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Claiming Our Future - Galway Event

Published: Sunday, November 07, 2010

Terrence McDonagh (Economist NUI Galway) who told us that economics is ideologically driven and the current dominant ideology has resulted (and continues to result ) in the policies that we have seen fail us economically, socially and environmentally.

Michael Taft (Economist Unite Trade Union) outlined the way that current Government policy is not working and will result in deflation. Crucially Michael provided tangible alternatives to this direction.

Building on this, Anne Costello (Community Platform) outlined a concrete example of alternatives to the current emphasis on cuts in her presentation of the 4Steps2Recovery Progressive Tax Campaign. One of the key messages was that there is no consensus that the current policy direction is inevitable amongst economists (despite what the media would have us believe) and there are alternatives.


In her introduction Rachel Doyle (National Women's Council) outlined the Claiming our Future movement and spoke about the need to motivate people locally. The subsequent very dynamic discussion was chaired by Ann Irwin (Community Workers' Co-operative).

There were suggestions for moving forward in Galway and an overwhelming consensus that Galway will play its part in the development of a very necessary social movement.

Watch the video's by clicking on each speakers name.

Anne Costello

Michael Taft

Rachel Doyle

Terrence McDonagh