A Bank with a Brain

As SIPTU and IBEC hunker down again like a pair of sumo wrestlers who never get to the bout, it's good to see one Irish employer taking a novel and flexible approach to the economic slowdown.

Permanent TSB has apparently offered employees up to €20,000 to take a two-year career break, or up to €35,000 for three years out (Irish Times Weekend, 15 November, p.3) . Now I don't know what the "up to" means, but the idea surely shows that labour market flexibility doesn't have to be all about short-term contracts and lack of employment security.

The bank, it says, is taking a longer term approach. Rather than have a rash of redundancies now and losing valuable staff for a short term gain, this scheme cuts jobs temporarily. If it was me, I'd read the small print carefully, but it looks like a real opportunity for staff to go and do something different.

It's not the kind of sum that would get you through the time off, but it would certainly go a long way to offset a mortgage for someone who wanted to try a new career or set up a business. For younger employees who didn't do the travel thing, it's a great opportunity. For two working parents, it might be the chance to mind the kids at home for two years.

At the end of the period, it will surely bring benefits for employers and staff. Some won't come back because they've found something they like better, and some will come back with new skills and experience. It won't work out for others, and more won't be in a position to avail of it, but it shows a bit of thought and imagination. It will be interesting to see how the scheme works out in two years time -- and whether the idea catches on.

End of the PDs

There are no tears shed at this desk about the demise of the Progressive Democrats. But the decision to disband was logical, and there's no disgrace in it.

The PD party that took its momentous decision yesterday was a far cry from the entity that was melded in the white heat of Haughey-hatred and Thatcherite ideology. Long gone are the radical politics of flat rate taxes, and while PD leaders have variously roused the right-wing rabble (Harney on single mothers; McDowell on inequality), it was never to any serious intent, and the party's ideology has long since blended seamlessly into the mainstream of Irish politics. The tipping point had long since passed even when they started boasting about introducing the minimum wage.

We are likely to see much misty-eyed commentary now about how the PDs brought common sense to Irish taxation policy, and how much their ideas are now conventional wisdom. There can be no doubt that the electorate have shown much enthusiasm for low personal taxes (and why not), but they've also shown a desire for proper public services, and we have yet to face up to the reality of that debate. The PDs' brand of individualist centre-right liberalism is more than well catered for in FF and FG. The bleatings of Varadkar or Noel Treacy outstrip anything the PDs have to offer nowadays.

The real reason why the PDs have gone out of business is because of a lack of depth in their organisation. The loss of ideologues like McDowell and populists like Parlon leave the party without the prospect of making any further electoral progress. They have left a legacy of a selfish individualist politics -- but they didn't do it by themselves. There were plenty in other parties, and there's plenty still standing, plenty still in office, and plenty waiting in the wings to advance that cause.

Free Cervical Screening

Amid all the talk about the decision not to proceed with the cervical cancer vaccine, someone brought to my attention that there is a programme provides free smear tests to women aged 25-60 who are eligible for screening.

Women can arrange an appointment with a CervicalCheck registered smeartaker (doctor or practice nurse) at a convenient time and date. CervicalCheck has registered over 3,800 GPs, practice nurses, Women's Health, Family Planning and Well Woman Clinics with the Programme.

You can find details at www.cervicalcheck.ie