Outspoken economist to address Greens' convention
An outspoken economist in charge of slashing public spending is to speak about the recession at this weekend’s Green Party convention.
UCD lecturer Colm McCarthy, who chairs the Government’s Expenditure Review Group – dubbed An Bord Snip Nua – will share a podium with Communications Minister Eamon Ryan at the Greens’ three-day event in Co Wexford on Saturday.
Party delegates will hear Mr McCarthy and other academics speak on the theme: Recession – Disaster or Opportunity for Social and Economic Innovation.
Colourful Mr McCarthy was a member of a group of economists which socialised in Dublin pubs in the 1980s and became known as the Doheny & Nesbitt School of Economics.
He previously worked at the Central Bank, the ESRI and DKM Economic Consultants before joining UCD in 2005.
In 1987, he was appointed by former Finance Minister Ray MacSharry to chair the original An Bord Snip when then Taoiseach Charlie Haughey wanted to cut public spending.
Up to 600 delegates from the Green Party’s total membership of 2,009 will attend this weekend’s convention, which begins on Friday with an opening address by leader, John Gormley.
Mr Gormley will also deliver a his televised keynote address on Saturday evening.
The TD’s speech to last year’s convention provoked controversy when the Chinese ambassador walked out when Mr Gormley criticised China’s policies in relation to Tibet.
Some 83 Green candidates will be contesting seats in the forthcoming local elections in June. Some 29% of hopefuls are female and the average age is 41. Six candidates have been born outside Ireland.
The party currently has 29 local councillors and one MLA in the North.
A Greens spokesman said the party had raised €13,000 through a new Barack Obama-style online donation campaign in the past six months.
Immigration Council of Ireland CEO Denise Charlton and National Women’s Council of Ireland director, Joanna McMinn are also guest speakers on the convention’s schedule and will speak on issues surrounding International Women’s Day.
The event is being held in eco-friendly White’s Hotel in Wexford which uses energy-efficient lightbulbs and drills its own water supply to save on the local council’s supply.
As the party conference season continues, Fine Gael and Labour are due to hold pre-election gatherings in coming weeks.
