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GREEN PARTY LEADER Eamon Ryan has said he only signed up to a new water facility on the assumption that Labour would veto it following the General Election in 2011.
Speaking at the launch of his party’s European election manifesto in Dublin this afternoon, Ryan said it is “bizarre” that Labour party has become “fixated on privatisation” since it entered power.
“In the Troika agreement there was an agreement that we would look at the option of divestment from energy assets, but there was no commitment to it. And we actually signed that in the clear understanding in our own minds that ‘That’s OK, the Labour party will be in government next time, they’re not going to do it.’ Because I was opposed to it, it doesn’t make sense. They were not compelled to do it and they pushed it through,” Ryan stated.
It was not in the Troika agreement, it was a private deal between Labour and Fine Gael and [when they came] into government, they changed the terms of reference regarding the establishment of water companies, something we had started but had not said it would have to be a single utility company. So this was their own doing, their own direction – it was not directed by the Troika.
Ryan, who is running as an MEP candidate in Dublin, noted that the government appeared to be lacking in direction, saying the country needed “politics that looks to the future but delivers in the here and now”.
“We need a new, fairer economy that lifts us out of crisis but avoids boom and bust. This Government has no plan for the future. They seem stuck with the same old politics that is letting the people down.”
He said that Fine Gael and Labour appeared to be stuck in “a bad marriage”.
“They’ve been together how many times now in my lifetime?”
Ryan said the Green’s stimulus plan would see job creation through “investment in clean technologies, digital rights and using our natural resources wisely”.
No other party has this plan. The rules of the new economy will be crafted in Brussels. We want to work with our colleagues in Europe to create an economy that is built to last with sustainable jobs for our people.
The Greens lost all of their TDs in the last general election.
Grace O’Sullivan, the party’s MEP candidate in Ireland South, said that the government was “not listening to the people”, adding that she was hearing a lot of disillusionment while canvassing.
The former Greenpeace activist said she would bring her “fighting spirit to Brussels … to work for a politics of the common good, not just for the few”.
Candidate for Midlands-North West, Mark Dearey, called for the establishment of a public bank with a specific remit to lend to the indigenous SME and agricultural sectors in order to “end the credit constriction that is choking job creation across the country”
Ross Brown, who is running for the party in Northern Ireland, said the EU is “undemocratic” as it stands, adding that deals are done ”behind closed doors” to “benefit narrow corporate agendas and not the ordinary person”.
“There is an urgent need for reform of the European Union, and greater transparency and honesty if it is to have legitimacy. While we recognise the need to support and work collaboratively with all businesses to help our economy thrive, we want a politics that doesn’t just work for the agenda of those with power, money and access.”
“We want to see a genuine alternative for our political system, and one that works in the interests of all of us,” Brown added.
The Green’s manifesto cites their six key policy areas as stimulus, equality, democracy, environment, digital rights and protection of diversity.
This is the first year that the European Greens are fielding candidates in every constituency across the European Union.
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How many of those 5,000 were able to travel to Spain this summer…
@Paul:
I really despise the likes of you.
Pitiful and sad!
@Paul: You can get a basic holiday package cheap for a low side of a few 100, a mortgage requires you to have 5 figures saved up and rent even split between three people would be about 125+ a week when some of them are on 188 or as a family 400
@Paul: I agree with you. The number of parents I know who moan about the cost of school, and in the same breath tell you about their foreign sun holiday, while eejit here doesn’t go on foreign holidays to pay for school!
People give out about the cost of shoes for school…do they go barefoot during the summer?? The cost of uniform? They wear it 5 days a week for 10 months!! My issue is that all books have to be new, I would be happy if the govt even tackled that issue
Yeah guys, stop trying to enjoy life and just work to survive. You’re all so materialistic…
@Ryan Carroll: its not about the cost but the fact some can afford to go on a holiday but not to send kids back to school
@Paul: Well going back to school is more expensive, depending.
@Ryan Carroll: except you are simply saying this as you believe poor people deserve every misery they endure.
@Paul: ….. or are down in the pub most nights.
@Charles Alexander: its probably true and as the saying goes,the truth hurts
I’ve had a lot of stories regarding SVP and although they do great work, their generosity is well know to be abused. I can’t agree with any charity giving people cash, should be in the form of vouchers only.
@Theunpopularpopulist: vouchers would certainly make it a bit harder for those who abuse the system . People already get help of 125/200 per child towards books. Uniforms can be bought cheap in lidl. I think some people just don’t want to pay a things forwards their kids needs and expect hand outs for everything. If people on social are getting their full benefits , rent allowances , med cards , child benefit and don’t have to pay towards anything then that’s a lot of money a month to themselves .. no wonder they can holidays to Spain every year .
@Theunpopularpopulist: I can understand this but a lot of people feel very embarrassed about having to show they needed help from SVP. Maybe instead SVP should provide the stuff directly.
@Suzie Sunshine:
I totally agree with you Suzie nice
To see your back from holiday
Leo Varadkar and Fine Gael hate the people of Ireland.
Varadkar’s reaction to the deaths of 2 homeless people yesterday was to reminisce about where he was when Princess Diana died.
That shows the absolute and utter contempt both he and his party holds for Ireland.
We are effectively on our own as FG represents banks and vulture funds.
The government can be disregarded.
Direct action to address the national housing emergency is not simply justified.
It is essential.
Real people vote FG, banks didn’t elect them, and you won’t get anywhere pretending those voters don’t exist, you have to instead change their minds, and just insulting them as people who don’t care and writing them off as tools of banks only drives them deeper into the arms of more regressive politicians.
Most people, well off or not, are inherently decent, and would want to do things about poverty,. At the moment we have a homeless crises because social housing is no longer being built the way it had been from DeVelera to Bertie, and the reason is they know the people who vote for them don’t live in them so they don’t feel pushed. You have to make them feel pushed by lobbying them – and you don’t convince people by writing them off before you’ve even tried, they needed to be shamed and guilted into it by highlighting the plight of these families not being described as tools of banks.
@Colin Morris: Shinner bot alert!!
@Colin Morris:
Leo and Fine Gael hate the people of Ireland? oh please and stop talking rubbish
@Ryan Carroll: Don’t forget your tooth brush the next time you go to see your local TD. Don’t forget to bring a few smokes as well.
But sure Leo said 70% of the people are middle class . Surely something amiss here !
@Willy Malone: he is not counting poor people though.
According to Leo you are only human when your income reaches a certain level.
Between children’s allowance and back to school allowance there’s no excuse not to be prepared. Everyone knows when their child will be starting school so they could put a little away every week if needs be.
@Mark Daniel: that good advice for those that have a little left over each week but what about those that are struggling to get by and have nothing left over to put aside for the free schooling with voluntary contributions
Wait for FF/FG (both of which hate the people of Ireland) to claim that half the poor people are scammers and the other half have only themselves to blame. But that either way if you find yourself in financial or housing trouble in Ireland then you deserve to be thrown to the wolves / vultures.
Direct action is necessary.
Our government hates this country.
@Colin Morris: Agreed entirely. Government and state have despised the people since it’s foundation . ultimate arrogance . and grossly overrepresented per head of population.
look at the tax take and poor return for tax.
Excessive VAT rates.. stealth taxes shamblolic health services. filthy water . ecoli etc… who is monitoring water quality now ? Dept of Agriculture no less. it’s no wonder the quality of rivers has disproved.
property tax will hike in 2009. wait for the outcry then. still too many quangos.
yada yada
@scanlanavia: we are a population without a government.
FF/FG represent money. Not people.
Direct action is essential.
Since FF exposed the govts lies on that score only a few weeks ago (re numbers who were scamming and what they saved) I doubt that. Since it was FF govts that came up with medical cards, college grants, free primary secondary school, the minimum wage, free travel passes etc etc they have a funny way of showing they hate poor people.
You won’t get anywhere in your knowledge by assuming FG ”hates” the people of Ireland either, people are not cartoon villains, you gotta know your enemy in order to beat them. THey think their approach helps those people too, thats how they look in the mirror in the morning without getting ill. The fact that most of them come from the upper middle class or rich farmers skews their worldview, esp since thats who their voters are too. So instead of their constituents telling them about their poverty they are demanding tax cuts and “those scammers on welfare their whole life” (of which they think there are far more than there really are) be dealt with.
so-called booming economy
The Catholic church still picking up the slack when government turns its back on the people of Ireland.
tell us.
This is typical FF/FG deflection.
Blame the poor.
Always.
Keep The Recovery Going!!
Fg and labour let all these issues grow,they did not stand up to the EU,they accepted 42% of EU debt.the public must remove them from politics or generations of their family will be born on the streets.
have your say