"That's not the Ireland that the leaders of 1916 fought for; it is not the Ireland that the volunteers of Kilmichael fought for; and it is not the Ireland that generations of modern day republicans have struggled to achieve."
Gerry Adams
Tuesday, 30 November, 2010
Sunday, 28 November, 2010
Saturday-Monday, 27-29 November, 2010
Thursday, 25 November, 2010
MEPs attack Irish corporate tax rate
By RTÉ News
A row has broken out in the European Parliament over Ireland's 12.5% corporate tax rate.
Eight MEPs sign declaration against 12.5% rate European Parliament - Eight MEPs sign declaration against 12.5% rate
It has emerged that eight mostly French and German MEPs have issued a declaration attacking Ireland's corporate tax rate and calling for a minimum EU-wide corporate tax rate of 25%.
What has heightened the dispute is the fact that the eight MEPs are all co-ordinators for the different political groupings in the parliament and are, as such, representatives for those groupings on an influential parliamentary committee.
The declaration invites signatures from other MEPs and if it can gather the support of 368 MEPs, it then becomes the position of the European Parliament.
The statement claims that European taxpayers and citizens have been put at risk 'in order to stabilise a financial system which has been profiting from the exceptionally low Irish corporation tax rate of 12.5%...'
It goes on to suggest that Ireland's corporate tax rate is unfair and goes against the spirit of European solidarity, especially given the fact Ireland is receiving a bailout.
The declaration concludes: 'We urge the European Commission to advance on the dossier of a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base. We urge the European Commission, the Eurogroup and its members to ensure that the corporation tax rate will be increased to the average EU level of 25% in a spirit of solidarity.'
Irish MEPs are understood to be furious at the declaration given that, as co-ordinators on the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON), they technically represent the same political groups of which Irish MEPs are members.
A spokesman for the influential ECON committee acknowledged the dispute, but insisted that the MEPs had issued the declaration in their personal capacity, and not as co-ordinators.
But this has been disputed by Fine Gael MEP Gay Mitchell.
It is understood Irish MEPs are to raise the matter with their own political groupings.
This morning, the EU Commissioner for Taxation Algirdas Šemeta addressed the ECON committee to set out his work plan for 2011.
The European Commission is planning to propose a harmonisation of the corporate tax base. Known as the Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base, it foresees a single set of rules to clarify in which of the 27 member states multinational companies and SMEs should have their profits declared for taxation purposes.
However, a spokeswoman for the Commission told RTÉ News that the Commission 'has absolutely no intention of introducing a minimum corporate tax rate of 25%. It is not even in our competence under the European treaties to do so.'
Any Commission proposals concerning taxation, either the CCCTB or Corporate Tax, require unanimity, so Ireland retains a veto in this area.
The MEPs declaration was signed by the following: Jean-Paul Gauzes (EPP), Udo Bullmann (S&D), Sylvie Goulard (ALDE), Sven Giegold (Greens/EFA), Burkhard Balz (EPP), Leonardo Dominici (S&D), Wolf Klinz (ALDE) and Pascal Canfin (Greens/EFA).
Such a declaration is open to signatures for a three-month period.
Copyright © RTÉ Commercial Enterprises Ltd 2010
Ireland protests against austerity cuts
By Channel 4 Television
Video: Tens of thousands of people have marched through the streets of Dublin in protest at the government's austerity plans (direct link)
Copyright © Channel 4 News 2010
Saturday-Monday, 27-29 November, 2010
Sold Out
By Irish Republican News
The Dublin government triggered a torrent of national anger on Sunday night when it handed over economic sovereignty to European and International Monetary Fund administrators for an 85 billion euro loan.
The bailout package for the 26-County state has been vehemently condemned by the opposition parties, who are now all expected to vote against Dublin's annual budget plan on December 7th.
An average annual interest rate of 5.8% will apply to the loans -- a rate lower than the 6.7% that had been rumoured, but still significantly higher than that required of Greece in a similar bailout plan earlier this year.
The repayment costs alone over the next four years approximate the 15 billion euro in austerity budget cuts and taxes which were outlined last week.
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams said the government had negotiated "a terrible deal".
"The 5.8% interest rate is unaffordable," he said. "The decision to force the state to take 17.5 billion euro out of the Pensions Reserve Fund to pour into black hole that is our banking system is a disaster.
"Sinn Fein had proposed 7 billion euro be taken from the Pension Reserve Fund for a jobs stimulus programme. The Government refused to do this. But now they are prepared to rob the pension fund to give a digout to the bankers.
"The decision to protect bondholders is disgraceful. The banks are getting another 15 billion euro while simultaneously 15 billion euro is being taken out the economy - out of people's pockets.
"The costs of this deal to ordinary people will be deep and will result in hugely damaging cuts to public services, social welfare and wages."
Fine Gael, the largest opposition party, said the coalition government had been "cleaned out" because of an over soft approach to the talks on the 85 billion euro bailout package.
The party's finance spokesman, Michael Noonan, said the government had achieved very little in its talks with the teams from the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund but had sacrificed too much in return.
"I believe that the negotiators on the Irish side were soft," he said. The National Pension Reserve Fund had been "cleaned out".
"The interest rate is extremely high. If the IMF part is just over 3 per cent as reported, it must mean that the average EU interest rate must be very high, well over 5.8 per cent."
Meanwhile, the government has denied that, under the constitution, the agreement must be approved by the Dublin parliament in a vote -- a position which is likely to lead to a court action.
The Labour Party sharply criticised the deal as a "national sell-out" that would leave Irish citizens saddled with a crippling debt for many years.
The party was particulalry scathing at the decision to leave the majority of international bondholders -- mainly international and sovereign wealth funds -- unscathed.
"The Fianna Fail Government has shown no backbone, no negotiating ability and no authority, said party leader Eamon Gilmore.
"The EU and the IMF have had a walk-over in negotiations with a broken and demoralised Government, that is serving out its notice and which has neither the political mandate nor the moral authority to conclude such a deal."
Colleague Pat Rabbitte said the deal would "pauperise" the country.
"Now we are going to bend the knee and do as we are told by our European masters." He said the raiding of the pension reserve fund would leave the cupboard bare.
"We have nothing to fall back on . . . The ECB has us where they want us," he said.
The 32 County Sovereignty Movement called on the Irish people to "take back their sovereignty" through protest actions.
In a statement, it called "on all republican organisations and the labour movement to unite and organise the shutting down of the state.
"This is not a time for righteous rhetoric or for tinkering with the status quo. It is a time to reach out and effect fundamental change for our people."
Copyright © Irish Republican News 2010
Saturday-Monday, 27-29 November, 2010
100,000 march in Dublin against austerity measures
By Irish Republican News
Up to 100,000 people took part in Saturday's march and rally organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in Dublin on Saturday in protest at the government's planned programme of austerity.
At the main rally at the GPO in O'Connell Street, the site of the Easter Rising, speakers strongly criticised the Government's four-year plan for economic recovery and the loss of sovereignty as a result of the EU-IMF bailout.
The general secretary of congress, David Begg, said the country could not afford to pay the terms of the 85 billion euro loan.
Columnist Fintan O'Toole, who was the master of ceremonies at the rally, led the crowd in a minute's chant of "Out, Out, Out" to the government.
Congress president Jack O'Connor said the aim of the rally was to object to the insistence of a government with no mandate "to draw up a plan and sign an agreement in our name which will decide the future of one or two generations of our people".
While speaking on the platform, Siobhan O'Donoghue of the Community Platform tore up a copy of the Government's four-year plan.
During their addresses, Mr O'Connor and Mr Begg were heckled and booed by sections of the crowd.
At around 2.15pm, just as crowds began to disperse from the Congress rally on O'Connell Street, a number of left-wing groups began their own addresses from a stage at the O'Connell monument.
Speakers, including Joe Higgins MEP of the Socialist Party and councillor Louise Minihan of Eirigi, criticised union leaders and called for a series of national strikes.
Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins said it was time the trade union movement was reclaimed.
"The leadership is not leading a serious fightback in opposition to this disaster. The union leaders are simply saying bring down the debt over a longer period of time."
A small group of left-wing and republican protesters later held a protest outside the Dublin parliament.
Copyright © Irish Republican News 2010
Saturday-Monday, 27-29 November, 2010
'Stand up and be counted'
By Irish Republican News
Part of the speech held by Sinn Fein's Deputy First Minister, Gerry Adams at the Kilmichael Commemoration to mark the 90th anniversary of a famous battle during the War of Independence in County Cork on 28 November 1920.
....The imposition of partition prevented the strategic economic, industrial and infrastructural development of our country. It was a denial of national democracy. And it institutionalised discrimination and inequality against nationalists in the 6 counties.
The coexistence of separate economic and fiscal systems undermined our economic sovereignty and the potential for creating sustainable growth and prosperity. As a result Ireland's national resources and labour have never been maximised for the benefit of our people.
Today our country, North and South, is in the grip of a deep economic recession and financial crisis.
The British Tory Government is trying to force a savage programme of cutbacks into the North's economy. Sinn Fein will oppose these cuts and stand up for communities, as we always have done.
In this state, half a million citizens are unemployed and emigration has returned to the levels of the 1980's.
Homes belonging to ordinary people, small businesses and farms, family incomes, the minimum wage, and welfare benefits are all threatened by the crisis and government budget here in the south.
The economy has been driven into rack and ruin because it was allowed to, primarily serve the interests of greedy developers and bankers.
And, yes, it could have been different.
There is wealth in the Northern and Southern economies.
But that wealth has not been used to address the crisis with strategies to stabilise our economies, and chart a path back to recovery.
Instead, our people have been mesmerised with the language of confusion. There is much talk of bond markets, bail-outs and more.
But this crisis is not about the bond holders or the bankers' bail-outs.
It is about bread and butter realities.
Political parties need to remember that it is about our most important resource - our people and their welfare. The debate should be about the guaranteeing of jobs, financial security, and the future.
The arrival of the IMF and the ECB has caused serious disillusionment among the Irish people who are now very angry, deeply resentful and distrustful of government decision makers.
Many believe it is a national travesty that the economy of this state has been pawned to appease foreign banks; and that the country's wealth is to be paid as financial compensation to the European economic elite.
That's not the Ireland that the leaders of 1916 fought for; it is not the Ireland that the volunteers of Kilmichael fought for; and it is not the Ireland that generations of modern day republicans have struggled to achieve.
It is not our people who should be losing their jobs and paying the price.
Let the golden circle, the fat cats and gombeenmen take the pain instead.
What has happened in this state is anathema to republicanism. It is a corruption of the Proclamation and Democratic Programme.
Sinn Fein believes this crisis can be stabilised and that we can get back to recovery and growth. We need to focus upon job creation and job creation programmes.
These can be based upon raising 4 billion in tax revenue, efficiencies and wealth taxes, and a 7 billion euro stimulus package funded through the National Pension Reserve Fund over the next 3-5 years.
Banking practices must in future be subjected to proper regulation and a state bank be established.
That is a solution which puts people first.
Change can happen.
Donegal south west represents the beginning of that change. There the people have spoken and ever increasingly the Irish people are demanding the right to have their say. Before anything else happens they must immediately be given that opportunity.
The Irish republic is not the property of the political establishment. It belongs to the people of Ireland, and I have faith in the people of Ireland.
Copyright © Irish Republican News 2010
Govt four-year plan unveiled - As it happened
By RTÉ News
Copyright © RTÉ Commercial Enterprises Ltd 2010