Ag obair chun Éire níos cothroime a chruthú
Cuts to lone parents must be reversed Page 3
Keeping politics out of the Oireachtas Page 4
A fair recovery is possible!
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n the run up to the last election both Labour and Fine Gael promised a new politics, a new economy, an end to cronyism and an end to auction politics.
Yet despite its huge majority and promises of a “democratic revolution” Fine Gael and Labour failed to deliver change and instead implemented their predecessors’ economic deal with the Troika, burst the pay ceiling for ministerial advisors and followed the Fianna Fáil handbook in the way they appointed people to state boards. They implemented regressive budgets and introduced taxation measures
such as the imposition of the water and household taxes. They targeted the most vulnerable through punitive cuts to a range of benefits and rights of workers, particularly the low paid, were further diminished. The people who have been made to pay for greed and mismanagement by bankers, speculators and the establishment have been ordinary citizens most of whom have yet to benefit from the creeping recovery.
Conversely, as the first shoots of recovery take root, the government has decided to implement tax cuts for the wealthy - it is the privileged, gilded section of Irish society who is at the head of the queue when it comes to exiting recession. This is not the way it has to be and Sinn Féin believes a fair recovery is possible but this will not be delivered by the political parties that have failed the people in government.
In the coming months Sinn Féin will lay out policies that provide the basis of a fair recovery, where the priority is: creating quality employment; a decent wage; access to first class public services; fair taxation; with an end to water and household charges. As we approach the centenary of the Easter Rising, Sinn Féin is the only party able to deliver a fair recovery, and build a truly national republic as promised at the GPO in 1916.
Conflict of interest at heart of Clerys sell-off - Gerry Adams
In the aftermath of the sudden closure of Clerys Department Store, Teachta Gerry Adams challenged the government during Leaders’ Questions to address what he described as the “sharp practices” that underpinned the sale of the iconic Dublin store.
The Louth TD called on the Taoiseach to support a SF provision on the Companies Act 2014 which would amend legislation to outlaw such practices. “The liquidation of Clerys,” Teachta Adams said, “is just the latest example of how a golden circle of insiders manipulates the
system for their own narrow self interests and financial gain. “Clerys was placed into liquidation before its property assets were sold off which is allowable under Company Law that was introduced by Fine Gael and Labour.
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An all-Ireland label remains a common aim North and South
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t has been a busy few months for the agriculture portfolio which has such a broad range of issues.The issue of the labelling of agri-food products was hot last year in relation to beef, but it has arisen now in the lamb sector.
The issue is a EU labelling regulation, which demands that the country of origin
must be on the label of all foodstuffs and which came into force on 1 April. The anomaly of Ireland is that we have partition, and so, with two member states on this small island, we have a problem. The reputation of Irish meat, whether beef, lamb or pork, is second to none, but foreign buyers do not want a label which indicates “mixed” origin. CONTINUED PAGE 2
Team SF working to defend rural Ireland, North and South Ferris challenges Irish government to support single labelling to maintain international reputation of Irish food FROM PAGE 1 It is hard to accept, when “mixed” in this case, might mean an animal born near Jonesborough and slaughtered in Carlingford, as part of a cross-border trade which goes back centuries. The logical solution is one label for the whole country: an all-island label. Minister Michelle O’Neill in the North has co-operated with the minister in the South, Simon Coveney, in trying to persuade the big British supermarkets to accept such a move, but despite initial favourable responses, nothing was agreed. One of the biggest beef processors on this island, Dawn Meats, came out publicly against the measure almost as soon as it was suggested. At a meeting in early May with sheep farmers in Poyntzpass, Co Down, agricultural spokesman in the Dáil, Martin Ferris TD and minister Michelle O’Neill MLA, listened to their concerns that the traditional cross-border trade would dry up due to the situation.
They asked that Sinn Féin would work towards the all-Ireland label and in the meantime support the call of the Irish Farmers’ Association and the Ulster Farmers’ Union for a voluntary label which would specify “Born in NI and slaughtered in the ROI”. While in Poyntzpass, Minister O’Neill and members of her team at Stormont launched a new Sinn Fein rural and agricultural policy document specific to the North, and launched at the Balmoral Show.
The strength of the Sinn Fein team working on agriculture and rural affairs must be the envy of other parties with our minister Michelle O’Neill at Stormont, Martin Ferris TD in the Dáil, Oliver McMullan MLA in Stormont, Matt Carthy MEP on the agriculture committee in Brussels and of course, Liadh NíRiada the only Irish representative on the Fisheries Committee. Team Sinn Féin working to defend rural Ireland North and South.
Deputy Ferris introduces rural proofing bill to the Dáil
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hroughout the economic crisis working people have suffered disproportionately but those living in rural areas have suffered the most. So often we have heard lip-service being paid to the social fabric of Ireland being dependent on the land and those who work it and the rural nature of our society. However, now that the government spin doctors are in overdrive talking about a recovery, the way rural Ireland has been left behind could not be more obvious. Martin Ferris TD introduced a new bill to the Dáil on Wednesday 6 May 2015: the Rural Equality Bill 2015, which aims to prevent discrimination and neglect of rural Ireland in favour of the cities.
Speaking in the Dáil as he introduced the bill, Martin Ferris said: “The aim of this bill is to make public bodies consider rural areas when they set about implementing measures which could have a significant socio-economic effect on rural Ireland. “The people of rural Ireland are fed up being ignored and neglected. Talk of recovery rings very hollow in towns and villages all over this state where local businesses are closing, where post offices and Garda stations are gone and where even the bus services are under threat. “There is a lot of spin and platitudes about rural Ireland, but this bill aims to make it necessary to perform a rural impact assessment in order to eliminate, or at least lessen, existing discrimination against rural areas.”
CENSORING THE DÁIL Oireachtas report makes clear Direct Provision unfit for purpose
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD and Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh have been leading the way in calling for an end to Direct Provision in Ireland. The Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions, of which Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD is the chairperson, has recently published a report calling for an end to the system. “This report to the Dáil and Seanad makes it clear to both Houses of the Oireachtas that the di-
rect provision system is not fit for purpose.” Direct Provision was designed and resourced to be a short-term solution, Mac Lochlainn said. There are 4,360 people in the system, one-third of them children. One resident has been in it for 11 years and a large number for five years or more. One in five residents in direct provision have been in the system for seven or more years.
Time ticking but cuts to Lone Parent Allowance can be reversed
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fforts by billionaire business man Denis O’Brien to curtail the media reporting on Dáil statements that referenced his companies’ dealings with the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC) threatened to precipitate an unprecedented constitutional crisis.
Things came to a head when It was not lost on Independent Kildare TD Catherine Murphy introduced a Bill to provide citizens that neither enhanced powers to the Comptroller and Auditor General to conduct the Taoiseach nor an inquiry into the sale of SiteServe, the Tánaiste were and the dealings Denis O’Brien had with IBRC. prepared to defend A temporary injunction that prevented RTE broadcasting a pro- the principle of Dáil gramme which examined the deal- privilege ings O’Brien had with IBRC meant most media outlets were reluctant to Mary Lou McDonald report the statement Deputy Murphy made when she initiated the Bill. Coincidentally, a couple of days before the controversy broke the Irish Times reported that tough new sanctions were being considered by the Oireachtas CPP Committee on TDs who were deemed to have behaved “in a disorderly way”. The article referenced Mary Lou McDonald for a statement she had made that named a number of prominent retired politicians who allegedly held off-shore Ansbacher accounts. Some of the sanctions being considered by the CPP would include suspension from Dáil votes and Committees. When the High Court clarified that Denis O’Brien’s injunction could not prevent Dáil comments being published by the media it received a general welcome, in contrast to senior government figures who remained conspicuously silent on the matter. In response Teachta Mary Lou McDonald said it was not lost on citizens that neither the Taoiseach nor the Tánaiste were prepared to defend the principle of Dáil privilege which she described as a “fundamental cornerstone of our democracy”. Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams said the Oireachtas needed to “reassert its authority in this situation” and he challenged the government to seek immediate clarification from the Attorney General on the rights of Oireachtas members in respect of Dáil privilege and the role of the media when reporting what is said in the national parliament. He also made clear that Sinn Féin would resist any attempt to subvert the constitution by shutting down the media from reporting on matters of significant public interest.
Bill needed to protect workers Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Social Protection Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald and Sinn Féin Councillors Denise Mitchell, Sarah Holland, Louise O’Reilly, Shane O’Brien, Cathleen Carney Boud and Mícheál MacDonncha pictured at the launch in June of a postcard campaign in opposition to cuts to the Lone Parent Allowance. Speaking in response to the latest government cut, Deputy Ó Snodaigh said that reductions to payments are due to begin on July 2nd and will negatively impact on almost 12,000 families who will suffer a financial loss of up to €86 per week driving many of them into poverty. “This postcard campaign,” he said, “is addressed to Joan Burton who instigated the cuts and highlights the difficulties these families face. It urges the Tánaiste to reverse this punitive measure immediately”.
FROM FRONT PAGE “No provision was made for redundancy, holiday pay or other staff-related costs or pensions and the rights of employees and concession holders were completely discarded.” The current law allows a ‘Golden Circle’ to make massive profits through sharp practises that are entirely legal. Clearly, the existing legislation in this area needs to be amended and the onus is now on the government to support changes to the existing legislation tabled earlier in the year by Teachta Peadar Toibín which provides enhanced How the parties voted when SF protection for workers when similar circumstances arise in introduced legislation to improve the 2014 Companies Act the future.
Answering the hard questions...
OR TALKING
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nda Kenny really is a bit of a joker. When an exasperated TD on the opposition benches asked him recently what was the point of leader’s questions he told her, “It’s to tell you where to go.” I kid you not. Week after week the Taoiseach has put his best patronising face forward, as he inelegantly dodges the tough questions. This carry on is not new or unique to the Fine Gael leader, although he and his Tánaiste are amongst the worst offenders. So when Gerry Adams posed the question that the Taoiseach’s reason for not setting up an independent commission of investigation into the Siteserv sale was because he doesn’t want citizens to know exactly what happened – Kenny bewilderingly told the Sinn Fein leader it was because he didn’t want to be accused of a coverup! Eh, isn’t the point of an investigation to expose wrong doing? Labour Leader Joan Burton is not a whole pile better. Mary Lou recently asked what daily necessity the Tánaiste proposed struggling house-
WAFFLE?
holds forgo to pay the water tax. Instead of answering she waffled on about Belfast, singing of songs, something about unemployed people having no ambition and bizarrely, her efforts to increase peoples’ incomes by taxing them more!
IT’S ALL FIANNA FÁIL’S FAULT! Then there’s the old chestnut of, ‘it’s Fianna Fáil’s fault’. We all know the last crowd are to blame for crash but let’s face it; Fine Gael and Labour have made a bad situation a lot worse. Families and SMEs alike are still struggling with high levels of debt, you’ve less money in your pocket, family homelessness is at crisis levels and your loved ones are still languishing on hospital trollies when they need urgent care. Yet despite the deeply unfair policies of this government its party leaders try to palm off even their most recent decisions on Fianna Fáil. Take the sale of the states 25% share in Aer Lingus. In setting out Sinn Féin’s opposition to the sale Mary Lou McDonald called on the Tánaiste
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Week after week the Taoiseach has put his best patronising face forward, as he inelegantly dodges the tough questions to explain why Aer Lingus pensioners have been given a short shrift, noting in particular deferred pensioners who have been treated shamefully by the company and government. Joan Burton laid the blame at Fianna Fáil’s door for legislation introduced six years ago – but the reality is Labour and Fine Gael voted down Sinn Féin amendments to legislation that would have provided added protections for the very same pensioners. Bring on the election!
The Marriage Equality referendum shone a spotlight on some of the more archaic practices within Leinster House. While politicians are elected on political platforms, to make political change and drive political ideas – the thought of them wearing their politics on their sleeve – or their lapel – is still frowned on in this historic building. Mary Lou McDonald and David Norris were just two of the politicians who were asked to remove ‘Vótáil Tá’ badges during the referendum by Leinster House authorities. This is certainly not the first time this has been an issue. There is a concerted attempt to remove politics from the corridors and chambers of Leinster House. The Proclamation may be on display and likenesses of Cathal Brugha and Constance Markievicz proudly displayed – but when Sinn Féin attempt to honour those republicans with a simple Easter Lily it throws the Establishment into a fit of hysteria.
Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan even went so far as to seek a report from the Ceann Chomhairle on the wearing of such emblems by Sinn Féin deputies. He was noticeably quiet on the wearing of the poppy, however. This might seem like a small issue – it is part of a bigger problem and culture that permeates throughout Leinster House. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour may occasionally clash in the chamber – but in reality they are cut from the same cloth. They have no discernible difference in their policies. Their politics is the politics of being in power for the sake of being in power. Inside Leinster House they have for too long been insulated from the real cut and thrust of politics, and from the effects their actions in government have on ordinary people. Leinster House was
for too long a “green zone” where the idea of real politicians or real politics crashing through the railings was a far off dystopian nightmare. This cosy consensus of backslapping in the corridors and pantomime fights in the chamber has been rocked to its core with the arrival of Sinn Féin and other parties who are making a difference, and aren’t ashamed of wearing their politics on their sleeve. Printed by Martin Ferris TD 0612