in the forthcoming EU Fiscal Compact Treaty. The launch was held in
the Royal Hotel Bray and Sinn Féin outlined the nature of the campaign
they intend on running over the next five weeks. The launch was
chaired by Wicklow Town Sinn Féin councillor Gary O'Reilly and
addressed by Sinn Fein councillors Rossa Murray, John Snell and John
Brady along with the Sinn Féin representative for West Wicklow Gerry
O'Neill.
Speaking at the launch Cllr Gary O'Reilly welcomed people and thanked
them for attending and warned that if this treaty is accepted by the
Irish people it will mean more taxes like the household charge, the
septic tank tax and water charges. “The EU Fiscal Compact Treaty, or
the Austerity Treaty as it should be known, seeks to permanently
institutionalise austerity in this state. The treaty sets out to make
the cuts and taxes that have caused such misery and stagnation legally
binding and an integral part of our constitution. It sets out to tie
the hands of future governments and future generations of Irish men
and women, leaving them to live their whole lives under the dark
clouds of permanent austerity. It fair to say if this treaty gets
through, we ain’t seen nothing yet.”
Bray Town councillor Rossa Murray stated "Its important that people
understand what austerity is. Austerity is the hurt and pain thats
been inflicted on the Irish people over the last number of years,
austerity is the closure of hospitals, less teachers and increased
class sizes and new stealth taxes such as the household charge and
water taxes. It is quite clear Austerity doesn’t work. We’ve had six
austerity budgets. The deficit has grown not reduced. Half a million
citizens are unemployed. Working people and lower and middle income
families are bearing the brunt of the government’s decisions.”
Gerry O'Neill who is the Sinn Féin representative for West Wicklow
asserted that proponents of the treaty were coming from a “a
Thatcherite and Reaganite right-wing conservative ideological
position. If Ireland ratified the treaty, it would see the executive
hand over powers to unelected officials and bureaucrats in the EU
Commission and allowing them to run this State, and to police fiscal
as well as monetary matters.”
Wicklow County councillor for Wicklow East John Snell continued "Its
important that people defend the limited freedoms we currently enjoy
and try reclaim our economic sovereignty, citizens must firstly ensure
they are registered to vote and they can do that by checking the
website www.checktheregister.ie and fill out the necessary forms if
they are not registered and secondly make such they exercise their
democratic right and come out on May 31st and vote No to the Austerity
Treaty."
The Wicklow Sinn Féin spokesperson for the No campaign John Brady
summed up by giving details of the campaign the party intend on
running over the next five weeks "Sinn Féin intend on running a
positive campaign over the next 5 weeks. The choice for the people of
Wicklow is between austerity and economic stimulus and growth. The
choice is between us handing over powers to unelected officials and
bureaucrats in the European Commission and in the European Court of
Justice and allowing them to run this state, and to police fiscal as
well as monetary matters. Or we can vote No to this and assert the
right of citizens to elect or sack our governments; and for citizens
to have democratic authority over those who govern us. Sinn Féin will
run a high profile campaign in Wicklow and intend on holding public
meeting across the county to inform people why the treaty is bad for
Ireland and for citizens in Wicklow. We will endeavour to knock and
canvass every house in the county and distribute thousands of pieces
of literature as well as an extensive postering campaign.
Brady concluded "I encourage people to inform themselves on the treaty
and to take and active role in the campaign to regain our sovereignty,
our campaign is open to anyone who wants to stand up for Ireland and
defend this generation and subsequent generations against austerity.
If people want to get involved they can contact myself or any Sinn
Féin representative in Wicklow."
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