Monaghan Sinn Féin protest against IMF “sell-out”

Members of Sinn Féin in County Monaghan protested on Monday evening last at what they described was the “IMF sell-out” by the government. Despite the short notice over 40 people gathered at the courthouse in Monaghan Town and held an hour-long silent protest. Among the banners and placards held were proclamations stating “No Mandate for IMF Intervention”, “Fianna Fáil Sell-Out Again” and “There is a better way”.

Those in attendance included Sinn Féin Dáil leader, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin and elected councillors from across the county. The party stated afterwards that the protest was a symbolic gesture to register the disgust of ordinary people at the governments failures in recent times.

Speaking after the event the chairperson of Monaghan Sinn Féin, Matt Carthy, thanked the public of Monaghan for their support during the protest. He said: “It is clear, even from speaking to lifelong Fianna Fáil supporters, that there is huge anger at the actions of this government over the past week. Their policy of cutting public services and targeting the vulnerable has, as Sinn Féin asserted, failed. We now have the embarrassing and humiliating experience of being forced by the EU to apply for a bail-out. Even though this is a loan which will be a huge burden on future generations we are further expected to accept interference from outside governments in how we manage our economic affairs. It is nothing short of a disgrace that it has come to this.

“Our protest on Monday was just a symbolic gesture to register the anger of people in County Monaghan. The real way that our anger can be registered will be, of course, when a general election is called. It is unforgivable that before the electorate will have their opportunity to pass judgement the government intends to introduce even more measures which will devastate families and businesses across the state. Unfortunately they have been broadly supported by the so-called opposition parties in Fine Gael and Labour.

“For our part, Sinn Féin will continue to argue that there is a better way. Our policies, once dismissed by the other parties, are now being endorsed by an ever growing section of independent analysts. We have the policies that can get Ireland back working without inflicting huge pain on ordinary families. We will not be diverted from articulating that position”.

Brian McKenna slams ‘sneaky’ Taoiseach visit

North Monaghan Councillor, Brian McKenna, has stated that the visit by Taoiseach Brian Cowen to Monaghan on Monday was ‘sneaky’. The Sinn Féin representative slammed the fact that Mr. Cowen, just like his predecessor Bertie Ahern, has continuously refused to visit Monaghan General Hospital or to even meet with local councillors to discuss the issue of health services in this county.

Cllr. McKenna welcomed the news for the VEC and congratulated all elected opinion and VEC officials for their efforts in securing the new facility at the former barracks.

However, according to Cllr. McKenna “The manner of Brian Cowen’s visit says more about the Taoiseach and the Fianna Fáil party than anything else. Considering that the Taoiseach has refused numerous requests to visit Monaghan General Hospital or to even meet local councillors to discuss the issue it is strange that he can sneak into the county on a Monday morning without giving advance notice speaks volumes.

“His refusal to meet the elected representatives of County Monaghan to hear their concerns and the concerns of the people following the closure of services in our hospital is nothing short of a disgrace. Fianna Fáil, in a very underhanded way, ensured that Acute Medical Services at Monaghan General Hospital, were withdrawn only after the local elections.

“Now Fianna Fáil Councillors and TD’s are doing all in their power to have the issue ‘forgotten’ by the electorate. The fact that these local Fianna Fáil Councillors and TD’s collude in secret visits to County Monaghan by Ministers and the Taoiseach shows the commitment, or lack of it, that they have for the retention and development of services at our hospital”.

Cllr. Brian McKenna also stated that he, and his Sinn Féin colleagues, would always welcome good news for our county. He said that his party were particularly pleased that the site of the former barracks (which regrettably was closed down by this government) would be now used for the development of MIFET, gaelscoil, gaelcholáiste and other VEC facilities especially as the original proposal in this regard emanated from his colleague, Seán Conlon. However Sinn Féin he said would “not allow the Taoiseach or any other member of government to sneak into the county while so many other services and initiatives had been robbed from Monaghan by Fianna Fáil, not least from our local hospital.”

“Future generations to shoulder the burden of NAMA” – Carthy

Speaking at a Sinn Féin meeting in Carrickmacross this week local Town and County Councillor, Matt Carthy, criticised the Government for proposing €4billion cuts in public spending while spending €54billion bailing out an elite of bankers, developers and property speculators.

Cllr. Carthy said:

“These are dark days for this country. Local Fianna Fáil councillors can sit back and feign mock compassion but in reality they do not have to live with the anguish that faces ordinary families – otherwise they could not have voted against motions to Monaghan County Council and Carrickmacross Town Council opposing NAMA - the political class is not just out of touch, it is downright rotten.

“The truth is that Fianna Fáil, with the support of the Green Party, have successfully screwed over the people.

“NAMA will see Irish workers on low wages, the unemployed and those dependent on social welfare thrown overboard to make room in the lifeboat for an elite of bankers and developers whose greed has brought the 26 County state to the brink of bankruptcy.

“The total cost of the NAMA robbery will be €54 billion. That’s approximately €12,000 for every man, woman and child in this state. But this is a necessary robbery, according to Fianna Fáil councillors. The banks lent too much to a small number of profit-mad greedy developers and the government cheer-led the whole sorry saga with billions in tax-breaks, and now our banking system has collapsed. The taxpayer is being made to step in with €54 billion and bail out the banks, the developers, property speculators and a corrupt government.

“We are now facing a situation where the government is telling us it must reduce the public spending deficit by €4 billion this December, while at the same time, it is arranging borrowing of over €54 billion to buy toxic loans from irresponsible banks. It has set up a ‘Special Purpose Vehicle’ to keep this borrowing off the government balance sheet, in an attempt to make it look like the country is borrowing less than it actually is. In truth, our public deficit would more manageable and we could even create a stimulus, as Sinn Féin’s pre-budget will show, if the NAMA plan were scrapped.

“The real damage of NAMA will not be known until it is too late. Already shreds of information are being revealed which show the involvement of private developers and investors in its operation. NAMA is the politics of postponement. The true damage of it will not be seen until this government is gone. It will be future generations of Irish people that will shoulder the heaviest burden of this legislation. And local Fianna Fáil representatives will protest that it had nothing to do with them – I sincerely hope that the Irish people see through them.”

“Don’t Trust this government – Vote No to Lisbon!” – Carthy

“This is a bad treaty that was negotiated by a bad government and both should be rejected on Friday”; so said South Monaghan Sinn Féin Councillor Matt Carthy this week. In calling for a large turnout and a strong No Vote Cllr. Carthy said: “This Friday the Irish people are being asked to vote on the same treaty, by the same government and they should be given the same answer.” He went on to say, “Fianna Fáil has got it wrong on NAMA, they have got it wrong on Bord Snip and they have got it wrong on Lisbon as well. And their handling of the controversy over former FAS chief Rody Molloy shows just how out of touch they are.”

Cllr. Carthy continued: “The Lisbon Treaty is Fianna Fáil’s Treaty. The Lisbon Treaty contains the same failed right wing policies that brought the economy into recession.

“The key question for voters is; if Fianna Fáil have got is so wrong on NAMA and on Born Snip Nua how can anyone trust them on Lisbon.

“As the party who have presided over the loss of 200,000 jobs in 12 months how can Fianna Fáil's claims that supporting Lisbon will bring jobs and economic recovery be taken seriously.

“Scaremongering about economic ruin is not only a lie it is damaging to our reputation abroad. The Irish and international business community want clarity and certainty. After Lisbon Ireland will still have access to European markets, and we will still be in charge of tax policies. The fact is that economy recovery has to be driven by a change in domestic policies and assisted by change at EU level.

“There was a 14% increase in inward investment in 2008 according to the IDA despite the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty.

“The so-called guarantees on the Lisbon Treaty are worthless. They are the equivalent of a Fianna Fáil election promise. We in Monaghan are more acutely aware than most of the values of assurances from this government or its representatives. We only have to point to our hospital.

“We need a new Treaty, containing new policies, that will enable Ireland and Europe to meet the new challenges which we are facing. On Friday vote for a better deal by vote No to the Lisbon Treaty.”

Fianna Fáil ignoring the will of people on Lisbon

Sinn Fein Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin has today rejected Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin’s claim that that the Lisbon Treaty referendum “represents a new proposal and respects the will of Irish people”. The Cavan-Monaghan TD said the decision to “put exactly the same Treaty to the people again proved that Fianna Fáil has little regard for the will of the people.

Deputy Ó Caoláin said:

“Almost 900,000 people said No to the Lisbon Treaty in June 2008. Since then the government has failed to secure a single change to the text of the Treaty. The so-called legally binding guarantees do not alter the text of the treaty or its implications for Ireland or the EU.

“The government’s decision to put exactly the same Treaty to the people again proves that they have little regard for the will of the people

“To suggest that the so called guarantees represent any kind of meaningful response to the concerns of the electorate is simply untrue.

“Contrary to Minister Martin’s claim the government has not secured a permanent Commissioner for every country including Ireland. Rather they have secured a temporary stay of execution. The Lisbon Treaty proposal to reduce the size of the Commission remains and if the Treaty is ratified it is my firm belief that this provision will be implemented in 2014.

“The concerns of the Irish electorate and the millions of Europeans who oppose this Treaty can only be addressed if the Lisbon Treaty is defeated and a new and better Treaty is negotiated.”