the PDs have consistently transferred wealth upwards, and have worsened inequality. Michael McDowell, has simply articulated the arrogant desiccated thinking behind their policies.

"This kind of 'Gordon Gekko' stuff clearly demonstrates the urgency with which we must rid ourselves of this Government. In the meanwhile, I would be interested to know whether his Government colleagues Eoin Ryan and Royston Brady share these views"

I'm definitly with McDowell, whats wrong with inequality exactly?

Do we want to go the "loony left" route and end up banning school sport as it encourages competition? Should we hand everyone the same things on a plate and kill ambition?

Nope, the fact the other mans grass is greener reflects human nature. We want to better ourselves and dont mind too much if others are'nt doing as well (if we're being entirely honest). It keeps the wheels spinning and creates wealth.

Mike.

article6

To be honest, I have to agree with the two Mikes. There are two different types of equality - income equality and social equality - and Mr De Rossa focusses on income equality, because he knows that the Irish people generally don't want a Government Authority telling them how to run their organisations and clubs. I think De Rossa confused income equality and social equality somewhat near the end of his piece - perhaps deliberately; the two types are quite clearly delineated in the article.

Even on income equality, De Rossa is dodging the real point - that Ireland is now much richer than it was under the high-tax, small-tax take system of the 1980s. Both rich and poor have gained from the boom, though the upper- and middle-classes gained more. Although I think the current Government has truly failed those who depend on public schools and public hospitals, the old Workers' Party dream of perfect income equality - equal pay for unequal work - never came true in Ireland and probably never will. Thank God for that.

Victor

Originally posted from Ireland.com
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr McDowell, has described the Equality Authority as "a ginger group" and said inequality is an incentive in the Irish economy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger_Group :dunno: is he advocating they be shot?

It's somewhat ironic of the minister to say things like this - the equality authorities work actually helps the economy by removing artificial, social boundaries that prevent economic activity.

Manach

Yes but if these impediments to business are such as alleged threat to competitivness in the first place, would not market forces compel the firms to act. What need then for the Equality Authority?

shotamoose

McDowell and others seem to be confusing economic inequality with inequality of rights. It's certainly arguable that some degree of economic inequality provides an economic incentive and is therefore a good thing, but what has this got to do with ethnic, gender or sexuality inequality? I would have thought that a situation in which, say, women are paid less than men for exactly the same work is actually a disincentive for women to work.

McDowell's statement that "Driven to a complete extreme, the current rights culture and equality notion would create a ... society so ordered, static, and where the Government tries to order everything by law, it would become as atrophied as a feudal society" - is just wrong. Equality in terms of common human rights directly undermines the systems that characterised 'feudal' society: patriarchy, caste systems, polical oppression, slavery and so on.

Victor

Originally posted by Manach
Yes but if these impediments to business are such as alleged threat to competitivness in the first place, would not market forces compel the firms to act.

This assumes we have working competition and a perfect market, which we don't have.

http://home.eircom.net/content/unison/national/3290198?view=Eircomnet

Charity blasts McDowell for 'implying inequality is OK'
From:The Irish Independent
Saturday, 29th May, 2004

THE Society of St Vincent De Paul has strongly criticised Justice Minister Michael McDowell for "giving the impression that inequality is OK and something we don't have to worry about".

The charity's head of social policy John Monaghan was responding to remarks by Mr McDowell in the 'Irish Catholic' newspaper in which he said "an economy like ours demands flexibility and inequality in some respects to function."

Mr Monaghan said: "If he means that not everyone can be on the same wage or live in the same-size houses then we have no problem with that.

"But if he means that poverty doesn't really matter, or if that's what he is taken to mean, then this would be very troubling.

"Minister McDowell seems to think that we must have inequality to have a modern, dynamic economy. In the experience of the society, the opposite is the case. The more equal a society is, the more people can participate, the more dynamic it will be."

The remark has also drawn political condemnation. Fine Gael's spokesman on Community Affairs Fergus O'Dowd said: "The very idea that the Justice Minister expresses a level of admiration for inequality in society is utterly disgraceful and reflects his 'dog eat dog' vision for Ireland."

Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa said Mr McDowell's "description of inequality in Irish society as economic 'incentive' shows up the true colours of the Fianna Fail/PD coalition.

"How does abandoning people to poverty and distress enhance our GNP?"

Mr McDowell's remarks were made in an interview in the 'Irish Catholic'.

He told the newspaper: "A dynamic liberal economy like ours demands flexibility and inequality in some respects to function. It is this inequality which provides incentives."

David Quinn and Senan Moloney

Inequality also provides good fees for Barristers I suppose.

Yoda

In what way is inequality with regard to partnership/marriage "an incentive" to gay and lesbians? Is Mr McDowell suggesting that they marry straight people in order to be "equal"?