The Tánaiste, Michael McDowell, and the Labour Party leader, Pat Rabbitte, clashed yesterday on the question of which of their parties was best able to look after the interests of the poor and vulnerable when in government.
Mr McDowell maintained that the weak and the vulnerable were considerably better off with the Progressive Democrats in government rather than with Labour and he cited the welfare increases implemented over the past nine years as evidence for his claim.
Mr Rabbitte responded by saying that it was "entirely hypocritical for the leader of a small niche party that has shamelessly promoted the interests of the well-off to now try and portray himself as the champion of the poor".
Speaking at the annual dinner of the Small Firms Association in Dublin, Mr McDowell said that the choice at the next election would be as much between the Progressive Democrats and Labour as it was between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
"I want to argue the subversive notion that the weak and the vulnerable in our society are better off with the Progressive Democrats in government than with Labour in government," he said. "And I intend to prove that proposition with the facts."
Mr McDowell said it was an incontrovertible fact that jobs growth had been better under the Progressive Democrats. "The most important thing that this Government has done to combat poverty is to preside over the creation of over 600,000 net new jobs. That is a massive contribution to the fight against poverty."
He insisted that from its foundation in 1986 the PDs had been concerned about the role which the tax wedge played in killing jobs: "The left argues that income-tax reductions were all about selfishness. The income-tax reductions were principally about jobs-creation."
Mr McDowell added that the PDs had also brought in the minimum wage. "Not only did Mary Harney preside over unprecedented jobs growth while she was minister for enterprise, trade and employment, but she also successfully piloted the introduction of the minimum wage.
"Where Labour contemplated action, this Government took action."
He also argued that those on welfare were better off under the PDs. "Not everyone can profit from jobs growth or from the introduction of the minimum wage. Pensioners have already made their contribution to society. There are those who are permanently invalided. And there will always be people who are between jobs. These people have a right to protection from the State, principally through welfare and pension payments."
The Tánaiste said that the annual rates of welfare growth under the Fianna Fáil/PD Government was much higher than that during the Fine Gael and Labour government between 1994 and 1997. "While Labour may have an advantage in terms of public demonstrations of compassion, in terms of actual delivery to those who need it, Labour falls far short," he said.
Mr Rabbitte said later that Mr McDowell was now trying to present himself as the champion of the poor, having promoted and defended the idea that inequality was necessary to drive the economy.
"If Minister McDowell wants to find out something about the reality of life for the poor in this country after almost 10 years of Fianna Fáil/PD rule, then he should talk to the St Vincent de Paul, who earlier this week said that they had spent €1 million assisting families who had their gas and electricity supplies disconnected," Mr Rabbitte said.
He described the Tánaiste's speech as another exercise in self-promotion.
