Tag Archives: Ballyhea Says No

At a Ballyhea Says No protest in North Cork

Diarmuid Flynn writes:

Last protest march of 2019, continuing our campaign against the imposition of private bank debt on the public purse.

On the 19th Nov our National Treasury Management Agency announced that ‘NTMA cancels €500 million of the Irish Floating Rate Treasury Bond 2051’.

That’s a Promissory Note bond, the 4th such announcement this year. In plain English, it means that in exchange for four of the Prom Note bonds created when IBRC was liquidated, our NTMA has given 4 x €500 million to our Central Bank this year, that’s €2 billion, billions it had already borrowed on the open markets and for which we are now liable.

What the announcement DOESN’T say, however, is what the Central Bank did with those billions. To ‘cancel’ that €500 million, the Central Bank actually destroys the entire amount.

It’s all done via computer of course; there isn’t a van-load of hard currency delivered from the NTMA office to the Central Bank vault, there to be physically burned – a push of a button here, and the €500 million appears on the Central Bank books, a push of a button there and PUFF, it disappears, gone.

Four times this year this has happened, €2 billion borrowed and burned, and not a word of protest in the Irish media, not even a word by way of inquiry, even as pages are filled (justifiably so) on the waste of billions on the National Childrens’ Hospital, on the National Broadband Plan.

But we in Ballyhea Says Know continue to campaign, we continue to march. I will sit and debate this with anyone, anywhere, on any platform. Meanwhile, you’re welcome to join us this Sunday.

Ballyhea Says No: December Protest March (Facebook)

“When the history of this ignoble little era is written, Ballyhea will be a byword for honour.”

Gene Kerrigan, Sunday Independent.

At Midday.

Diarmuid O’Flynn (top addressing the Joint Finance Committee last June), of the Ballyhea Says No campaign group, joined us LIVE streaming above and on our YouTube channel.

Diarmuid, a former sportswriter, has been leading an anti-austerity march in Ballyhea, in north County Cork, since March  6, 2011. In 2014, he was appointed a parliamentary assistant to Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan MEP.

Previously: Mid Morning Matters

Meanwhile…

As discussed during the interview.

10325410_697850563605063_609208816822705967_n  European Election candidate for Ireland South, Diarmuid O’Flynn (centre)

In response to questions posed by the Life Institute on the issue of abortion, we asked European election candidate for Ireland South, Diarmuid O’Flynn (61) if the quotes attributed to him were correct.

The questions and his replies were as follows:

1. Do you support the repeal of the legislation which permits abortion on suicide grounds, and support making Ireland a place where unborn children are legally protected and mothers get all necessary life-saving treatment in pregnancy?

2. Will you oppose measures in the European Parliament which seek to liberalise Ireland’s abortion laws and support pro-life measures such as the One of Us campaign?

“On a purely personal level I disagree with that particular legislation and the suicide clause but as stated in the original mail, it is not a European issue, it is a national issue.

The second, absolutely I would oppose any such measures. There are some questions that are for a nation to decide for itself; this is one.”

 

He subsequently followed up with a blogpost this morning on the subject:

Abortion

The ugliest word in the dictionary…The only occasion on which I can foresee abortion arising in the EU is as an equal rights/civil right issue. I would vigorously oppose any such imposition on Ireland. Abortion is an area in which we should remain sovereign; this is an issue for Ireland to decide, on its own.

There is life in a foetus, helpless life that needs nourishing and protection. Everything possible should be done to bring that life to the birth stage.

I believe in the equal right to life of the mother and child. If there is a threat to the life of the mother there should be timely medical intervention to save her life. Every effort should also be made to save the life of the child; if this fails, it fails.

I can see why many people believe that such a threat to a mother’s life should include suicide. I don’t agree. I believe this then makes the life of the unborn foetus subservient to the life of the mother.

Even for the most stable, mentally strong woman, abortion is surely a highly emotive decision. A suicidal prospective mother is already suffering serious emotional stress. An abortion will add to that stress.

It’s a lose/lose scenario, a most divisive argument and for very obvious reasons. But there it is. I know that in a situation where I’m going to need every vote I can get this will cost me but given that I’m coming out of nowhere I believe it’s only right people should know who I am.

Pic: Ballyhea Says No (Facebook)

 István Székely?