Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

The fact that 24% of small and medium sized enterprises believe that social partnership is not beneficial, whereas 38% believe that it benefits them, does not suggest "widespread dissatisfaction with the process".

Social partnership has made a significant contribution to the economy in the past 17 years. The social partnership agreements since 1987 have facilitated and encouraged Ireland's economic development and brought benefits to employers, employees and the country. Unemployment now stands at 4.4%, compared to 17% in 1987 when social partnership began. The debt-GDP ratio has fallen from 125% in 1987 to 32.8% at the end of 2003. The rate of inflation was an average of 12% in the ten years to 1987, but it was measured by the CPI in March of this year at 1.3%. The real earnings of workers increased by 40.3% during the period of social partnership. Some 700,000 additional people are working in Ireland today, compared to 1987.

I believe in social partnership, which grew from a consensus among the key economic and social actors in the economy that a single group could not satisfactorily address the challenges facing Ireland in the mid-1980s. Social partnership has a track record in delivering social and economic benefits for all. It has served the country well.

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