LISBON TREATY WOULD MAKE LAWS OF EUROPEAN UNION SUPERIOR TO THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF IRELAND

“The Treaty of Lisbon if ratified would create a new Federal European Union which would be politically and constitutionally profoundly different from the EU which we are members of today.” the Deputy Mayor of Sligo, Cllr Declan Bree, told a meeting organised by the Forum on Europe in Sligo this week.

“While the same name, "The European Union", would be used before and after the referendum the fact is that if the Lisbon Treaty is ratified, the new European Union would be a fundamentally different constitutional/political entity from the European Union that we are currently members of.

“The European Union we are members of today is generally a descriptive term for the various areas of co-operation between its 27 member states.

“If the Lisbon Treaty is ratified it would give the new Union which it would establish the constitutional form of a supranational European Federation. That Federation would have all the powers of a fully-developed State apart from the power to force its member states to go to war against their will.

“If the Lisbon Treaty is ratified it would make us citizens of this new European Union for the first time, as against our being notional or honorary EU "citizens" at present.

“The Constitutional amendment to ratify the Lisbon Treaty would then make the laws, acts and decisions of the new European Union superior to the Constitution and laws of Ireland and would effectively turn Ireland into a province of this new EU Federation, which would be run on the most undemocratic lines.

“Ireland would become a province, not a nation, once again, in the precise and literal meaning of the word "province". said Cllr Bree

“In essence it has to be said that the Treaty is a revamped version of the European Constitution which was rejected in referendums in 2005. It is now repackaged and described as the Lisbon Treaty.

“Instead of accepting that 2005 decision, the EU Prime Ministers and Presidents decided to give the EU a Constitution indirectly rather than directly, but they decided not to call it a Constitution for fear people would reject it again.

“And as I said the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty would then make the laws, acts and decisions of the new European Union superior to the Irish Constitution and laws and would effectively turn Ireland into a province of the new EU Federation.

“The Irish Constitution would still remain, but “Declaration 17 concerning Primacy”

which is attached to the Lisbon Treaty, makes clear that the law of the new European Union would have primacy over and be superior to the Irish Constitution and laws in any case of conflict between the two. This has not been stated in any previous European Treaty.

“Like every other State this new European Union would sign Treaties with other States in all areas of its powers. It would have its own political President who would receive ambassadors to the EU and sign Treaties and important laws in its name. He/she would effectively be head of state of the European Union, superior to the heads of state of the member states and would be selected for a term of two and a half years, renewable once.

“The new EU would have its own Foreign Minister and foreign and security policy, its own diplomatic service and its own voice at the United Nations. It would also have its own Public Prosecutor. It would make most of our laws and would decide what our basic rights are in all areas of EU law. It would have all the main features of a sovereign State in the international community of States, apart from the ability to make its Member States go to war against their will.

“The Lisbon Treaty also proposes to reduce the number of EU Commissioners from the present 27 to 18. Ireland would therefore have no member on the Commission, the body which has the monopoly of proposing all EU laws, for one out of every three Commission terms.” Cllr Bree said.

“This means that for five years out of every fifteen, laws affecting all our lives would be put forward entirely by a committee of EU officials on which there would be no Irish voice. The big EU States would lose their right to a permanent Commissioner too, but their size and political weight give them other means of exerting influence on this key body.

“The Commission President could ask a Commissioner to resign at any time, just as a Taoiseach may do with his cabinet, so the Commissioners would be fully under the control of the Commission President.

“The new Commission would be very like an EU Government, with the Commission President having powers like a national Prime Minister, except that this government would not be elected by the citizens

“If the Treaty is ratified it would replace the voting system for making EU laws that has existed since the 1957 Rome Treaty. The new system would be primarily a population-based system which would give most influence to the member states with big populations and reduce the influence of smaller States like Ireland.

“Putting EU law-making and decision-taking on a primarily population basis would fundamentally change the consensus culture on the EU Council of Ministers. The smaller member states would be less needed by the big states than before, and their interests would therefore be less likely to be taken into account.

“I would also point out that the Lisbon Treaty provides that if one-third of National Parliaments object to the Commission's proposal for an EU law, the Commission must reconsider it, but not necessarily abandon it. It might reword the draft law, or if it considered the objection was not justified, it might ignore it. This right to complain, for that is what it is, is not an increase in the powers of national Parliaments, as it has been widely misrepresented as being, but is symbolic rather of their loss of real power.

“In effect t he Lisbon Treaty is a bad deal for Ireland. It gives the EU too much power and reduces our ability to stop decisions that are not in Ireland’s interests.

“The fact is that the Lisbon Treaty will involve the most substantial transfer of powers from member states to the European Council and Commission to date. The influence of smaller states will be reduced as the dominance of the larger states is consolidated.

“The militarization of the EU will be accelerated and an economic agenda based on a race to the bottom for wages and workers rights will be greatly advanced. At EU level we see the incremental development of an EU Army, in all but name.

“The Lisbon Treaty is the most serious challenge facing anyone who cares about social justice. It will lock Europe into a straitjacket of privatisation and makes little provision for a social Europe.

“The Services Directives and other directives coming out of the EU are part of a sustained attack on the social gains, struggled for and secured by Irish and European workers over many decades.

“It is very clear that the Lisbon Treaty will further consolidate the power of capital and concentrate power in the hands of an unelected bureaucracy in Brussels.

“This treaty provides for a massive shift of power from the nation states of the EU to Brussels and will effectively make us revert to being a province of mainland Europe...the northwest corner.” Cllr Bree concluded.

SLIGO MEETING CALLS FOR REJECTION OF RE-NAMED EU CONSTITUTION - LISBON TREATY

Speaking at a public meeting in the Glasshouse Hotel in Sligo  organised by The People’s Movement,  former Green Party MEP, Patricia McKenna strongly criticised what she called the “sheer arrogance and disregard shown by political leaders throughout the EU for the wishes of the voters.  Ms. McKenna, who is Chairperson of the Peoples Movement, an organization campaigning against the Lisbon Treaty in the forthcoming referendum, said, “Regardless of the fact that voters in France and the Netherlands have rejected the EU Constitution, it has been renamed, repackaged and put back on the table as if nothing had happened.”

Ms. McKenna said, “There is almost unanimous agreement among EU leaders, including Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, that the substance of the rejected Constitution hasn’t changed. "The difference between the original Constitution and the present Lisbon Treaty is one of approach, rather than content ... The proposals in the original constitutional treaty are practically unchanged. They have simply been dispersed through the old treaties in the form of amendments.” Says Giscard D’Estaing the former French President and Chairman of the Convention which drew up the original text.”

Ms. McKenna went on to say, “The blatant conspiracy by EU governments to deny their electorates the right to vote on this treaty is an affront to democracy. To quote French president Nicolas Sarkozy: "France was just ahead of all the other countries in voting No.  "It would happen in all member states if they have a referendum. There is a cleavage between people and governments...A referendum now would bring Europe into danger. There will be no treaty if we had a referendum in France, which would again be followed by a referendum in the UK." So basically what we have is fundamental change without the consent of the citizens.

“EU leaders openly admit that they have taken the rejected EU constitution and renamed and repackaged it in an unreadable format.  Giscard D'Estaing said: "Public opinion will be led to adopt, without knowing it, the proposals that we dare not present to them directly... All the earlier proposals will be in a new text, but will be hidden and disguised in some way...What was [already] difficult to understand will become utterly incomprehensible, but the substance has been retained."  “The conspiracy to push this through against the wishes of the majority of citizens of EU member states in undeniable”, she said.

Also speaking at the meeting was the Secretary of the People’s Movement, Frank Keoghan who said that, The People’s Movement would be playing a major role in the forthcoming referendum and would be striving to ensure that Irish people are not bullied into submission by the powerful and well-resourced political establishments of Dublin and Brussels.

Mr. Keoghan said, “This treaty is unacceptable for many reasons not least because it is a fundamental shift of power from the small to the big EU States, from National Parliaments to non-elected EU committees – the Commission, Council of Ministers and Court of Justice.”

“What we are going to vote on will have profound ramifications not just for Ireland but for the future of the EU as a whole.”  The military aspects alone should be reason enough to reject it, he said.  “It obliges Ireland to build up its military capacities while consolidating the European Defense Agency, whose purpose is to promote the arms industries.  It allows for EU military operations without a UN mandate and includes a mutual defense clause, things that peace activists have always opposed.”

He pointed out that “The Renamed Constitution states unambiguously in Section 2, Article 27 (2) that: "The common security and defence policy" it proposes "shall include the progressive framing of a common Union defence policy. This will lead to a common defence.

Member States must "make civilian and military capabilities available to the Union for the implementation of the common security and defence policy …" and  "undertake progressively to improve their military capabilities."

This means there would be an EU constitutional obligation on Ireland to provide military resources to the EU for its security and defence policies and to increase military spending through the European Defence Agency in order to ensure compatibility. There is also a ‘solidarity clause’ that proposes a mutual defence pact – similar to that of NATO. This “solidarity clause” has even been extended by Lisbon to cover the supply of energy and other issue.”

Councillor Declan Bree, who presided at the meeting said, “the Lisbon Treaty is a bad deal for Ireland.  It gives the EU too much power and reduces our ability to stop decisions that are not in Ireland’s interests.

“It is very clear to me that the Treaty has failed absolutely to address the democratic deficit within Europe; despite promises made by European leaders over the last two years. 

“The fact is that the Lisbon Treaty will involve the most substantial transfer of powers from member states to the European Council and Commission to date.  The influence of smaller states will be reduced as the dominance of the larger states is consolidated.

“The militarization of the EU will be accelerated and an economic agenda based on a race to the bottom for wages and workers rights will be greatly advanced.  At EU level we see the incremental development of an EU Army, in all but name, at home the use of Shannon airport by US troops on their way to wage war in Iraq.

“The Lisbon Treaty is the most serious challenge facing anyone who cares about social justice. It will lock Europe into a straight jacket of privatisation and makes little provision for a social Europe.  The Services Directives and other directives coming out of the EU are part of a sustained attacked on the social gains, struggled for and secured by Irish and European workers over many decades. 

“It is very clear that the Lisbon Treaty will further consolidate the power of capital and concentrate power in the hands of an unelected bureaucracy in Brussels.

“The fact that Ireland will lose its right to a permanent EU Commissioner is an issue of real concern.   As a small nation we will be affected by the particularly insidious loss of influence of the small nations in favour of the large nations.  We will be outside the Commission, the body with the monopoly on proposing all EU laws, for five years at a time.  This plus the change in the council voting system, whereby population size with be deciding factor, will significantly reduce our influence.

“This treaty provides for a massive shift of power from the nation states of the EU to Brussels and will effectively make us revert to being a province of mainland Europe...the northwest corner.” Cllr Bree concluded.

HEALTH FORUM CALLS FOR ACCOUNTABLE AND EFFICIENT HEALTH SERVICE

At its meeting in Galway this week the Regional Health Forum West adopted a motion proposed by Cllr Declan Bree, calling on the Government to provide a health service that is democratically accountable and efficient and capable of delivering universal access to quality healthcare.

Speaking to the motion Cllr Bree said, “When the Government created the HSE it clearly and deliberately created a vehicle to implement Government policy, a vehicle that is run by faceless bureaucrats drawn from all parts of the country, who appear to be answerable to no one but the Minister for Health.

“When the regional health boards existed details of budgeting and proposed changes in services were brought before the members of the Health Board and considered and voted on.

“This was an open and transparent system where elected representatives and representatives of medical staff and nursing staff and others had the opportunity of debating important matters with senior management, and of voting on plans that would affect the future of medical services in their respective region - and of course this was all covered by and published in the local media.

“The staff of the Health Boards were accountable to the members of the board and the elected councillors on the health boards were in turn accountable to the people who elected them to office.” said Cllr Bree.

“However in the period since the Government abolished the Health Boards and established the HSE, openness, transparency and public accountability have become a thing of the past. Democratically elected T.D.’s and Councillors have been sidelined.

“The senior management and bureaucracy in the HSE appear to be accountable to no one other than the Minister.

“We know that over the past number of years that the number of higher and middle management in the health services have increased dramatically.

“In the year 2000 there were six Grade VIII officials in the health service, by 2006 that had increased to 602, an increase of 9,843%. The number of Grade VII’s increased from 496 to 917, an increase of 118%. The number of Grade VI’s increased from 484 to 1,014 an increase of 106% and the number of Grade V’s had increased from 663 to 1,484, an increase of 124%.

“In the most recent report of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration when it referred to pay levels for managers in the HSE including National Directors, Assistant National Directors, Hospital Network Managers, Directors of Regional Health Offices and Managers of Local Health Offices, the review body found it difficult to work out what these officials should be paid because it couldn’t figure out what precisely many of them do and who they report to. And I must admit I can’t figure out what many of these officials do.” said Cllr Bree.

“With the exception of people like Dr Sean Conroy and his staff who service this Forumit has been my experience in the period since I became a member of the Forum that many senior HSE officials feel they are answerable to no once and that they can do as they wish. On numerous occasions I found that my correspondence to them was ignored. When I asked legitimate questions relating to the health services senior officials refused to answer the questions. In fact last year I had to request the Office of the Ombudsman to intervene in order to elicit a response from one of these senior officials. The notion of democratic accountability is foreign to many of these people.

“In the period since this Regional Health Forum was established we have had numerous and well considered discussions and debates relating to the state of the health services in this region. We have adopted many motions and made many recommendations relating to the improvement and development of the health services and copies of all these motions and recommendations were forwarded to Professor Drumm, and the Health Service Executive.

“However to date we still have not had a response from the HSE to any motion or recommendation adopted by this Health Forum. As I said to Professor Drumm at our September meeting, it would appear that when they reach the Health Service Executive in Dublin they are placed in a filing cabinet never to be seen again.

“The Governments decision to hand over day to day control of the health services to the HSE was deliberate and it is now obvious that the Government and Minister Harney are hell bent on implementing an agenda that favours private medicine at the expense of our public health service. They are clearly responsible for creating the present crisis in the provision of health services.” Cllr Bree said.

Cllr Bree then proposed the following motion which was adopted by the Forum: “That the Regional Health Forum West deeply concerned with the HSE’s lack of democratic accountability, and further concerned at the growth of the two-tier health system, and further recognising the inability of the HSE to provide a universal high quality health care service to the people of this country, calls on the Government to provide a public health service that is democratically accountable and efficient and capable of delivering universal access to quality healthcare.”

REZONING OF RACECOURSE AREA WOULD BE OUTRAGE MEETING TOLD

“To rezone the racecourse and sell it off to developers and speculators for housing and commercial development could only be described as an outrage.  It would be a desecration of one of the most wonderful natural amenities we have in Sligo.” the Deputy Mayor of Sligo, Cllr Declan Bree, told a Public Meeting organised by the People First group in the Abbeyquarter Community Centre in Cranmore this week.

Cllr Bree said that if the people of Sligo wanted the racecourse area to remain zoned as a green area for recreation they must make it clear to councillors of all political persuasions that any attempt to rezone all or any portion of the land at the racecourse is unacceptable.

Ms Jenny Conlon, of People First who chaired the meeting said that one of the objectives of the People First community group is to campaign for the retention and protection of all the green areas including Cleveragh, which are zoned as Open Space/Green Links in the current city development plan.

“This public meeting is one in a series we intend holding so as to raise public consciousness on the matter and to encourage members of the public to lobby their elected representatives so as to ensure that there will be no attempt to rezone green areas.” she said.

Local historian, Ms Fiona Gallagher, praised the “Great vision of the Corporation in the 1940’s in purchasing the Cleveragh demesne for use as a public park.”   She pointed out that the estate was paid for the “the pennies of the people of Sligo”. 

During the course of his address Cllr Bree told the meeting “The land at Sligo racecourse at Cleveragh was purchased by Sligo Corporation some 60 years ago to provide green space and a recreation area for the people of Sligo.

“While the area has been closely associated with horseracing over the decades, the increasing use of the land at the racecourse in recent years by athletes and by runners and walkers both young and old is a clear indication that the ordinary people of this community are claiming ownership of what is theirs by right. 

“However revelations in the media that the County Manager has been in secret negotiations with representatives of Sligo Race Company with a view to having the race meetings moved from Cleveragh to an alternative racecourse developed at Cloonamahon is clearly a matter we should take note of.

“Councillors were not told of these negotiations nor have we been told what plans the County Manager has for the lands at the racecourse.

“We do know that only four years ago when the Sligo City and Environs Development Plan was being considered for adoption, the County Manager and his officials recommended that councillors rezone the lands at the Racecourse to allow for  housing development.

“Thanks to the outcry from the general public at the time, and thanks to the campaign initiated by the Save Our Green Areas committee, councillors rejected the County Managers recommendation and unanimously voted in support of a motion which I proposed, that the lands at the Racecourse be retained for recreation and zoned as Public Open Space/Green Links.

“I would point out that elected councillors and County Managers in the past had the foresight to recognise the wonderful amenity value of the racecourse lands.  

“Not only did they take the land into public ownership but they also ensured that it was protected and retained as a green area.    And in the bad times - during the 40’s and 50’s and even in later times when Sligo Corporation was strapped for cash, no councillor or official ever suggested rezoning the racecourse lands to sell off for housing development.

“Now, at a time when Sligo is growing, when new housing estates and apartments are being constructed all over the city, when there was never more need for green areas for recreation, we have this issue raising its head once more.

“The County Manager says that given the areas proximity to the town centre and the very significant amount of open space identified in the area it would be unreasonable to maintain the entire racecourse free from development.   I totally reject that view.   Given the area’s proximity to the city centre is all the more reason for retaining it as a green area.   And I would again ask how in the name of goodness is it ‘unreasonable’ to want the area retained as a green area for sport and recreation.

“The Borough Council agreed in the past to develop recreational facilities in the centre of the racecourse while retaining horse racing and I am aware that the Racecourse Management Committee confirmed that it is willing to co-operate with the Council in this regard.   In the event of the racecourse company deciding to relocate to another area I firmly believe that all the land which is currently leased should be used for sport and recreation purposes.

“The racecourse and Cleveragh is one of the few remaining green areas remaining in Sligo.  It is zoned in the City Development Plan as Open Space/Green Links.  It is in public ownership.  To rezone the racecourse and sell it off to developers and speculators for housing and commercial development could only be described as an outrage.  It would be a desecration of one of the most wonderful natural amenities we have in Sligo.” Cllr Bree said.

Local historian Ms Fiona Gallagher told the meeting that Cleveragh demesne was originally the home of the Martin Family, later to be Woodmartin, and as far back as 1864 the demesne, consisting of 270 acres of landscaped park and woodland was opened to the public on the occasion of the Royal Agricultural Society’s Show.  She said the demesne was opened to the pubic on a regular basis between then and 1916.

“In 1947, Cleveragh demesne, consisting of 298 acres, 98 of them woodland, was purchased by Sligo Corporation for use as a public park” she said.

“The purchase price was £10,500 – about £300,000 sterling today.  It was considered a ‘Bargain Price’ at the time.   Alderman Eamonn Tolan was the driving force behind the purchase along with the then Town Clerk Mr Bradshaw.   Alderman John Fallon, described the acquisition of the demesne as ‘One of the greatest coups brought about by the Corporation since it was formed in 1612.’

“A significant portion of the estate was leased to the Sligo Race Committee in the 1950’s and the first races were held there in August 1954.”

Ms Gallagher praised the “Great vision of the Corporation in the 1940’s in purchasing the Cleveragh demesne for use as a public park.”   She pointed out that the estate was paid for the “the pennies of the people of Sligo”. 

“The land at the racecourse should not be rezoned and sold off.  It should be held in trust for future generations.   It has excellent potential for sports and recreation – it is flat, large, well drained, and accessible.   It is vital as a green lung for the Borough.   It is a unique environmental asset.” Ms Gallagher said.

CLOSURE OF BREAST CANCER UNIT UNACCEPTABLE

“There can be no excuse, no justification, for the decision to close the breast care unit in Sligo General Hospital.” Cllr Declan Bree told this weeks meeting of Sligo Borough Council

“The unit here operates to the highest standards and is serviced by experienced and highly qualified and highly respected staff that are second to none in this country.” he said.

“And it must also be pointed out that we are a gateway city providing a quality public medical service to the people of this region. And it must also be pointed out that the people of this community intend to ensure that this quality public health service is maintained, despite the Governments proposals to close it down.

“Minister Harney and the Government clearly have an agenda to undermine and subvert the role of our public hospitals and to undermine and subvert the role of our public health service.

“In the period since Mary Harney agreed to take up the health portfolio, she and the Government have set about implementing an agenda that favours private medicine at the expense of our public hospitals and that has created crisis after crisis in our public health service.

“When the Government created the HSE it clearly and deliberately created a vehicle to implement Government policy, a vehicle that is run by faceless bureaucrats drawn from all parts of the country, who appear to be answerable to no one but the Minister for Health.

“When the regional health boards existed details of budgeting and proposed changes in services were brought before the members of the Health Board and considered and voted on.

“This was an open and transparent system where elected representatives and representatives of medical staff and nursing staff and others had the opportunity of debating important matters with senior management, and of voting on plans that would affect the future of medical services in the region - and of course this was all covered by and published in the local media.

“However in the period since the Government abolished the Health Boards, openness, transparency and public accountability have become a thing of the past.

“The Governments decision to hand over day to day control of the health services to the HSE was quite deliberate and the Government cannot now be allowed to perform a Pontius Pilate act. The HSE is implementing Government policy. It is an instrument of Government.

“The Government and Minister Harney are responsible for creating the present crisis in the health services and they must now be forced to move to resolve it. They must now be forced to immediately reverse the outrageous decision to shut down the Breast Care Service in Sligo General Hospital.” Cllr Bree said.

BREE CALLS FOR ACTION ON ASHPHALT PLANT

Calling on the County Manager and Council officials to take legal action to shut down an unauthorised Ashphalt Plant at Aughamore, Cllr Declan Bree, told this weeks meeting of Sligo County Council, “Earlier this year this County Council was left with no option but to bring legal proceedings against Lagan Ashphalt Ltd which was operating an unauthorised Asphalt Plant at Aughamore. When the Council sent warning letters to the company indicating that the plant did not have planning permission and that it was unauthorised, the company arrogantly said it was authorised. It was only when the Council brought the matter before a Judge in the District Court that the company admitted that it did not have planning permission. The Judge said that the plant was set up in a “cavalier attitude” and the company was found guilty and fined by the Court.

“The Court was then told by the company that the Ashphalt Plant would not be used until such time as it got planning permission.

“The Court was also told that a proposal had been made to bring a mobile asphalt plant on to the site.

“We are now aware that within a short period a mobile plant was brought on to the site by Irish Asphalt Ltd.

“We are also aware that the mobile asphalt plant has been operating illegally without an Air Pollution Licence since it began operating. On the 9^th of March this Council wrote to Irish Asphalt Ltd advising them that it is an offence under Section 30 (1) of the Air Pollution Act 1987, to operate a plant without a licence. However apart from that letter the Council took no action what-so-ever to shut down the illegal plant.

“Local residents from the Aughamore area are outraged and totally frustrated at the ongoing failure of Council officials to take action against the illegal plant and to implement the law of the land.

“Again the local community has witnessed a powerful company act in a cavalier fashion without any regard for the health of local people or for the law of the land.

“They have pointed out that as the plant is unlicensed there is no monitoring of emissions and no sampling of emissions by the Council or any independent authority.

“Licensing systems for such plants were specifically introduced because of the significant risks associated with their operation and to ensure that air quality standards and regulations and EU Directives are adhered to.

“Licences deal with such matters as emissions to the atmosphere, monitoring of emissions, recording and reporting of sampling, analysis and measurements carried out, the matter of site inspections by the Licensing Authority and the issue of notifying the Licensing Authority of any malfunction or breakdown of control equipment which would identify emissions liable to cause pollution and contamination in an area.

“Asphalt plants mix gravel and sand with crude oil derivatives to make the asphalt used to construct roads. These plants can release significant level of chemicals to the air during production, including toxic air pollutants such as arsenic, benzene, formaldehyde, and cadmium. Other toxic chemicals are released into the air as the asphalt is loaded into trucks and transported from the plant site, including volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and very fine condensed particulates. This is the reason why strict licensing, monitoring and controls are necessary.

“In this context and given the significant risks associated with such plants, it is unacceptable that the County Council has not acted over the past eight months to shut down the unlicensed plant.

“There is every likelihood that the atmosphere in and around Aughamore is being poisoned on a daily basis by emissions from this illegal plant.

“The U. S. Federal Environmental Protection Agency states "Asphalt processing and asphalt roofing manufacturing facilities are major sources of hazardous air pollutants such as formaldehyde, hexane, phenol, polycyclic organic matter, and toluene. Exposure to these air toxics may cause cancer, central nervous system problems, liver damage, respiratory problems and skin irritation."

“The residents of Aughamore want to know, and I want to know, why have officials of this Council refused month after month, since March, to take action to have the illegal mobile asphalt plant shut down?

“Residents are also anxious to know if this Council has been purchasing and using material which has been manufactured in the illegal plant? Residents are anxious to know if officials from this Council have some type of cosy arrangement with this company?

“In any other jurisdiction the Licensing Authority would have applied to the Courts for an injunction to shut down the illegal plant. This plant has been operating illegally for over eight months, poisoning the atmosphere in Aughamore adjacent to Lough Gill, and this Council has still not sought an injunction to shut it down.

“Is there one law for powerful and influential companies like Irish Asphalt and another for everyone else? Is it some type of Banana Republic we are living in where major companies can ride roughshod over the rights of ordinary people and local communities? “ Cllr Bree asked.

FUTURE OF CRANMORE BEING DECIDED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

High level meetings that are deciding the future of Cranmore are taking place in secret, behind closed doors and the elected representatives of the people are being deliberately refused the right to observe what is happening, said Independent Socialist Councillor Declan Bree, when he addressed the Community Soapbox event organised by the Cranmore Community Co-operative at the weekend.

Cllr Bree said “The Cranmore Regeneration Project was established because of significant concerns about the estate including inadequate quality of housing stock, early school leaving, increasing levels of anti-social behaviour, lack of adequate youth, sport, childcare facilities, etc

“The Regeneration Steering Group that was established was to take responsibility for the planning and implementation of the project and it was agreed that the community would be involved in defining what the local needs are, how they should be prioritised and met.

“In this context community representatives were elected to the Steering Group. And of course the Cranmore Community Platform, now the Cranmore Co-operative was established to provide a voice for the people of the area.

“However on the basis of recent reports made to the Borough Council it is clear that the original reasons for establishing the Regeneration Project are being diluted.

“Earlier this year the goal posts were changed and we were told that in order to secure Regeneration status there was need for a revised framework plan which must take in broader planning objectives including items such as the proposed new Eastern Bridge and Eastern Distributor road, other adjacent lands, and that the plan must include provision for bringing the private sector aboard i.e. commercial interests, speculators and developers.

“Of course we should not be surprised at this move. It has been my experience that every time significant sums of public or EU funding becomes available for a particular social or community project, the private sector and the speculators try to cash in on it.” said Cllr Bree.

“And there is a significant danger that if we are not vigilant and if we don’t stand united, that it will be the developers and speculators who will benefit most from the funding that is supposed to be targeted at the people of Cranmore.

“Following a report to the Borough Council in March this year, my suspicions were raised and I proposed that the four East ward councillors would accompany Council officials to the next meeting with Department of the Environment officials where the implementation of the Regeneration Project was to be discussed. My proposal was unanimously adopted by the Council.

“However to date we have been blocked from sitting in at these meetings. The high level meetings that are deciding the future of Cranmore are taking place in secret, behind closed doors and the elected representatives of the people of this community are deliberately being refused the right to observe what is happening. Is that not evidence enough to show that the concerns of the Cranmore residents are being downgraded in the wider scheme of things?” said Cllr Bree.

HOSPITAL CRISIS - BREE CALLS ON HSE AND GOVERNMENT TO REVERSE DECISION

Speaking at a meeting of the Regional Health Forum in Galway this week, Cllr Declan Bree called on the Health Service Executive and the Government to reverse the decision to lay off front line staff at Sligo General Hospital.

“In the period since the health boards were abolished by the Government the level of public accountability in the health service has diminished significantly.  It is obvious that many HSE officials feel that they can do as they wish and that they are accountable to no one.” Cllr Bree said.

“Since this Regional Health Forum was established in February 2006 we have had numerous and well considered discussions and debates relating to the state of the health services in this region.  We have adopted many motions and made many recommendations relating to the improvement and development of the health services and copies of all these motions and recommendations were forwarded to Professor Drumm, and the Health Service Executive.    

“However, to date we never had any response good, bad or indifferent from the HSE to any motion or recommendation adopted by this Health Forum.    And in my view this is typical of the manner in which the HSE treats elected public representatives and it’s typical of the way in which the HSE treats the taxpayer and the general public.

“On Thursday morning last the HSE decided to implement major lay offs in Sligo General Hospital with four hospital consultants and thirty nurses being laid off.  No information was provided to the members of this Forum regarding this significant decision.  Indeed it would appear that little or no information was given to Jimmy Devins T.D., who not only is a Sligo Dail deputy but is Minister of State at the Department of Health.

“This is typical of the manner in which the HSE carries out its activities.  I first learned of the lay offs on Thursday morning when I received a phone call from a nurse who works in the hospital.  The local media heard of it the same way.  It was after 5 o’ clock on Thursday evening, following numerous requests, that a statement was issued by the “Communication Dept” of the HSE confirming the lay offs.

“To my knowledge not one HSE official, not one bureaucrat, not one of the highly paid HSE managers was prepared to speak to the radio, TV or press about the lay offs.  As soon as the decision was made everyone ran for cover.  This is the way the HSE runs its business.” Cllr Bree said.

“The fact is that the decision to lay of front line staff in Sligo General Hospital and to place a total ban on the replacement of staff is a direct attack on the interests of patients and will clearly lead to a deterioration of standards in services at the hospital.

“Last week Minister Jimmy Devins was saying that patient care would not be hit by any of the cuts being implemented in Sligo General Hospital. This is the same type of propaganda we hear from Minister Harney and the HSE.   The fact is that Sligo general hospital simply cannot maintain its services to patients when key medical consultants and nurses are being laid off.  And Minister Harney and Minister Devins and Professor Drumm now have a duty and an obligation to the people of this region to ensure that this decision is reversed.

“The financial difficulties or budget overruns within the HSE are not the fault of the staff who treat patients, nor is it the fault of patients who become sick and have to be admitted to hospital.  Yet because of the layoffs it is the very people who the HSE are supposed to provide a service to that will in effect be penalised.

“All of us know that the health service cannot function properly without maintaining key staff.   What the lay offs and ban on replacement means is that if a key doctor or consultant becomes ill or his or her contract comes up for renewal, a locum cannot even be recruited.  While everyone recognises the need to keep costs under control, a blanket ban that makes no differentiation between the replacement of a Specialist or cancer care nurse on the one hand, or the recruitment of an additional member of management on the other, simply cannot be justified.” said Cllr Bree.

“The decision to lay off so many front line staff in Sligo General Hospital is clearly a sign of crisis management and it is obvious that these ill thought-out decisions will only lead to further chaos in the delivery of services.

“It’s now clear that the HSE is incapable of managing the services and incapable of managing its own money and the decision of Minister Mary Harney to hand over full control of the health services has proven to be major mistake.

“When Minister Harney created the HSE she created a type of Frankenstein monster that is run by faceless bureaucrats drawn from all parts of the country, who appear to be answerable to no one.

“When the health boards existed details of budgeting and overspending or underspending were brought before the members of the Health Board and considered.   This was an open and transparent system where elected representatives had the opportunity debating such matters with senior management – and of course this was all covered by and published in the local media.

“However in the period since the Government abolished the Health Boards, openness, transparency and public accountability have become a thing of the past.

“Minister Harneys decision to hand over control of the health services to the HSE has been a major mistake and she and the Government can not be allowed to wash their hands of the problem.   Minister Harney and the Government are responsible for creating the crisis and they must now move to resolve it.   I am now calling on the Minister and on Professor Drumm and the HSE to immediately reverse the outrageous decision to lay off the front line staff in Sligo General Hospital.” said Cllr Bree.

CAR-PARK PROPOSAL BETRAYAL OF LOCAL COMMUNITY

The decision by councillors to renege on earlier commitments and to now support a proposal to develop a car-park in Sligo’s Fairgreen has been described as a “betrayal of the local community” by Independent Socialist Councillor Declan Bree.

“It’s clear that certain councillors have caved in following lobbying and pressure from commercial interests and senior bureaucrats.” said Cllr Bree.

“The local people who were present in the public gallery at this weeks meeting of the Borough Council were upset and angry when they discovered that a number of councillors were prepared to perform U-turns and vote for a car park for the Fairgreen rather than an amenity area and children’s playground

“One resident made the point to me that the political parties could not be trusted because Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labour and even a Sinn Fein councillor who had previously supported the initiative for an amenity area in the Fairgreen had now thrown their weight behind the commercial interests who were lobbying for a car-park.

“As a former member of the Labour Party I can say that it was always Labour policy that the Fairgreen be developed as a green area, an amenity area, with a children’s playground. I think it’s sad that the party is now reneging on its policies and selling out the local community.

“In 1999 councillors first voted to develop a recreation area and children’s playground in the Fairgreen.

“In 2000 the Council went through the legal Part VIII consultative process and there was widespread support for the proposal to develop the Fairgreen as an area of recreation and children’s playground. In fact the record will show that there was not one objection to the proposal.

“However despite the councillors decision, no action was taken by Council officials to progress the matter.

“In December 2001 when the matter was next considered, councillors voted in favour of a motion directing officials to proceed with the development. Again no action was taken by the officials.

“To add insult to injury in 2003, despite the earlier decisions taken by the elected councillors, the County Manger and his officials proposed in the new draft Sligo and Environs Development Plan that the Fairgreen be re-zoned for commercial activities

“When local residents heard of the Managers proposal they organised a public meeting in the MCR Centre and appealed to councillors to ensure that the area was zoned as “Open Space/Green Links” so as to allow for the development of the amenity area and playground.

“The councillors responded positively and rejected the County Managers proposal and when I proposed that the Fairgreen be zoned as “Open Space/Green Links” my motion received the unanimous support of the Council.

“However, despite the decision of the Council, officials did nothing to progress the development.

“In April 2006 the Council sought a report regarding progress on the matter. Following consideration of the report in June 2006, the elected members of the Council unanimously agreed that staff should commence the process of preparing plans and seeking funds for the development of the recreation area and playground and it was agreed that any shortfall in funding should come from development levies.

“Despite the decision of June 06 and all the earlier decisions of the Council, it is clear that the County Manger and his officials did absolutely nothing to progress the development of the Faireen.

“Not only did they fail or refuse to implement the decision of the elected councillors they now have the audacity to propose that the Fairgreen be turned into a Car park.

“This in my opinion is not only treating the decision of the elected councillors with contempt it is treating the local community with contempt.

“The development of the playground has been on the agenda for 8 years and to date, with the exception of the Part VIII consultative process which took place in 2000, the County Manger has failed to act on the decision of the elected councillors.

“Members of the public often ask me why it is so difficult to get things done at local authority level. I think this case clearly illustrates the difficulties and obstacles that principled elected councillors have to face.

“Councillors initially agreed to develop a playground because they recognised that children living in the city centre and in the areas adjacent to the Fairgreen have no play facilities.

“As I have already pointed out, in a country that claims to be so interested in the family and children, the lack of playgrounds is remarkable and I am more than concerned that the development of the Fairgreen project has been thwarted for so long.

“I would also point out that over the past number of years there has been increased funding from the exchequer for the development of children’s playgrounds. The Local Authority Playground Grants Scheme, administered by the National Children’s Office and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has already allocated millions of euro for playgrounds, yet the county manager and the Council executive have never bothered applying for grant aid for the development of the Fairgreen play area.

“It is abundantly clear that people in the local community are not prepared to allow commercial interests to take away their only green area and they intend to fight and campaign to protect what is theirs by right.

“Local young people from the MCR area have already organised a petition and collected hundreds of signatures from local residents. They presented the petition to the Mayor in advance of this week’s Borough Council meeting and many of the young people observed the Council debate from the public gallery in City Hall.

“Now a Save the Fairgeen Campaign is being organised which I know will attract support from all over Sligo.

“People from the local community are leading the campaign. They will not be hoodwinked. They intend to assert themselves and they will have the support of everyone who is genuinely concerned about the wellbeing of local communities and concerned about the sustainable development of Sligo.” Cllr Bree said.

PUTTING CONTROL OF WATER IN PRIVATE HANDS IS 'IMMORAL AND UNACCEPTABLE'

Putting the control of water into private hands was "immoral and unacceptable", a member of Sligo County Council has said.

Independent Socilist Councillor Declan Bree received unanimous support for a motion urging that the Council confirm its opposition to the privatisation of water services and that the local authority will oppose any attempts to hand over water and waste water systems to the private sector.

Clr. Bree said world consumption of water was set to double every twenty years, while at the same time water sources were being polluted, diverted and depleted.

"There is growing concern that the continuing involvement of the private sector in infrastructural development in this country will encourage an approach which treats water as a private commodity to be sold off to the highest bidder," he added.

There is undoubtedly a preferred option among many in Government circles, and in PD circles in particular, to extend the involvement of the private sector in water supply, development and maintenance, Clr. Bree claimed.

Water services entailed four basic functions, purifying the water that went into the system, delivering it to households and businesses, cleaning up the water that left those homes and businesses and extending and repairing the network of pipes, pumps and plants.

"Currently in Ireland there are efforts being made to hand over water and waste water systems to the private sector out of the local authority system.

"It is the view of a growing number of people, and this is supported by evidence from a number of countries, that reliance on public private partnerships (PPPs) to support and advance such a fundamental national infrastructural resource is contrary to the national interest.

"In my opinion, putting the control of water into private hands is immoral and unacceptable," he went on.

Clr. Bree said that at local level, the cost of waste water treatment and provision of water for domestic use was increasing side by side with the handing over of this asset to the private sector.

This would lead to a financial crises within local authorities with costs transferred eventually to consumers, business and farming.

"Within the local authorities, one of the starkest outcomes of the avenue to complete privatisation which relies on public private partnerships, was a loss of skills and knowledge which had been a fundamental part of local government activity in this country for almost 200 years.

Clr. Bree quoted the C.E.O. of Veolia Water, Mr. Henri Proglio, who had stated in an interview two years ago that "water, like oil, is getting scarcer."

"We're living on Earth in 2005 with the same amount of water that was available in 1900, while in the meantime the global population has quadrupled," he added.

Clr. Bree said it was clear that what was bad for humanity could be good for business, as Veolia's revenues increased by twelve per cent last year.

"At this stage in the development of our economy it should be abundantly clear that water and waste water are pivotal to the further development of our national infrastructure and must not be privatised," he added in proposing his motion.

It stated :"Recognising that the issue of water treatment, its maintenance and delivery is of growing public concern, and further recognising that water is not a private commodity and is best retained under the control of the public sector, this Council confirms its opposition to the privatisation of water services and will oppose any attempt to hand over water and waste water systems to the private sector."

HOSPITAL CO-LOCATION DECISION CONDEMNED

The decision by the Government and the HSE to proceed with proposals to allow developers to co-locate and construct private for-profit hospitals on the grounds of public hospitals, including the grounds of Sligo General Hospital, has been condemned by Independent Socialist councillor Declan Bree.

Cllr Bree, who is the outgoing Chairman of the Regional Health Forum West said today that, “The co-location of private hospitals on public lands is the most damaging and extreme step in Minister Harney’s determination to hand over significant elements of the Irish health service to the private sector.

“Everyone who is genuinely concerned about the future of our health system has opposed the Governments proposals to provide lands at our public hospitals for the construction of private hospitals. 

“At the most recent conference of the Irish Medical Organisation doctors committed to the public health service, as opposed to those who see health as a source of speculation or profit, questioned Government policy in facilitating private hospitals with generous tax breaks and other concessions.   Many other bodies including the Regional Health Forum, the Congress of Trade Unions, the Irish Nurses Organisation and numerous others have declared their opposition to co-location.

“The reality is that the Government is willing to give hundreds of millions of Euro in tax breaks to profit-seeking speculators, to build for-profit hospitals on the grounds of  public hospitals and this policy is been driven by Mary Harney's ideological commitment to for-profit medicine.

“Minister Harney and the government claim these private hospitals will provide 1,000 beds for private patients thus freeing up 1,000 beds in public hospitals and they claim that the public sector can’t provide these beds as fast and as cheaply as the private sector. This is blatantly untrue. Co-located hospitals are the most expensive way to provide extra beds.  The fact is that private investors will get tax breaks that will cost the state €500 million over seven years.

“It is a public scandal to hand just under half a billion euro of taxpayers money to developers to provide 1,000 beds while the same money spent wisely would provide 1,200 public beds.

“On top of this, the income lost to public hospitals from the transfer of private patients in the same period will be €980 million, which makes a minimum cost to taxpayers of €1.5 billion.” said Cllr Bree.

“And of course private patients will be asked to pay the full economic costs of their care in the co-located hospitals: this means an increase of 40% at least, in their current private health insurance.

“It must also be remembered that a private hospital bed is not as good as a public hospital bed because private hospitals do not provide the full integrated health care that public hospitals provide.  These new private hospitals will not provide the kind of multi-disciplinary care which patients require after major surgery, they will cherry pick the less expensive procedures leaving the complex cases and the chronically ill to the public hospitals – because you can’t make a profit from the chronically ill!

“Co-located private hospitals will also further the current perverse incentives provided for our doctors in our two-tier system.  The fact is that when private hospitals proceed to develop on public hospital grounds there will be a net increase in private beds at taxpayers’ expense; the two-tier system will be further institutionalised and if public consultants are shareholders in the private hospital, they will have an added incentive to favour treating patients there.

“Co-location is just the start.  Minister Harney and the government are planning to strip our public health service bare, transferring as much of it as they can into the hands of private health companies.

“If we are to avoid healthcare being bought and sold as a commodity, and if we are to avoid the type of primitive health system that exists in the USA, then we must continue to resist these privatisation proposals.” Cllr Bree said.

BREE SLAMS H.S.E. AT REGIONAL HEALTH FORUM ANNUAL MEETING

The Health Service Executive was severely criticised by the outgoing Chairman of the Regional Health Forum West, Cllr Declan Bree, at the annual meeting of the Forum in Galway this week.

“In the period since the health boards were abolished by the Government the level of public accountability in the health service has diminished significantly.  In my opinion some officials feel that they can do as they wish and that they are accountable to no one.” Cllr Bree told the meeting.

“When the Government abolished the health boards in 2004 it agreed that Regional Health Forums would be established to provide local elected representatives with a role in the formulation of policies and in the delivery of services.” he said  

“It will probably take another year or so to ascertain fully how meaningful or how influential the role of the regional health forums are, however I must say at this stage, that despite the immense good will and consistent co-operation of people like the Regional Director, Dr Sean Conroy and his staff, I am not over optimistic about the level of influence we will have in terms of the development of our health services either at a regional level or a national level.  

“In the period since the health boards were abolished by the Government the level of public accountability in the health service has diminished significantly.  In my opinion some officials feel that they can do as they wish and that they are accountable to no one.  In my view this must change.” said Cllr Bree.

“Over the 18 month period since this Regional Health Forum was established we have had numerous and well considered discussions and debates relating to the state of the health services in this region.  We have adopted many motions and made many recommendations relating to the improvement and development of the health services and copies of all these motions and recommendations were forwarded to Professor Drumm, and the Health Service Executive.  

“However to date we have never had a response from the Health Service Executive to any motion or recommendation adopted by this Health Forum.   It would appear that when they reach the Health Service Executive in Dublin they are placed in a filing cabinet never to be seen again.   We may as well be sending them to the Bermuda Triangle – for we never hear any more about them once they reach the bureaucrats in the Health Service Executive.

“In this context I would say to the Minister, to Professor Drumm and the Health Service Executive that if they are serious about reforming the health service then they had better listen to the concerns and views of local elected representatives.  

“It is the local councillors who are at the coal face in terms of articulating the concerns of local communities throughout this land.   We have an important role to play in terms of the debate about the future of our health services and we demand that our voices be heard.

“And it’s obvious that a real and significant debate has commenced with regard to the health service in this country and as far as I am concerned this regional health forum must have a significant say in that debate.  

“People must decide will the health service be market-driven or will it be patient-centred and developed in an integrated system where patients are treated, not on the basis on ability to pay, but on the basis of need?

“Across Europe the principal of solidarity protects the vulnerable as well as the better off.   But in Ireland we have a two-tier system in our hospital sector. The inequalities which exist in access and quality of care between the public and private patients in our public hospitals is unacceptable.” Cllr Bree said. 

“To-day over half the population in Ireland buy private health insurance in a country in which everyone is eligible to be a public patient.

“It would be wrong to say that those who buy private insurance do so to get special privileges.   It would be more appropriate to say that they do so to avoid the mistreatment that public patients suffer.   Instead of saying that people buy private insurance to be on the top tier, it would be more fair to say that they do so to avoid being on the bottom tier.

“When he addressed this Health Forum last year, the CEO of the Health Service Executive, Professor Drumm, told us that the two tier system in our public hospitals was unacceptable in modern Ireland.   I fully endorse his views on this issue.    Obviously there is a role for private medicine in private hospitals but there can be no justification for the taxpayer having to subsidise private medicine in our public hospitals

We are now a wealthy society and we can afford the highest quality healthcare for our people.  We have a world-class economy.  I believe that it’s time we had a world class public health service.” Cllr Bree concluded.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION VITAL IN PROTECTING WATER SUPPLIES SAYS BREE

“The publication of this consultative booklet is essentially an invitation to the people of this region to comment and to become involved in preparing the Management Plan which will ensure the provision of a new, strengthened system for the protection and improvement of our water resources.” the outgoing Chairman of the Western River Basin District Advisory Council, Cllr Declan Bree (Sligo) said when he spoke at its AGM and the launch of its new consultative document ”Water Matters”, in the County Hall, Galway this week.  

Addressing the meeting Cllr Bree said, “Today marks an important occasion in the work of the Western River Basin District Advisory Council.  

“The launch of this consultative booklet “Water Matters”, sets the foundation for the preparation and implementation of a Management Plan to safeguard the waters of this entire region.  

“In this context I wish to pay tribute to the members of this Advisory Council, who over the period of the past 12 months, in conjunction with the Western River Basin Management Group, have contributed significant knowledge, expertise and views in helping to prepare this very important consultative document.

“Our river basin district – the Western River Basin District is one of Ireland’s largest river basin districts, encompassing parts of counties Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim and smaller parts of counties Clare and Roscommon.   It covers about one fifth of the country, with a land area of near 12,000 square kilometres, a coastline of some 2,700 kilometres and a further 4,683 square kilometres of marine waters.  Over one third of a million people live in the district and this population is growing year by year.

“The E.U. Water Framework Directive which was transposed into Irish law in 2003, provides for a new approach to the protection, improvement and sustainable use of our waters.   The establishment of this and the other seven River Basin Councils on the island of Ireland is part of this process and in conjunction with the local authorities in the region together with the Department of the Environment we have an obligation to ensure that a comprehensive management plan is put in place to secure the protection and improvement of all waters in this region for future generations.

“The publication of this consultative booklet is essentially an invitation to the people of this region to comment and to become involved in preparing the Management Plan which will ensure the provision of a new, strengthened system for the protection and improvement of our water resources.

“As all of us are aware that water quality has been steadily declining in recent times as shown in the Environmental Protection Agency’s latest report on Water Quality in Ireland (2001-2003).  We need to protect our waters for ourselves and for future generations.  It is therefore vital that everyone understands the water issues that Ireland faces today and that we work together to reduce the negative impacts on the quality of our waters.

“As we launch this consultative document in Galway today we are all very much aware of Galway’s water crisis with in excess of 90,000 people having no access to safe water.  Many people were initially hospitalised as a result of infection from the contaminated water.  All cooking and washing has to be in water that has been boiled for at least a full minute.

“In my view this is unacceptable in a modern European country.

“Members of this Advisory Council from the Galway region have already expressed concern about possible pollution and contamination of water in the city and county and anglers in particular have highlighted their concern in this regard.

“With increases in population and economic activity it is clear that our water resources are facing increased pressure and clearly now is the time to face the challenges and preserve water quality and supplies for future generations within the region.

“Timely reporting of monitoring results is seen as a key element in the achievement of the aims of the Water Framework Directive.  The direct linking of monitoring results to specific measures within catchments will help to provide ongoing feedback concerning the effectiveness or otherwise of the measures

“And I understand that the Local Authorities in the region have been assigned the task of carrying out the monitoring of rivers and lakes.” said Cllr Bree.

“Some months ago it was discovered that a Risk Assessment was carried out on the public water supply to Galway city in 2004, and the water source and water supply was classified as at very high risk.    I understand that Local Authority officials did not disclose this information to the elected councillors or to the public.   In fact it would appear that that there was a deliberate decision taken not to advise councillors or the public of the serious situation relating to the potential contamination of the public water supply.   This in my view is unacceptable and flies in the face of openness and transparency.

“The EU has emphasised again and again that to achieve the aims of the water framework directive ‘the role of citizens and citizen groups will be crucial’. 

“Our very existence as well as our economic activities is totally dependent on water. Water sustains life.   We all know that water resources are facing increasing pressures and clearly now is the time to face the challenges.  And it has to be emphasised that the establishment of a water management plan and its ultimate success will depend on the participation of all citizens, organisations and industries within the river basin district.

“It requires the participation of everybody whether they are involved in agriculture, waste disposal activities, forestry, quarrying, peat harvesting, general industry, fishing, or as a citizen using water every day.

“Informing and engaging the public will help to increase public awareness of water quality issues, and in my opinion public involvement will ensure that the correct decisions are made in relation to our water bodies.

"The launch of this consultative booklet today is a clear invitation to the public to become involved and to have a real say in a process which will affect each and every one of us.  

“All of us have an obligation and a duty to play a part in protecting the quality of our waters resources.   We owe it not only to ourselves but to our children and to their children.” Cllr Bree concluded.

DECLAN BREE RESIGNS FROM LABOUR PARTY

DECLAN BREE’S RESIGNATION LETTER

Mr John Dunne
Secretary
East Ward branch
Labour Party
Sligo.

Dear John

I wish to tender my resignation from the Labour Party.  

As you will be aware I have had serious concerns about the direction the Party has taken under its present leadership.  In this context, like many Labour Party members in the constituency, I could not in conscience participate in the general election campaign nor could I support the Labour Party candidate in the constituency.

Over 20 months have passed since the Party Leader chose to attack me in the pages of the “Irish Times” on the basis of totally unfounded and false allegations.   The record will show that to date he has failed to retract the allegations and apologise.  

That Pat Rabbitte chose to make an attack on me in such a public manner on the basis of totally unfounded allegations – and indeed allegations which I read of for the first time in the “Irish Times” on the 6th of September 2005 – was particularly shocking and unacceptable.

Mr Rabbitte wrote ‘in Sligo Cllr Bree used his position as Mayor to stop an accommodation site going into his own electoral ward and sought to put it into the ward of a colleague that already has three such sites.’

However the minute book of Sligo Borough Council will confirm that the only proposal in regard to my ward, the East Ward, was an amendment to the Traveller Accommodation Programme to the effect that a location be sought in the ward for the provision of apartments for newly wed young travellers.   The minutes will confirm that I, as Mayor of Sligo, and the other councillors, supported the said amendment.

That Mr Rabbitte would claim that the office of the Mayor of Sligo was abused for personal or political advantage is an allegation that in my opinion cannot be ignored.

In all my years as a political activist and in my 33 years as an elected representative I am proud of the fact – and the record will show – that I have always striven to protect the rights of minorities, whether immigrants, gays or travellers.

In June 2004, after a wait of 30 years, I was privileged to be unanimously elected Mayor of Sligo.  To be chosen as Mayor of one’s own native town is a unique honour and in that context I pledged to fulfil my role as first citizen in a manner befitting the position.

During my year in office I carried out my duties as Mayor to the very best of my ability and I particularly ensured that the office of first citizen was not used or abused for personal or partisan political purposes.  At the conclusion of my term I can only say that I was overwhelmed at the positive and warm messages of thanks and congratulations I received from all sectors of Sligo society - community groups, chamber of commerce, voluntary organisations – and from every member of the Borough Council regardless of political affiliation.

Never, not even on one occasion during my 12-month period in office, did any citizen of Sligo or any elected representative suggest that I ever abused my position as Mayor of Sligo.   Not one citizen or elected representative ever alleged that I used my position as Mayor of Sligo, to stop an accommodation site going into my own electoral ward and sought to put in into the ward of a colleague.   

I found it incredulous that seven months after the Borough Council had dealt with the issue of the Traveller Accommodation Programme that Mr Rabbitte would make such false allegations and such serious allegations.

Never in the history of the Labour Party has a Party leader attempted to vilify and smear a Labour Party colleague in such a manner.

Some people have suggested that he was fed incorrect information.   However, 20 months have passed since he made the allegations, and to date he has failed to apologise.

With regard to the current election campaign in the constituency I should point out that I bear no personal animosity to the Labour Party candidate Cllr Jim McGarry.  He has been active in politics in Sligo for quite a number of years and has his own legitimate political views.

However the record will show that he never shared our values and he consistently voted against Labour at County Council and Borough Council meetings over the years.

Labour Party members have made the point that Cllr McGarry voted time and time again to impose Service Charges while our members and supporters were vigorously campaigning against the charges.

Members have highlighted the fact that Cllr McGarry supported and voted for the Privatisation of the Refuse Service while we were campaigning to retain it as a public service.

Members have highlighted the fact that while we were to the fore in the Anti-War movement in Sligo, Cllr McGarry voted against a motion a calling on the Government to halt US war planes using Shannon Airport.

Party members also highlighted the fact that when we were campaigning and calling on the Government to hold a referendum to insert an article on non-alignment and neutrality in the Constitution, Cllr McGarry voted against such a move.

I also have major difficulties with the ill conceived decision of the Labour Party to enter into a pre-election agreement with Fine Gael.  You will recollect that I vociferously opposed this proposal made by the Party leader and I spoke against it at Party Conference.   Essentially what the Labour Party under Pat Rabbittes leadership is doing is giving the kiss of life to the party founded by General O’Duffy, rather than seeking to lead a left led government and fighting the general election as a Left party with its own values and with its own independent policies.
 
It is for all these reasons that I am resigning from the Party and that I cannot bring myself to vote for the Labour candidate in this election.

In fact it is my view that in many constituencies, including Sligo/North Leitrim, the Labour candidates are only being used to ‘sweep up’ Labour votes for Fine Gael.

There are many colleagues in the Labour Party in all parts of the country who I have worked with over the years and whom I admire and it is my intention to maintain contact with them and to continue co-operating with them in my role as a socialist activist and public representative.

As you will be aware I have consulted widely in recent months with activists and supporters and with those who share our values and the great majority are strongly of the view that it is timely for me to resign from the Labour Party.

I therefore tender my resignation.

Yours Etc.

DECLAN BREE

16th May 2007

GOVERNMENT CRITICISED AT ANTI WAR DEMO

The decision of the Taoiseach and the Government to ignore the views of the Irish people, to set aside the principles of our Constitution, and to facilitate at Shannon one of the greatest war machines the world has ever seen, can only be described as outrageous, the former Mayor of Sligo, Cllr Declan Bree, said when he addressed the Irish Anti-War Movement’s demonstration at Citywest, Dublin, at the weekend.  

Other speakers at the demonstration included: Independent Senator David Norris, Socialist Party T.D. Joe Higgins and the artist Robert Ballagh.

Cllr Bree said “the Governments decision to allow the U.S. military to use Shannon, represents a shameful abandonment not just of Irish neutrality but of any commitment to the principles of international law.

“The great majority of the Irish people opposed the war in Iraq.   And in this context we have reason to be concerned about what is happening here in Ireland, in Shannon, particularly given the fact that the number of US troops using the airport has more than doubled in recent years – clear evidence that there is little sign of an end to the illegal occupation and that the conflict itself is escalating.” said Cllr Bree.

“Last years figures showing that over 300,000 US troops passed through Shannon Airport in 2005 is shameful.

“And the ongoing failure of An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and the Irish government to take any steps to inspect US aircraft using Shannon is difficult to understand, given the mounting evidence of the illegal transport of prisoners by CIA-operated planes.

“It is very clear that the Irish state is not simply obliged by national and international law not to engage in torture but also has positive obligations to ensure that torture is not facilitated.

“Extraordinary rendition lies outside international law.  Extraordinary rendition is a CIA invention, a US extrajudicial procedure which involves the sending of untried suspects to countries other than the United States for imprisonment and interrogation, thereby avoiding US laws.” Cllr Bree said.

“EU and media reports describe suspects being arrested, kidnapped, blindfolded, shackled, and sedated and transported by private jet or other means to the destination country.

“Essentially what the US government is saying is that the rules of international law only belong to certain countries, while the United States is above the law and can act with impunity outside international law, even if it has ratified that law.  Such an attitude clearly designates the United States of America as a rogue state—a state that has no hesitation in promoting disappearances, illegal detention, and torture.

“To date the Irish government has not carried out an inspection of one single plane in Shannon, planes that have the same registration numbers as those which snatched and kidnapped people and removed them to centres of detention and torture.
   
“In fact the Minister for Transport has actually acknowledged the fact that N379P, a Gulf Stream executive jet, landed at Shannon Airport fifteen times under two registration numbers. This aircraft was known as the “Guantánamo Bay Express” because of the frequency of its visits to the US concentration camp at Guantánamo.

“Yet the Irish government has never sought information why these very aeroplanes leased by the CIA and working in clear breach of international law were landing in Shannon.

“The Taoiseach and the government tell us that it has received diplomatic assurances from the US administration to the effect that its planes which land in Shannon are not used for extraordinary rendition.

“However it is not simply not good enough for the Taoiseach to say we have received assurances from the US government that nothing untoward is going on, and “we must accept that.”   The reality is that the US government has a record of untruths and deceit on these matters.  It is my view that the Governments refusal to inspect U.S. plans using Shannon has less to do with confidence in the assurances they have received and much more to do with fear of what they might find if inspections were undertaken.” Cllr Bree said.

“Given the use of Shannon by CIA aeroplanes and given the numbers of US troops using Shannon, and in the context of an immoral and unjust war, it is clear that the Irish government is complicit with US state terrorism and breaches of international law, and for this it stands condemned.” said Cllr Bree.