Will Fianna Fail do a "Tallaght Strategy"?

cleremy jarkson

Assuming Fianna Fail will be the major party in opposition, will Michael Martin take a leaf out of Alan Dukes' book and not oppose the deep cuts which the (probable Fine Gael/ Labour coalition are going to have to make to meet the IMF's demands and keep us afloat? Or will he oppose necessary cuts, to the state pension for example college fee increases, to gain support from certain sections of society?

Liam Byrne

Well FF supporters here seem to put great importance on a "strong opposition", using it as an argument for FF not to be annihilated, so I guess that would imply that he shouldn't "not oppose" things.

JacksonHeightsOwn

exactly what is a "tallaght strategy", and where does the term come from?

El Siglo

chrisbonnie wrote: »

exactly what is a "tallaght strategy", and where does the term come from?

This.

In Irish politics, the Tallaght Strategy was a policy followed by the Fine Gael party starting in 1987. Under this policy, the Fine Gael opposition party would not oppose economic reforms proposed by the Fianna Fáil minority government in the national interest. This strategy was a major departure from the conventional normalities of Irish political behaviour, with a bitter division between the two main parties Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael dating back to the Irish Civil War of the 1920s.
The strategy was named after a speech given by Fine Gael party leader Alan Dukes to the Tallaght Chamber of commerce on 2 September 1987:

"When the Government is moving in the right direction, I will not oppose the central thrust of its policy. If it is going in the right direction, I do not believe that it should be deviated from its course, or tripped up on macro-economic issues."

Although it did not benefit the party directly – Fine Gael gained only four seats in the 1989 general election, and did not form part of the subsequent government – Fine Gael maintain that this policy of cooperation between the opposition and the government laid the foundations for the Celtic Tiger economic boom of the 1990s – "A decision by the Fine Gael opposition to support all moves towards fiscal reform...allowed the fierce spending and tax cuts that began to transform Ireland from a banana republic into a 'Celtic Tiger'."[2]
During an RTÉ interview on 7 September 2008, the Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, commenting on the worsening economic situation in Ireland said that Fine Gael "would work in the interest of the economy and the people" but ruled out a return to Tallaght Strategy.[3]
In October 2010, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan of the Green Party, called for a 'Tallaght Strategy Mark Two' in order to pass the 2011 government budget.[4] Fine Gael rejected calls for a new Tallaght Strategy.

Think that's it.

Japer

thank God Fine Gael did adopt a Tallagh strategy during the last recession, as thats one good reason we got out of it, I think everyone agrees.

Rubik.

I expect FG and Labour to have a big enough majority not to need FF support and I expect FF to be as populist as possible in their opposition.

RichardAnd

Rubik. wrote: »

I expect FG and Labour to have a big enough majority not to need FF support and I expect FF to be as populist as possible in their opposition.

I expect FG will make the nessicary cuts to our inflated little state and, as a result, be loathed by Joe Public. FF will probably adopt a populist stance and when election time rolls around once again, be re-elected and then the whole cycle starts off again.

When Ireland's people grow up, we'll have a proper government. Untill then, we can only hope.

Pete_Cavan

cleremy jarkson wrote: »

Assuming Fianna Fail will be the major party in opposition, will Michael Martin take a leaf out of Alan Dukes' book and not oppose the deep cuts which the (probable Fine Gael/ Labour coalition are going to have to make to meet the IMF's demands and keep us afloat? Or will he oppose necessary cuts, to the state pension for example college fee increases, to gain support from certain sections of society?

A Fine Gael/ Labour coalition would be very strong and would have no need for FF. Surely a Tallaght Strategy can only be adopted if FG form a minority government, in which case they would need FF.

I am hoping for a FG government with the help of a small number of independents (such as Shane Ross, Noel Grealish and Paul Sommerville) because I think that is the only way we will get out of this mess. Failing that, a FG minority government with the support of Tallaght Strategy FF would be the next best option. The problem with that is it relies on FF putting the good of the nation before the good of the party, so I wont be holding my breath for that.

macannrb

Rubik. wrote: »

I expect FG and Labour to have a big enough majority not to need FF support and I expect FF to be as populist as possible in their opposition.

FF made the mess and they will want to be back in power as soon as possible. The tallaght strategy was in the national interest. FF have no national interest at all.

They will block everything in their power, and they will try to gain all the support they can for the GE after this one. All the great ideas that are suddenly coming out about political reform are populist, if they weren't they would have been enacted in the last 13 years of FF rule.