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Article source: http://richardboydbarrett.ie/2012/05/17/richard-boyd-barrett-td-debates-minister-joan-burton-on-austerity-treaty/

In a statement, Richard Boyd Barrett, TD for the People Before Profit Alliance and Finance spokesperson for the United Left Alliance, said a YES vote to the Fiscal Treaty would not protect Irish citizens from a Greek style economic tragedy but on the contrary would propel Ireland further down a trajectory towards the disastrous economic situation now facing Greece.

Deputy Boyd Barrett condemned the current attempts of the ECB and European political establishment to bully the Greek electorate into voting for a continuation of the austerity programme and the re-payment of odious debt. He further condemned Minister Michael Noonan’s comments about Greek feta cheese as utterly disgraceful and callous.

Deputy Boyd Barrett said that Greece faced it’s currently disastrous situation precisely because its government imposed the first raft of EU-IMF austerity not because its people resisted it. He said the Greek people were entirely right to resist further EU-ECB-IMF bullying and austerity.

He said the lesson we must learn from Greece is that we should reject a treaty that sought to make unfair austerity policies legally-binding.

Richard Boyd Barrett said: “Since the radical left party, Syriza, won the largest number of seats in the Greek elections last week, the political establishment have been working overtime to support their banker buddies for fear that the Greek people will oppose the repayment of odious debt and stand-up to the disastrous policy of austerity. The TROIKA—the International Monetary Fund, the European Union and the European Central Bank are trying to squeeze the very life out of Greek workers and Greek society, and the Greek people are absolutely right to stand-up to this madness.

If you look at what’s happening in Greece now, the mainstream parties, New Democracy and Pasok, which are the Greek equivalents of Fine Gael and Labour, are using scare tactics to force Syriza to break its election promises and join them in a government of so-called ‘national salvation’. In other words, the Greek establishment, who remain ideologically tied to the dogma of financial markets, are doing the exact same thing that our government is doing here: twisting language to bully people into voting a certain way.

Michael Noonan’s glib comments about Greece and feta cheese are utterly disgraceful and callous. To make light of the suffering of the Greek people is an outrage. But, of course, it mirror’s the similar contempt shown for people who have lost their jobs displayed by the Taoiseach in Athlone earlier this week. It makes absolutely clear that this government is living in an entirely different world to that inhabited by ordinary Irish citizens that have been devastated by the current economic crisis and the policies of austerity. Quite simply, it shows that this government does not give a damn about the suffering being experienced by ordinary people in this country.

But let’s look calmly at the course of events: Greece only reluctantly imposed the first austerity program and was then forced into a second austerity program which massacred an already suffering economy. The Greek economy is in the dire state that it’s in now precisely because it implemented the first round of austerity, not because its people opposed it.

Enshrining austerity into law, as this Fiscal Treaty would do, would therefore be to imitate the Greek model of cuts which brought Greece to its knees.

I would appeal to the Irish public not vote out of fear on May 31st but to take a stand against failed policies that have already savaged one other EU country and will do the same to this country if allow them to be signed into law. The people of Europe are uniting against failed policies and can reverse them. The Irish people can play an important part in building the European movement of resistance to the disastrous policy of austerity by voting NO on May 31st.”

For more information on No Campaign visit: www.unitedleftalliance.org or www.voteno.ie

Article source: http://richardboydbarrett.ie/2012/05/17/treaty-does-not-prevent-us-from-ending-up-like-greece-it-makes-a-greek-scenario-in-ireland-more-likely/

Article source: http://richardboydbarrett.ie/2012/05/16/united-left-alliance-tds-speaking-on-the-protection-of-employees-amendment-bill-2012/

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Article source: http://richardboydbarrett.ie/2012/05/16/richard-boyd-barrett-td-raises-the-plight-of-irish-cement-workers-with-the-taoiseach-enda-kenny/

The Yes side’s key argument is that if we don’t vote Yes, we will not be able to access ESM funds for a potential second bailout Therefore, they suggest, we will not be able to access any funds and the result will be a need to close the deficit gap in one year – hence more austerity.

They have been assisted by the media in turning this into the question of the debate, rather than debating the actual contents of the Austerity Treaty, the austerity it imposes, and the attack on democratic rights.

We need to be able to answer this question in such a way as to not turn it into the 18 billion euro question, and instead to turn the discussion back to austerity. When they say “show us the money” we should say “show us the cuts”.

The first thing we should say is:

1. Seeking another bailout us an admission that government policy has failed. It is ludicrous of the government to tell us that we must take all of the pain associated with austerity so that we can get back to the markets and regain our sovereignty and at the same time tell us we must vote yes so that we can have another bailout and give up our sovereignty yet again. The need for another bailout is because austerity has failed. Therefore we need an alternative to austerity.
2. A bailout will come at a cost. Firstly we are committed to providing €11b to the ESM if required. Secondly any money that comes from the fund will come with demands for more cuts, privatisation etc. As the Amendment to Art 136 says “The granting of any required financial assistance under the mechanism (ESM) will be made subject to strict conditionality”

But we should be clear that:

1. The government has colluded in linking the treaty to the ESM
2. It has a veto on the ESM.
3. There are other sources of money if the government really wants them
4. The EU has given commitment to further funding in the future perhaps for its own  reasons.

1. The government have colluded in linking the treaty to the ESM and is engaging in blackmail

The ESM Treaty was agreed unanimously at the European Council in February. Therefore the government did not oppose it. The government are presenting the link between the two treaties as an unfortunate reality. The link was not in the original ESM Treaty of July 2011.

2. It has a veto and can stop the blackmail

The establishment of the ESM requires an amendment to Article 136 of  the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU). This is needed to give a legal basis to the ESM.

he reason that it needs this amendment is that otherwise it would be in breach of Article 125 of the TFEU which is the ‘no bailout clause’.

The Department of Finance disputes this and suggest the ESM could be set up even without this amendment. In that case, however, why are they doing the amendment?

Is the government really saying that it will go ahead and ratify a treaty  which, following a No vote, will lock us out of EU funding?

3. There are other sources of money if the government really wants them

We should be careful with this argument as we do not want to holding up the EU or the IMF as benevolent in any way.

But it’s the government who is arguing the need for another bailout. So we should say if it wants to get money there are other sources there.

Michael Taft and Tom O Donnell have dealt with all of this at length. The key points are:

1. New funding is available from the EFSF until June 2013.  It has a remaining lending capacity of €248 b and will remain in place to administer its programmes until they they are all wound down.

2. The IMF operates an exceptional access policy whereby countries can gain access to funds above the quota assigned to it. A key argument being made by the yes side is that we have exhausted our quota. Taft and O Donnell argue that Ireland fulfils all four criteria for “exceptional access”:

(a) The member is experiencing or has the potential to experience pressures resulting in a need for Fund financing that cannot be met within the normal limits.

(b) There is a high probability that the member’s public debt is sustainable in the medium term. However, in instances where there are significant uncertainties that make it difficult to state categorically that there is a high probability that the debt is sustainable over this period, exceptional access would be justified if there is a high risk of international systemic spillovers.

(c) The member has prospects of gaining or regaining access to private capital markets within the timeframe when Fund resources are outstanding.

(d) The policy program of the member provides a reasonably strong prospect of success, including not only the member’s adjustment plans but also its institutional and political capacity to deliver that adjustment.

They also argue that given our “austerity poster boy status” the IMF might be loath to start suggesting that its too risky to give us additional resources. As they say “Would Ireland be penalised by the IMF for adhering to a programme that the IMF helped design”.

4. The EU has given commitment to further funding in the future.

Ireland’s continuing access to institutional funding beyond the current bail-out programme has been guaranteed not once, but twice, by the Heads of States and Government; first, on July 21st of last year when the establishment of the European Stability Mechanism was agreed, and most recently on January 30th of this year – after the Fiscal Treaty was signed:
‘We welcome the latest positive reviews of the Irish and Portuguese programmes which concluded that quantitative performance criteria and structural benchmarks have been met. We will continue to provide support to countries under a programme until they have regained market access, provided they successfully implement their programmes.’

In this context it should noted that access to the ESM fund can be activated: “if indispensable to safeguard the stability of the euro area as a whole”. So it might not just be in Irelands interest to provide access to funding through the ESM.  As Terrence Mc Donagh, (Prof of Economics in UCG) said in the Irish Times on May 2:

“ A disorderly Irish default would threaten the stability of the European banking system. A European Central Bank intervention to restabilise the system would be considerably more expensive than a second bailout of what is a small country. It is highly unlikely Europe would ignore its self-interest in order to spite the Irish electorate”.

Arguing the Alternative

From our perspective all of the above is to miss the point.

We should argue that austerity is not working and there is an alternative and across Europe people are now looking for a radical alternative.

To indicate the extent of failure of austerity we should use a number of key facts:

1. The deficit is rising.

Deficit reduction is the stated aim of austerity yet we know that the exchequer deficit has grown:

2007    1.6 b

2008    12.7 b

2009    24.6 b

2010    18.7 b

2011    24.9 b

When the government says it is falling it using a figure called General Government Deficit which does not include payments to the banks including promissory  note payments.

2. The number signing on have gone from 198, 000 in 2007 to 443,000 at the end of 2011. We have lost 114,600 jobs since Lisbon 2. 60% of the unemployed are now long term and 30% of young people are out of work. Yet private investment has fallen by 63% since 2007 (by €36 b).
3. The Credit Union estimates that 47% of adults have less than €100 to spend a month after bills are paid. That’s 1.5 m people. Demand in the domestic economy is falling. GNP (which does not include the repatriations of multinationals) fell by a massive 7.1% in the last three months of 2011 compared with the same period in 2010.
4. Poverty, deprivation and inequality are all rising. There are now 700,000 people at risk of poverty, the number suffering deprivation  has grown from 14% to 23% (2009 to 2010) while in the same period the incomes of the  top 10% grew by 8% while the income of the bottom 10% fell by 26%.

The Alternative

The alternative must focus on breaking with austerity, investing in jobs and making the rich pay for the crises. We should avoid getting locked into a discussion on an alternative budget. The key issue that a focus on the deficit will not get the economy moving again.

Our alternative should three key dimensions:

1. A focus on deficit reduction will not increase employment. In fact jobs will be lost. Given the collapse in private investment public investment is needed  to create jobs. But over the next three years public investment will be cut by €1.4 b. In total that will lead to a loss of 14,000 direct jobs. (Figures from Michael Taft).
2. The unsustainable debt burden must be eased. The burden of debt is sharply manifested in two ways:

a)      The requirement to make interest payments which in 2012 will be €7.5 b. This is almost 40% of the expected exchequer deficit of €18.8 b;

b)      The requirement to pay €3.1 b in promissory note payments. It is estimated that interest on the note will be €1.85 b in 2014.

(Figures are from Oireachtas Library and Research Service).

In light of the above we should demand, as Syriza in Greece has,  a halt on all interest payments and demand the money be put into jobs. We should also call for the promissory note payments to stop.

More broadly we should argue for debt relief as was granted in Greece with a 53% reduction in debt agreed as part of the second bailout.

3. The tax take from the rich must increase:

The tax take in Ireland is below the European average. Taxes on wealth and high incomes are under exploited. If we were to move towards the European average tax take of 35% of GNP, as Social Justice Ireland have argued we should, tax revenue would increase by €6.5 billion in 2012.

In our budget statement we called for:

1. A wealth tax of  5% on the top 5% of wealth owners to bring in €10 b.

We noted that net financial assets had increased by €45 b between 2008 and 10.

1. €5b to be raised from high earners. We noted that those earning over €100,000 had earnings of circa €20 b but paid less than €5 b in tax. That’s less than 25%.

It should be noted that in 2009 the average effective tax rate of those earning over €500,000 was 20% the same as someone on €40,000.

The effective rate for those between 250,000 and 500,000 was 12%.

The minimum effective tax rate should be increased significantly. It is currently set at 30%.

Tax exiles should also be forced to pay their share. Denis O Brien is now worth €2.5 b , has four houses in Dublin and is a tax exile.

At a photo call at the Dail today the United Left Alliance said that
the Austerity Treaty represented a fundamental attack on democratic
rights. By enshrining right wing economic dogma in Irish law it will
deprive the electorate of the right to choose governments which oppose
austerity.

Paul Murphy MEP said

“The Austerity Treaty represents an extremely serious attack on
democracy. By giving  constitutional protection to the  deficit
target, the Treaty destroys people’s right to choose an alternative
policy. What they want to create is a situatione where you can have
any government you want, as long as it drives austerity. We are
calling on people to reject this assault on our democratic rights by
voting No on 31 May”.

Richard Boyd Barrett TD said

“The establishment across Europe knows that austerity is intensely
unpopular. This was seen again this weekend with a defeat for Merkel
in state elections in Germany. As a result, they are trying to write
austerity policies into law in such a way that they can’t simply be
voted out. German Chancellor Angela Merkel spelt out this when she
said: ‘The debt brakes will be binding and valid forever. Never will
you be able to change them through a parliamentary majority.’ They
want to remove people’s right to vote for an alternative policy.

Seamus Healy TD said

“Basic democratic rights have been ripped up by the European elite in
the course of this crisis. Elected governments have been replaced by
governments by bankers for bankers in Italy and Greece. Even Angela
Merkel’s reaction to the Greek election results shows a complete lack
of respect for democratic rights. Now they want to go further with
this Treaty, which transfers yet more power from elected governments
to the unelected and unaccountable European Commission. Article 5 in
effect enables countries to be placed into administration, with real
power over budgets passing to the Commission and Council.”

The United Left Alliance is calling on the electorate to vote NO in
massive numbers. They must send a clear signal that they will not give
up their right to elect governments which are for public investment
and against cuts and austerity

“The nine year rule being applied to cars being driven as taxis is forcing full time career taxi drivers out of the trade. Time and again taxi drivers are telling me that they cannot access credit to purchase new cars but have spent what money they have to keep their existing cars road worthy.

“The nine year rule does not apply to drivers whose licence number is below 45,000 which is a bizarre and arbitrary cut off. Anomalous situations can arise now where cars of greater years and greater miles on the clock and are road worthy can remain on the streets than younger cars who happen to be over nine years.

“I call on the Minister for Transport to replace the nine year rule with a fair road worthiness test. This is only one part of a solution of a wider package of necessary and radical reforms to save the taxi trade which me and my United Left Alliance colleagues will be advocating.”

Article source: http://www.claredaly.ie/taxi-drivers-facing-ruin-because-of-arbitrary-approach-by-national-transport-authority/

“As has been shown in other instances including Vita Cortex, Game and La Senza among others there is a growing trend of employers leaving workers high and dry with issues of redundancy, outstanding pay and holidays being left unresolved.

“The Socialist Party and United Left Alliance favours recommendations for enhanced redundancies from the Labour Court to be made binding on employers and, although this situation doesn’t arise in HW Wilson, legal immunity for workers who occupy their place of work when the employer attempts to cease operations or make workers redundant when money due to the employees is outstanding.”

Article source: http://www.claredaly.ie/clare-daly-td-supports-the-protest-being-undertaking-today-by-hw-wilson-workers-at-clontarf-castle/

http://www.unitedleftalliance.org

http://www.voteno.ie

Article source: http://richardboydbarrett.ie/2012/05/14/united-left-alliance-on-austerity-treaty/

In a statement, Richard Boyd Barrett TD People Before Profit/United Left Alliance has said that both the Yes side and, increasingly, the media, were failing to debate the actual provisions of the Fiscal Treaty and the consequences of its implementation.

He said that the debate on the treaty had become one about dire warnings of the consequences of a NO vote, the NO side’s tax policies, personalities and media performances – in short everything except the actual contents of the treaty and a serious debate about what the treaty’s implementation would mean for Ireland and for Europe.

Richard Boyd Barrett said the failure to seriously scrutinise the contents of the Fiscal treaty suited the YES side, as any matching of the treaty’s provisions with the government’s own projected figures for the country’s deficit, and particularly its debt, for the year Ireland was due to exit the EU-IMF programme, taken alongside rapidly declining growth projections for the Irish and European economies, would be very damning for supporters of the treaty.

Richard Boyd Barrett said that while it was reasonable to question the NO side about the consequences of a NO vote the debate needed to be re-balanced with a serious debate about the contents of the treaty and the very serious consequences of a YES vote in the referendum.

Richard Boyd Barrett said any serious examination of the treaty’s provisions and projected figures for Ireland’s deficit, debt and growth made clear that implementing the treaty would mean billions in extra cuts for many years to come.

Richard Boyd Barrett said: “There is a great irony in the way the debate on the treaty has now unfolded. At the outset of the campaign it was suggested the NO side would turn the referendum debate into one about issues external to the treaty and yet this is precisely what the YES side has now done.

The YES side has refused to debate the substantive contents of the treaty and has instead focused on trying to ridicule the NO side and issuing dire and often dishonest warnings about the consequences of a NO vote. Unfortunately, they are being let away with this by much of the media.

While it is entirely reasonable that the NO side should be questioned about the consequences of a NO vote, the same level of scrutiny should be applied to the treaty itself and the likely consequences for the Irish economy and the European economy as a whole.

This is not a difficult thing to do as the treaty has only two key objectives – imposing deficit and debt reduction targets that must be met within specified timeframes. These targets simply have to be matched to available figures and projections on those items, taken alongside likely growth figures, in order to work out the likely costs and consequences for Ireland and Europe of implementing the treaty.

This relatively straightforward interrogation of the likely consequences of applying the treaty’s provisions to the Irish economy and the wider European economy is simply not being done.

This failure to fully scrutinise the treaty and the likely cost of its implementation suits the YES side as any examination of even the government’s own projected deficit and debt figures for the period when Ireland is due to exit the EU-IMF programme make clear that applying the treaty’s provisions would mean billions of extra cuts for a decade or more. The consequences become even more serious and the required cuts become even more enormous, when you factor in that growth forecasts for Ireland and Europe are being dramatically down-graded.

When these points are put to the government they simply bat them off with glib comments about growth and inflation sorting the whole problem out or by denouncing what they call the “fantasy” economics of the NO side. Of course the real “fantasy” is the government’s glib claim that growth and inflation will dissolve the enormous cost of meeting the treaty’s deficit and debt targets, when growth is rapidly contracting across Europe and the entire policy of the ECB and Angela Merkel is anti-inflationary.

The government should start to be honest with people about the real implications of this treaty based on the figures and information that are in their possession. The serious media also have a responsibility to the public to re-balance the debate and ensure that the actual provisions of the treaty and the likely result of their implementation be fully examined.

Put simply, the government should be asked how much is it going to cost from 2014 onwards to meet the treaty targets and who is going to pay for it? The government don’t want to answer these questions because, however you calculate it, the answer is: billions for years to come, with workers, the unemployed and the vulnerable in our society paying the bill.”

Article source: http://richardboydbarrett.ie/2012/05/14/referendum-debate-not-focusing-on-treaty-provisions-and-likely-consequences/

They connived with the European Union establishment in February to quietly slip into the draft treaty setting up the new bailout mechanism a provision, saying that it could only be accessed by Member States which had ratified the Austerity Treaty. Knowing that the institutionalisation of austerity measures would give rise to widespread hostility among ordinary people, this is their weapon to achieve a ‘Yes’ by fear.

It is simply a lie to say that, in the event of the sharks in the money markets denying loans to this State, funds could not otherwise be accessed. The European Financial Stability Facility was set up in 2010 to last for a three year period. This is the fund which is being drawn down currently as part of the Troika /Irish government agreement. If needed, it is open to the government to apply for a new programme from the EFSF up until June 2013. This is made clear by the EFSF itself which stated, ‘following the Eurogroup meeting held on 30 March it was decided that the EFSF would remain active until July 2013 . . . For a transitional period until 2013, EFSF may engage in new programmes in order to ensure a full fresh lending capacity of €500 billion . . . after June 2013, EFSF will not enter into any new programmes.’

The ‘Yes’ side counter, that funds may not be needed next year but further into the future, and by voting ‘No’ to the austerity Treaty the State would not have access to the new fund being set up – the European Stability Mechanism(ESM). As I explained last week this would in fact be in the hands of the current government as in the event of a ‘No’ vote, it can tell the European Union that it will simply not agree to legally enshrine this fund in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union until the blackmail clause is removed.

If the Fine Gael and Labour parties had any respect for the right of the Irish people to freely decide, they would now declare that, in the event that the treaty was rejected on May 31, they would do just that.

Much deeper questions arise, however, in the event that a second ‘bailout’ is needed by this government. Would this be a bailout of the people of this State, or of the European financial markets system at the expense of the people, as is happening with the current programme? The latter would spell disaster for society entrenching and intensifying all the horrific consequences of austerity such as mass unemployment, growing poverty and the hollowing out of crucial public services like Health and Education.

There is now a real window of opportunity to force a change of policy across Europe. In last Sunday’s elections, the working class of France and Greece have trenchantly rejected the present policy of austerity pushed on them by their outgoing governments and the Troika acting on the diktat of the financial markets. The Dutch government collapsed under pressure from below and in Italy such pressure is also being manifested. Very significantly in Germany the Social Democratic Party(SPD) has forced a vote on the Austerity Treaty in the Bundestag to be postponed until after the Irish Referendum and the parliamentary elections in France in June. This follows a declaration by SPD MEP, Martin Schultz, currently the President of the European Parliament, that, ‘we must be honest enough to recognise that the current orgy of cuts will not generate growth. But without growth the countries facing a debt crisis will barely even be able to meet their interest payments.’

Many of these parties and individuals like Schultz are pillars of the EU establishment. They now fear the consequences of austerity. They fear the growing mass reaction of working people to this failed policy. This puts the Irish people in a pivotal position to give the movement against austerity a huge push forward and to force a complete change in policy. This has to be based on major public investment in jobs and bringing financial institutions into public ownership and democratic control as instruments for the betterment of society. A ‘No’ vote, far from ‘isolating us in Europe’ as the government claims would in fact be embraced Europe wide as part of the growing crescendo of demands for an end to destructive austerity.

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CHECK OUT OTHER RELATED ARTICLES:

1. Comment: Rejection of Treaty would be recognition of disastrous austerity policies not working
2. Comment: Austerity Treaty will only serve to deepen crisis across Europe
3. Comment: There must be a referendum on Austerity Treaty
4. Video: Joe Higgins tells Taoiseach Austerity Treaty will have a disastrous impact on ordinary Europeans
5. Comment: Government must be held accountable for blackmail clause

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/joehiggins-eu/~3/_DUueHkX3O0/

In contrast to the taxpayer funded government website, the austeritytreaty.ie website gives the true story about the impact of this Treaty on people’s lives. In a series of short videos, the key features of the Treaty such as the austerity required and the bondholder pay outs it demands are explained. The website also answers the scaremongering arguments of the government, and explains in detail how the blackmail of the government is in fact a false threat.

The website also turns attention to the crucial democratic arguments against this Treaty. It explains how the treaty gives yet more powers to the unelected and unaccountable European Commission and enables countries in ‘Excessive Deficit Procedures’ to be effectively placed into administration with their budgets written by the Commission and Council. It outlines how  writing the structural deficit target into law is an attempt to remove people’s right to choose an alternative to austerity policies.

Also available to buy on the website is the new pamphlet from Paul Murphy MEP,  ‘Austerity Treaty explained: how it undermines democracy institutionalises austerity’. This has already sold extremely well at public meetings right across the country. According to Paul Murphy “there is a thirst out there for an explanation of what this Treaty will mean for people’s lives and a strong distrust of the government’s arguments. I have spoken at a number of meetings of the Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes about this Treaty in the last week and everywhere, large number of anti-household tax activists are signing up to actively campaign against this Treaty for the next three weeks”.

The website also provides a ‘twibbon’ badge for your facebook or twitter profile pic and a cover photo image for on facebook.

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CHECK OUT OTHER RELATED ARTICLES:

1. Video: Paul Murphy MEP questions the Taoiseach on the Austerity Treaty
2. CAHWT Press Statement: Anti Household Tax Hotline Launched 1890 98 98 00
3. RTE Radio’s Saturday View – A one hour promotion for Yes Campaign
4. Deputy Kenny’s statement exposes either ignorance or deception on Lisbon Treaty
5. Joe Higgins Euro Election Campaign Launched

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/joehiggins-eu/~3/bTn-tAbLHl8/

In contrast to the taxpayer funded government website, the austeritytreaty.ie website gives the true story about the impact of this Treaty on people’s lives. In a series of short videos, the key features of the Treaty such as the austerity required and the bondholder pay outs it demands are explained. The website also answers the scaremongering arguments of the government, and explains in detail how the blackmail of the government is in fact a false threat.

The website also turns attention to the crucial democratic arguments against this Treaty. It explains how the treaty gives yet more powers to the unelected and unaccountable European Commission and enables countries in ‘Excessive Deficit Procedures’ to be effectively placed into administration with their budgets written by the Commission and Council. It outlines how  writing the structural deficit target into law is an attempt to remove people’s right to choose an alternative to austerity policies.

Also available to buy on the website is the new pamphlet from Paul Murphy MEP,  ‘Austerity Treaty explained: how it undermines democracy institutionalises austerity’. This has already sold extremely well at public meetings right across the country. According to Paul Murphy “there is a thirst out there for an explanation of what this Treaty will mean for people’s lives and a strong distrust of the government’s arguments. I have spoken at a number of meetings of the Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes about this Treaty in the last week and everywhere, large number of anti-household tax activists are signing up to actively campaign against this Treaty for the next three weeks”.

The website also provides a ‘twibbon’ badge for your facebook or twitter profile pic and a cover photo image for on facebook.

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Article source: http://www.paulmurphymep.eu/austeritytreaty-ie-website-pamphlet-launched

In Holland the Dutch government fell because of the austerity it was supposed to implement, and the passing of the Austerity Treaty is now called into question there. In France, the winner of the presidential race, Francois Hollande has stated that the treaty as it currently stands will not be passed. In Italy, the biggest party in the Italian government, PDL, has called for the Treaty to be amended.

The Greek election results represent a failure of austerity. The two main establishment parties New Democracy and PASOK have been smashed electorally because of their implementaion of the Troika programme. PASOK fell behind Syriza, a coalition of left parties opposed to the austerity agenda. There is a lesson here for Fine Gael and Labour – that this is the future that will confront them!

Michael Noonan, though, has managed to take the wrong lessons from this. He commented on the soup kitchens which have been set up to feed some of the population who have been driven into poverty by the vicious austerity policies that have been implemented – someow he concluded that this was a warning for the Irish people to quietly accept the medicine of austerity which is killing the patient! There are lessons to be learnt from Greece but tis is not one of them.

The lesson to be learnt is that it is ordinary people who will be sacrificed in the name of austerity. The second ‘bailout’ that the government have put forward as an ‘insurance policy’ is no such thing. The Greek people have experienced what a second ‘bailout’ looks like and the results have been disasterous.

These events present Ireland with an opportunity to strike a decisive blow against the Austerity Treaty by voting ‘No’ in massive numbers on May 31st. This should be seen as part of a European-wide rejection of austrity and a step in the fight back against austerity, and to fight for a different type of Europe that puts the interests of the millions before the millionaires.

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Article source: http://www.paulmurphymep.eu/treaty-in-danger-across-europe-france-netherlands-italy-ireland-to-land-decisive-blow

ULA TD says Government position on ESM bizarre

In a statement, Richard Boyd Barrett TD, People Before Profit/United Left Alliance TD has described recent response’s by the Minister of European Affairs and the Tanaiste on the ESM Treaty as “utterly bizarre.” He also said that the government are deceiving the public in failing to acknowledge that ratifying the ESM treaty, as the government plan to do following the Fiscal treaty referendum, involves Ireland committing up to €11 billion to the fund.

At leaders questions today in response to Deputy Boyd Barrett, Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore refused to repudiate the claim made in the Dail yesterday by European Affairs Minister, Lucinda Creighton, that Ireland would press ahead with ratification of the ESM treaty even if the Irish people rejected the Fiscal treaty in the forthcoming referendum.

Deputy Boyd Barrett pointed out that if this was the government’s stance on the issue it would mean Ireland committing up to €11 billion to a fund that the government say we cannot access if Ireland vote’s NO to the Fiscal treaty.

*N.B. The European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012 which the government plans to pass through the Dail and ratify after the Fiscal Treaty referendum states clearly on Pg. 4 Point 3:

“There may be paid out of the central fund or the growing produce of that fund, sums aggregating to a sum not exceeding €11,145,400,000 to enable the state to make payments in respect of its contribution to the unauthorised capital stock of the ESM in accordance with the treaty.”

Richard Boyd Barrett said: “The position articulated by Minister Creighton in the Dail yesterday is utterly bizarre and it is even more bizarre that when I asked the Tainiste about this today he failed to repudiate or clarify his junior Minister’s comments.

It simply defies belief that the government intend to press ahead with committing Ireland to fork out up to €11 billion to a fund they say we won’t be able to access, in the event of a NO vote. This really is taking the ‘best boy in the European class’ routine to ridiculous lengths.

The government are also engaging in spin and deceit when it comes to the potential cost to the Irish public of signing up to the ESM. It states in black and white on page four of the ESM bill that we are committing to pay out up to €11 billion. Yet, Tainiste Gilmore refused to acknowledge that fact during leaders questions today.

Given the growing banking crisis now unfolding in Spain, it is also very likely that the ESM would call on the full €11 billion over the coming years. Our country is already crucified with cuts and debt. How on earth could the country sustain forking out another €11 billion on top of the planned cuts of €8.6 billion over the next three years?

If this really is the government’s position on the ESM – it is utter madness. At the very least they need to be up front and tell the public the truth.”

Article source: http://richardboydbarrett.ie/2012/05/10/government-position-on-esm-bizarre/

Closing the technical group’s private members bill on the Domiciliary Care Allowance last night, Richard Boyd Barrett TD slammed the government’s “austerity by stealth” policy which is seeing some of the most vulnerable families in the state left without a vital payment of €309.50 per month.

The Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is a monthly payment paid to the parents of children with severe disabilities who need extra care in the home. This allowance used to be administered by the Department of Health and was moved into the Department of Social Protection in 2009.

This move has seen many of the most marginalised families either losing the allowance or being deemed ineligible.

In his statement Richard Boyd Barrett TD said, “This government gives lip service to caring about the most vulnerable but whether it is the DCA or special needs provision, respite care, mental health, speech and language therapy or any aspect of disability there are gaping holes in delivery of supports.

The Minister, in her statement claimed that there was no cut to the DCA but her numbers do not take account of the increased needs of families that are struggling to survive on social welfare payments or the dramatic increase in the numbers of children in the state that sees 10,000 more children entering primary school every year.

Whatever way you look at the figures it is clear that the number of people challenging the decision not to give them the DCA has gone from 800 in 2009 to over 2000 in 2011 a percentage increase from 25 to 50. The figures also, disgracefully, show that there are still over 900 people waiting for their appeals to be heard in 2011.

What is happening here is that the Minister is clearly using a bureaucratic process to make “savings” that are having a devastating effect on families. Despite what she says it is hard not to think that there has been a particular instruction to the Department to tighten up on this allowance. This is just another example of the austerity being meted out the most vulnerable.”

“In my constituency, John from Ballybrack’s son needs constant care and attention by his parents. His mother, as a result, is suffering from depression. Harry needs help eating, dressing and can only be collected or delivered to school by either one of his parents.

How can this child be deemed not to be in need of care and attention substantially in excess of another 9 year old? How is it that Medical Assessors in the Department of Social Protection do not think he needs extra care when his GP is more than clear in his supporting letters that he does and when the Department of Education have ensured he has a full time special needs assistant and 4.5 resource hours a week.”

John, Harry’s father added: “€309.50 a month may not be much to the Minister, on her big salary, but I can tell you it means a huge amount to Harry. Harry is not able to go to play football or go to the local swimming pool. What he does like is to go to a play centre in Kildare that caters specifically to children with autism. This centre costs €60 every time. If we had €309.50 a month we would be able to go every week.

Harry can’t wear ordinary socks with seams and we have to buy special ones that cost £15 sterling plus pp. There are so many extra costs involved with a child with special needs, this allowance would be a huge help. We are really hoping that in the up-coming appeal we will be granted it”

Notes

Domiciliary Care Allowance: What is it?

Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment (€309.50) to the carer of a child with a disability so severe that the child requires care and attention and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age. This care and attention must be provided to allow the child to deal with the activities of daily living. The child must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 months.

The Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme was administered by the Health Service Executive before it was transferred to the Department of Social Protection in 2009.

Problems:

All seem to have started when it moved to the DSP. Previously Area Medical Officers would adjudicate and decide (a bit like CWO’s and Medical Cards) AMO’s would meet the child.

Now it has moved to the DSP it has been “centralised” (again like the medical cards) and the decisions are made by medical assessors who have never met the child.

Numerous reports to our office over the recent months of people not being granted this allowance or on review, the allowance being taken away.

Reports also from the Psychiatric Profession of further information being required even when the Psychiatrist details that the child needs “care and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age.”

How is it that Medical Assessors who have never met a particular child will say that this is not the case when the GP/Psychiatrist who have assessed the child say it is?

The sticking point seems to be the word “substantially”. It is a “how long is a piece of string” argument. The process is being dragged out for months. Is this just a money saving exercise? Does the Minister have any idea what this means for people?

Article source: http://richardboydbarrett.ie/2012/05/10/richard-boyd-barrett-challenges-the-governments-inhuman-treatment-of-children-with-disabilities-and-their-families-in-their-attempt-to-make-savings-in-the-domiciliary-care-a/

The core message of our campaign is that the European political, financial and business establishment want to enshrine in law across Europe the type of policy response, austerity, that has already failed across Europe.

The structural deficit target spelt out in the treaty will mean over six billion in extra cuts and impositions on top of the over eight billion already planned.

The debt reduction target of 60% GDP in the era of austerity can only be met by more cuts and taxes as can growth will be virtually ruled out when you have simultaneous cuts being implemented across Europe.

Besides the key economic questions the issue of democracy will be a key battleground in this referendum campaign. The levels of oversight this treaty gives the unelected EU Commission and the powers invested in the EU to put countries in administration if they do not adhere to the targets spelt out is profoundly anti-democratic.

The net effect of this treaty is to not just make socialist policies illegal but to render illegal Keynesian and mildly progressive social democratic policies. This is understood by Keynesian economists and soft left politicians and political parties across Europe who oppose this treaty. The fact our Labour Party supports it regardless demonstrates again how far in the capitalist camp they are rooted.

Part of the fear tactic on the part of the Yes side consists of trying to create the impression that by voting No the Irish will be isolated. We take a different view and it’s a view that is being increasingly understood by voters. The Irish people have already joined the massive movement against austerity by boycotting the household charge. At meetings the lenght of the country people have made the link between the household charge and this Austerity Treaty. People see that this treaty will mean more taxation like the household charge and water taxes.

A No vote in Ireland will provide a massive fillip to the real opposition to this treaty that exists across Europe and could prove to be the first successful continent wide response by workers to the pro-bondholder agenda of the EU political establishment.

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Article source: http://www.paulmurphymep.eu/socialist-party-launch-referendum-campaign

Irish people can vote against the treaty in the knowing that their opposition is shared by millions of working people and unemployed across Europe

Last Sunday’s Greek general election saw the annihilation of the two major establishment parties, New Democracy and PASOK that have dominated the Greek political scene for more than 3 decades. The radical left coalition, Syriza achieved an historic second position increasing its vote fourfold on the last general election in 2009.

Paul Murphy MEP commented: ‘The way that the Greek voters have punished all parties that keep insisting on the necessity of austerity and follow policies favouring bankers and speculators nationally and internationally was an act of great resistance. With countless general strikes, protests, workplace occupations and sit ins, the Greek people when asked to vote could not but pay back those responsible for the suffering forced upon them.

“Over the last week we have seen a rejection by tens of millions of Europeans of a Europe built in the interests of the bankers and speculators. This capitalist Europe has delivered mass unemployment of 25 million people and attacks on living standards. Irish people have a unique opportunity to reject austerity and fight for radically different policies and a fundamentally different socialist Europe, where the millions come before the millionaires.”

Richard Boyd Barrett TD commented: “A clear majority of French and Greek people voted for parties that oppose growth-stifling austerity measures and despite this rejection of the establishment the world has fallen apart as some would like us to believe”.

‘The rise of the left forces is a clear indication that people have come to realise that austerity doesn’t work no matter how much you try to rationalise or sugar-coat it. With over 22% unemployment (over 50% among young people, under 25), Greece is the clearest example, more cuts will never help revive any economy’

‘The devastating effects of austerity are becoming more evident all over Europe, on the 31st of May all eyes will be turned towards the Irish people; it is our chance to resist and stand up against the further devastation of our country, follow the example of the Greeks who have had enough and despite the unsubstantiated threats of the technocrat establishment were not afraid to show it’

Article source: http://richardboydbarrett.ie/2012/05/09/ula-statement-on-greek-election-results/

The decision to delay ratification is a direct result of the French and Greek elections. This is the latest example of the austerity bandwagon collapsing in Europe.

In his statement Richard Boyd Barrett TD said, “It makes a nonsense of the government’s position here that there is no change. While the rest of Europe is bailing into the lifeboats, Enda Kenny continues to steer the Titanic towards the austerity iceberg.”

“It was laughable to hear Enda Kenny claim that he supported Francois Hollande’s call for growth instead of austerity when he is now virtually alone in Europe pressing ahead with this crazy austerity Treaty.

It is bordering on the ridiculous that Enda Kenny wants to implement an austerity treaty drawn up by Angela Merkel when even Merkel herself is now unwilling to ratify that same treaty.

To implement these discredited and self-destructive policies in the hope of pleasing his euro-masters is sheer insanity when Europe’s masters are now themselves abandoning these policies in the face of a revolt of Europe’s people.

“If Germany can postpone the vote due to the new political situation facing the Eurozone then Labour and Fine Gael need to take note of the changed reality too. The people of Europe have rejected the austerity of the euro-elites.

“It is time for the Irish people to stand alongside the rest of the population of Europe and reject this austerity treaty.

Article source: http://richardboydbarrett.ie/2012/05/09/bundestag-postpones-ratification-time-for-enda-kenny-to-abandon-austerity-treaty/

ULA Calls on voters to Reject the Lies of Fine Gael

ULA Calls for Public Investment to Create Jobs

At a photo-call outside the Fine Gael Headquarters the United Left Alliance called on voters to Vote No to the Fiscal Compact and demand public investment in jobs.

Joan Collins TD  said, ”During the Lisbon Referendum Fine Gael told voters to Vote Yes to Jobs. The reality is that since we voted unemployment has rocketed.. According to the Central Statistics Office there are 114,600 less people in employment now than there were in 2009 when we voted on Lisbon 2.  Fine Gael are now calling on voters to Vote Yes For a Working Ireland. This is more lies from Fine Gael. There no jobs in this Treaty, only disastrous austerity that will create more unemployment.”

Seamus Healy TD said, ”Private investment has fallen by 63% since 2007. It is quite clear that we cannot rely on private investment to creat jobs. The government must take the lead and prioritise investment in job creation. Every €1 billion of direct government investment in jobs leads to the creation of 10,000 jobs. The problem is that the rules on debts and deficits set out in this Treaty will prevent governments’ barrowing to invest in jobs. The €6 billion in cuts required to meet the deficit target of 0.5% will inevitably mean more job losses in the public and private sectors.”

Paul Murphy MEP said, ”It’s a damming indictment of the policies of the political establishment  that on Europe Day 2012 there are 25 million unemployed in Europe. In Ireland over 300,000 are unemployed with nearly 15% out of work. Youth unemployment is running at 30%.  In some countries over 50% of young people are on the dole. This is the real crisis in Europe and it is not being addressed. Instead, the austerity policies across Europe are making the situation worse. It’s time for a radical change in direction. Recent election results show that many people want fundamental change. The Irish voters can send a clear signal that they want and end to austerity too by voting NO.”

Richard Boyd Barrett TD said, ”FG is now claiming to support the idea of a ‘growth pack’ now that it’s obvious the tide has turned against austerity in Europe. Any idea of growth is incompatible with this treaty. The direct consequence of signing up to the treaty would be to impose a level of austerity that will strangle economic growth and lead to even more unemployment.  We urgently need a jobs creation agenda – a real one – not a fantasy agenda that only exists on the lips of our government’s spokespeople.”

Clare Daly TD said, “Throughout Europe people are rejecting austerity because it is not working. The forces across Europe represented by Fine Gael are in retreat. Irish voters should use the referendum send a clear message to the government. Fine Gael and Labour lied to us during the General Election. There has been no change in policy since they took over. The people should let them know that they will not be fooled again. They should vote no to austerity and demand real investment in jobs.”

Article source: http://www.claredaly.ie/the-austerity-treaty-explained/

A clear majority of French and Greek citizens voted for parties opposed to growth-stifling austerity measures, while in Spain, Portugal and elsewhere people are continuing to resist through unions and mass protests. As the right in Europe shuffles to save its discredited arguments for austerity – a policy purely designed to save the financial elites – even the ECB’s president, Mario Draghi, is now feeling the pressure of people power and calling for a ‘growth compact’. Despite this important shift in Europe, our government is stubbornly clinging on to a treaty that will institutionalize the failed and discredited policies of austerity.

Richard Boyd Barrett said: “The world has not fallen apart following Sunday’s resounding rejection of austerity policies in France and Greece, as the fanatical ideologues of austerity would have liked us to believe. Yet, Fine Gael and Labour remain married to the failed and discredited agenda of austerity and a treaty that seeks to institutionalize it.”

“The imposition of austerity policies in recent years has come mainly from the ECB and the EU’s right-wing governments whose interest is primarily to protect the riches of financial institutions. Finally the tide is beginning to swing against the dictatorship of bankers and financial markets, yet our government seems to be blind to this fact – clinging to this crazy austerity treaty.

“We urgently need a jobs creation agenda – a real one – not a fantasy agenda that only exists on the lips of our government’s spokespeople. There is a direct contradiction between signing up to the targets contained in the treaty and claiming on the other hand that you want promote job creation and growth. The direct consequence of signing up to the treaty would be to impose a level of austerity that will strangle economic growth and lead to even more unemployment. The government should stop wasting time and resources promoting this crazy treaty and, instead, stand with the forces in Europe that are challenging the austerity agenda and demanding that growth and jobs become the central priority.”

Article source: http://richardboydbarrett.ie/2012/05/08/europe-wide-rejection-of-austerity-policies-is-a-clear-sign-that-we-should-abandon-austerity-treaty-and-focus-on-jobs/

In a statement, Richard Boyd Barrett, TD for the People Before Profit Alliance and Finance spokesperson for the United Left Alliance, said that the economies of Eurozone countries were continuing to shrink and the peoples of Europe were continuing to resist the very cutbacks which are exacerbating the economic downturn.

Commenting on the latest figures from the Eurozone which confirm that Spain, Italy and France are all experiencing a further slowdown in their economies, the ULA TD said that politicians in Europe are “disconnected from their people”.

The Eurozone service sector has shrunk much faster than expected as the latest eurozone PMI hit 46.9 – a sharp downturn in April. France’s service sector PMI plummeted to a six-month low of 45.2 and the Italian service sector PMI fell for the 11th month in a row, its fastest decline for almost three years, down to 42.3 from 44.3 in March. The British economy, our main export market, shrank during the last quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012. The cause of all this hardship is linked to the cuts in public spending which reduces demand for goods and services and traps economies in a vicious downward spiral. That is why unions in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France and Greece rallied hundreds of thousands of frustrated EU citizens on May Day to express anger over government schemes to suffocate public finances and forcing domestic economies deeper into recession.

Richard Boyd Barrett said: “A PMI below 50 signals contraction; the ever shrinking PMI figures we are seeing mean that the situation in the Eurozone is deteriorating further. Growth has practically ground to a halt even in Germany while France has clearly joined Italy and Spain in their pattern of economic decline.”

“In each of those countries there is growing resistance to the austerity measures that have pushed unemployment to high levels. Across Europe, one in five young people between the ages of 18 and 24 is out of work. That’s why we saw hundreds of thousands of workers across Europe protested against spending cuts at May Day rallies last Tuesday.”

“The marches are an expression of the growing frustration towards austerity that the EU’s increasingly fiscally conservative governments say is necessary to bring down public debt while simultaneously having no qualms about rescuing financial institutions who caused the crisis; people are angry because they can see that even now the rich have become richer and the poor poorer.”

Deputy Boyd Barrett also noted: “Governments that are inflicting austerity are reacting very defensively. During the meeting of the European Central Bank’s governing council in Barcelona last week, Spanish authorities were so worried that the presence of the ECB would attract protesters from around Southern Europe that they suspended the Schengen treaty and re-established border controls! An extra 2,000 police were drafted into Barcelona alone.”

“People were not intimidated though – tens of thousands took to the streets across Spain that Sunday to protest massive cuts to healthcare and education. Spain’s two biggest unions, the CCOO and the UGT, said Spaniards marched in 55 cities on Sunday.”

“Occupy Wall Street protestors also came out in large numbers in New York to protest unemployment and cuts – so this is a global trend. Irish workers are not alone in their resistance to failed austerity policies.”

Recent figures from the Financial Times which show that four years after the financial crisis, companies globally are still awash with cash: $1.7 trillion among US companies, €2 trillion in the eurozone, and £750 billion in the UK.

Richard Boyd Barrett said: “We now have a situation where private companies continue to make huge profits by taking advantage of the economic downturn to squeeze their workers. So workers are getting squeezed by the state and by private profiteers. The situation is untenable and therefore resistance is inevitable.”

Article source: http://richardboydbarrett.ie/2012/05/08/resistance-to-economically-suicidal-policies-grows-across-europe-as-politicians-remain-disconnected-from-their-people/

Article source: http://www.claredaly.ie/clare-daly-on-dole-tv/