The Socialist by Socialist Party

PAPER OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY

ISSUE 91

2008-2014: €31 billion in austerity for the majority 2010-2015: Richest 300 increase wealth by €34 billion

APRIL 2015

INSIDE

Y R E B B O R IS H T T S IN A G A K C HIT BA

Boycott

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Bills!

Crucial stage in Water Charges battle

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Joe Higgins on water privatisation

Radical Yes campaign for full equality

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April 2015

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THE SOCIALIST

Profiling ireland’s suPer rich Wealth of richest 300 rises by €13 billion The last five years have been years of austerity – people have struggled to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads because of job losses, rising rents, home repossessions and welfare cuts. Our health system is creaking at the seams with trollies and homelessness has reached crisis point. But for a small group of people the last five years have been some of the best years they’ve had in a long time. I’m talking about Ireland’s 300 richest people. The Sunday Independent rich List shows that for the richest 300 people the crisis has been a time where their personal wealth has increased massively. Over the last five years they have increased their wealth by €35 billion, it increased by €13 billion in 2014 alone. This small group of people are now worth €85 billion, but an even smaller elite, the top ten richest are worth a massive €42 billion.

By Dave Murphy

Mistry and his family. They have increased their wealth by a massive 54% in 2014 jumping from €9.36 billion to €14.5 billion! This has come mainly through their 18% state in investment conglomerate Tata Sons which owns businesses such as Tetley Tea, Jaguar and other chemical and steel industries.

Guess which media mogul & Richest tax ten are worth exile comes a combined in third place? €42 billion Denis O’Brien is sitting pretty in third place on the list. having increased his wealth by just over €1.5 billion in 2014, he is now worth €5.97 billion and counting! O’Brien owns a huge section of the Irish media through Independent News & Media who have been cheer leaders for austerity and the attack dogs of the establishment

Top of the list with €14.5 billion at the top of the list are pallonji

Dunnes Stores owner Margaret Heffernan against any radical opposition. O’Brien has owned Fine Gael since he bribed one of its former ministers to award him a telephone licence and is at the centre of the Irish Water nexus. It was no surprise when his offer to buy Sitserv, a company now at the centre of the installation of water meters, was accepted despite being lower than other offers put in on the company, which subsequently had its debts writ-

ten off by anglo-Irish Bank under the watchful eye of former Fine Gael leader alan Dukes.

Dunnes owner, Margaret Heffernan, is worth est. €270m

Dunnes Stores – family fortune comes at workers expense

One of the families on the rich List at the centre of a dispute are the Dunne family, owners of Dunnes Stores. after staff went on strike in april against low-hour contracts, the company responded with bullying, intimidation, dismissals and cuts to working hours. This should be of no surprise to anyone –in 1984 when one of

its workers refused to handle South african products in protest against apartheid the company suspended the worker and a near three year strike began. In 2005 the same company suspended Joanne Delaney from one of their stores for wearing her union badge. Members of the Dunnes family have been embroiled in scandals and corruption. Ben Dunne Junior was at the centre of corruption findings in the Moriarty Tribunal which were described as ”breathtaking”. he was found to have bribed Fianna Fail & Fine Gael politicians. The current head of the company Margaret heffernan is worth an estimated €270m, while her brother Frank is worth an estimated €280million. Many of the next generation of the family are already stepping into powerful roles in the company.

Ryanair CEO says it, so the opposite must be true One of Ireland’s most vocal anti-union, anti-worker bosses, Michael O’Leary, recently said that the anti-water charge protests were “a load of rubbish”. “This idea that water is somehow free or that you’re entitled to free water is nonsense” he explained. With an obscene personal fortune of €755 million, he has little trouble paying for anything – except a decent wage for his employees of course.

3/4 of Dunnes' staff are on flexible or short term contracts

Dunnes Stores workers strike against exploitative contracts By Emma Quinn

n 2014 Dunnes Stores made an estimated profit of €400 million while simultaneously having more employees on social welfare than any other Irish firm. Three quarters of all Dunnes Stores staff are employed under flexible or short term contracts. The exploitation of their workers under the guise of flexibility is enforced with 15 hour contracts requiring them to be available last minute and effectively prevents them from planning family and social lives or to organise childcare.

Profits up, workers’ rights down The financial impact of these contracts goes beyond the low pay and dramatic changes to weekly income and can make employees ineligible for sick and holiday pay and make it almost impossible to receive credit from financial institutions i.e. mortgages or loans.

Technology now provides retailers with precise and accurate information regarding sales and footfall allowing management to know exactly the number of staff required at any time. There is no reason why hours should be altered on a week by week basis as is current practice, it is simply a practice to maximise profits and prevent unionisation. April 2nd saw thousands of Dunnes Stores workers nationwide respond to their employer’s refusal to seriously engage with them and their trade union Mandate by initiating a one day strike.

Disgraceful victimisation The Thursday strike was followed by Friday dismissals, with reports of workers being sacked and at least one being fired within 24 hours of the industrial action. The bosses at Dunnes continued their heavy handed approach to workers by targeting those involved in the picket’s with changes to roles and departments, cuts to hours and

alternative shift patterns. In a typical response the government have spoken out of both sides of their mouth Enda Kenny in one sentence said he both supported the workers and hoped the strike would not go ahead, the Labour leader Joan Burton “paid tribute” to the workers noting that the majority were woman, unbearable hypocrisy given Burton herself has sat over savage attacks on working women including cuts to Maternity pay, Children’s Allowance and One Parent Family supplement. There has also been a complete failure to address the fact that 60% of the low paid are women.

Recovery based on race to the bottom This governments “recovery” is based on a race to the bottom in wages and living standards for workers while bosses like the Dunne family who are on the rich list continue to reap massive rewards. Low pay and low hour contracts are becoming the norm,

Ireland has the highest rate of under employment in the EU and 25% of all workers earning below the living wage. The widespread support amongst working class people for the strike is an indication that many workers recognise their own conditions are under threat. Further strike action including

escalating to two or three days of strike action is what’s needed to defeat the ruthless Dunnes management. There is an onus on the whole trade union movement and working class people to support the Dunnes workers as a victory for them would be a blow against precarious work and the continued casualisation of employment.

April 2015

3 THE SOCIALIST

The assault on public services continues By Diana O’Dwyer

fteR AlmoSt seven years of austerity, public services are at breaking point. Cuts in capital expenditure on housing of 84% have left 100,000 households on the housing list and spending per college student has been slashed 41%. these are just two examples of Austerity Phase one. And despite what noonan and Burton say, it is nowhere near ‘over’ given none of the cuts has been significantly reversed.

austerity phase two Nevertheless, the government is set on developing Austerity Phase Two. This will use the disastrous impact on public services of the first phase as an excuse for introducing more user fees and financialised forms of privatisation. Water charges and Irish Water show us their model of the future. First, the government points out a service is near collapse and

argues the best way to guarantee funding for it is to pay ‘at the point of use’, which will also ‘reduce waste’. Next, it uses the income stream this creates to raise funds on financial markets, claiming the huge investment now needed means the state could not borrow such large sums itself and EU rules compel it to fund public investment ‘off-balance sheet’ to avoid increasing the national debt.

Bondholders profit from public services This ensures bondholders get their money back and reassures prospective investors, who might be wary of lending to the Exchequer directly, given our enormous national debt after bailing out the banks. This way, they get a guaranteed income from user fees to pay the interest on their bonds, as well as a claim on a valuable public asset and implicit state guarantee if things go belly up. The government is already introducing similar financialised funding models for social housing, with plans to raise investment ‘off-balance

Disgraceful attacks on the disabled

Dublin Bus workers vote to strike against privatisation plans

sheet’ off the back of (rising) local authority rents. Introducing student loans and securitising them could extend this to education. In the process, the funding of public services is reversed. Previously, progressive taxation meant corporations and the rich

paid some of the cost of public services. Now capitalists will be paid to provide public services by the working class. And in contrast to classic privatisation, where a service is explicitly sold off to a private company, the risks for capitalists are reduced as they can

now invest as bondholders rather than shareholders, while the state acts as guarantor / debt collector. All of this makes winning the battle against water charges even more important, as a victory in a wider war against financialised privatisation.

Housing crisis deepens as rents and homelessness rise By Leigh Ashmore

By Finghin Kelly on 1 april, with the support of Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil, the government passed the Social Welfare Bill. this legislation is no april fool’s joke; it contains serious attacks on the right of people with disabilities and the elderly to access a carer. As well as making it harder to qualify for a carer, now, instead of a doctor judging whether a person’s disability warrants a carer, this decision will be taken by an official who has no medical training. This will result in people not being able to carry out normal everyday tasks and result in thousands losing their independence. As well as suffering through pay cuts, job losses, and regressive taxes, people with disabilities have been hit extra hard by cuts to SNAs, mobility allowance, medical cards, the transportation grant and the respite care grant, while waiting

lists for assessments and treatment have soared.

Greater risk of poverty for disabled This war on the disabled, led by Labour Party ministers, means that 26% of people with disabilities in Ireland are at risk of poverty, much higher than the general population. To rub salt on the wound, this Bill passed on the 8th anniversary of the UN Convention for the Rights of People with Disabilities, a convention that the government has disgracefully still not ratified, making it one of the last countries in the world not to approve it. There is no reason why people with disabilities can’t live in dignity and have a fulfilling and independent life. In order to make these rights a reality we need to struggle to reverse austerity and for massive investment in public services and welfare.

omeleSSneSS In Ireland is currently at crisis levels. Rents are skyrocketing while private landlords are making perverse profits from rent allowance and overpriced accommodation. Dublin City Council released statistics in november 2014 showing that 168 people were sleeping rough in the city every night, and that figure has increased by 21% from the year before. The Simon Community have said that the rate of homelessness in Dublin is actually higher, as figures don’t take into account people sleeping on couches, squats, hospitals and temporary B&Bs. In the capital, homelessness services are at breaking point, with no more emergency accommodation in hostels and B&Bs available for families facing living on the street. The Father Peter McVerry Trust has criticised the government’s failure on housing. In response, Labour Minister Alan Kelly said that McVerry needed to adopt a more positive attitude and he’d “rather if people were more constructive”.

“…stop scapegoating property developers” It may look like the coalition’s plan for the housing crisis is to do noth-

The housing crisis has forced many families to resort to sleeping in tents

ing. In reality, the government is actively helping millionaire landlords, property developers and other vulture capitalists to make a killing on the housing market. Last month, the Independent ran with the headline “It’s time for us to stop scapegoating property developers”, quoting Finance Minister Michael Noonan. That was in reference to Noonan having a closed-off meeting in a luxury Dublin hotel with millionaire property developers who were directly responsible for the 2008 crash to talk about new construction projects. What followed was a revolting defence of these parasites by Noonan, who insisted that any housing strategy will have to benefit private

investors. Despite the crisis, the government is committed to ensuring that housing remains a lucrative and profitable source for the super-rich.

For human need not developers’ greed The answer to the housing crisis is simple: build houses based on people’s need, not profit. Within a capitalist society, a home is a commodity to be traded among the rich to make short-term cash. The housing crisis will only be resolved if we challenge the logic of the market by introducing rent controls and tax the super-rich to fund a massive public house building programme.

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Welcome to “RecoveRy” IRelanD

April 2015

water charges news

THE SOCIALIST

Why non-payment is essential to win when people hear the facts they will see the sense and purpose of not paying. This can be done, it has already been shown. All we need is a new version of the movement that erupted last year from below against water metering. We need people to come together to spread the word and give confidence to those in the communities who are still fearful because of the government’s threats and bullying.

By Kevin McLoughlin

“I

f you fight you might lose, if you don’t you have already lost.” It is meaningless to oppose to the water charges, but then to pay them. Your “protest” will be ignored and the government will have successfully robbed you of more of your money, and you will have made it easy for them.

turn the tide against austerity

Refuse to pay If a large majority pay, the political parties and the big business interests who are waiting to profiteer from water will see that as acceptance of the charge and you can forget about the “promises” to get rid of them. Once it’s in, it is much easier for the establishment to pressure the parties to keep water charges. But now after 7 years of unrelenting austerity we, ordinary working class people, have within our own hands the power to defeat this austerity charge and to challenge the gross inequality in this country. If those who are opposed to the charge; to Irish Water; to the privatisation of a vital natural resource; to the incompetence, intimidation, bullying and bonuses that have characterised this policy over the last year and a half; all refused to pay, undoubtedly that would be a clear majority of the population.

Boycott will pressure any new government Mass non-payment will deny Irish Water of the oxygen of cash and

Those who are opposed to water charges must organise a mass boycott, the most powerful weapon we have

capital. But crucially it would also make it politically impossible for the parties who are facing a general election within the next year, to stand over the charge. We can tip the balance against this charge. It would be near impossible to see how any new government could even consider imposing a charge that a majority are already not paying. People have nothing to fear but fear itself. The government’s bluster and threats against those who don’t pay are empty, like the Emperor with no clothes, there is

nothing there. There are no penalties for not paying the first four quarterly bills. That means that everyone can refuse to pay a cent for at least a year and help establish majority non-payment by the general election, when the parties are most vulnerable, without incurring any penalties.

Reject the threats and bullying The bills are going out and they say that people have two weeks to pay.

That’s why the Anti Austerity Alliance and the Socialist Party are trying to get the idea of a protest boycott out there nationally as soon as possible, as well as the info that no penalties can be incurred until after the election. It is unfortunate, to say the least, that many who make a big point of their opposition to water charges such as some unions, Sinn Fein and even Right2Water will not now advocate non-payment. Regardless, if ordinary people in the communities get organised we can get the word out there and

Defeating the water charges would change the whole political and social dynamic in this country. It would make any new government, of whatever combination of parties, nervous and uncertain in continuing with the austerity that their system demands is imposed. It would give working class people a sense of their own power and a chance to turn the tables and could translate into struggles on other issues, including on the issue of pay, as people still can’t make ends meet. A victory, organised by a movement in the communities, must also be the signal for the pulling together of a new party or political movement that really organises the working class and challenges the capitalist system. One hundred and thirty five years ago an organised protest movement from below against a landlord in Mayo made history. Now is the time to once again spread the “Boycott” tactic against water charges and in so doing sink Captain Kenny, his good ship Irish Water and begin to turn the tide for the working class in this country.

Boycotting water charges – “not the Sinn Féin position” W

Hen AntI Austerity people through the courts...” Alliance and Socialist thinly veiled Party tDs proposed a motion in the Dáil for a massive boyscaremongering cott to force the abolition of water charges, this is how Here it is in plain English – Sinn Sinn féin President, Gerry Féin refuses to call for and support a mass boycott of the water Adams, responded: charges, despite the fact that “[T]he motion also calls for a it’s the single most effecboycott of water charge tive tactic to ensure bills by householders. for the antiThis is not the Sinn “the motion also victory water charges Féin position. We struggle. It’s will support calls for a boycott of meaningless to those who canwater charge bills by say a political not pay and householders. This is those who have party will support decided not to individuals who not the Sinn Féin posipay. However... can’t / won’t pay, tion... we do not call while simultanewe do not call for a boycott. We have ously opposing a for a boycott.” adopted this position boycott. Refusing to for a very good reason. pay an unjust charge as We have seen in the past, an individual, while both North and South, the folly of admirable, is futile unless it’s part political leaders advising house- of an organised campaign of united holders not to pay certain taxes, resistance – a highly organised and however unjust, and subsequently crucially, a mass boycott. being unable to defend the same Gerry Adam’s thinly-veiled citizens when governments drag scaremongering (his mentioning of

court dates and defeats of the past) must be countered with the facts – that if we build a big enough boycott, no amount of courts would be enough to break the movement; and that in any case, penalties won’t kick in until next year after a general election!

a weak opposition to water charges Sinn Fein’s opposition to water charges is weak. In an interview on Morning Ireland (11 September 2014), Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty said that abolition of Water Charges was not a “red line issue” for Sinn Féin in entering a coalition government. The anti-wnon-payment movement, through Paul Murphy and the Anti Austerity Alliance’s successful Dublin South West By Election challenge, forced Sinn Fein to back-pedal on this. In October, Gerry Adams, Pearse Doherty and Mary-Lou McDonald cited their intention to pay their own water charges. By November, these three most prominent Sinn

Gerry Adams TD has engaged in scaremongering about non-payment

Fein TDs experienced a change of heart, and said they would not pay. And lastly, Sinn Fein has also uturned on their previous position which was to keep Irish Water intact. Sinn Fein at best stands

parallel to the actual water charges struggle. Those who are building non-payment need their own political voice and a broad slate of candidates of their own for the general election.

April 2015

5 THE SOCIALIST

safely boycott the first 4 bills without any fine or sanction. Under pressure from a mass movement, the government have backed down on their threat to reduce non-payers’ water pressure, so we can confidently boycott until after a General Election.

By Dave Vallely

after the concessions, are water charges affordable now? The first water bills have started dropping, and everyone is going to receive an initial bill of either €40 or €65. Further bills will then follow every three months until the end of 2018. In this period, there is also the possibility of claiming back an annual €100 conservation grant. Don’t be fooled however! Once the cap is lifted in 2019, prices will soar. Using Irish Water’s own pricing figures, and their estimation of average water usage per person, the average bill will rise to an annual €200 per person for adults and children alike. At this rate, a family of two adults and two children would face an annual bill of €800!

can my landlord force me to pay?

No. The charge is between the tenant and Irish Water, at the moment landlords have no role besides informing Irish Water of who lives at the address. The government want to give land-

Absolutely not. If you are registered you can still refuse to pay. Registration was an information gathering exercise so that Irish Water could identify those who are liable. Irish Water already have a fair idea who most of us are in any case so you are not disadvantaged for having registered. It was not a contract, people who registered can still refuse to pay.

No. Water charges are not like the Property Tax: Revenue is NOT involved. Irish Water will not be able to deduct anything from your income at source. The Government are using bully boy tactics to scare people into paying. They are threatening to bring in legislation which will allow a judge to make an “attachment of earnings” to deduct unpaid charges from your income. However, even if

I’ve already registered – does that put me in a more vulnerable position?

can water charges be deducted from my wages, welfare or pension?

lords powers to take arrears from tenants’ deposits and give councils the power to increase rent to cover arrears and/or fines. A strong boycott can make it difficult for landlords and councils to use such powers.

can I be taken to court for not paying?

The threatened Government legislation indicates the possibility of court cases late next year at the earliest. But non-payment is not a criminal offence. It has no effect on your credit rating or your ability to get Garda clearance for jobs.

they get this legislation through – it’s a legal minefield – there will be no deductions until the end of next year at the earliest. Mass non-payment now and in the run up to the election can force abolition well before any of these threats would come to pass.

What are the penalties for non-payment?

There are fines of €30 or €60 per household but these don’t kick in until the summer of next year, after you have refused to pay for a full 12 months. You can

How we can make non-payment a reality not sure what else can be done. If you use the street meeting to also organise your estate, you can get those people on board to help out. Form a local working group to organise more activities, together we are stronger.

By Katia Hancke So laSt year we got the carrot (a small one, mind you),and this year the government is bringing out the stick. Between all sorts of weekly government threats, an ongoing plethora of scandals related to water meter installations and the setting up of the Irish Water quango, water charges remain in everyone’s mind. the anger about this unjust tax is as palpable as ever. But how do we ensure we win this battle? As the first bills are dropping now, our response has to be to build as strong a boycott as possible – reach out to every house, every street in our communities and let people know a boycott is feasible, that they are not on their own, and that if we stick together then mass non-payment will be a reality. If people are given confidence that they are only one of many engaged in boycotting, we can win over many more to non-payment. This is a big task, but many hands make light work.

Street meetings to organise should be held in every community

Step 1 – organise a local street meeting Pick the local green, put up some posters in the estate, make a jingle to advertise the meeting and drive around in a car. Local shops will take posters or flyers and help get the word out. People will come,

some because they are genuinely not sure yet what to do. It is important to be able to put their minds at ease but also register the importance of making a stance against austerity now. Others will come, who are already convinced not to pay but

Step 2 – Get an information leaflet into every door Excellent information leaflets have been produced by the We Won’t Pay campaign. These leaflets answer peoples’ doubts and fears and outline the importance of this battle in the context of seven years of austerity. Getting this information into every door as the first bills are arriving is very important in terms of shoring up people’s determination not to engage with Irish Water. From the street meeting the estate can be divvied up between volunteers to make this happen. Step 3 – make the We Won’t Pay campaign visible in every corner of the country Activities that show people there is an active local campaign also help give people confidence that we can defeat water

charges: Leave a banner on the side of busy roads. Stand at key intersections during rush hour traffic with a banner and/or some placards and you will be pleasantly surprised by the amount of positive feedback you will get. Information stalls at shopping centres and local shops are another good way to reach out to people. Step 4 – Did we miss anyone? There are so many ways to reach out to people – local schools, bus and train stations, bingo halls, sporting events etc. The most systematic way is still to go door to door and talk to people on the comfort of their own doorstep. The above activities will help us all to get more people involved in the coming days and weeks, so we can all work together to reach out to those who need our reassurance and support to make a united stance against the rip off that is Irish Water. Places to look for ideas & resources: Website: www.WontPay.ie/ Facebook: WeWontPayTheWaterCharges

water charges news

FAQ: Water charges – What you need to know

April 2015

THE SO

special feature

IRISh economy:

headline statistics stagnation for the I

f THE reports of the demise of Mark Twain had been much exaggerated, the opposite is the case for the southern Irish economy, writes Paul MuRPHY TD. Its rebirth, life and vitality have been declared and announced time and time again. On the face of it, some of the economic statistics would seem to back that claim up.

RelAnD IS officially the fastest growing economy in the eu. yet working class people do not feel that recovery at all. that feeling is based on the economic reality. there is no substantial real growth in Ireland, instead stagnation continues for the majority. Europe-wide, capitalism continues to face a major crisis. Deflation is a reality – with a decline in prices taking hold officially in 2014. The central cause of this is the policy of driving down wages across Europe – with disastrous effects in terms of falling consumer demand.

accountancy tricks to avoid taxes Domestically, the headline growth

figures of both GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and GNP (Gross National Product) don’t tell the true story. This is because GDP includes profits officially ‘booked’ by multinational corporations (MNCs) in Ireland and then shipped back to the US or other home countries. The profits in reality are accounted for in Ireland, but not made in Ireland – it is a method of avoiding taxes. GNP figures are also now inaccurate because “re-domiciled” MNC profits are included. That is when major MNCs have their main headquarters here – and profits are shipped back to Ireland from other countries – but have no impact on the real economy. In 2012, this amounted to €7.5 billion, or 5% of GNP. The operation of the IFSC has the same effect.

Therefore to really know what is going on in the economy, you have to look behind the headline statistics. The GDP of an economy is made up of consumption, investment, government spending and net exports. When one examines a picture of where those components stand relative to before the crisis, one dramatic thing stands out. The only element of

GDP that is higher than it was precrisis is net exports. All of the other components – which together make up the domestic economy - are lower.

Fictitious figures So exports are the only growing component of the economy. But a more in-depth look at experts

demonstrates an important part of that component to be fictitious. In the first place, three quarters of the growth of net exports is down to a decline in imports, rather than an actual increase in exports. Imports are down €14.6 billion, while exports are up €7.4 billion. Even within that, the growth in exports is highly suspect. For exam-

Why we need a Left government By Laura Fitzgerald aUSteRIty IS a one-sided class war. the politicians hand in hand with the major employers have waged a war on the pay, conditions and living standards of the broad working class through swingeing cuts to public sector pay and services, zero-hour contracts in the private sector, JobBridge, home and water taxes and more. this war is being waged in the interests of an economic recovery for the super-rich. It’s clear that in the midst of such a furious attack on our living standards, a government that is going to end austerity has to be a Left government: a government that stands unashamedly and implacably on the side of the masses of workers, the unemployed, the pensioners, the young and all the victims of austerity. Such a working class government would have to consciously fight

back in recognition of the reality of class war, and would have to be a government that's antibanker, a government that's actively taking on big business and its profiteering ways.

new movement for a left government The explosion of the anti-water charges movement in the last six months gives a glimpse as to how we can build the basis of such a government. Working class people getting active – from those who've marched in their tens of thousands, to those who have effectively organised their neighbours to prevent water metering, to those who are now turning to building for a massive boycott of the water charges in their own communities – can be the basis of a new movement that actively fights austerity and also challenges it politically.

The Anti-Austerity Alliance is an organisation of ordinary working class activists building for mass non-payment on the ground that's also got TDs and councillors who can use their elected positions to further the anti-austerity movement. This new movement gives a glimpse of the potential for a new mass working class political force that can make a Left Government a possibility in the coming years. This fighting approach unfortunately stands in stark contrast to the 14 Sinn Fein TDs who oppose and have even spoken out against an organised boycott of the water charges. Mass boycott is the single most effective tactic that can be used to defeat this odious austerity measure. Furthermore, the fact that Sinn Fein have campaigned for a lowering of corporation tax is in contradiction to their vocal opposition to austerity. A government that panders to the corporate

The recent election in Greece has raised the prospect of radical Left goverments coming to power in Europe

elite – the likes of Margaret Heffernan, the Dunnes boss who has slashed working conditions and impoverished a generation of young workers – will not be an anti-austerity government. This puts in context the fact that Sinn Fein in government in the North are currently axing 20,000 public

sector jobs.

end the dictatorship of the markets A left government would refuse to pay the debts incurred due to the profiteering of the elite. It would go after the huge private

April 2015

OCIALIST

ple, the figures show that nearly all of the growth in goods exports is not made up of goods that are actually being manufactured in Ireland. Instead, they are a result of so-called ‘contract manufacturing’. This is where a company which is headquartered in Ireland contracts out manufacturing to a factory, for example in China, and it is exported from there. Officially, it appears as an Irish export, but it has nothing to do with the Irish economy. In relation to the service exports, a distortion based on tax avoidance practices is also at play.

Under-employment & low paid jobs Meanwhile, for working class people, the crisis continues. The government has talked up the decrease in unemployment – but it remains at 10%. At this rate, it will be ten years before we are back to close to pre-crisis employment levels,. Combined with this is the nature of the jobs that are being created – which are largely low paid, insecure jobs. A result of this is that despite this ‘recovery’, average weekly earnings are down. In addition, the Irish

economy has one of the highest levels of ‘under-employment’ in the EU, whereby people have some work but would like to have more. A consequence of this, together with the ongoing austerity, is the dramatic rise in levels of deprivation – where now almost a third of people, 1.4 million cannot afford to do basic things like have a warm coat, eat a Sunday dinner, or have two pairs of shoes. We need to continue to demand a real recovery for working class people. This means lifting the burden of austerity and implementubg socialist policies to create quality jobs and a sustainable recovery.

An illusory recovery The fact that the one dynamic element of Ireland’s growth figures turns out to be largely illusory blows a major hole in the government’s success story. It is accurately summed up by left-wing economist, Michael Burke: “Without the fakery of an ‘export-led recovery’, statistically there is no recovery at all.” So stagnation is the reality for the economy as a whole and for the vast majority. What recovery does exist is overwhelmingly for the rich. Profits have shown a marked improvement since the crisis – rising based on the decreased share of wealth going to labour. This is seen in the increased wealth held by the richest 300 people increased by €34 billion from 2010 to 2015 – rising from €50 billion to €84 billion.

wealth of super-rich individuals through progressive taxation. A left government would renationalise assets like Aer Lingus. Crucially, a left government would take the biggest corporations and industries, those that are the lever for the whole economy, into public ownership in order to challenge the 'dictatorship of the markets' and to build the basis for major investment in jobs, homes, services – for an economic recovery for the masses. Such a programme would meet with fierce opposition from the profiteers being discommoded, both in Ireland and across Europe and would only be realisable on the basis of the government being inextricably

linked with an active and organised working class movement. A movement which which would seek to put the democratic public ownership of the economy, under workers’ class control and management, at the heart of constructing a society that caters for the needs of the majority, not for the profits of the minority. Such a struggle in Ireland would be exalted by the masses in Greece, Spain, Portugal and across the EU and raise the potential for a democratic, socialist Europe for the millions, as the alternative to an undemocratic bosses' EU for the millionaires.

column

WateR PRIvatISatIon:

Profiteering from an essential element of life PUt the words “profiting from Water” into any internet search engine and hundreds of sites immediately present themselves. Business media like Bloomberg and Forbes and countless “investment analysts” purport to advise the reader on how the most essential element of life on the planet can be a source of lucrative profits for capitalist investors big and small.

a crisis is an opportunity to profit Dick Sterling, described as an “economist and investment professional”, writes on safehaven.com that “there is a world wide deficit of fresh water and it’s intensifying.” He refers to international crisis points such as fresh water supplies being destroyed in China, India and the rest of the developing world by untreated industrial effluents. Sterling writes: “It's an oftrepeated axiom that investors should buy when there's blood in the streets. Times of crisis, chaos, turbulence. These are opportunities for forward-thinking investors to take a position. I would suggest that investors consider the global water scarcity issue as an opportunity. The long-lucrative term upside is massive, and it could be one of the most profitable investment strategies of the 21st century.” His chilling conclusion is hardly reassuring for people most vulnerable to water problems ranging from migrant fruit pickers in California, to the billions in the poorest parts of the globe who suffer crippling droughts due to global warming, to the millions who die every year from horrific diseases spread by untreated water.

World Bank pushes privatisation While this cold and brutal analysis can be put down to an opportunist adviser to speculators, in fact powerful organisations of international capitalism like the World Bank use their position to ruthlessly push for the privatisation of water supply and distribution all over the world. For decades the investment arm of the Bank has tied loans for water infrastructure to the handover of control to private, profit seeking corporations - usually major international water companies. This issue created world headlines in 2000 when right wing authorities in Bolivia, working with the World Bank, gave major contracts in the capital, La Paz, and in the second city, Cochabamba, to multinational water companies in association with local capitalists. The giant US based corporation Bechtel secured control in

Cochabamba and its brutal policy of increasing the price of water and disconnection for those unable to pay, led to a virtual uprising (see article page 8).

the disaster of privatisation In an article in The Guardian on January 30 this year John Vidal outlines how the majority of the 15 million people of Lagos, capital of Nigeria, have been the victims of the capitalist approach to water production. ‘Donor governments, banks and a succession of European and American business consortia all went to Africa’s largest metropolis with plans to take water to people . . . most proposed awarding a single giant water company a long concession in return for providing technical expertise and millions of water connections. But the companies, banks and donors all left unable to agree with the federal or local authorities how to satisfy corporate demands.’ Even sections of the capitalist establishment in many parts of the world have been forced to recognise that handing water over to profit seeking privateers has been a disaster. The Transnational Institute reports that its research shows 180 cities and communities in 35 countries have brought their water systems back into public control. Locations vary from the United States and France to Argentina and South Africa.

Peoples’ need not profit Of course public ownership does not guarantee adequate supplies of clean water unless major investment is put into the systems of production, distribution and sewage treatment. That is very much the case in Bolivia despite the victory over privatisation. In countries like Nigeria, billions of its oil wealth is stolen in corruption by the political and economic elites. These funds would revolutionise the water system, not only in Lagos, but all over the country. Similarly in Ireland, instead of trying to put another austerity tax on ordinary people even small increases in taxes on corporate profits and on wealth would provide adequate resources for the investment that is needed to remediate the present system and build new ones. Socialist policies, where the wealth is in public hands under democratic public ownership and control, would guarantee the necessary kind of investment needed to provide clean water for all, pollution control and an end to the misery suffered by billions of humanity due to water crises in their regions.

special feature

s mask e majority

Joe Higgins the

April 2015

8 THE SOCIALIST

international

aPRIl 2000: Bolivian anti-water privatisation movement

Multi-national brought to its knees By Manus Lenihan

“I

WAnt to denounce the subversive attitude [which is] absolutely politically financed by narcotraffickers, who aim to destabilize the constitutional democratically elected government.” these words were spoken in response to water charge protests, but they did not come from the mouth of some fine Gael backbencher or posh journalist. Irish anti-water charge protesters have been compared to terrorists, fascists and even ISIS, but the honour of being labelled a bunch of drug dealers belongs to the people of Cochabamba, Bolivia, who won a great victory against water privatisation in 2000.

Water supply privatised In 1999 the Bolivian government insisted that privatising Cochabamba’s water was “necessary” to bring in private investment. In reality, the plan was about turning a public resource into a cash cow. The IMF and World Bank exploited debt to force countries to sell off their services and assets, just like the EU does today, and the Bolivian ruling class was happy to oblige. Immediately, water rates in the city of Cochabamba went through the roof. Many people were suddenly paying one-fifth of their income for water. This was no accident or mistake – these huge price hikes were necessary if the new

suppliers, the Bechtel Corporation, were to make the profits they expected. Maybe it would have been more skilful to start low, get everyone paying, and then hike the rates up gradually. But when it’s a question of corporate vultures doing deals with career politicians, greed, stupidity and arrogance are all part of the package.

Protests begin Bechtel and the politicians were in for a shock. A vast majority were against the new water plans, and protests started shaking the city. A coalition of trade unions, youth groups, left parties, farmers’ organisations and environmentalists led a militant campaign. This was a struggle based on mobilising the working class, small farmers and youth, not a strategy of waiting for a new government to come in and fix everything. Diverse layers of society rowed in behind the workers – rural communities marching proudly under their village banners, retired factory workers, sweatshop toilers, street vendors and homeless children, middle-class people and university students. Protests escalated to a four-day general strike and a two-day battle with police.

Repressive measures failed At one stage the government invited the protest leaders to negotiations – then, as soon as they had them in one room, sent in police and arrested them all! In April 2000 the highways of Bolivia were

The community of Cochabamba, Bolivia, organised successful mass resistance to water privatisation in 2000

blocked by protestors. The government declared a “state of siege”, shut down media outlets, banned meetings, and began night-time raids and mass arrests. Around the country, several people were shot dead by police and many wounded by gunfire. But all this repression failed. The protests put the government in a position where they had to give in. Bechtel was sent packing, and Cochabamba’s water supply went back into state ownership. In spite of the dire warnings about what would happen without privatisation, there has been no catastrophe.

Water wars electrified Bolivia

It’s important not to be complacent about the problems looming with the water supply in many parts of the world. But if we let them massively hike the cost of water for households or privatise the service, that doesn’t help the situation in any way. Bolivia shows how sustainability arguments are shamelessly abused by capitalists and their politicians. It’s one thing to see these arguments being used in a gigantic, land-locked, high-altitude, partdesert country. It’s ridiculous to hear the same arguments in our rain-soaked island. Victory on the question of water kicked off a decade of protest and radicalisation, including the magnificent “Gas Wars” of 2003 and

2005, and the election of the country’s first ever indigenous president. It’s important not to romanticise this – the Evo Morales government from the outset refused to fundamentally challenge the capitalist system, and has increasingly turned to the right. But victory in the water war electrified the country and the whole region. Workers and poor people in Bolivia have made huge gains. Sometimes in Ireland you hear people argue along the lines of, “If we beat the water charges, won’t they just cut us or tax us some other way?” Bolivia shows how a major working-class victory can turn around the whole political agenda and open up an opportunity for fundamental radical change.

ReGIonal electIonS In SPaIn:

Breakthrough for anti-austerity Podemos was here that Podemos came first in the elections with 29% of the vote. But the election result also serves as a warning to Podemos. The emergence of Ciudadamos (Citizens), a centre-right populist party, who broke out of their traditional regional base in Catalonia winning 9% of the vote and 9 seats, demonstrates the political volatility in the Spanish State and shows that Podemos rise isn’t unstoppable.

By Matt Waine

InCe tHe crisis began, it was economic “contagion” from Greece that the european ruling class feared most. the subsequent coming to power of SyRIZA has now provoked the fear of a “political contagion”, as antiausterity parties across europe rise inexorably in opinion polls. the Podemos party in Spain is the clearest expression of this trend, consistently polling in the mid 20%, and coming either first or second in opinion polls. The recent regional elections in Andalucia was the first major test of Podemos since the election of SYRIZA in Greece and is a certain weathervane for how other elections due later in 2015 might unfold. In a significant breakthrough, Podemos won 15 seats with nearly 15% of the vote, entering the Andalucian regional parliament for the first time.

mass unemployment fuels anger

Who are Podemos?

Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias

The result was a major setback for the Spanish States’ traditional two party system as both the ex-Social Democrats (PSOE) and the conservative Popular Party saw their vote decline. These parties are mired in corruption and increasingly reject-

ed by their implementation of savage austerity. Andalucia has an unemployment rate of 34%. In the city of Cadiz, unemployment is 42% – the highest in Spain, and higher than Greece – rising to 69% for those under the age of 30, and it

Podemos emerged from the Indignados movement (a movement of young people that emerged in 2011 that occupied town and city squares across Spain) as an antiausterity, left force which advocated not paying illegitimate debt of the bankers and tapped a massive mood of anger and opposition to austerity. It railed against the political class and spoke about bringing the people into politics and doing things in a new way. But in the same way as SYRIZA moderated its programme as it came closer to power, so too has

Podemos. While initially raising demands like a universal decent income for all, the right to housing, increasing wages and even nationalising sections of the economy, in recent months its leaders have moved to the right. They have dropped the call for non-payment of the debt and retirement at 60, and have described its programme as social-democratic. Podemos has risen dramatically in the opinion polls because it has partially articulated the anger and opposition of millions of working class people in the Spanish state. But what is needed is a radical socialist programme that challenges the notion that the capitalist system is they only way to provide a decent future for young people and workers. This needs to be linked to building an active movement that includes demonstrations and strikes, that takes up the daily issues of working class people and mobilises them in the fight against the government. If this isn’t done, Podemos risks becoming a disappointment for the millions of workers and young people looking for a way out of the nightmare they face.

April 2015

9 THE SOCIALIST

By Cillian Gillespie

“W

orkers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains.” These were the rallying words of The Communist Manifesto written by Karl Marx and his collaborator Friedrich Engels in 1848. It summed up their understanding that working class people regardless of their nationality, race or religion had a common enemy – the ruthless and exploitative system of capitalism that dominates our planet. This sentiment is as true today as it was in the mid-19th century.

common misery, common struggle Just look at the last seven years of capitalist crisis in Europe. In Ireland, Greece, Spain, Portugal and in countries throughout the continent, the 99% – workers, unemployed, pensioners and young people have been the victims of a dictatorship of the 1% – the bondholders, banks and big business. It is they who created the crisis and it is we who have paid the price for it through successive austerity packages that have massively deepened inequality and have created hardship for the majority in society.

“In the national interest” Within any capitalist country, society is divided between two major groupings, the capitalist class and the working class, who have irreconcilable and conflicting interests. Ireland is no different. There is no common “national interest” that unites of us all regardless of class. The idea that there is has been used in the last number of years to

promote austerity and the bailing out the banks to the tune of €64 billion. But the super-rich in Ireland have benefitted from austerity as shown by the fact the fact their wealth has risen by the tens of billions while we have gotten a diet of cutbacks and extra taxes. Capitalist society is only run in the interest of one section of any nation, that being a tiny minority that accumulate vast profits and personal wealth at our expense.

one nation, one class divide Working class people in Ireland have completely separate interests from this ruling class which has held economic and political power since the foundation of the state in 1922, despite having the same national identity. One example that illustrates that we have nothing in common with those who rule us is that of Charlie Haughey and the property developers and other vestige interests he represented. For much of his political career Haughey sought to profess and emphasise his nationalist credentials in his rhetoric and by featuring the colours of the Irish flag on all his political material and posters. He cynically used this knowing that for many working class people the national flag is positively associated with the sacrifice that many made in the struggle against British colonialism. However by being in the pay of various property developers he lived an obscenely extravagant and opulent lifestyle, light years removed from the working class people who were suffering from the cutbacks, unemployment and inflation his governments brought about. Incredibly in 1980 Haughey had the nerve to lecture us that “as

The Red Flag represents international working class solidarity and socialism

a community we are living way beyond our means”. But most in this “community” did not get a large chunk of their £1,000,000 debt written off by AIB as he did days after becoming Taoiseach the previous year.

What flag do we need? Given the imperialist role of the Troika in recent years and Ireland’s history of colonial domination some working class people see symbols of Irish identity such as the national flag as a protest against the status quo. They are justified in wanting an Ireland that is free from the domination of the unelected markets and the diktats

of European Union. But like any national flag the tricolour is a symbol for the people of the Irish nation as a whole, be they the major developers and bankers and “captains of industry” such as Margaret Heffernan and Denis O’Brien, or working class people protesting against water charges and austerity.

Solidarity, Struggle and Socialism The solidarity shown by many on recent anti-water charge protests towards working people in Greece against the blackmail and threats of the Troika shows that there is an instinctive understanding that the battle working class people

are involved in is an international one. In a world plagued by grotesque inequality, war and environmental destruction we must strive to unify with our brothers and sisters in Europe and further afield to fight to end the rule of big business and the super-rich internationally, whose ruthless drive for private profit is the cause of these evils. An international working class movement fighting for socialist change will stand under the red flag, a flag that knows no borders or boundaries, but symbolises the common aspiration of working people across our globe to be free from want and where each human being can develop to their full potential.

Greece: How can the Troika be challenged? implemented some of the measures promised during the elections, they have accepted many of the demands of the Troika and are running out of money. For now, the Greek working class is patiently looking on and are giving Syriza time.

By Linda Schütz

t HAS been two months since the Syriza led government was elected on a programme of stopping cuts to wages, benefits and pensions, as well as reversing privatisations. But regardless of the humanitarian crisis faced by the people of Greece, the International monetary fund (Imf) and the eu are continuing to press for austerity. The European Central Bank brought in stricter rules that make it harder to get funds and no fresh loan has been obtained – they are waiting for a list of “proposals” from the Greek government. Meanwhile the IMF is pressing for loan repayments that are bringing the Greek state close to bankruptcy. Since the very moment of its election, the new Greek government has found itself forced to meet a punishing debt schedule, constantly on the brink of going

Which way forward?

Greek Minister of Finance and Prime minister, Varoufakis and Tsipras, have been hoping to make a deal with the European institutions of austerity

under. The IMF received a €459 million loan repayment on 9 April. Another debt package of €700 million must be repaid to foreign investors by the end of the month. Central bank officials say there might not be enough money left to

pay wages and pensions in April if both payments are made. In May a second instalment of €750 million to the IMF is due. So while the Syriza government has taken a firm stand in principle against austerity and has also

The road of negotiations with the Troika shows the real limits of holding on to the Euro at all costs. To continue down this road will inevitably lead to trade-offs to the detriment of the working class as the institutions of the EU and elites want to send a signal to voters in Greece and the rest of the continent ridden by crisis, unemployment and austerity: Left governments cannot stop austerity. This means Greece is at a crossroads. The Troika will not take a different position in new negotiations in June or July and looking for loans from China or Russia is highly unlikely to succeed. The Syriza government must

break with the logic of a Europe dominated by the rule of bankers and big business. This means refusing to implement austerity, and reversing the privatisations and wage cuts. In order to do so it’s critical to refuse to pay the debt, which the ordinary people of Greece are not responsible for and are simply unable to repay. This will mean preparing for confrontation with the Troika and the likelihood of being forced out of the Euro. The Syriza leadership should mobilise the people of Greece behind these demands. The wealth of the 18 oligarchic families that owe billions in tax must be confiscated and capital controls should be implemented to prevent the super-rich and big business from taking more of their wealth out of the country. Ultimately key sectors of the economy must be brought into public ownership under democratic workers control so the needs of working class people, not the profits of banks and bondholders can be catered for.

international

May Day: Why the red flag of socialism

April 2015

LGBTQ news

THE SOCIALIST

The Radical Yes Campaign:

Fighting for full equality & against discrimination By Aprille Scully

He RADICAl yes Campaign was launched by RoSA and is supported by the Anti-Austerity Alliance and the Socialist Party. the campaign advocates for a yes vote for marriage equality on 22 may as well as highlighting the need for a broad struggle to achieve full equality for the lGBtQ community.

no room for complacency A Yes vote would be a huge step in achieving legislative equality for same sex couples. The polls indicate this referendum is likely to pass. This is indicative of how the working class in Ireland now favour a more progressive, secular society. The Catholic Church and its conservative, right wing ideology is in an ever dwindling minority. But it’s influence is unavoidable. The presence of Catholic doctrine in schools and hospitals means LGBTQ people we will never be truly liberated whilst being educated in schools that tell them that homosexuality is "gravely immoral" (From Vatican statement 31.07.03 "Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons"). Therefore it is important that we do not lapse into complacency. We must mobilise the masses to vote for what would be a historic breakthrough for LGBTQ rights and a significant step away from the repressive past where the Catholic Church ruled. We must use the

momentum around this campaign to push for real change and challenge homophobia in all sections of society.

Radical yes campaigning in limerick, cork & Dublin

the Radical yes campaign seeks to: l Demand a separation of church and state with a secular and comprehensive sex education programme as part of a school’s curriculum l Abolish all homophobic laws such as section 37.1 of the Employment Equality Acts which allows for schools to fire, or not hire, people whose sexual orientation, gender identity or family status is not in line with their religious ethos. Similarly the ban on blood donations from men who have had sex with men must be ended. l Link LGBTQ rights with other progressive struggles such as the demand for the repeal of the 8th amendment and legislating for abortion rights. l Publicly denounce the homophobic NO side who claim to have the interests of society and children at the heart of the campaign. They ignore the reality that LGBTQ people are already raising children but are not afforded the same rights and supports as heterosexual couples. Their concern for children also rings hollow given their lack of opposition to government cut-backs in education, health and child benefit.

Struggle needed for full equality These demands won’t be won without us pressuring the govern-

ment into action. The referendum on 22 May should be seen as a product of a long-waged campaign of struggle from below. We cannot rely on the Fine Gael / Labour government to bring about real equality. This government is in political leadership of a thoroughly unequal society where the wealth of the richest 300 people grew by

“Why I’m voting yes to equality” "Not recognizing same-sex marriage as equal, LGBT+ people are forced live with a stigma of being second class citizens. This stigma is then filtered into the schools and encourages the harassment of LGBT+ teenagers. a yes vote can achieve marriage equality and continue the trend of ending discrimination of LGBT+ people."

€34 billion over the last five years while working class people have faced rapid deterioration of their living standards due to crippling austerity. The government’s unashamed stance on direct provision and its refusal to hold a referendum to repeal the 8th amendment should point to the fact that “granting” oppressed groups their rights is

not exactly top of their agenda. The establishment cannot shut their ears to the screaming dissatisfaction at the backwards, austerityburdened nature of modern Ireland. The Radical Yes Campaign wants to keep the volume up! Get involved and push for an end to stigma and discrimination and fight for bodily autonomy and sexual freedom.

FigHt tHis Rotten system

– aaron Williams, school student, member of Spectrum "I sat there and tried to think of a few words to sum up why people should vote yes for marriage equality. But I can't. all I ask is for everybody to be given equal human rights. I am not denied food, I am not denied water and I am not denied a roof over my head so somebody please tell why I'm being denied the chance to marry the girl that I love."

Join tHe socialists today

– Ciara English, Blanchardstown “I'm voting yes because... I believe that men and women in our state and under our law should be treated equally and with respect, regardless of gender, religion, culture, political affiliation, race or sexual orientation.”

– leah Walsh, Portmarnock

Seana Conway, limerick

text “Join” to 087 3141986

April 2015

11 THE SOCIALIST

Anti-Austerity Alliance

By Cllr. Mick Barry

S tHe battle against water charges hots up and a General election comes into view the burning need for a new political voice for working class people grows greater than ever. With Labour's sellout of working class people now total and complete many are investing some hope that Sinn Fein might make a difference.

Sinn Féin? But growing numbers are becoming aware that Sinn Féin are implementing austerity in the North at the same time that they are serving up anti-austerity rhetoric here in the South. Many, too, are increasingly aware that Sinn Féin are pulling their anti-austerity punches, for example by refusing to call for mass non-payment of the hated water charge. To the left of Sinn Féin, we now see the emergence of a new force – the AntiAusterity Alliance (AAA).

Building mass non-payment The AAA was catapulted into mass public consciousness with the dramatic victory of Paul Murphy in the Dublin South West By-Election last October. Since then it is increasingly seen by ordinary people as the leadership of the militant wing of the anti-water charges movement.

The AAA is the leading political force advocating non-payment of water charges

The decision of the Gardaí and most of the media to target the AAA over last November's Jobstown protest shows that it is seen this way by the establishment too. The AAA stands for the abolition of the water charges and Irish Water; the abolition of the property tax; the immediate ending of austerity policies; the reversal of all cuts and penal taxes introduced under austerity governments and a tax policy which makes the rich pay for these radical measures. It also stands for a progressive social policy – for marriage equality, for repeal of the 8th Amendment and for abortion legislation which recognises a

Why I Joined the Anti-Austerity Alliance By Sandra Fay the “StRaW” for me was the banking crisis and the blanket bailout that has crippled our country. It makes no economic sense to the hard working people of Ireland as to why we would be sacrificed. The “best” excuse the government offered was that they had no choice. They claimed the banks were too big to fail and are still too big to fail, so they can perpetuate this failed capitalist logic again and again. The “looney greedy rights” have exposed themselves. The brainwashing routine that right wing eco-

nomics is the only option, that Left politics is crazy just isn’t washing with workers. Joining the AAA has given me hope and a way to vent my anger positively. Instead of being angry and upset I have now become active. I feel the AAA is a great Left wing movement built by a lot of hardworking and honest individuals. I feel it can offer a lot of people hope and belief in a new alternative and just system. I am proud to be an active member and I’d urge others to join and become active. Help us build a left wing alternative for Ireland.

woman's right to choose.

making a breakthrough Having been launched by an alliance of the Socialist Party and non-party members of the Campaign Against Household and Water Charges who wished to make a stand against the austerity parties in the 2014 local elections, the AAA – barely two years old now boasts three TDs, 14 councillors and a membership headed towards the 1000-mark. It is the fastest-growing Left organisation seen in Ireland in many years. The AAA is prepared to work

alongside others fighting for mass non-payment of water charges to build a solid bloc of anti-charges and anti-austerity candidates to fight the next General Election. The AAA believes that such a bloc could win serious support at the ballot box, establish a strong presence in the next Dail and, in doing so, take an important step towards the formation of a new, mass working class party of the Left in this state.

the role of the Socialist Party The Socialist Party played a key role in the establishment of the

AAA. Currently the three AAA TDs – Joe Higgins, Ruth Coppinger and Paul Murphy – and nine of the AAA's 14 councillors are members of the Socialist Party. The Socialist Party also plays an important political role within the AAA. As a socialist organisation we believe that austerity measures are rooted in the crisis of the capitalist system which puts profit before all else. We believe that ending austerity and implementing progressive policies needs to be linked to ending that system and replacing it with a democratic socialist society run by working class people. This analysis leads us to argue within the AAA for opposition to supporting coalition governments or minority governments within Dail Eireann which don't break with the dictatorship of the capitalist market. This can become an important discussion within the AAA as the General Election draws nearer. It also makes us an important internationalist force within the AAA arguing for real support for working class struggles and forces which challenge capitalism internationally.

Join us today! Building the AAA and building the Socialist Party are complementary challenges. We urge all our supporters to join both to build the forces necessary to bring about real, socialist change in Irish society.

Reject austerity & water charges – Vote no.1 Conor MacLiam By Paddy Delaney

He montHS of April and may will see every home in the country receive their first bill for water charges from Irish Water. the key to defeating the charges lies in non-payment. However there is also opportunity in this period to ratchet up the pressure in the coming month and a half. In the midst of the bills dropping, the Carlow-Kilkenny byeelection will take place – most likely on 22 May – to fill the seat vacated by Phil Hogan after he took up his role with the European Commission. This gifts the people of Carlow and Kilkenny with a unique opportunity to deal a double blow to Irish Water and the government by not only building a mass boycott of the bills but to use the election itself to elect a candidate who advocates and organises non-payment. The Anti Austerity Alliance has selected Socialist Party member Conor MacLiam to contest the byeelection. Conor has a history of organising against unjust home taxes and founded the Kilkenny

Conor Mac Liam speaking at launch of By-Election campaign

branch of the Campaign Against Household & Water Taxes in 2011. Unlike Sinn Féin, who do not call for a boycott, Conor has been a consistent and outspoken advocate for non-payment as the key to defeating the water charges and his bye-election challenge has received the endorsement of the local ‘We Won’t Pay’ campaign in

which he is active. In a crowded field where many candidates will claim opposition to water charges, the people of Carlow and Kilkenny should elect Conor MacLiam as the clear nonpayment candidate and send another loud message of opposition to water charges, austerity and this hated government.

AAA news

A new working class voice emerges

PAPER OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY

ISSUE 91

APRIL 2015

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