skip to main content

Next two years pivotal for Bacik ahead of elections

Updated / Saturday, 25 Mar 2023 20:20
Ivana Bacik could congratulate herself on winning the crowd at her party conference, however they are the converted, and she'll need to worry about those outside the hall (Image: Rolling News)
Ivana Bacik could congratulate herself on winning the crowd at her party conference, however they are the converted, and she'll need to worry about those outside the hall (Image: Rolling News)

A party conference speech is a crucial episode in any political leader's career, and the stakes have never been higher for the Labour Party's Ivana Bacik.

Tonight's RedC poll for the Business Post suggests the party's support is unchanged at 4% while the Social Democrats are up two points at 6%, following the elevation of its new leader Holly Cairns.

The next two years will be pivotal for law lecturer-turned-politician Ivana Bacik.

Local and European elections are expected in May of next year and a general election could be held in the second half of 2024 or early 2025.

Ms Bacik has positioned the party in the centre of the housing crisis debate by tabling a motion of no confidence next week in the coalition over its controversial decision to let the ban on evictions lapse.

In her speech this evening she said her ambition was for one million homes in ten years "starting now".

"The State can – and we must – deliver 50,000 new-builds and 50,000 refurbished homes a year for the next decade.

"In a strong economy with financial surpluses, we can do this," she said.

It's worth remembering the Government is lauding the construction of 30,000 homes last year as a huge achievement.

Ivana Bacik insisted "only ideology not the economy" has held back progress on housing.

But Ireland's sluggish delivery on housing is not unlike many other countries according to the World Bank.

There were some carefully crafted hints in her speech about potential coalition partners for Labour, when she referred to a "left-led green red" Government as her desired destination after an election.

When criticising the existing Coalition, she singled out Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil as "perpetuating an unequal Ireland" but omitted the third leg of Government: the Green Party.

There was also a strong emphasis on climate action in her speech.

Before she took to the stage Ivana Bacik was photographed holding a sweatshirt with the Labour Party's logo of a rose with Mary Robinson's name above it.

In her address she described the former president as "our great climate champion".

But easily achievable policy measures were suggested in her speech too.

She called for a new tax on "fossil fuel-guzzling SUVs", a bike-to-school scheme for children and an unlimited bus and train ticket for €9.

She also referred to how the current administration had only announced its climate policy as a result of "compromise not conviction" – suggesting the Greens had to push Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to agree some climate measures.

She also criticised the Government for its "delayed and missed targets" on the environment.

Her speech returned to some of Labour's long-standing values such as protecting workers.

She addressed the rights of contractors in the gig economy and praised people in the tumultuous technology sector who are joining unions as multinationals cut jobs.

The Labour leader also positioned her party as taking a "progressive" approach on the gender referendum which is expected to be held in November.

She also received a warm response when she said Ireland needed to "finally jettison De Valera’s delusions about women".

As she concluded her speech to enthusiastic applause, she could congratulate herself on winning the crowd.

However, they are the converted. It is the people outside the hall she needs to worry about.

And tonight's opinion poll indicates a lot of work ahead for the Labour Party over the next two years.

More stories on

More by
David Murphy

Economics and Public Affairs Editor