The dangers of groupthink
We have been here before. In the years leading up to the 2008 crash, Irish economists and policymakers almost universally presented their ‘wisdom’ in a way that avoided the obvious – we were in the midst of a speculative bubble, financed through the foreign borrowings of private banks, and we were heading off a cliff where a blanket guarantee was seen as the solution.
Remember that ‘soft landing’? No, me neither!
A similar trend is occurring now, where serious and significant issues of economic inequality are being downplayed or ignored, notwithstanding that this inequality is scarring the lives of a massive proportion of our population. Their real lived experiences are being brushed aside as a figment of their, and our, imaginations.
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Workers’ Rights Louise O’Reilly TD has welcomed the publication of a research paper by the Unite Trade Union, Hungry Bellies are not Equal to Full Bellies, which explores inequality and deprivation in Ireland.
Speaking today, Teachta O’Reilly said that while the paper made for sobering reading, it was also an important piece of work that laid out the facts and tackled some misleading claims which had been allowed to surface recently.
Teahcta O’Reilly said:
“The research paper by the Unite Trade Union was a thoroughly researched piece, and while it made for sobering reading, it is an important piece of work which explores the facts behind inequality and deprivation in Ireland.
How Equal A Society Is Ireland?
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A new report has countered claims that economic inequality in Ireland is falling, claiming instead that it is unacceptably high and growing.
The evidence is presented in
Hungry Bellies are not Equal to Full Bellies, published today by the trade union Unite.
Brendan Ogle, senior officer with Unite, joined us to discuss the findings and what can be done to change the situation.
How Equal A Society Is Ireland? 00:00:00 / 00:00:00
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