Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)

It is interesting that we are debating the final leg of this Private Members' motion on the day we also debated the austerity treaty, its merits and so on. There is a root to both debates. This reverts to the great economic debate of the past century between Hayek and Keynes. Hayek believed in small government and unbridled, free market capitalism that could trickle down. Keynes believed in interventionism and that the role of the state was to intervene during recessions. Such intervention is badly needed to solve our crisis.

Thatcher and Reagan embraced Hayek's philosophy with a zeal and sought to deregulate many of their economies' sectors, privatise and liberalise public services where possible and drive down wages and conditions. They believed in this approach passionately. It is all interconnected. It is the reason for our banking crisis. Unbridled, fierce capitalism has left a devastated mess behind.

What do we get in response to the failure of that right-wing Thatcherite ideology? More of the same. We have an austerity treaty which aims at cutting public services and we are getting rid of our State assets in a panicked fire sale at the worst possible moment in order to meet the demands of those who have failed us.

This betrayal of the promises made to the people over the years affects our health system as well as State assets. HIQA is trying to do its important job at a time when health services are suffering from a lack of investment in health services. This under-investment in community hospitals and long-stay homes plays into the hands of the private sector. Private nursing homes are stepping in to do the job that the State used to do while also driving down wages and conditions because nurses are paid a lot less in the private sector. Our hospitals' car parks, shops and cafés are being privatised. Resources are being removed from local authorities and handed over to the private sector. The unwritten rule in every aspect of our public services demands that we cut out what we can because the private sector can do it cheaper, regardless of the impact on services for the public. That was the experience with Eircom.

This motion goes to the heart of the crisis. Unbridled free market capitalism has failed the people of Ireland and of Europe but the solution we are offered is more of the same. There is no modesty in that ideology. The people at the top of governments and institutions across Europe drew up these policies. We are giving away our family jewels to pay off the people who failed us. The impact will be devastating.

At some point Government Deputies will have to ignore the speaking notes they were given by their press office and do their own research. They will have to speak to the people who work in these organisations or look into their own hearts to remind themselves why they entered politics. I guarantee them the answer will not be to vote against a motion which reflects the principles they used to represent.

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