Interesting times ahead?

Today may well prove to be a very important day in the history of Fine Gael. Enda Kenny’s initiative to create policy groups of members of the parliamentary party, the front-bench and experts from the wider party to look at four key areas is a very brave and interesting step

As Enda Kenny rightly highlighted in his speech, the politics of Ireland will remain centrist. The challenge we face in FG is to provide clearly Fine Gael solutions within that context to the problems facing the country, and this is centrally a useful way to come up with radical proposals in that regard. As Enda further pointed out in his speech “we came close to Government. It would be easy for us to think that a little bit more of the same will get us over the line the next time. It won’t.” We need to remember that over the coming months, and vigorously embrace initiatives such as this.

Such an approach requires an honest engagement from the upper echelons of the party to  the outside ideas and influences, and in particular to the many people within the party who are have first hand expertise in the areas under scrutiny. And in return, the membership should actively engage in the debate. If not directly involved, party members should look to foster their own debate on the issues, and promote their own thinking. This blog will look to help in that regard by inviting people to contribute their views on the 4 areas over the coming weeks.

This is an opportunity for a fresh approach to be taken to many of the issues which despite our recent prosperity have not been tackled.  It is an opportunity which the party should vigorously engage with after this week, and it is an opportunity to which all party members and supporters should take.

The four areas highlighted by Enda Kenny for discussion:

1. A Competitive and Green Economy – Achieving Strong and Sustainable Growth in Employment and Living Standards Across the Country

2. Public Services – Delivering Quality Public Services like Education and Health

3. Trust in Politics – Empowering Citizens and Restoring Political Accountability

4. Families and Communities – Balancing the Needs of Family, Community and the Economy and tackling long term issues like poverty and deprived communities .   

Beal na Bláth

This Sunday will see David Puttnam give the oration at the annual Beal na Bláth commeration in west Cork. For those who have forgotten their history, it was at Beal Bláth that Michael Collins was ambushed and killed on the 22nd of August 1922, and in memory of his massive contribution to Irish history, an annual commeration and oration takes places there every year.

Michael Collins

In recent years, those who have made the oration have included Dr. Pat Wallace, Enda Kenny and Michael Noonan, with the Collins 22 Society maintaining transcripts of their orations which make for interesting reading. According to a 2006 Independent article, he lives primarily in Cork, but to be honest, I wouldn’t particularly know much about the man. However, some scouting about the net suggests he should be good.

He is currently Labour Lord in the House of Lords, and has a history in advertising before moving onto the film industry where he was involved as a Director-Producer in a number of quite successful productions such as Chariots of Fire and The Killing Fields and of course the The War of the Buttons. He is currently a Deputy Director of Channel 4, and was one of the main figures involved in drafting UK legislation on broadcasting, particularly as it related to public service broadcasting. At the end of last year, he gave a speech on this area to a BCI conference, which seems to have provoked an interesting debate.

Possibly more interesting however is his current role in the UK with regard to climate change, where he is chairman of a joint committee on Climate Change. Indeed, that committee under Puttnam came out strongly in the past week criticised a government proposed Climate Change bill as not going far enough. In addition, he also addressed the issue of the digital divide, and the resulting implications for equal opportunity for all in society.

There are a large number of issues which he may well address, and it looks like it should be a very interesting event. Unfortunately I won’t be able to make it along myself, but if anyone out there can make it down for the 3pm oration and would be willing to write up a report on it, and take a few photos to let us know what went on, please drop us a line.