The 32nd annual MacGill Summer School ran from July 22nd to 27th and continued with its agenda of reform of our political system as well as of our institutions – social, political and economic. It took place in the context of there being no real economic growth, a growing public and private debt and ongoing efforts to bring the public finances under control with, as a result, austerity measures biting hard and much international uncertainty, especially in the eurozone for which the prospects appeared gloomy as the situation in one of the large member states, Spain, became very serious. In the background as well was the growing dissatisfaction with what was seen as the inadequacies of the Croke Park Agreement and in particular the slow pace of reform of the public service and the structures thereof.
MacGill also returned to the question of our political system and its inadequacies with some excellent contributions on the urgent need for reform of our system of governance.
The MacGill School came in the wake of the publication of the Moriarty and Mahon Tribunal reports and the subsequent realisation that not enough had been done by those directly involved in local and national politics, by the electorate and indeed by the media to call for a halt to corrupt practices, particularly in the areas of planning and rezoning. The problems in the media itself, as the Levenson Inquiry in the UK was publishing its findings, came under scrutiny.
The upcoming referendum on children’s rights resulted in several papers being delivered which painfully reminded us of the suffering which had been inflicted on some of our children over decades, due to lack of governance, negligence, ignorance and, of course, evil.
Most of the papers delivered at the 2012 MacGill last July are reproduced here with the minimum of editing and, whilst change largely for the better has taken place in the interim, they are essential reading for those who share the MacGill objective of building a better Ireland.
J.M.
The 12th Annual John Hume Lecture:
REFLECTING ON THE PROGRESSIVE AGENDA
Eamon Gilmore TD, Leader of the Labour Party, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade
CREATING A CULTURE OF INTEGRITY
Senator Averil Power, Fianna Fáil spokesperson on Education & Skills
POLITICAL CORRUPTION IS NOT JUST ABOUT BROWN ENVELOPES
Frank Flannery, Chairman, National Forum on Philanthropy
THE CORRUPTION OR BROKENNESS OF IRISH POLITICS
Pat Leahy, Political Editor, Sunday Business Post
NOT ONLY CORRUPTION BUT TREASON TOO
Justine McCarthy, Sunday Times, author of “Mary McAleese – the Outsider” and “Deep Deception – Ireland’s Swimming Scandals”
THE MAHON AND MORIARTY TRIBUNAL REPORTS – HOW WAS IT ALLOWED TO HAPPEN: WHY DID NO ONE SHOUT STOP?
Michael Smith, Editor, Village Magazine, former Chair of An Taisce
OFFICIAL IRELAND
Elaine Byrne, TCD, Author of ‘Political Corruption in Ireland 1922-2010’
THE CONSTITUTION’S REPLACEMENT IS DESIRABLE
Des O’Malley, former Minister, former Leader of the Progressive Democrats
A CHANCE TO BREATHE FRESH LIFE INTO IRISH DEMOCRACY
Niall Collins TD, Fianna Fail spokesperson on Environment, Community & Local Government
LOCAL GOVERNMENT – RIPE FOR GENUINE REFORM
Dr Brid Quinn, University of Limerick
LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Phil Hogan TD, Minister for the Environment, Community & Local Government
TRUST IN AND LOYALTY TO THE STATE NEED TO BE EARNED
Joan Burton TD, Minister for Social Protection
A NEW VISION OF THE FUTURE IS WITHIN OUR GRASP
Peadar Tóibín TD, Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise, Jobs & Innovation
LOYALTY TO AND RESPECT FOR OUR STATE
Michael McDowell SC, former Minister for Justice and Tánaiste, former Leader of the Progressive Democrats
THE RHETORIC OF REFORM: WHAT STOPS REFORM FROM HAPPENING?
Dr Niamh Hardiman, School of Politics and International Relations, UCD, author of “Crisis in Irish Governance”
WHAT WE NEED IS TO RESTORE FAITH IN OUR POLITICS
Alex White TD, Minister of State at the Department of Health
INSTITUTIONAL REFORM: NECESSITY OR DISTRACTION?
John Coakley, School of Politics and International Relations UCD
WHERE IS THE BIG POLITICAL THINKING OR VISIONARY POLITICS?
Donncha O’Connell, Lecturer in Law, NUI Galway, member of the Law Reform Commission
THE NEXT ELECTION STARTS THE DAY AFTER THIS ONE
Noel Dempsey, Former Fianna Fáil Minister for Environment & Local Govt, for Education & Science, for Communications, Marine & Natural Resources and for Transport
THE URGENT NEED TO REFORM OUR ELECTORAL SYSTEM
Brendan Halligan, Chair Institute of European Affairs, former General Secretary the Labour Party, former member of Dáil and Seanad
OUR SOCIETY NEEDS FUNDAMENTAL POLITICAL REFORMS
Michéal Martin TD, Leader of Fianna Fáil
IRELAND AT 100: THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE ON EARTH
Paul O’Hara, founder of Change Nation in Ireland and Director of Ashoka (Europe)
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN IRELAND – TURNING THE CORNER OF RENEWAL
Most Rev Dr Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin
DRIVING A RADICALLY DIFFERENT PUBLIC SERVICE
Dr Paul Haran, Principal of College of Business & Law UCD, former Secretary General of Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment
THE DRIVE FOR MORE EFFECTIVE PUBLIC GOVERNANCE
Robert Watt, Secretary-General, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM – THE BALANCE SHEET
Patricia King, Vice-President, SIPTU
BAD GOVERNANCE BROUGHT US TO OUR KNEES
John McGuinness TD, former Minister of State, Chairman Public Accounts Committee
WE MUST MOVE BEYOND CRISIS MANAGEMENT
John Moran, Secretary-General, Department of Finance
TIMES WILL BE ROUGH BUT IRELAND WILL PULL THROUGH
Professor Karl Whelan, School of Economics UCD
PATHWAYS TO RECOVERY FOR IRELAND
Patrick Lenain, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
THE ROLE OF QUALITY JOURNALISM IN OUR DEMOCRACY
Kevin O’Sullivan, Editor, The Irish Times
THE MEDIA – AT ONCE DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE
Michael Heney, former RTE current affairs reporter/producer
THE MEDIA HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO DEMOCRACY
Leo Varadkar TD, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport
WE NEED A FEDERATION OF STATES BUILT ON DIVERSITY
Lucinda Creighton TD, Minister of State for European Affairs
THE SURVIVAL OF THE EURO REQUIRES FISCAL UNION AND MORE
Professor Brigid Laffan, University College, Dublin
NEED FOR CHANGE IN THINKING ON EUROPEAN FISCAL UNION
Alan W. Gray, Chairman of London Economics, Managing Partner of Indecon Economic Consultants
PUTTING THE CITIZEN AT THE CENTRE OF PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM AND TAMING THE VESTED INTERESTS
Madeleine Clarke, founding Director of Genio, former Deputy CEO, Barnardos
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE PUT OUR CHILDREN FIRST
Norah Gibbons, Director of Advocacy, Barnardos
MOVING FROM BLEAK FAILURE TO A BRIGHT FUTURE – CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES IN IRELAND
Frances Fitzgerald TD, Minister for Children & Youth Affairs
LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM HAS HUGE POTENTIAL TO HAVE IMPACT
Dr Eoin O’Malley, Lecturer in Irish Politics at School of Law & Government, DCU