Martin attacks EU and blames euro for economic mess
In a marked departure from the party’s strongly pro-European stance, Mr Martin said Fianna Fáil would formulate proposals on the future of the European Union in the coming months.
“We are deeply concerned about the lack of leadership at European Union level,” he said at his party’s annual think-in, taking place in Tallaght in Dublin.
He criticised the “piecemeal approach” to the economic crisis by European leaders and the “lack of conviction from the centre of Europe”.
Mr Martin also launched a stinging attack on the European Central Bank (ECB) for enforcing interest-rate hikes when they did not need to, and he said the Government accepted its decisions without any debate.
He denied that Fianna Fáil was moving towards Euro-scepticism, but said: “I think we have to critically look at the union, its capacity to respond, how fit for purpose it is.”
Admitting that Fianna Fáil “did contribute” to the crisis, he said: “Most international commentators, when they comment on the Irish, Portuguese, Spanish and European crisis, date it back to the decision to join the euro currency itself and point to the flawed design of that currency.”
He said this coincided with moves to increase competition among banks, “hence the flow of cheap money into the country ... which fuelled the property bubble”.
Mr Martin also sharpened his criticism of the Fine Gael-Labour coalition. describing it as “cynical” for now implementing policies it had opposed as recently as January when in opposition.
“There’s only so much of this over-hyping and under-delivering that Fine Gael and Labour will be able to get away with,” he said in a speech to TDs and senators.
Mr Martin also called for clarity from the Government on their spending plans for the next four years and said he supports the Government’s plans to get the deficit to 8.6% of GDP next year, whatever level of budget adjustment required.
He said Fianna Fáil would offer “constructive” opposition, supporting the Government when it believed its strategy was correct.
He said Sinn Féin and the Technical Group were opposing for the sake of it: “This approach lets the government off the hook because it ignores reality and lets policies through without proper scrutiny.”
In the short term, Fianna Fáil will propose an independent debt settlement office with statutory powers to deal with cases of mortgage arrears outside of the courts system. It would have the power to order a debt restructuring arrangement.
Mr Martin said he will propose radical changes to the way the party operates that will be put before its Árd Fheis in February. This will mean a change to a one-member, one-vote system, subscription fees and a possible ending of the 85-year cumann structure in Dublin.
“The basic principle is that we must empower our members,” he said.
