Playing hardball not way to handle negotiations

If Irish voters needed any more proof that a Fianna Fáil/Sinn Féin and a ‘whatever you’re having yourself’ coalition will do to the economy, then a report from the influential Harvard Law School leaves no doubt.

The negotiation of the third international bailout by Greece’s leftist-led administration last summer has topped Harvard Law School’s list of ‘Worst Negotiation Tactics of 2015.

The Irish electorate do not need reminding that this was the path eagerly supported by Gerry Adams, Paul Murphy and those only interested in protest politics.

The scramble to be the first on a plane to Greece to support a ‘wreck it all’ negotiating stance instead of supporting the ordinary people of Greece, has proven a disastrous approach.

According to a blog post on the website of the Harvard school’s Program on Negotiation(PON), Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ negotiating ability aggravated an already grave situation for the people of Greece. Dissatisfied with the deal on the table, Tsipras put it up for a referendum vote in Greece. After Greeks rejected it, the Greek economy tumbled even further, and Tsipras and his team were forced to accept an even worse package from Europe.

The lesson to be learned is that Tsipras and his Irish cheerleaders in Sinn Fein and a motley alliance of hard-left TDs would fail in maintaining Ireland’s economic recovery if they ever get their hands on power. Brinkmanship doesn’t work. Showboating and populist rhetoric is disingenuous where people’s livelihoods are at stake.

Cllr Niall Mc Nelis,

Knocknacarra, Galway