History’s verdict on merit of Tallaght Strategy remains inconclusive

A BLANK cheque to Charlie Haughey or the birth of the Celtic Tiger years – the ultimate outcome of the “Tallaght Strategy” in which the opposition Fine Gael agreed to support Fianna Fáil’s budgetary strategy, is still a topic of intense debate.

Fine Gael front and backbenchers who were around at the time tell the story of how the speech by their leader, Alan Dukes, at a Tallaght Chamber of Commerce event in September 1987, was the first they heard of their new approach of non-opposing opposition.

Mr Dukes declared his philosophy that “you don’t play politics with the economy”, saying his party would not oppose cuts if they achieved the objective of reducing the budget deficit while opening a way forward for lower taxes and employment growth without adding to the country’s debt problem.