Well done MEP De Rossa for having the courage to expose McCreevy

by alen - lp Sat Jul 24, 2004 08:59

Charlie McCreevy's appointment is a move away from a
Social Europe in the direction of a Supermarket Europe
Speaking in the European Parliament today Proinsias De Rossa MEP condemned Charlie McCreevy's nomination as a European Commissioner, describing him as one of the most right wing Ministers for Finance in Europe. He reminded the Parliament that he was one of the Ministers for Finance who sought to remove the Parliament's democratic control over the Union's budget.

"In Ireland McCreevy has presided over the worst housing crisis, health crisis and growing inequality for a generation, at a time of massive wealth creation. He is a right winger who believes in incentives - tax breaks and hand outs for the wealthy and a kick in 'arse' for the poor.

Mr De Rossa, while listing some of the Irish Presidency's more glaring social policy failures, as well as those on Iraq and debt cancellation, praised the Taoiseach and his team in successfully concluding the historic negotiations on the European Constitution.

"Their success was in retaining the broad framework, values, objectives and citizens rights which the European Convention had drafted. By doing so I believe the legitimacy of the European integration process has been enhanced while the foundation for a more democratic and inclusive Europe has been laid.

--------------------------------------------------------------

De Rossa Press Release

by Frank Ross Sat Jul 24, 2004 14:01

So De Rossa stands for a social Europe rather than Mc Creevy 's market driven madness? Why is De Rossa in the so called socialist group (PES) in the European Parliament? Has he not noticed the market driven and pro war policies of his comrades from the British Labour Party. Is he ignorant of the anti worker 'reforms' being introduced by the German SDP Government? Is he aware of the Thatcherism and corruption of his Polish comrades, the DLP, ex-stalinists like himself now enamoured to market economics? Of course they also have in common their support for the suppression of Polish workers during the 1980s!

Like most social democratic leaders De Rossa is very radical in opposition but just watch to see how the Labour Party suddenly becomes 'responsible' when in Government with Fine Gael with his full support.

There are few Irish politicians on the left who are as sickeningly and self righteously hypocritical as De Rossa, safely ensconsed in his beloved Brussels.

by i have 520 tv channels. - and inhouse translation. Sat Jul 24, 2004 15:28

And as for "frank ross", yep, Prionsais is on the hypocritical side of the Centre Left. But he has said relatively good things throughout his tenure in Brussels. He also afforded me the opportunity whilst a young man to obtain and forge a FAS whiskey tasting certificate in efforts to improve employment prospects throughout the Irish Mock Pub world.
and he gave us an extra 6 punts on the dole.
Back when 6 punts meant something.

by Frank Ross Sun Jul 25, 2004 00:40

No surprise there cos when he was Party Leader, the WP were forging fivers, passports, Dail Envelopes amongst other things. I kid you not, I saw some of this handiwork myself but then I also as a young man benefittted from Proinsias's wisdom: I distinctly remember him lecturing us about the difference between social democracy and democratic socialism and telling us how he would never agree to a coalition with a right wing party. A few years later he taught us another lesson: ignore the fine words, judge by the actions.

What a pity that such a hypocrite and a dictatorial bully to boot should be so hghly regarded by the naive and ignorant.

by hh Mon Jul 26, 2004 09:57

He raised a relevant point nonetheless- no harm to warn the continent that they have a neo-liberal zealot inflicted on them instead of the love fest bestowed on him by his collaborators over here.

by The officials Mon Jul 26, 2004 12:05

At least SF actually take part in working class politics and its MEPs only get the average industrial wage. What's our sticky mate Frank Ross on now? €100,000 or so?

Yeah, real socialist there. He's a brave man for challenging McCreevy - wow! Jesus, the old DL are really afraid of the rise of Ireland's more profoundly working-class movement and think that they'll bedazzle us all by saying Charlie McCreevy was a bad finance minister. Sinn Féin have been outspoken on this for years - when most people forget De Rossa - safely sequestered in some four star hotel in Brussels - even existed.

by angry libertarian Tue Jul 27, 2004 13:25

David Robbins in last weeks Indo wrote an article in favour of a 4 hour a day working week and the Sinners cant even bear to annoy their capitalist business friends by calling for a 30 hour working week, or even a 35 hour week as currently exists in France under a right wing government! Some socialists they are alright, we have a lot to look forward to when they take power it will be business as usual. But sure we will all be 'equal' in an Ireland of 'Equals'! (and working long hours for shite wages from their business friends)

by Patient Tue Jul 27, 2004 18:03 newsforthedeaf at yahoo dot com

In todays >Irish Times< there's an opinion piece on Charlie McCreevy. The article mentions the Finance Ministers legacy of 'empty hospitals'.

>It was a special tax break for the construction of private hospitals. Its cost to the public purse is literally unknown but is estimated at around 63m euro. All we the public were told is that it was "devised as a result of a meeting I held ... with certain constituents". [McCreevy] introduced it at the very last moment in the Finance Bill 2003.<

>I often pass... the beautiful new, world-class health centre in Ballymun.
Except its empty. If youre sick in Ballymun, you still have to go to the shambolic, overcrowded, miserable Third World health centre. Why?<




Apart from Ballymun, anyone know the location of McCreevys other 'unemployed' hospitals?
Or got any more background info?
For a potential indymedia article - to document [photograph] these empty hospitals.

by aunty labour Wed Jul 28, 2004 16:05

But just a correction on the useful Robbins article. He actually talked about 4 hours a day being the optimum amount. I am sure the sinners would still bust a gut at the thought of this to say nothing about their american business friends. Despite their radical bluster there is nothing in their policies when closely examined.

by Joe Wed Jul 28, 2004 16:33

I'm curious as to the use of 'courage' in the title of this thread. I normally take courage to mean somebody doing something despite the risks that doing so involves. Mary Kelly, the CW5 etc can be said to have shown courage by undertaking actions that saw them imprisoned for a while and which might lead to longer periods of imprisonment.

But I don't see the courage in an opposition politician having a go at a minister of Finance who has fallen out of favour and is being shuffled off to Brussels. De Rossa has shown some courage in the past, he was one of the few elected politicans prepared to defend abortion rights back in the early 1990's for instance. But where is the courage here?

by Patient Wed Jul 28, 2004 22:00

Some of the facilities that are lying empty

MAYO: A €10.5m orthopaedic unit at Mayo General Hospital, the opening of which had been cancelled because of a lack of funding.

DUBLIN: A €96m wing at James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Blanchardstown, Dublin, the vast majority of which has never been used.
A brand new health centre worth approximately €48m in Ballymun, Co Dublin, has been lying vacant since it was finished more than 18 months ago, during which time the Northern Area Health Board has paid an estimated €5.25m in rent for it.

CLONMEL:A €24m surgical building at South Tipperary General Hospital remains unopened due to lack of funds.
The hospital wing at South Tipperary General has been idle for around 15 months due to the failure of the Department of Finance to provide around €2m in funding to pay for staffing.

LETTERKENNY:Letterkenny General Hospital recently completed a new maternity unit. However, four delivery suites are being used as office space because funding for staff for the new unit has not been approved.

CORK:A €16 million hi-tech accident and emergency unit has been lying idle in Cork University Hospital (CUH) for the past seven months because there is no money to staff it. The hospital’s director of emergency medicine estimates that the €3m will staff it. Up to 15 patients a day are on trolleys in the existing A&E.

MULLINGAR:In the Midland Health Board (MHB), a promised 12-bed observation ward in Mullingar General Hospital has never been opened because of staff shortages and funding requirements.

BIRR:A €2.8 million 90-bed elderly care unit in Birr, Co. Offaly remains unoccupied.

SLIGO:A medical assessment unit in Sligo General Hospital could be opened if the staff were put in place.

by chris bond Thu Jul 29, 2004 13:59

This year the government recieved €1000 million more in tax revenues than expected whilst spending was €600 million less than expected, a minute amount of this money could open the hospital units mentioned by patient. Im sure if the racehourse owners wanted money to build another training ground McCreevy would have no problem giving it to them.

by Patient Thu Jul 29, 2004 16:12

maybe the govt. won't open these hospitals until closer to the next general election.

But until then, it might be a useful indymedia article to photo these empty buildings.


Marshall McLuhan - Understanding media
"It is one of the peculiar characteristics of the photo that it isolates single moments in time.
The power of the camera to be everywhere and INTERRELATE things...

To see a photograph of a local slum makes the condition unbearable. The mere matching of the picture with reality provides a new motive for change...

Control over change would seem to consist in moving not with it but ahead of it."


Hospitals seem to be a political football.
Don't play their game.
Take the photo NOW before the politicians cut the red ribbon THEN

by Vlad Thu Jul 29, 2004 17:26

The thinly veiled excuse of praising De Rossa to attack the Shinners is just sad! At least the Shinners are not in a group that has leading particpants in the Iraq war, supports globalisation, the undemocratic EU Constitution etc. etc. They are actually in a real socialist group and as pointed out earlier engage in real working-class politics where it matters- on the ground in Ireland. I wonder whether the author who quite obviusly used this chrade to attack SF is actually a real live Stickie an LP member or another sad Trot praising an old Stalinist in an effort to attack the Shinners. Stranger bedfellows have united in opposition and envy of SF!

by Wacker Thu Jul 29, 2004 17:29

'Stranger bedfellows have united...'

The para's and Gerry Kelly.

by Vlad Thu Jul 29, 2004 17:51

Simply pathetic Wacker.