Enterprise, Trade and Employment: The revelations of the McCracken tribunal and the Tony Taylor scandal in the insurance industry gave the Minister her chance to reform the company law sector, and she took it. Two new Company Acts were passed, a Company Law Review Group was set up on a statutory basis and the enforcement section of her department given its head.
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment,
Mary Harney
Track record
This campaign culminated in the appointment of the senior departmental official in the enforcement section, Paul Appleby, to head the new Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE).
Despite her relentless pursuit of Ansbacher account holders and corporate deviants - the Minister has initiated no fewer than 16 investigations - she has not yet succeeded in appointing a regulator for the financial services sector because the Department of Finance has blocked all attempts to dilute the powers of the Central Bank.
She has still to introduce the new Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority (IAASA) legislation, as recommended by the Report of the Review Group on Auditing.
However, the Competition Bill, 2002, currently passing through the Oireachtas, will significantly strengthen the Competition Authority and remove further constraints on competition.
More than 400,000 extra jobs have been created during her term of office, but unemployment is rising again. At one point last year it fell to a record low of 3.6 per cent, well below the Minister's target of 4.1 per cent when she came to office, but it is now back to 4 per cent and could rise further. Her main response has been to clamp down on work permits for non-EU nationals.
While she has been quick to claim credit for new legislation on employment rights, such as the national minimum wage and protection for part-time workers, Ireland has consistently dragged its heels on the introduction of EU directives designed to improve workers' rights. This may betray her predilection for Boston over Brussels.
Last December's Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act was passed almost a year after Ireland's final deadline for transposing the directive into Irish law.
Directives on the rights of workers with fixed-term contracts and employees in firms changing owners were due to be transposed into Irish law by last July. The directive giving employees greater access to personnel records was due by October 1998. The Irish Government also blocked the introduction of the latest European Works Council directive for years and it was reported to the European Commission by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions for failing to implement the parental leave directive properly.
The decision to appoint IBEC's director of economic policy, Brian Geoghegan, as chairman of FÁS, also rankled with the unions. Traditionally the post alternates between unions and employers. Geoghegan's predecessor was another IBEC nominee, Patrick Lynch. In fairness to Harney it should be said that Geoghegan's appointment in January 2001 predated their personal relationship, which culminated in their wedding last November.
Main Achievement
Establishing the Office of Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE). Her pursuit of low standards in high places was popular, but cannot have pleased business interests that form the natural PD constituency. Full marks for political savvy and courage.
Biggest failure
Not protecting non-EU workers. The present work permit system, combined with lack of protection for agency workers, has allowed gross exploitation of these workers by rogue employers. Her condemnations of racism ring hollow when she leaves immigrant workers vulnerable to the charge that they are undercutting Irish pay and conditions.
Prospects
If re-elected and returned to Government she is rumoured to be anxious to move to Public Enterprise. Semi-states beware.
Padraig Yeates, Industry and Employment Correspondent
OPPOSITION PERFORMANCE
Fine Gael
Charles Flanagan
A highly articulate and intensely political Dáil performer. Ideologically, he is the opposite to his late father, the unapologetically conservative, Oliver J. Flanagan. He has always been a liberal voice on social issues since entering the Dáil in 1989.
But he has his father's capacity to joust verbally with Ministers, including Harney, and can deliver a devastating one-liner in heated Dáil exchanges.
Flanagan has challenged Harney on job losses, not least in his own Laois-Offaly constituency, where the PDs are hoping for an electoral breakthrough.
He would have achieved ministerial office in the Rainbow Government but for his earlier opposition to John Bruton's leadership. He is now spoken of as a possible future leader, if Fine Gael fails to achieve office and Michael Noonan calls it a day.
Labour
Pat Rabbitte
A consistently impressive performer, who works hard at any brief he is given. Extremely witty, he is capable of rounding on the Government with devastating effect.
He also has a hugely serious side and argues his case with considerable skill and an obviously high level of preparation. He takes his role as a parliamentarian very seriously and is active in all areas of Dáil and committee proceedings. He caused some surprise when he announced that he would not accept a ministry in a Fianna Fáil-Labour government. In Leinster House, he is seen as outside Ruairí Quinn's inner circle. This could have implications for him achieving a senior ministerial post for which he is undoubtedly qualified.
Michael O'Regan
Parliamentary Reporter
