NEW GOVERNMENT SAME AS THE OLD ONE

 NEW GOVERNMENT SAME AS THE OLD ONE  

 It’s just two months into this new Dail and the character of the new government is clear. Its the same as the old one, kneels before the diktats of the EU and IMF, with the Labour Party in particular, arrogantly lecturing working class people to accept austerity cuts, said Mr Joe Higgins T.D., when he spoke at a United Left Alliance public meeting in Sligo on Thursday.

Cllr Declan Bree and Mr Richard Boyd Barrett T.D. also addressed the meeting which was chaired by Mr Ross Gildea of People First.

“It is only a matter of time before Fine Gael and Labour's defence that they have inherited an economic disaster will cut no ice and people will fight their attacks.” said Deputy Higgins.

“At the end of March the new Government announced a €24 billion bailout for Ireland's four remaining banks.  In so doing, Fine Gael and Labour indicated that their banking policy is a mere carbon copy of that previously pursued by Fianna Fail and the Green Party.

“This total capitulation to the demands of the markets and the European Central Bank was a clear indication that “Labour's way" was always a sham and "Frankfurt's way" was now government policy.

"The bill for the bank bailout is now to be presented to the Irish people in the form of cutbacks, privatisations and fresh attacks on public sector workers.” Deputy Higgins said.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett told the meeting “The McCarthy plan to handover vital state assets to the same corporate vultures that helped to crash the financial system is scandalous and irresponsible.

“Selling off our public assets is, in fact, robbing the country of precisely the assets we need to get out of this economic mess.  If we invested properly in these assets we could provide much-needed jobs, fuel economic growth and ensure continued revenue for the country.  Selling them off will provide a once-off payment and is in no way a solution to the problem.

“It makes no sense to give away, in many cases, highly profitable state assets that have the capability to get profit, revenue and employment going which is precisely what is needed for sustained economic growth.

“The EU/IMF will insist that the money will be spent paying back the bankers and speculators while further cuts will be imposed on the population.   This is yet another example of the majority suffering for the gain of the elites.” he said.

Calling for support for the United Left Alliance Cllr Declan Bree said “The ULA is the new left force in Irish politics.  It has five T.D.’s one MEP and nearly twenty local representatives.   Our new alliance now has to convince large numbers of people to break from political and union leaders who have systematically cultivated a mood of defeatism.

“The current bailout is about shifting the burden of debt from the banks and the bondholders and those who created the present crisis onto the back of the ordinary people of this country.

“There is no justification for ordinary people pay for the speculation of private institutions.  Throughout the boom their massive profits remained private.  Their debts must also remain private.  The Irish people should not have to pay for their loses.

“Water charges, property taxes and job cuts are all attacks waiting to take place. The ULA is determined to position itself so that it can respond to these attacks.

“Our Alliance has already made its mark in the Dáil.  This will be more that matched by our role in campaigns and the developing struggles in communities and workplaces in every part of the country.” said Cllr Bree.