FG call for sweeping powers for Taoiseach

by blue wall Fri Jul 08, 2005 23:35

The new powers being called for are already in place, just look at the corruption. Follow the MacBrearty family 10 year saga carried out under the watchful eye of mc doughall as AG and now minister for justice. Look at the activists denied any chance at a defense in law because everything is being thrown out as irrelevant, sweeps in the night by mcd's cops, kidnapping families in the night. the illegal use of Shannon airport in the face of the UN stating that the attack on Iraq was illegal. The constitution is ruled 'aspirational' with regard to neutrality.
They dont need to put it intl legislation-Its here.

by j26 Fri Jul 08, 2005 23:51

This is in our constitution.
Art 28.3° Nothing in this Constitution other than Article 15.5.2° shall be invoked to invalidate any law enacted by the Oireachtas which is expressed to be for the purpose of securing the public safety and the preservation of the State in time of war or armed rebellion, or to nullify any act done or purporting to be done in time of war or armed rebellion in pursuance of any such law. In this sub-section "time of war" includes a time when there is taking place an armed conflict in which the State is not a participant but in respect of which each of the Houses of the Oireachtas shall have resolved that, arising out of such armed conflict, a national emergency exists affecting the vital interests of the State and "time of war or armed rebel-lion" includes such time after the termination of any war, or of any such armed conflict as aforesaid, or of an armed rebellion, as may elapse until each of the Houses of the Oireachtas shall have resolved that the national emergency occasioned by such war, armed conflict, or armed rebellion has ceased to exist.

That's a pretty sweeping power.

Art 15.5.2 relates to the death penalty - the only part of the constitution that can't be suspended. Theoretically this means that elections could be suspended, the Dail could be dissolved and any power could be introduced "for public safety"

If we ever get attacked, could this be used to bring in a Paddy style Patriot Act?

by JP Sat Jul 09, 2005 00:09

Any Irish version of “Patriot” type act would have to be passed by parliament in advance of the powers being granted. The current powers in the UK can be assumed by executive decree; there is no requirement to refer to Parliament before assuming the powers. FG are proposing the grant the Taoiseach these powers and allow him not parliament decide when they come into effect.

by John Sat Jul 09, 2005 00:11

Even Caesar couldn’t suspend the Senate…

by Not Surprised - none Sat Jul 09, 2005 01:32

This call by Fine Gael for sweeping powers for the Taoiseach shows how completely bankrupt this lot are. They clearly feel that by demonstrating their total allegience to authoritarian methods and blind following of the Neoliberal/ War of Terror agenda that the capitalists might smile on them and perhaps even give them a go at the reins of power some day.

Unfortunately though it is all part of The Strategy of Tension used elsewhere over the years. FG instinctively understand the real purpose of random and not so random acts of terrorism carried out by various fascist right wing groups controlled by the various primary intelliegence agencies that operate for capitalism is to instigate the introduction of repression and the trashing of civil liberties and democracy.


From the URL below
"Our belief is that the first phase of political activity ought to be to create the conditions favouring the installation of chaos in all of the regime's structures. This should necessarily begin with the undermining of the state economy so as to arrive at confusion throughout the whole legal apparatus. This leads on to a situation of strong political tension, fear in the world of industry and hostility towards the government and the political parties.… In our view the first move we should make is to destroy the structure of the democratic state, under the cover of communist and pro-Chinese activities. Moreover, we have people who have infiltrated these groups and obviously we will have to tailor our actions to the ethos of the milieu — propaganda and action of a sort which will seem to have emanated from our communist adversaries and pressure brought to bear on people in whom power is invested at every level. That will create a feeling of hostility towards those who threaten the people of each and every nation, and at the same time we must raise up a defender of the citizenry against the disintegration brought about by terrorism and subversion.…"


or


"This covertly-orchestrated "strategy of tension" would repeat itself in Belgium in the mid-80s, in a bizarre series of killings called the "Supermarket Massacres," in which hooded gunmen walked into crowded supermarkets and began firing away. The massacres, orchestrated by a group calling itself the "Killers of Brabant," were later discovered to be linked to Belgium's Gladio unit.

The Supermarket massacres occurred during the period when the U.S. was pushing a plan to base the Euro-Missiles (nuclear-tipped Cruise missiles) in different European countries. The plan led to huge demonstrations in Europe, with certain countries threatening to break ranks with NATO. Belgium was one of those countries. The Belgian Parliament, which investigated the incidents, felt that they were another attempt to sow confusion and fear among the populace, thereby generating public outcries for a law-and-order government which would be amenable to the Euro-Missles.[1306]

Proof surfaced when a former gendarme, Madani Bouhouche, who worked for state security and was a member of a neo-Nazi paramilitary group Westland New Post (WNP), was arrested with one of the murder weapons. The next day, Bouhouche's friend and fellow Right-wing militant Jean Bultot fled to Paraguay (a popular respite for Nazis). While in Paraguay, Bultot admitted to Belgian journalist René Haquin that the killings were a state security destabilization operation with government participation "at every level."

by Labour Watch Sat Jul 09, 2005 15:26

It would seem that Labour support these proposals as well, they are aligned with them and would act as voting fodder to get these laws through if they had the chance.

by - Sat Jul 09, 2005 18:33

as cheap point scoring goes it not so good, the socialist workers have done better as have Aznar and Rajoy.
And as a contribution to the "shake it and see" it lags way behind Ahern's "the gardaí are watching al q sympathisers closely".

cobra, d notice, special powers. yeah! thing is people just want to not be bombed on the train or bus.
that would be something wouldn't it? if one of them said "we promise ye all no-one will be bombed on the train & bus". Or even better they said "ok, we operate on a liberal democratic narrow political stage, & the truth is we are powerless to offer feudalesque protection to our vassals, but still think we are relevent till the war is over, and no- we don't know when the war will be over"-.

by ### Sat Jul 09, 2005 19:49

Once Fine Gael get a sniff of the possibility of power their authoritarian fantasies come to the fore. For those of you not familiar with Irish politics Fine Gael (FG) are the successors of the Blueshirts, Ireland's fascist party in the thirties.
This proposal is an example of what to expect from a future FG/Labour coalition government. We only have to look at how they behaved during the coalition government back in the seventies (1973-77). Hardly a week passed without the then minister for defence, Paddy Donegan, being photographed either sitting in the turret of a tank, or looking down the sights of a rifle.

The type of people who made up that government is perhaps best illustrated by the incident which led to the then President, Carbhall O'Dalaigh, resigning in disgust following the refusal of the then Taoiseach William Cosgrave to remove Paddy Donegan from office following Donegan's drunken outburst during which he insulted both the President for doing his duty.

It would also not surprise me if they (FG) have plans to restart the Garda Heavy Gang. That is another issue that has never been satisfactorily dealt with.

by Chris Bond - Labour youth (pers cap) Sat Jul 09, 2005 20:19

Billy timmins is a nut case, you`d know he used to be an army officer.

''Labourwatch'' despite your opportunistic ignorant claim no motion was put before conference or the NEC supporting this type of thing, and if it was it would be defeated.

by Labour Watch Sun Jul 10, 2005 17:43

It may not have been passed at a labour conference chris but Labour will implement this if in government with FG. Therefore they will support it in the Dail. So a vote for Labour in next election is a vote for all FG policies.