We need dissenters in pursuit of new society

IN her speech at the Beál na mBláth commemoration (Irish Examiner, August 24), Mary Robinson spoke about the need for a vision of what sort of society we want to see emerge out of our current difficulties.

In her speech she argued for the need for this vision to be based on a broad consensus as opposed to every interest group fighting to protect their own interests. I would argue we also need dissent to inform a vision of Ireland’s future. The building of the national health service in Britain after the Second World War, the New Deal that was implemented during the American depression and President Obama’s current efforts to persuade Americans to reform their health service are the result of having the courage to challenge the consensus about the way society should be.

If we are to emerge a better society in Ireland it will because we do things differently to the way they have been done up until now and the consensus that underpinned government policies.