Tag Archives: fiscal treaty

Colin Freeman, Chief Foreign Correspondent for The Sunday Telegraph writes:

But after three grim years as the “poster child” for austerity measures – unlike Greece, Ireland has not baulked at painful cost-cutting programmes – there is already a growing sense of all pain and no gain. The recent election of anti-austerity parties in Greece and the socialist Francois Hollande as French president has further boosted a Left-driven “no” campaign, to the point where the referendum is no longer the certain “Yes” that the government had hoped.

…An Irish “No” would not by itself derail the fiscal treaty, because only 12 eurozone countries are required to ratify it for it to come into force. Already, Romania, Portugal, Greece, Slovenia and Slovakia have done so. However, it would embolden increasingly powerful anti-austerity campaigns in bigger eurozone countries like Italy and Spain, any of whose failure to participate could effectively sink the project.

“A No vote in the only popular poll on current efforts to save the euro would be hugely damaging to the treaty, in that it would signal to investors that if it was put to a vote in many countries, it would not get past,” said Hugo Brady, of the Centre for European Reform.

“The sense of a backlash against austerity would be much enforced.”

 

All pain, No gain: The Irish Backlash That Could Mean A ‘No’ To Europe’s Austerity Plans (Colin Freeman, Telegraph

(Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)

This morning.

Erected by Independent TD Mick Wallace who sez:

“The Fiscal Treaty has no positives for the people of Ireland. It involves rules that will curtail flexibility for future governments on public spending, it involves a threat that we may not be able to access funds if we happen to need a second bailout, it also involves further cuts on the ordinary people in order to meet the new rules, and it involves fines if we fail to meet the fiscal targets.”

 

“How are our gardaí, our Defence Forces, our schools, our hospitals and our social protection going to be paid for if we don’t return to the markets next year and, having voted No, we don’t have access to the only certain source of funds?”

 

Recovery Is fragile And This Is Not The Time To Take Risks (Enda Kenny, Irish Times)

(RTE)

Gerry Adams on the fiscal treaty during his address to the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis in Killarney this evening.

When considering what way to vote people need to ask themselves if the austerity of recent budgets led to jobs and growth? The answer is obvious. The answer is no.
If you accept that, you should vote No.
Austerity isn’t working now and won’t start working on 1st June.
Neither will it bring stability or certainty.
Austerity means more cuts.And increased charges.
Right now if you do not like the policies of the government you can sack them or re-elect them.You won’t be able to do that with unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats in Frankfurt and Brussels.
That is undemocratic.
Don’t give up your power.
Don’t give your democratic rights away.
And don’t write austerity into the constitution.
Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fáil have not offered any positive arguments in favour of this Treaty.
The Taoiseach won’t even debate the issue!
That’s not leadership!
That’s not showing citizens the respect they deserve!
Instead Mr. Kenny, Mr. Gilmore and Mr. Martin are trying to scare people into voting Yes.
Whether it was British rule or a domineering church hierarchy, Irish citizens have had enough of being ruled by fear.
We are done with that.
The Irish government is also out of step with the rest of Europe.
Other EU states are delaying ratification because they know the mood in Europe is changing.
But not our government.
They settled for much less than anyone else, despite Sinn Féin’s clear warning about the foolishness of accepting this bad Treaty.
When the Taoiseach endorsed it in the Dáil he never mentioned growth or jobs.
Not once!
Or a write down of Bank debt.
The truth is Mr. Kenny and Mr. Gilmore are out of their depth.
This Government simply cannot be trusted on this Treaty.
It claims we will be locked out of funds if citizens vote NO.
That’s not true!The legal mandate of the ESM is very clear.
Funding will be provided, and I quote, where it is ‘indispensable to safeguard the financial stability of the euro area as a whole and of its Member States.”
So don’t be fooled.
Remember what Fine Gael and Labour said during the election.
Remember all Fianna Fáil’s promises.
Don’t be fooled. Be wise.
Join with the millions across Europe who are demanding an end to austerity.
It is a good and patriotic and positive action to say NO to a Treaty that is bad for you, bad for your family and community, bad for society and entirely without any social or economic merit.
Next Thursday. Vote No..

Adams: Don’t be fooled by treaty Yes side (Irish Examiner)

With Senator Kathryn Reilly following the address. She does enjoy being picked up.

(Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland)

Thanks James Jones

Protestors numbering between 80-100 demonstrating at Park Cinquantenaire in the Belgian capital to “express their solidarity with an Irish NO vote to the EU austerity treaty” during last night’s EU leaders summit.

Brussels Rally In Solidarity With The Irish ”No” Campaign (CorporateEurope.org)

Greek MP Calls For No Vote (Irish Times)

Thanks Aoife

Meet Team ‘No’

Members of both houses of the Oireachtas calling for a ‘no’ vote on May 31 gather outside Leinster House. Back row from left: Mick Wallace (Ind), Joe Higgins (Socialist Party) Senator David Norris (Ind), Senator Trevor O Clochartaigh (SF), Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan (Ind), Thomas Pringle (Ind), Paul Murphy MEP (Soc), Seamus Healy (Ind) and Michael Colreavy (SF). Front row, from left: Catherine Murphy (Ind), Joan Collins (People Before Profit), Senator Kathryn Reilly (SF), Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF) and Sandra McLellan (SF).

(Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland)

Responding to Gavan Titley’s ironic urgings for a ‘Yes’ vote last week

Zach Galifianakis Daniel Sullivan (above) writes:

Choose No!

Because for once the ULA were being honest when they said they’d raise taxes by €10 billion in a single year to bridge the deficit.

Because we’re opposed to European tax harmonisation, we’d prefer Ireland’s tax rates to be higher than the European average especially our corporate taxes.

Because dressing down in the Oireachtas shows the working class how in touch with them we are despite our well-heeled backgrounds.

Otherwise a magazine we print that even members of the Socialist Worker’s Party won’t take away for kindling will have feature 30-page articles lamenting the malaise of the masses.

Because an economy founded on farmers’ markets and artisan craft fairs will let us trade our way out of debt.

Because reducing public spending takes money out of the economy but raising taxes and reducing the disposable income of people in work doesn’t.

 Because borrowing to pay increments to people for doing the same job as last year is ‘investing in Ireland’s future’

Because in a choice between borrowing from governments elected by people with families and aspirations much like ourselves and a combination of the faceless overlords of the bond markets and Mr. Data of the IMF, we‘ll pick the 10-foot lizards from space every time.

 Cos someone’s wholly inappropriate use of a racial epithet trumps those who have found it hard to say ‘Sorry’ for no-warning bombs and the killing of children.

So we can do the 70 and 80s over again, but do it our way, with folk music and our heartfelt sincerity.

Daniel Sullivan lectures the passing traffic from his Tara st. retreat; a role his background with hard sums has ill-equipped him for. He is an occasional margin of error candidate in elections when he should really know better.

Related: Why You Should Vote Yes By Gavan Titley