Jonathan Clarke @ Beilabs.com

So what have we learned this year?

So the Lisbon treaty was passed finally by the people of Ireland this weekend.  I’m not entirely sure how I should react to this news.  I’ve been abroad for both the initial referendum as well as for Lisbon 2, yet I’ve been keeping track of the arguments for and against for some time.

As an impartial observer (I have no allegiance to any political party mainly due to the fact that I’ve been traveling for so long) I find it incredibly interesting that nothing has changed in the Lisbon Treaty since it was last rejected.  So what is different?

12.6% unemployment throughout the country was announced in September.  That is a huge number. It’s a number that has shocked people with many talking about being reminded of the 1980s, having to leave the country and seek better lives.  For the past number of months there has been a huge media campaign by various organizations pushing for a Yes vote. Will voting yes bring back jobs? I have no idea. Lets wait and see.

Ireland was once heralded as a low cost nation, manufacturers flocked to the country to set up shop to reap as much profit from a skilled workforce as possible.  People wanted what their neighbors had, (house extensions, cars, holidays), got easy loans from the banking sector without realizing their neighbors also had debt coming out of their eyeballs.  It was party time in Ireland, everyone had their hand out looking for grants, “free” European money for their own pet project and live was awesome.

So now the hangover has kicked in.  The manufacturers realized that the Irish were pulling the piss (low level job positions looking for crazy money), got fed up and moved out of the country.  People have been watching over their shoulder, wary that their job is on the line (of course only I can do this job) forgetting that EVERYONE IS EXPENDABLE.  Anyone can be trained in any position, in any industry.

The next step for Ireland?  Well, now we seem to think the country is the darling of Europe again, by saying yes to Lisbon we’re back in the club and everything will be magically better once more.  We need to take a long hard look in the mirror, focus on our strengths and aim on being a world-beater.

I’m proud to be Irish, I’m proud that we’re always considered the underdog but I’ll be prouder when we stop feeling sorry for ourselves, sorry for our past and concentrate on our future.  Lets hold ourselves accountable for our mistakes and please god learn from them.