A few years back, I was accused of being homophobic by two well-meaning, but rigidly PC friends. We were sitting in the appropriately-named 'Queens' pub in Dalkey when we were joined by another friend, Jackie. She's a lovely woman – who happens to have been born a man. We chatted for a while until Alan arrived. Alan is a gregarious, straight man who happens to be black. He hugged Jackie, gave her a kiss on the cheek and they went off to join another group at the bar.

"That's disgusting," I said, referring to the kiss.

My friends were appalled. How could I be so horrible? So biased? Did I know how hard it is to be a trans-sexual woman in Ireland? How cavemen like me turned the clock back? Eventually they ran out of steam. I affected an air of dumb surprise. All this over a kiss?

"But … he's BLACK," I said.

You probably find that anecdote offensive. It was intended to be. I wanted to point out that my friends were so prejudiced against my perceived prejudice that they didn't know what my prejudice was. I wanted to wind them up to see how far they would PC-knee-jerk. For the record, I'm not racist or homophobic, so don't bother sending me outraged emails.

Last week, Irish Small and Medium Enterprises chief Mark Fielding became the latest high-profile victim of PC knee-jerking. He said the EU's decision to increase paid maternity leave to 20 weeks would lead to employers discriminating against women.

"If there are two candidates and one is a buxom young woman of child-rearing years and the other is a fellow, who is an employer going to hire when he or she knows that they will have to pay 20 weeks' maternity leave?" he asked.

Buxom? Did he say really say 'buxom'? As in booby and curvaceous? There were howls of indignation and cries of "sexism". One commentator described him as "Victorian". Fielding's wording was incredibly stupid. He later admitted as much but stood by his assertion regarding employers. That didn't stop his opinion being ignored in the rush to criticise him for the manner in which he said it. That's the price you pay for speaking about touchy subjects in Ireland – PC bullying and unbridled use of the 'ist' card.

A few months back, I wrote that I was not in favour of gender quotas in politics because they are undemocratic. I was criticised for being 'sexist'. The debate descended into name-calling and flickered out. Earlier this year, I wrote about the Hunky Dory ads which featured scantily-clad models. I said most women I know didn't take offence at them because they have more important things on their minds. I asked: should I cry "sexism" every time those office workers ogle the Diet Coke guy? I was castigated for not being offended.

In 2006, Mary O'Rourke was savaged for referring to her campaign helpers as working "like blacks". It was a stupid choice of words, but does anyone really think Mammy is racist? She comes from a generation who used to sit, cutting out the minstrels logo from Lyons' tea boxes, while watching the Black and White Minstrel Show. The phrase refers to the exploitation of African slaves and is, arguably, a valid description.

If you walk into a crowded bar and say it's "black" is that racially offensive?

Last year, Judge Aingeal Ní Chondúin was condemned for saying the Roma community seemed to raise their children to steal. Is it racist to suggest that SOME Romas are bred to steal?

A year ago, the Department of Social Welfare revealed that 11% of non-nationals claiming benefits were not living here. Is it racist to suggest that some non-nationals cheat us?

It's not just non-nationals who cheat us, of course. An Oireachtas Committee report last week accused some people of not living with their partner in order to qualify for the Lone Parent allowance. Is it elitist to suggest some single parents may be dishonest?

Ireland doesn't like discussing 'awkward' topics. It's not so long ago that divorce and contraception were 'taboo'. Abortion is still not being addressed. When someone tries to start a debate about taboo subjects, they are shouted down by the PC brigade. Debating might result in having to make a decision. This is why nothing gets done in this country. We must start discussing all the things we find difficult to talk about. Should everyone be entitled to Child Benefit? Is the dole too 'generous'. Is the minimum wage? Should maternity leave be extended when businesses are struggling? Let's talk about these issues without resorting to PC barracking.

What Fielding was trying to highlight was that some employers will be sexist, just as some taximen will be racist. He cocked up badly by allowing his language distract attention away from his argument. He should think before he uses stupid descriptions of women's breasts in future. They just make him look like a right tit.

dkenny@tribune.ie