CAMPAIGN TO DEMAND A REFERENDUM On EU/IMF Bailout; What are the next steps

national | eu | event notice Wednesday May 11, 2011 22:36 by Action on Debt

Whether we like it or not Ireland is now a colony of the EU and the IMF, who dictate every aspect of public policy. Instead of our taxes being spent on our local services, whose wages would be by and large spent locally and bolster our econonomy, we are forced to pay off foreign corporations who are free to invest this wealth wherever they see fit.

Its time for the Irish people to decide. This is our country and these issues are too importent to be left up to those who have proven cannot be trusted on these issues. It is after all, our future and our lives and those of our children and grandchildren are at stake.

In order to make profits for themselves, Irish Banks lent recklessly to all and sundry. This was done with the connivence of the Irish political establishment, whose policies of deregulation actively enabled it. The Irish Banks were themselves recklessly lent vast amounts of money by European banks which were likewise actively enabled in this behaviour by the EU under the aegis of the European Central Bank.

The Banks gambled and lost, and as a result are bankrupt. Normally when somebody loses money in business, is repossessed out of their house or laid off their job, they are left to their own devices to deal with the problem. For some reason that doesn't apply to the banks. The rule here seems to be, if they lose you pay. They have friends in high places, and not only in Fianna Fail.

Last year a deal was made to borrow 85 billion euro from the IMF and the European Central Bank at a rate of 5.8 interest per annum. The annual interest bill alone is 5 billion per year. The very banks which caused the problem are not only getting their gambling debts paid off, but are being allowed to profit richly from the chaos and misery they caused.

The record shows Fine Gael and Labour are more than willing to help the banks recuperate their losses with your money.

Not long ago Leo Varadkar talked about "Not another cent." and Eamonn Gilmore about "Economic Treason" That was before the election, the election needed to be won, but its over now. They feel they dont have to answer to anybody for another four years and they're clearly unwilling to make enemies of the banks and the EU. This government have swallowed their words and are now doing exactly what the last government did.

As a result new and higher taxes have been forced on us, and the money we want our tax to pay for like Health, Education, and Social Welfare is being siphoned off to pay the vast debt burden the EU and IMF have imposed on us. The current government is currently assisting the ECB and the IMF in their demand for a forced sale of Irish assets at what will be bargain basement prices.

Whether we like it or not Ireland is now a colony of the EU and the IMF, who dictate every aspect of public policy. Instead of our taxes being spent on our local services, whose wages would be by and large spent locally and bolster our econonomy, we are forced to pay off foreign corporations who are free to invest this wealth wherever they see fit.

Its time for the Irish people to decide. This is our country and these issues are too importent to be left up to those who have proven cannot be trusted on these issues. It is after all, our future and our lives and those of our children and grandchildren are at stake.

Debt Justice is a group of people who have come together to discuss the the injustice of the ECB/IMF deal and take action to resist it. We are not connected to any political party or group.

We, as well as several other groups and individuals in Ireland is calling for a national referendum on the IMF / ECB deal. This has been done before in other countries. On the 6 March 2010. Iceland held a referendum to approve the massive gaurentee which had been given to the banks. The referendum was resoundingly defeated, with 93% voting against and less than 2% in favor.

This meeting is a call to people of all shades of opinion in Ireland, left right and centre who believe that people in Ireland have the right to decide this issue by referendum.

Its purpose is to provide a forum by which these people can come together to consider the ways in which this will be done. This meeting will be an importent step in getting this campagn off the ground.

Programme

1 Why we need this referendum.
2 What the wording will be.
3 The basic plan.
4 How this campaign will be organised.
5 How we will win this campaign.
Which tactics will work and what which doesn't work?
What is allowed and what is not allowed?

VENUE: Exchange Dublin Exchange Street Upper
Temple Bar, Dublin 2.