Farm pensions U-turn - Decision is wrong and inequitable

THIS week’s decision by Minister for Social and Family Affairs Éamon O Cuív to overturn a decision made by his predecessor, Mary Hanafin, epitomises so much of what is wrong in this country. It proves, as if it needed proving, that the monkey with the biggest stick gets all the coconuts.

It proves too that Fianna Fáil, always with an eye on the next election, are incapable of opposing powerful pressure groups even when they are wrong. That the decision was welcomed by the Irish Farmers’ Association, Fine Gael and Labour only serves only to underline how used to taking the line of least resistance we all have become and how reluctant politicians are to adopt an unpopular position even if it is the right one.

In this instance it seems that because a relatively small amount of money is involved it was far easier to cough up rather than face the criticism supporting Ms Hanafin’s correct decision would have entailed.