Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

No. That is good. It must be the new politics at work again. I welcome this discussion on the summer economic statement. While I would not say the new budgetary process is revolutionary, it will certainly represent an improvement if it works out. I hope that rather than being something tokenistic or decorative, this process will mark a serious attempt to open up the budgetary process and allow for a serious debate on the budgetary proposals made by the Government and the Opposition. Voices from civil society need to be allowed in to that debate as well. I think this would be positive.

I see this process as being connected to what is being referred to as "the new politics", which is a phrase that is becoming somewhat tiresome. I would be a little more optimistic about the new politics in the context of the seismic shift that took place in the recent general election. New forces, particularly from the left, have come into the Dáil on the back of significant politicisation and mobilisation in society in general in the aftermath of the 2008 crash. I think the public at large has become far more sophisticated in its attitude to what is going on in the political sphere, far more knowledgeable about economics and far more involved in debates about why the crash happened and how it was responded to. Frankly, I do not think many people inside or outside the Dáil knew what a bondholder was before 2008. These days, we can go to the nearest bus stop to hear a fairly sophisticated discourse on bondholders and bond yields. As things have changed, the mass of the public has engaged in a positive and more politicised way with what happens in here and with economic debate. I think that has forced the political system to take debate more seriously. I hope this budgetary process will see that change reflected.

It is nice to win a victory, or a few victories, at the outset of this budgetary process. I refer to the Government's decision to back off on water charges, in effect, and to back away from bin charge increases. The overwhelming rejection of this regressive form of taxation by the majority of the people, which was an absolutely critical factor in the general election, has sent a salutary message to the establishment political parties. This has been reflected in the decision to suspend water charges. Obviously, we will continue to fight for the abolition of such charges. Those who spoke loudly on the streets and at the ballot box as they demanded a change of direction with regard to tax policy have won some tremendous victories on foot of such mobilisation. The establishment has been forced to concede. I joked briefly with the Minister, Deputy Noonan, outside that he seems to have been turning to the left. Maybe I should now start referring to comrade Donohoe and comrade Murphy.

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