Ahern’s ‘ridiculous statement’ rejected

THE Taoiseach is reported as saying (Irish Examiner, September 6) that when Fine Gael-Labour coalitions were in power in the 1980s and 1990s the economy floundered, and that “when they last had the chance, this country was nearly down the tubes.”

This is just not true.

The period 1995-’97, when the Rainbow held office, does not count as being “down the tubes.”

Under the Rainbow government, growth was more than 40% higher, and inflation more than 40% lower than under Mr McCreevy.

Employment growth was actually stronger under the Rainbow than under seven years of Mr McCreevy, resulting in a fall in the unemployment rate of 4.4%.

In fact, as minister for finance in the Rainbow I was the first minister in decades to bring in a budget surplus. We reduced the debt/GNP ratio from 88.9% to 66%, and set Ireland firmly on course for EMU membership.

In the 1980s, it was the irresponsibility of both the Haughey and Lynch factions within Fianna Fáil that brought the country to near bankruptcy.

The Taoiseach may have forgotten the 1977 FF manifesto, but history hasn’t. The untold human suffering brought on the country by both his own mentor, Mr Haughey, and the Fianna Fáil faction to which the Tánaiste belonged was immeasurable.

Even in the heat of political exchange, these are ridiculous statements for a Taoiseach to make.

Ruairi Quinn TD

The Labour Party

Leinster House

Dublin 2