Fine Gael deputy leader Mr Richard Bruton has condemned traditional social partnership, saying the consensus approach to politics has stifled debate and given too much control to powerful interests such as producers and developers.
In a speech to a party meeting in Dublin last night, Mr Bruton called for "a new type of leadership" that would give a voice to people who are rarely heard in society. "The traditional form of partnership between employers and trades unions has reinforced a position where the interests of producers have taken precedence over the interests of consumers, of families and of communities," he said. "The quality of political debate has been stifled by the Government's consensus approach which has blunted the public's faith in the effectiveness of elected bodies."
He said traditional social partnership had produced developer-led construction policies, offered no voice to consumers of State utilities and led to poor accountability for the delivery of quality public services.
He called for "a new social contract for a just society. It must be a social contract for every citizen. It must represent people whose voices are rarely heard."