The Socialist, September 2017 by Socialist Party

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Three homeless people die in one week...

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Homelessness, profiteering & the private market

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September 2017

THE SOCIALIST

news

ShortcutS Look how far we’ve come… With Leo varadkar’s election as Taoiseach, Ireland had truly joined the 21st Century and become a modern country, so scream the national and international media. The son of an immigrant had become the country’s first openly gay leader. No longer are we a backwater where politicians proposed to pay migrants to return to their own country (Leo varadkar), opposed same sex couples adopting children (Leo varadkar) and support a ban on a woman’s right to choose (Leo varadkar).

The Holy Trinity On becoming leader of Fine Gael not only did Leo varadkar become Taoiseach, according the establishment media he joins a holy Trinity alongside Canadian prime Minister Justin Trudeau and

By Dave Murphy

French president emmanuel Macron. according to the scripture these three young and hip leaders are the acceptable face of neoliberalism which will save the world. But, unfortunately, it looks like someone's still going to have to be cruicified, with Macron leading the way. The international media's saviour of France has hit record lows in opinion polls already and faces a major battle with workers when he tries to introduce new labour laws.

actually filmed in Downing Street. While the journalists got working on their articles about how this wasn't embarrassing, everyone else put their head in their hands and gave a collective cringe.

Collective Cringe

The media are particularly taken with Leo's exercise regime. he doesn't seem to go for a run without someone being there to picture it. Whether it’s a snap on a marathon with eoghan Murphy or a casual jog through the park with Justin Trudeau, “the lads”, the media seem fascinated by it. It’s almost as if none of us knew how to run before Leo came along to show us. But it seems jogging wasn't Leo's first choice of exercise to be his “thing”. Turns out he had tried pilates, but only attended one class as one of the other participants was Gerry adams. Doing stretches with an old man wasn't the image he wanted.

‘Finally,’ thought the capitalist establishment, “here’s a Taoiseach who won’t make a show of us on the international stage”, unlike his predecessor enda Kenny. Instead, as Leo met the Tory Mothership in Downing Street, he announced to the fawning media how disappointed he was to find out that scenes from his favourite film, “Love actually”, weren't

Leo’s exercise regime

Kenny facepalm remember the time Obama came

to Dublin? enda Kenny gave a speech that turned out to be a speech that Obama himself had given a few years before, with just with a word changed here and there. he did this despite the fact that Obama was sitting about 5 yards away from him. Surely, that was the low-point for elected representatives making fools out of themselves?

The granny rule When neoliberal poster-boy & well known 'funny' socklover Justin Trudeau visited, Leo was just so desperate to make a good impression and snivel up to him so much that he had someone go out and buy him a pair of socks with the Canadian flag on them. he then proudly showed them to the world. as if that wasn't bad enough, he then crossed the line by giving Trudeau a pair of socks as a

present. everyone knows that the only person who can get away with giving socks as a present is your granny!

Defining Doherty It's probably a good sign that Leo is into giving terrible presents, perhaps with Christmas just around the corner he will consider buying Minister for Social protection regina Doherty a dictionary. In the recent controversy around the introduction of the new public Services Card, Doherty tried to put an end to the crisis by confusing everyone with what was either a master-class in double-speak or just plain idiocy. She said that the cards were "mandatory but not compulsory". according to the Oxford english Dictionary, the definition of Mandatory is "required by law or mandate; compulsory."

The cut throat profiteering of vulture funds

Tyrrelstown tenants protesting against attempted eviction by a Vulture Fund.

expected value. It was a firesale, a windfall for these funds. The last year and a half has seen a massive splurge of sales and activity by investors and vulture funds. So much so, that two builders have recently been listed on the Irish Stock Exchange – a prospect thought to be impossible two years ago! One of them, Glenveagh Properties is being backed by giant US Vulture Fund, Oaktree, which boasts a portfolio of $100 billion. The impact of these vultures can already be seen. Fifteen per cent of all new homes sold since January 2016 have been bought by "nonoccupiers", with investors accounting for a quarter of total house purchases. New data reveals almost 11,000 units have been bought by investors over the last 16 months. Between January 2016 and April of this year, 44,000 houses were sold. Investors bought 11,000 of them!

ing, instead massive property lots were prepared by NAMA and sold off for a song to vulture funds. The discounts offered to the funds were up to 80% their actual real or

Repossessions on the rise However, a new tsunami is on the way. Under pressure from the European Central Bank to clear their bad loans, banks are set to

By Councillor Matt Waine

he housing crisis is often presented as a problem without a solution by establishment commentators. however, for capitalism, every crisis is an opportunity, and this is especially so for vulture funds. Last year, Michael Noonan drew enormous criticism for talking up the ‘productive role’ vultures play in society. As well he might. It was he who invited them in to the country in the first place. The vultures were a vital component of Noonan’s plan. When the economy came crashing down in 2009 the capitalist establishment hurried to rescue the banks and bailout the developers whose debt had help create an enormous banking crisis. €40 billion from the Irish Pension Reserve Fund was handed over to pay off the bankers’ and developers’ debts and their distressed assets and loan books were transferred to a new entity, NAMA. NAMA assets This then begged the question: what to do with the NAMA assets?

This is where the vulture funds came in. Of course it was anathema to Fine Gael and Labour to use the land and property portfolios to deliver social and affordable hous-

move decisively to repossess homes with mortgage arrears. There are 33,000 families who are in arrears of more than two years, and there are 15,000 families in buy-to-let properties with significant arrears. The massive write downs and firesales by NAMA - which handed properties to vultures at bargain basement prices only to be ‘flipped’ quickly, making them massive profits - is an indication of what we will see in the coming months. There needs to be a ban on repossessions of family homes, or in the case of those renting in buyto-lets, their homes should be transferred to local authorities. We need a massive write down of unsustainable mortgages so people can stay in their homes. We need an end to the speculation in the housing market with a massive state funded public house building programme, taking power out of the hands of private developers, who are raking in massive profits, and instead delivering thousands of social and affordable houses for those who need them.

September 2017

THE SOCIALIST

#priorities

Three tragic deaths caused by...

Homelessness, profiteering & the private market T

The proliferation of Airbnb accommodation which currently has three times more properties to rent in Dublin than Daft.ie further exacerbates the problem. With house prices also nearing their boom era peak, they are well out of reach of most renters, “the invisible hand of the market” has resulted in an unprecedentedly bad housing crisis.

By Colm McCarthy

he DeATh of three homeless people in Dublin, Kildare and Cork in less than a week at the end of August/beginning of september is just the latest horrific illustration of the ongoing crisis in the country’s rental sector and the housing sector generally. The Peter McVerry Trust estimates that 13 fresh people became homeless everyday in 2016. Almost 8,000 people were in emergency accommodation as of June this year. Thousands of others are one rent increase away from a similar fate. It is an increasingly common sight in urban centres across the country to see tents, similar to the one Jennifer Dennehy was sleeping in when she died in Cork, pitched up by those unable to afford spiralling rents. Hoarding of land Rents nationally stand at an average of €1,159, 13% higher

than their 2008 peak. The crisis is at its most extreme in Dublin, with average rents of €1,700, with the counties of Kildare, Wicklow, Meath, Louth and the cities of Cork and Galway all averaging over €1,000. Much of the crisis can be traced

Homelessness epidemic reaches record numbers By Aedán Hamrock

he hoMeLessness crisis in ireland reaches new heights. At the time of writing (september 2), there have been three deaths of homeless people in the last week. According to 2016 Census, the homeless population stood at 6,906 people, as compared with 3,808 people recorded homeless in the 2011 Census. Moreover, the situation is worsening, with the simon Community (a homeless charity) estimating that the total number of homeless people will increase to over 10,000 in the next year at its current rate. The homeless population of the 2016 Census included 896 families with 1,720 children. The total homeless population under 18 years was 1,846, or 27% the total. 123 people were sleeping rough, while the rest were housed in inadequate emergency accommodation. Meanwhile, there were 183,312 vacant houses and apartments in the very same census. The growing homeless popula-

tion is a symptom of the housing crisis in Ireland, where property and rental markets impede people from getting their own accommodation. According to the Residential Tenancies Board, private sector rents increased by 7.37% between the first quarters of 2016 and 2017, to €987 per month. Rent in Dublin where 73% of homeless people are based - was significantly higher at an average of €1,454 in the first quarter of 2017. This causes much precarity for tenants in Dublin, in this lowwage economic ‘recovery’, particularly for young workers. Predictably, the Government is doing little to address this crisis, beyond ‘incentivising’ owners of vacant housing to place it on the market. John O’Connor, the chief executive of the Government’s Housing Agency, justified only buying 2,000 homes from NAMA to provide housing as not wanting to interfere with the market for people buying homes. Investment in mass public housing is out of the question for the ruling class.

650

The number of social houses built last year

to opening up of Ireland to vulture funds attracted by the opportunity to snap up cheap NAMA properties. Hoarding of land by vulture funds means that land in their possession capable of building 50,000 houses has instead resulted in just 3,200 over a six year period.

Obsessed with private sector The political establishment remain obsessed with attempting private sector solutions that don’t work. The Government’s response has invariably been to throw money at or empower landlords. Schemes such as HAPs unveiled in 2014 were designed to artificially reduce Council waiting lists by declaring those in receipt of said payment adequately housed. In reality it was a declaration of the Governments lack of intent to build social housing. Fianna Fáil’s response to this crisis is characteristically to call for

housing crisis

Varadkar thought it fitting to tweet about the 20th anniversary of the death of Princess Diana, yet remained silent about the tragic deaths of three homeless people which took place in the same week

€240 million in tax cuts for the property developers, presumably in the hope that they will return to their pre crisis role as the party’s chief financial benefactors.

Build public housing The building of quality public housing and the acquisition of the tens of thousands of vacant homes is a necessity to fix the crisis. Attempts to outsource the building of social housing to the private sector via part v resulted in just 37 houses being built nationwide in 2016. That the European fiscal rules provide a barrier to doing so demonstrates they must be broken. Real rent controls need to be introduced and there should be a ban on economic evictions. The outpouring of public support for initiatives such as that of Apollo House showed the extent of public support for campaigning actions aimed at alleviating the crisis. With no end in sight and people dying the street, further upsurges in struggle are both likely and necessary.

500,000 young adults living with parents By Aisling Grace

BAnK of ireland Twitter advertisement recently read: “orla and her boyfriend stopped renting and moved back with their parents to save the deposit for their 1st home.” it included a link to orla’s blog about saving for a house, which has since been removed from the website. Responses to the ad were extremely critical. It shows how out of touch banks are with the reality of struggling young people. Encouraging people to move back into their parents’ houses first of all assumes that parents have 1) spare rooms and 2) the want or capacity to house their adult children. Unattainable mortgages It also serves to normalise the fact that saving for mortgages and paying rent is unattainable for young workers – even as a couple – and that they should struggle to borrow more than what they can clearly afford. The reality is that the number of

adults living at home has doubled in the last decade to 500,000. This is despite the fact that house prices and rents were at similarly high

levels in 2007 as they are now. The attitude of the establishment and financial institutions like Bank of Ireland is to place blame on young people for not being able to afford homes, and to encourage borrowing of massive mortgages that will ensure people stay in debt and increase profits for the majority of their lives. In the wake of what housing charity Focus Ireland called “the worst homeless crisis in living memory”, the solution presented by the market is to tighten your belts, stop eating avocados, and move home.

September 2017

analysis

THE SOCIALIST

Embracing coalition:

Sinn Féin’s rightward shift continues gramme would not change conditions for most people. At best they would have to act as a judge and jury and would discriminate on the basis of not challenging the profits of the super-rich. For each person that might gain an affordable home, many others wouldn’t, or likewise, for those who would benefit from the limited investment in schools and hospitals, many more wouldn’t.

By Cillian Gillespie

inn FÉin is one of the parties that have benefited from the growing disenchantment from the establishment parties in the last number of years. however, it is becoming increasingly clear that they have rejected the kind of policies outlined above, which are necessary to bring about real change for the majority. Recent statements by their leading figures regarding coalition are illustrative of their acceptance of the economic and political status quo. Mary Lou McDonald and Gerry Adams have reiterated Sinn Féin’s willingness to go into coalition with Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael in the aftermath of the next general election. Like the Green Party and Labour before them, they are prepared to coalesce with one of the two traditional parties of Irish capitalism. Both the Fianna Fáil-Green Party (2007-2011) and Fine Gael-Labour (2011-2016) coalition governments were ones that saw the brutal implementation of neoliberal austerity measures. The fact that Sinn Féin is willing to take this course of action will no doubt disappoint many who support them, or who were open to the possibility that they may represent an alternative to the status quo. It’s an unfortunate truth, but this illus-

Sinn Fein are preparing to enter a coalition Government with one of the rightwing establishment parties.

trates that their claim to be a party of the left is a hollow one. Accepting Capitalism The statements of Adams and McDonald are indicative of Sinn Féin’s actual political position, and cannot be divorced from its rightward political shift in the last number of years. If it didn’t before, Sinn Féin now fully accepts the logic of capitalism, where the ruthless drive for profit by big business, bankers and the super-rich is put before the needs of the workers and young people.

In their 2016 election manifesto, Sinn Féin said that if it was in government it would only reverse a small portion of the vicious austerity measures implemented in the period from 2008-2015. Sinn Féin wanted to emphasise their “responsibility” to Irish and European capitalism, by accepting the concept that there was a limited “fiscal space” for increased public expenditure as a result of the neoliberal straitjacket imposed by both over the course of the crisis. The manifesto only called a 50c increase in the minimum wage,

bringing it up to €9.65, and falling far below the “living wage” proposal put forward by some in the trade unions that was calculated at the time to be €11.50. Despite the fact there were 130,000 on housing waiting lists, their proposal was for only 100,000 homes to be built in the period from 2016 to 2030. Ultimately, by accepting the limits of what capitalism could afford, Sinn Féin were unwilling to put forward the measures to bring about the real change that working-class people fundamentally aspire to. A government based on their pro-

Build the socialist left Ultimately, Sinn Féin’s embrace of coalition with parties of the traditional right is based on the fact that they themselves have moved significantly to the right over the last number of years. There is now less and less of a divergence between their political positions and policies and those of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Like these parties they are opposed to a woman’s right choose and only favour the provision of abortion in the most limited of circumstances. Workers, young people, women and LGBTQ people need a party of the left that represents their real interests. Such a party should not only stand independently against the parties of capitalism, in terms of refusing to go into coalition with such parties, it must also stand for a break with the system of capitalism, and the implementation of radical socialist policies.

homelessness, inequality, childcare... Why is the system failing to deliver? By Kevin McLoughlin

uPPLY AnD demand in the “free market” is supposedly the best way to produce what we need.“Free market” are just sanitised words for capitalism - production for profit. The pursuit of profit inevitably leads to economic inequality and as of June, five men owned the same amount of wealth as half the world’s population. Over the last three decades,the wealthiest 10% here have increased their portion of net wealth from 42% to 54%. What was owned by the bottom 50% went from a paltry 12% to just 5%. The right to a home Greed caused the property crash in 2008. Far from a “free market”, the desire of people to have a secure place to livein was abused to stampede and rush many into buying grossly overpriced houses before the price went too high. Now economic inequality is getting even worse. The top 1% here increased their share of total incomes from 34% in 2011 to 39% last year, whereas the bottom 50% of earners got only 6% of the value of the increase in incomes. But the

real injustice of the capitalist market can’t be found in figures, it’s in the social wasteland that is being created. Safety in many primary schools built in recent years has been compromised due to profiteering. Two primary schools in Belmayne in Dublin, which cater for hundreds of kids, are affected. Belmayne is literally a stone’s throw from Priory Hall, where only a few years ago whole apartment

complexes had to be vacated because they were unsafe. The abuse of residents was disgraceful, one man tragically taking his own life. Building for profit Days ago, three homeless people, one man and two young women, Jenny Dennehy in Cork and Danielle Carroll in Leixlip, died on consecutive days. People are being evicted by landlords or vul-

ture funds, who either want to massively increase the rent, or cash in on the current high prices through selling. The situation could be alleviated if sufficient affordable homes became available. But as long as landlords, developers and builders are allowed to hold sway, that isn’t going to happen. When it suited, builders and developers delivered 93,000 homes in just one year in the boom. But now supply is being curtailed because there is not enough profit in it for developers and bankers. There’s a huge social cost from this inactivity - evictions, dreadful overcrowding, an explosion of homelessness, terrible conditions in emergency provision and deaths. Considerations of profit is at the root of weak supply and the knock on of unaffordable prices and rents. Yet the political establishment insists we must continue to rely on private landlords, developers and builders – the market – to supply our housing. Fianna Fáil has even just called for reductions in levies and taxes on developers to encourage them to build! Bosses usually pocket such state grants and do nothing. The right to profit is a corner-

stone of this country, the right to a home and other essentials are not. It is impossible to make a system based on profit, operate in a socially just way. Look at what’s happening with the Affordable Childcare Scheme. Many creches are already increasing their prices to turn the subsidy people into their increased profits. The drive to maximise profit undermines the provision of the goods and services we need, particularly when capitalism is making people poorer. Capitalism must go It would be more efficient, cheaper and deliver better quality products and services if the state, under the control of ordinary working people, planned production for people’s needs. The housing crisis could be resolved relatively quickly by using the wealth in society to build good quality affordable homes for all. The establishment parties will fight to defend the system and the right of their big business backers to profit at our expense. Any new broad left movement must not compromise, either with the establishment or the capitalist market, they both must go.

September 2017

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Cork Airport

privatisation

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Invest in high quality public transport By Solidarity TD and Socialist Party member Mick Barry

heRe ARe only eight other countries in the world where the average driver loses more hours each year from being stuck in traffic than ireland, according to the Tom Tom global traffic index. In the average European city 80% of people travelling to work take public transport. In Dublin public transport at full capacity can only take 50%.

The top two reasons for failure to meet these targets are emissions from agriculture and emissions from transport. The emerging gridlock crisis and the climate change crisis are two powerful reasons why a sharp break with the old policy and a completely new approach to public transport is now needed. Under Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael led governments public transport has been starved of investment. Public Service Obligation state

Environmental consequences As traffic volumes increase year on year and traffic gridlock grows Conor Faughnan, of AA Roadwatch, says: "Long term there can be no other solution but the provision of public transport." Meanwhile, according to Joseph Curtin, of the Institute of International and European Affairs, Ireland could face fines for not meeting renewable energy and carbon emissions targets of €610 million by 2020 and up to €5.5 billion by 2030.

payments to Irish Rail were slashed from €189.9 million to €98.1 million in 2015. Such payments for Bus Éireann were cut from €49.4 million in 2009 to €40.8 million in 2016. Furthermore, the state has promoted a policy of privatisation, with private operators entrenched now in provincial bus service provision and 10% of services about to be privatised in Dublin City and all bus services about to be privatised in Waterford City. A further 40% of Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann provincial bus services are set to go out under EU diktat to "competitive tender" - de facto privatisation - by 2019. What is the alternative? All "competitive tendering" and privatisation should be reversed. Private provincial bus operators should be forced to pay the same wage rates as Bus Éireann. All the funding cuts since 2008 should be fully reversed. On top of this there should be a big increase in state funding for public transport. This should be

Crane Operators dispute UNITE organiser speaks As the struggle by crane operators organised by the UNITE union passes into its second month, The Socialist spoke to UNITE organiser TOM FITZGERALD about the struggle: What is the dispute about? “This is more than a straightforward fight for pay justice for a section of workers who perform what would be recognised as a specialised and hazardous job in the sector. We are seeking rises that would serve to put crane operators on a par with other skilled workers in the sector, such as plumbers and electricians. But a major additional element of the fight is about maintaining and improving training and health and safety standards in an environment where employers are forever looking for short cuts. But also it is a struggle in which all construction workers, no matter what their grade or what union, if any, they belong to, have a stake in a victory for the crane drivers. Workers across the sector understand this, and realise that success for our members will act as a positive spur for them to fight for better conditions, and in an overall sense draw more construction workers into the unions, as we have a long way to go in building union strength on the sites. It comes as no surprise that on the days we

have called pickets the support from rank and file members from the other unions, such as SIPTU, BATU and the TEEU has been brilliant. UNITE members won’t be found wanting when they need support down the road.

What has been the role of ICTU in this dispute? We would have this strike won by now were it not for the unfortunate positions taken by the ICTU Construction Committee and the leaders of the other construction unions. The Construction Industry Federation and media are only too happy to stand back and create the impression that a dispute among unions over who has the right to recruit which grade of construction worker lies behind this dispute. This lets the employers off the hook. I have refused to be drawn into a sectarian slagging match with other union leaders on the national airwaves. In the final analysis we have to respect the decision of the vast bulk of crane drivers to join UNITE and fight for their due. The issuing of a leaflet in the name of the other construction unions basically encouraging their members not to respect our pickets is destructive and flies in the face of basic solidarity. Thankfully it is not being heeded by ordinary members of all the construction unions, who see who the real enemy is.”

at least doubled. This funding increase should allow for big cuts to fares. In 1981 the Greater London Council slashed fares by 32% and public transport use sharply increased. London Transport estimated that the benefits outweighed the costs 2:1. Sharp fare cuts should be implemented here now. In fact, in the context of the climate change crisis, a debate should take place right across Europe about the benefits of ending public transport fares entirely and funding public transport 100% from the public purse. Last but not least a proper public transport system cannot be run by a poorly paid workforce. Many Irish public transport workers have not had a wage increase in eight years or more. These wage cuts need to be reversed and proper increases paid which reflect the rising cost of living, including accommodation.

workplace news

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Dublin Bus

THE SOCIALIST

Tip of the ice berg -

10% of Dublin Bus routes privatised By Councillor Michael O’Brien The awarding of 10% of Dublin Bus’s routes to UK based firm ‘Go Ahead’ by 2018 by the National Transport Authority must be opposed. This is but the first stage in a succession of tendering of large portions of public transport. The National Transport Authority plans to put to tender the entire Bus Éireann Waterford City service by next year, and then a further 40% of Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann routes by 2019. The fact that Go Ahead were awarded this contract, despite the fact Dublin Bus underbid them, is clear evidence that the tendering process is a transparent mechanism to privatise public transport.

Who are ‘Go ahead’? ‘Go Ahead’ are a major player in the largely privatised bus networks in the UK whose profits gained on the backs of passengers and bus workers grew to £99.8 million the

year ending July 2016. Only in March of this year bus workers employed by them in Oxford had to take strike action over low pay, illegal non-payment of premia for bank holidays, and union busting tactics. An internet search will throw up recent strikes of bus workers in London, Sheffield and Brighton over low pay, long hours and shortened breaks. Companies like Go Ahead should be kept out of public transport here.

On 7 October, Solidarity TD Mick Barry will be hosting a forum for all public transport workers, with bus and rail workers activists from Britain and further afield sharing their experiences of fighting the privatisation agenda and deliberate underfunding of public transport. 11am-14pm, Teachers’ Club, Parnell Square

September 2017

THE SO

special feature

Don’t let them ignore our d Pro-choice – nothing less!

people, not Dáil, m on Citizens assem By Ruth Coppinger

By KatiaHancke

his AuTuMn is shaping up to be a crucial turning point for the fight for abortion rights in ireland, the most significant opportunity for a new generation of pro-choice activists to make sure we finally repeal the 8th Amendment and force prochoice legislation through. Over the last few years, the support for pro-choice legislation in Ireland has made important steps forward. There is nowgrowingsupport for the right to choose across the population not just for repeal but for pro-choice legislation. The movement has a broad base amongst young people and women. Most significantly, as the electric protests on 8March showed, at its heart is now a new generation of young people,who confidently stand for the notion of bodily autonomy and trusting women. Citizens' Assembly The Citizens’ Assembly recommendations confirm just how much the influence of the Catholic Church and itsteachingshave declined. Let’s be clear about the intentions of the Government in setting up the Citizens’ Assembly – they were hoping to put the issue on the long finger and did everything possible to slant the direction of the debate in a more conservative direction. Despite this, when you leave 100 ordinary people to debate abortion rights, they overwhelmingly support pro-choice legislation, that is much more progressive than any of the political party's positions,with the exception of Solidarity-People BeforeProfit! The government is now indicating that a referendum in the first half of next year could be on the cards – by itself an indication of how much pressure the establishment is under. The Dáil Committee set up to look at the Citizens’ Assembly recommendations will meet for the first time on 20 September,and has to report back by the end of the year. However, it would be a crucial and costly mistake for pro-choice activists to think we can just wait it

out until this committee comes back with findings. To think that these politicians, many of them linked to conservative parties wedded to church institutions and vested interests, will just accept the Citizens’ Assembly recommendations would be naïve. Church, State and establishment The Catholic Church in Ireland has historically been used bythe political establishment and the state as a socially conservatising force to prop up their rule.Ordinary people have long since moved on, and freed themselves of the clutches of this backward institution, but state and church are still connected by a thousand ties. If left in their “natural state” the establishment politicians will sit on the fence and water down the progressive proposals to a toothless “Repeal but abortion only in very limited circumstances”, or even worse to“Amend the 8th”. Only intense pressure from below, on the streets and in their constituencies, will force them to fall in line with what we need – pro-choice legislation, nothing less. How can we win? We need to use this autumn to ratchet up the pressure on the entire political establishment and to make sure that in particular the members of the Dáil Committee are left in no doubt as to what is needed. An immediate focus is the first sitting of the Dáil Committee on 20 September,which we should use to highlight that we will not accept anything less than the Citizens’ Assembly recommendations. By then the agenda of the committee will be known – for instance, will they allow a representation of the 10 women EVERY DAY who had to travel to speak for themselves? If not, how do we ensure they can’t ignore those experiences? Luckily, we have impressive pro choice activists such as Ruth Coppinger on the committee to work with and respond to developments on a week by week basis. We have a responsibility not to leave them isolated but

to show the broad support their position has in society. This has to be linked with campaign of engaging the members of the DáilCommittee, visiting them, writing to them, phoning them, petitioning them, using social media in an organised way and making their views public so a broader layer of constituents are encouraged to put further pressure on them to follow the example of the Citizens’ Assembly. The March for Choice on 30 September has to the biggest one yet – a massive national mobilisation of young people and women that forces the political establishment to take note. And from that massive mobilisation must come as one voice this crucial message – pro-choice, nothing less! Savita’s death - five years on 28 October will mark five years since the tragic and avoidabledeath of SavitaHalappanavar. In those five years, the political establishment have managed to make not a single improvement. Another Savita could happen any day. On this day let's mark the cards of those who stopped progress or cowardly sat on the fence – five years on, we simply do not accept this. Those who try and stop the democratic right of a woman to have bodily autonomy should know they do not represent the vast majority of this country. Those who once again cowardly sit on the fence are not worthy of representing us. We need to make sure our voices can no longer be ignored – by getting out on street and making sure the message is clear- we need the 8th Amendment and any reference to women’s bodies out of the constitution and we need pro-choice legislation, providing a framework for access to abortion in this country NOW. l

RiTiCAL DeCisions will be made on abortion rights in ireland between september and December. An oireachtas Committee of 21 TDs and senators will adjudicate on the Citizens' Assembly proposals. it will recommend to the Dáil what should happen regarding a referendum on the 8th Amendment and what legislation should follow. It's vital that the entire repeal / pro-choice movement, and all who want progressive change, see the importance of this Committee and demand it implements the spirit of what was proposed by the Citizens' Assembly - and nothing less.

Citizens' Assembly recommendations The Citizens 'Assembly was set up by the Dáil last year in a desperate bid to quell the rising repeal campaign. But while the establishment expected a conservative result, the Citizens' Assembly refused to oblige! Outsourcing controversial decisions to ordinary people is clearly a risky business for the establishment. Listening to reasoned information over a period of time, it concluded that the Dáil absolutely must act, that fundamentally the 8th had to go and abortion be introduced on a wide range of grounds. These include Fatal F o e t a l A b n o r m a l i t y, health, socio economic reasons up to 22 weeks and

The inspiring mobilisations on Internatio abortion rights and bodily autonomy.

'without restriction as to reason' up to 12 weeks. We now have a fundamental clash: the first public forum ever on abortion rights has made radical recommendations. But the Dáil is ultra-conservative. Only one Dáil group, Solidarity-People Before Profit, plus a handful of TDs, support these proposals. It's obvious that massive public pressure would be needed to force these parties to go beyond their current positions. As a socialist and pro-choice activist on the Committee, (a joint position between Solidarity and People Before Profit) I will advocate full repeal of the 8th, with no replacement or amendment and nothing about women's bodies or the 'unborn' in the Constitution. I will argue for a rights-based approach to legislation for abortion. Dáil Committee The Committee's terms of reference mean it will vote on which of the CA grounds should be included or excluded from legislation. But it should not be the preserve of the Committee, or a conservative Dáil out of step with public opinion, to vote down this much-needed change. Solidarity has put forward the idea of a plebiscite, where the recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly would be put to the people for a vote, rather than

September 2017

OCIALIST

must have say mbly

By Keishia Taylor AT THIS critical moment in the fight for abortion rights in Ireland, the importance of a pro-choice socialist feminist struggle has never been greater. The energy, youthfulness and popularity of the fight for repeal has forced a referendum onto the agenda and has been effective in highlighting the vast gulf between the backward capitalist establishment and the majority of Irish society, as proved by the Citizens’ Assembly. However, this must be coupled with the recognition that repeal should not be fought as a single issue. Instead, the power of this youthful mass movement should be harnessed by a socialist feminist organisation, such as ROSA, to bring about real change. The centrality of class in the issue of abortion (notoriously denied by Varadkar) is crystal clear, as working class and migrant women, whose options to travel for abortion arerestricted,continue to suffer as a result of the Eighth Amendment and denial of abortion rights. Further, the oppression of women and LGBT people is inextricably connected with capitalism and its rendering of women as sexless mothers, caregivers and unpaid domestic labourers within a nuclear family unit, the 'ideal' family unit in capitalist society. Therefore, the liberation of women and bodily autonomy cannot be fully realised without a

break from the current system. Global attacks on abortion rights This is painfully evident in the global attacks on women’s reproductive rights, healthcare and safety, from the defunding of Planned Parenthood and the Global Gag Rule in the USA, to the decriminalisation of domestic abuse in Russia, for example. Recent events have proved yet again that when rights and freedoms are won through struggle,while capitalism remains they will continue to be vulnerable to attack, and must be continuously defended against the elites who seek to dismantle them for the sake of profit and power. In the Irish context, thechurch-state alliance of Irish capitalism is unlikely to deviate from its track record of perpetrating violence against the working class, and particularly women. A struggle of all of the oppressed and working classes united against the establishment is necessary to challenge these capitalist power structures, end oppression and build a socialist alternative. With the repeal referendum on the horizon, the role of a socialist feminist organisation such as ROSA is essential to secure a pro-choice alternative to the Eighth Amendment, mobilise repeal activists around socialist principles and progress towards a society where our rights and freedoms are realised.

ROSA is a radical socialist feminist organisation fighting women’s oppression and capitalism

onal Womens’ Day shows the potential to build a powerful movement for full

being excluded by an unrepresentative Dáil Committee. A plebiscite is a vote on what should become legislation (not go into the Constitution). We saw how the Irish establishment felt it necessary to put marriage equality to a popular vote they simply hadn't the guts themselves to introduce it as legislation. With their long ties to the church, the Irish establishment can't be trusted to bring in social progress taken for granted in other EU states, to separate church and state, implement non- judgemental sex education, have free or even affordable contraception, and of course abortion rights. They will have to be compelled to by a very strong, active movement. Building the pressure Five years on from the death of Savita at the end of October, it's incredible to think we may not have a recommendation for laws allowing abortion for what killed Savita! All of the parties and individual TDs now have to be challenged. Some of the members of the traditional parties, including leading ones, do actually believe women are vessels. Others simply hide. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil can't be allowed stand over their medieval position any longer. But even parties favouring repeal, such as Labour, the Greens,

Social Democrats, still have thresholds of suffering through which they think women should have to go before an abortion is allowable. It's not acceptable that parties who say they're pro-repeal (and even sometimes pro-choice) are considering less of a health ground than what is in the 50-year-old UK abortion law. Sinn Féin, while supporting repeal, doesn't even have a position of health at all, only supporting abortion for a "grave" threat to a woman's mental health - in effect the suicide ground that already exists and under which it's impossible for women to access abortions, as we've seen by the recent 'Handmaid's Tale' cruelty to a suicidal rape victim. SF has an Ard Fheis in November and should be lobbied to change its position. If not now, when? Claims are too often made that times are 'historic'. But there certainly is an opportunity to win historic social change in Ireland - yes, the repeal of the odious 8th Amendment inflicted on us by the Catholic right and enacted by opportunist politicians. But also the scope of abortion legislation can be determined by the strength of the movement in the next months. Let's resolve to win what really would be historic social change for women, for pregnant people and for this generation. l

Pro-choice school students get organised Carah Daniel spoke with Megan Brady, an organiser with School Students for Choice, about how young people in schools are organising to win abortion rights. What is School Students for Choice?

School Students for Choice is a group run by pro-choice school students for school students. Our aims are to get more young people involved in the fight for repeal, and to provide a group where they can find out information from people their own age, and become better activists.

What type of a campaign do you run and how is it different to other campaigns?

Our group is different because we to want to spread the repeal message in a way that teenagers will respond to. We have more laid back events and our hope is that teenagers who don't know much or what to get more involved will come to these events and get information. We want to create a space for teenagers, where we can unite and have our voices heard as a group.

How has the response been?

The majority of feedback we get has been overwhelming positive from people our own age. School students feel inspired by people their own age being involved in the fight for repeal.

Have you noticed a radicalisation among young people?

Yes definitely. I think there are a number of reasons for it. As young people I believe we are naturally inclined to be radical and demand change. I can say that the radicalisation of young people around the 8th is because it is something so personal. It affects so many people and it affects some of the most private parts of our lives. Teenagers see so many amazing young activists fighting for change that it gives them the confidence to be loud and demand their human rights.

special feature

demand

Why we need a socialist feminist movement

September 2017

THE SOCIALIST

international

uS: Combatting the far-right By Conor Payne

he eLeCTion of Donald Trump, with his openly racist, sexist, islamophobic platform, emboldened the far right across the us, including neonazis and other fascists. on 11 and 12 August , these groups gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia to protest the removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert e. Lee. Another purpose of this “unite the Right” mobilisation was to pull together their forces and strengthen their position. The fascists met counterdemonstrators with brutal violence. A young black man, DeAndre Harris, was brutally beaten by a crowd of white supremacists. And a young socialist activist Heather Heyer was murdered after a neonazi drove his car into a crowd of protesters. The events in Charlottesville demonstrate the deadly results of fascists successfully organising and becoming emboldened. The response of Donald Trump gave succour to the far right when he condemned violence “on many sides” and refused to condemn neo-nazis, the KKK etc. by name. Days later he was pressured into issuing a more specific condemnation before walking this back and

giving a press conference where he attacked the “violent alt-left” and said there were “many good people” among the far right demonstrators.

abusive practices by the state have the full backing of his administration. Having a sympathiser in the White House is undoubtedly a major boost to the far right.

Counter protests hit back However, the events in Charlottesville have also unleashed mass protests which show how weak the far right still are. In Boston on 19 August, 40,000 marched against a so-called ‘altright’ rally, which could only muster around 50 people. The anti-racist protest was called by a local Black Lives Matter group and was supported by a number of important unions. Socialist Alternative (US sister organisation of the Socialist Party) initiated a socialist contingent on the protest, which brought together a number of different left organisations and attracted 1,000 participants. This huge show of strength took place against the opposition of Democrat Mayor of Boston, Marty Walsh. This humiliating display of mass opposition resulted in 67 similar white supremacist rallies around the country being cancelled.

How to stop the right However, the Trump administration is itself divided and beset by crisis. Trump’s approval ratings are as low as 34%. The Republicans have been unable to carry through most of their key policies, including their attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act and throw millions off health insurance. Meanwhile, left policies such as single-payer health care have mass support. The Democratic Party, however, is fundamentally linked to big business and the profit system and will not champion these ideas. This limits their ability to draw support despite the enormous opposition to Trump. A key part of fighting the farright and Trump’s agenda is building a left movement which can connect with the needs of workingclass people for decent jobs, healthcare and living standards, and challenge the rule of the political and economic rule of the billionaire class. Such a positive, socialist alternative to Trump and the Republicans has the potential to win the support of millions and further isolate the racist far-right.

The fascist threat The Boston protests show clearly that the potential to mobilise mass support is still far greater on the left than the far right. It also

Building a powerful left can mobilise millions against the far right.

points to the best approach to taking on fascist groups. We can’t ignore or simply debate with these groups, which represent a threat to the rights and safety of people of colour, LGBTQ people, left and labour movement activists. By mobilising mass opposition, they can be denied a platform and legitimacy and be pushed back.

“McStrike” in Britain: Workers take historic strike action By Shane Finnan

cDonALD’s sTAFF in two of its restaurants will strike for the first time in Britain fighting back against low-pay, dodgy zero-hour contracts and workplace bullying. Ian Hodson, vice president of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, which represents the workers had the following to say on the strike action; "McDonald's has had countless opportunities to resolve grievances by offering workers a fair wage and acceptable working conditions. This is a call for change." Those coming out in support of the workers include the Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and his Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell.

Already the decision of a small few workers to strike has improved the lot of the many. Since the intention to strike has been declared, McDonald's have offered their workforce 80,000 renewed contracts which gives their staff guaranteed hours. Action gets results The strike bears significant importance not only in Britain, but in Ireland also. In fact the strike was inspired by the Fight for $15 movement in the US, which has organised low-paid workers to demand a minimum wage almost double the federal minimum wage. This movement has already won wage increases for 22 million workers, ten million of whom have won or been promised $15.

Should the workers in Britain achieve a victory of a higher wage and improvements in their overall terms and conditions, it would be another huge marker and reference point for all young and precarious workers. Organisation essential The overall percentage of union membership in the private sector in both Britain and Ireland is quite low. A victory for the McDonalds workers would indicate the importance for workers to get organised in trade unions in order to improve their working and living conditions. Socialists stand firm in support of all workers who are trying to improve their lot. Victory to the McDonald's workers!

While explicit fascists remain relatively weak, the reality is that Trump and the Republicans are pursuing racist policies from the White House itself; the attempted ‘Muslim ban’, the planned wall along the Mexican border, and mass deportations. Trump’s recent pardoning of Sheriff Joe Arpaio represents a signal that racist and

l a n o i t a n r e t in solidarity

Defend LGBT activist Ali Feruz

By Thomas White Ali Feruz is an LGBT+ activist in Russia with a long history of standing up to the regime, helping to found an independent trade union of journalists, and helping to expose the criminal state attacks on gay men in Chechnya. In early August he was arrested and charged with being in Russia illegally, despite the fact that he has applied for asylum there after fleeing persecution and torture in Uzbekistan. Within a day of his arrest he was found guilty and sentenced to deportation to Uzbekistan. This is blatant political policing and is part of a wider range of repression by the regime. Send immediate protest letters demanding Ali’s release to russianembassydublin@mid.ru

Hong Kong: Democratic rights under attack By Thomas White On 14 July four legislators were expelled from the Hong Kong Legislative Council, the “parliament” controlled by the mainland. This included veteran democracy campaigner, “Long Hair”, and represented a clear attempt by the regime to crack down on democratic rights. Following this, 16 young democracy activists were imprisoned, sparking a major demonstration of up to 140,000 on 20 August. This is part of continuing repression in Hong Kong since the Umbrella Movement in 2014. There is an urgent need for an international solidarity campaign based on the trade union movement, elected officials and democratic rights advocates. You can send protest letters to the Chinese embassy at pa.chineseembassy.ie@gmail.com McDonald’s workers show that precarious workers have the power to fight back.

September 2017

THE SOCIALIST

North: Extend the 1967 Abortion Act

port a woman’s right to choose. The DUP and SDLP are entirely opposed to any reform, as are the majority of UUP MLAs. Sinn Féin and most Alliance MLAs oppose abortion rights outside the narrow circumstances of sexual crime and fatal foetal abnormality. While many boast of their ‘pro-life’ credentials, all the main parties are involved in cutting funding for fundamental services and benefits that people rely on to provide a decent life for themselves and their children. What we need is real choice. Women should be able to decide if and when they want children and, if they do, jobs, adequate benefits and free childcare must be guaranteed.

By Amy Ferguson

his oCToBeR marks the fiftieth year since the 1967 Abortion Act was passed in Britain, yet women in northern ireland are still being denied the rights to control their own bodies. of course, the criminalisation of abortion here has not prevented abortions from being carried out. Instead, it has only forced women to make desperate decisions: either to travel overseas, resulting in major emotional and financial costs which greatly discriminates against working class women; to face criminalisation for accessing safe abortion pills; or to resort to more dangerous and potentially life-threatening measures. Sectarian anti-choice politicians This needs to stop. It is time that our politicians, across the sectarian divide, are shown just how backwards and out of touch they are with us, the people, and popu-

A majority of people are in favour decriminalising abortion in the North.

lar opinion. In fact, recent polls have shown that 72% of people in Northern Ireland think abortion should he available if pregnancy is

the result of rape and 58% believe that abortion should be completely decriminalised. None of the main parties sup-

Extend the ’67 Act While Jeremy Corbyn’s support for extending the right to a ‘safe, legal abortion’ to women in Northern Ireland is to welcomed, we cannot sit by idle and wait on change coming from above. We

2pm, Saturday, 14 October, Buoy Park (Arts College Sq), Donegall St, Belfast

need a radical, grassroots movement from below, a movement that goes beyond polite lobbying, to demand the full decriminalisation of and equal access to abortion. With the increasing radicalisation of a new generation, resulting in a swing of public opinion, change is possible. So, I would encourage everyone to attend the Rally for Choice on the 14th October, 2pm at Buoy Park (Arts College Square) to show our politicians that we cannot and will not wait any longer for the rights to our own bodies.

A rotten system Organise to challenge capitalism In the coming months the Socialist Party will be getting organised on campuses across the country. Here MONIKA JANAS outlines why you should join the socialists. Homeless crisis Environmental crisis Our world and the world of the future generations is being destroyed to line the pockets of people who cannot see past their immediate profits. With catastrophes such as Hurricane Harvey in the USA becoming more commonplace, we must ask ourselves why more isn’t done to address the problem? Working within the boundaries of capitalism, to solve a problem created by the drive for profit championed by that very system, is futile. Steps need to be taken to protect the environment, the bottom line of big corporations be damned. More investment into renewable energy, research, and conservation is needed, and none of it will happen until we have a democratically controlled economy.

A system built on oppression Malcolm X once said: “You can’t have capitalism, without racism.” Similarly, sexism, and homophobia are tightly knitted into the framework of this system. Capitalism, based on division and competition, is a natural enemy to solidarity and equality, to a world in which discrimination based on skin color, sex and gender is a thing of the past. That’s why the fight for abortion in Ireland and globally must also have anticapitalist ideas at its core, as does every struggle against oppression and injustice.

In July alone, 99 families became homeless in Dublin. Since June 2014 the number of homeless children in Dublin has increased by 327%! The greed of landlords is causing rents to skyrocket, exploiting the desperation of working class people. We need more investment into affordable housing, not a Taoiseach who dilly-dallies whilst comparing socks with other world leaders. The death of three homeless people at the start of September, is a result of inaction motivated by greed. People are dying so that companies like Apple can get away without paying their taxes.

Mental health crisis A crisis of mental health looms over us. Young people are unable to move out of their parents house, often until their 30s, resulting in increased strain on their mental health and independence. Similarly, precarious working conditions, unemployment, lack of access to counselling, as well as other services, contribute to a feeling of hopelessness and frustration.

news

Abortion rights now!

Join the Rally for Choice

Inequality and lack of democracy Meanwhile, 8 richest people in the world have the same amount of wealth as the poorest half of the world population, and this number has decreased from 62 last year! That’s not even 1%, it’s 0.000001%! Do we truly live in a democratic world when multinational businesses and corporations dictate the way forward? We are experiencing the dictatorship of the markets and profits, where the needs of the working class are met with derision and ignorance.

The case for socialist change All of the above is indicative of a crisis of capitalism, a system based on the suffering of the many so few can profit, that is not suitable or sustainable for the future. It is a lack of respect for human dignity and for equality that allows the rich to get richer, while the poor get poorer. The antidote is solidarity and the building and organizing of a movement of young people and the working class; a movement that stands for a world based on the rule of the majority, democratic control of a people centered economy, equality and progress; a movement that stands for Socialism. Join today to fight against greed and injustice, and for a better life for all!

September 2017

THE SOCIALIST

New Jobstown trials:

news

The vindictive stitch-up continues By Councillor Kieran Mahon, Former Jobstown Defendant

has even questioned the future of jury trials!

he sTATe’s attempt to equate the Jobstown protest of november 2014 with criminality has backfired. The full defence of the right to free speech and protest, with a political defence campaign, exposed the rotten nature of the charges, and drew a line that a working class jury refused to cross. This required understanding the deep relationships between the Gardai, the political establishment and the media, while at the same time exposing the contradictions and scandals that envelop them. Yet the vindictive campaign continues. On 2 October, six men and one woman face charges of false imprisonment and violent disorder. There should be no doubt that Gardaí and State prosecutors wish to regain some legitimacy in their own circles by securing convictions. Leo Varadkar and Brendan Howlin have already tried to undermine the “Not Guilty” verdicts in the Dáil. An Irish Times editorial, sickened by the brilliant social media defence campaign,

Serious charges The verdicts seriously undermined the False Imprisonment charges. Violent Disorder is another extremely serious charge carrying a potential prison sentence of 14 years. These rotten charges are best exposed by understanding what happened and the political motivation behind them. Garda testimony of violence and a continuous barrage of missiles have been discredited in court, with video evidence showing long periods of calm and peaceful but determined protest. The most violent incidents saw Garda assaults on Solidarity TD and Socialist Party member Paul Murphy and other sit down protesters. The reaction of women protesters to this was to defend Paul by physically lying across him which inspired others to make sure that the protest was not broken up by force. This development from spontaneous action to effective protest delayed Joan Burton for two and half hours. A small price for the

The state was humiliated after a working class jury threw out the charges of false imprisonment.

savage austerity she oversaw as Minister for Social Protection and Tánaiste. A working class community organised, policed itself, and expressed itself politically in a way Gardaí could never accommodate and an anti-worker government could never tolerate. Attacks on democratic rights People peacefully held their ground against heavy handed policing and the mobilisation of the public order unit. Hard won rights were defended by utilising them and putting the legitimate anti-austerity agenda of the com-

End the burden of childcare costs

munity to the fore. Defendants engaged in that process with hundreds of others. This Government and bosses face the increasing the potential for workplace struggles, a major movement developing around abortion rights and a generalised sense of disaffection in society. As with the water charges, self-organisation and spontaneous action against injustices will be a feature in the coming months and years. Capitalism today is incapable of meeting the needs of the majority in society - that’s why we have a growing housing crisis, homeless-

ness, precarious jobs and underfunding of our public services. The experience of Jobstown shows what lengths the ruling class in this country is prepared to punish those who resist their rotten agenda.

What we demand: l Drop All Charges l Reverse the conviction in Children’s Court l Full public inquiry into Garda investigation & evidence

Save Tallaght IT crèche!

By Adrienne Harvey FEARS THAT the Government’s More Affordable Childcare Scheme would increase the financial burden on parents have been realised. The subsidy of up to €80 per month was intended to help parents cope with rising childcare costs. However, some parents have already seen this potential gain wiped out after being notified of increases of €90 per month. This is notwithstanding the fact that childcare fees in Ireland for single parents are the highest in the EU, accounting for 42% of household income, compared with 14% across other EU states! Although childcare costs are rising, workers in this sector remain on low wages, averaging €11.40 per hour. There is also a high turnover of staff. Early Childhood Ireland has announced that it supports its members who have increased their charges. As of the end of August 2017 just 2,626 of a possible 4,484 early childcare providers have signed up to the Scheme, further compounding stress – financial and otherwise - of parents. They are facing the turmoil of uprooting their child to a crèche that has signed up, or losing out on this subsidy.

By Sandra Fay

Highest in Europe Results of a recent online poll showed 45% of mothers are considering or already have left the workplace due to crippling childcare costs. This result serves to highlight the EU Commission’s 2016 statement targeted at Ireland that; “The availability and cost of childcare remains a barrier to female market participation and hinders efforts to reduce child poverty”. Ireland was further singled out to “Improve the provision of quality, affordable, full-time childcare”. Of course, the EU’s neoliberal spending rules are an attempt to cut across any significant increase in public investment which would be necessary to provide for the building of state run, free or

affordable crèches. Ireland is woefully lagging behind other countries in UNICEF’s recommendation of contributions of not less than 1% GDP towards early childcare. Our state contributes 0.3% GDP. To put this figure in context Denmark contributes 2.0%, Finland 1.1%, France 1.2%, Sweden 1.6%. In Sweden, public childcare is guaranteed for all, free preschool between three to six months, fees up to 3% of family income but capped at €146 per month. Zappone’s fiasco of a scheme is not good enough – the simple demand for quality, free or affordable, accessible childcare will not occur within this bureaucratic, profit-driven system.

n ouTBuRsT of anger ripped through students and the childcare staff of iT Tallaght through the summer. students and staff had just started to unwind and recharge their batteries, when representatives of the third level institution announced the closure of the campus childcare facility. Despite inconvenient timing students and crèche staff were quick to unite, organise and campaign to safe this vital service. As part of the campaign they quickly organised several well attended public meetings with local representatives. An action group was quick to set up on online campaign of “Save ITT Crèche”. Activities included: engaging main stream media; their own online video and media and online petition. They gathered student signatures to set about militant action to picket the gate with the support of the SU. The IT Tallaght, while celebrating 25 years in existence, decided to shut its crèche doors as a cost

saving exercise, leaving 31 students without childcare, more than 30 children with no childcare place, and 14 staff members locked out of work. “Stress and uncertainty” One student stated “this was the last thing I wanted to be involved in and I am sure like everyone else involved it has caused nothing but stress and uncertainty for students, their kids and the staff that faced losing their livelihood.” The actions of the IT show their plan was to shut down the Crèche, or at the very least close it long enough so that a new provider could pick staff, and lower wages. However, after a heated and stressful summer, the college failed to quell the opposition. As we go to print there is a “promise” to reopen the Crèche no later than the 25th of September. This is a major turn around, and will be a great victory for both students and staff. Students and staff are prepared to go outside the ITT campus if there is any turn around, it is vital that the campaigners remain vigilant.

September 2017

THE SOCIALIST

Oppose “big brother” by stealth

By Adam Dudley

AnDAToRY BuT not compulsory", those were the words social protection Minister Regina Doherty chose to describe the new Public services Cards (PsC) and to subdue the mounting criticism of the card from the public, legal experts and data protection watchdogs. The controversy surrounds the new cards once again exposes how out of touch this establishment are. News that an elderly woman has had €13,000 withheld in pension payments because she refused to sign up for the card has shattered the Government’s argument that the card is voluntary. Compulsory card For those in receipt of welfare benefits, including state pensions, the card is clearly compulsory. The fact that the card is destined to be required for driving licenses, driv-

er theory test and passport applications means that it'll become defacto universally compulsory unless the state pulls back. This is an attempt to introduce a national identity card, that exists in other European countries, by stealth. Such a card will mean that multiple government agencies and departments will be able to access people’s personal data. Once again the establishment are struggling to square the circle between their own desire to strengthen the state and their own powers, and the entirely appropriate distrust millions have towards them. The memory of water charges and the establishment of Irish Water is fresh. After public outcry, Irish Water was forced to destroy almost 900,000 data files, containing unnecessary PPS numbers. Water charges lessons What can't be destroyed is the memory of the harassment and

PSC - the latest in the states string of attacks on civil liberties.

bullying of those who refused to register, including the use of landlords and the false threat of tenancy agreement breaches, and the desperate campaign Irish Water

Striking against jobs losses & outsourcing...

Cleaners in Swords take action By Eugene Coppinger

s we go to press, women cleaners and siPTu members, with a combined service record of 63 years, have lost their jobs in st. Cronan’s national school in swords. Until November 2016 the women were employed directly by the School until a decision was made to outsource their jobs to a private company who re employed the women. However, over the summer the cleaning contract was awarded to another company AFM Ireland who have refused to keep the women in their jobs. The support shown to the strikers at the school gate by the parents of the children attending the school, many who are on first name terms is an indication of how these

workers are also an important part of the school and wider community. The broad support amongst parents, the wider school and local community needs to be built on to demand that the Board of Management employ the women directly as part of the school community.

race to the bottom These women are victims of the race to the bottom and the creeping casualisation of the public sector which needs to be fought tooth and nail by the working class. Privatising of all ‘support’ jobs in education, whether in primary, secondary or third level, is the long term goal of the Department of Education. This will lead, to the

decimation of jobs in admin, secretarial, security, cleaning and caretaking, affecting tens of thousands of workers across the country. Transfer of Undertakings (TUPE) legislation, is supposed to protect the wages, terms and conditions of workers who are outsourced. Likewise, the public sector pay deals are often sold by the union tops as the only way to protect jobs against outsourcing. The situation in St. Cronan’s raises very hard questions about how effective these really are in protecting workers. The only method that workers can rely on is militant trade unionism that puts workers’ first over any cosy deals with government and bosses or the financial interests of private contractors.

and the state engaged in, desperately trying to cut across the movement of non-payment which ultimately sank their initial crusade in 2015.

Data is big business. In Ireland alone €445m was spent on digital advertisements in 2016 - that's up 60% over two years - and is underpinned by the data collection software of giant corporations like Google and Facebook. Given the close relationships between many state agencies and large corporations, personal data can be traded as a commodity like any other. In July a major deal between an NHS trust in London and Google owned ‘Deepmind’ was ruled illegal, after the company gained access to the medical history of 1.6 million patients, including HIV status, mental health history and abortion procedures. Access to public services, social welfare and pensions should be universal to all those who need them. To demand that we will have to barter away access to our personal data is a disgusting erosion of civil liberties and social rights, and should be resisted.

Save the daates e d I s u o r e g n a D 2 0 17

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Cllr Eugene Coppinger supporting locked-out cleaners at St. Cronan’s school in Swords.

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