Government TDs living in a bubble that we need to burst – Kelly

Cllr Anthony Kelly has described the Fine Gael and Labour TDs who support the upcoming austerity budget as being deluded, and has said that they are living in their own little bubble which the Irish people need to burst. Cllr Kelly made the remarks during a peaceful picket of Fine Gael TD Liam Twomey’s office in Wexford town last Saturday.

“It seems to me that any TD who supports this budget of cuts is completely deluded,” Cllr Kelly said. “We have had Fine Gael and Labour party TDs actually defend their broken election promises and failed job creation programme. These TDs have had the audacity to claim that things are getting better. It is truly terrifying that they are so out of touch with the ordinary Irish person, who is enduring the worst recession that this state has ever known. One Fine Gael TD even stated that nobody will be any worse off after this budget. Try telling that to people who have been cut beyond hope.”

“Deputy Liam Twomey recently gave the government’s budget plan the thumbs up and declared that we are well on our way to regaining our economic sovereignty. Does Deputy Twomey know something the rest of us don’t? Or is he so protected in his flush job in Leinster House that he is completely unaware of the suffering of families in his constituency while his government pay out bondholders at the behest of those in the higher echelons of the European Union who they seek to regain our sovereignty from? The truth is that any TD who supports a budget which will lead to more hardship for under pressure citizens, more economic collapse and more job losses is not only failing the constituents who voted him in, but is also revealing himself to be an absolute economic illiterate.”

“Sinn Féin has laid out a comprehensive, costed alternative to the government’s budget which would protect low paid workers, the unemployed and the most vulnerable in our society, and would make those who can afford to, pay more. Our pre budget plan explains why austerity has failed and will continue to fail, and sets out job creation as the only road to recovery. I wish Deputy Twomey and his fellow TDs had bothered to take the time to read the document instead of dismissing it. Instead he is happy to support a budget plan that is very similar to the one delivered by Fianna Fail last year. The one which Deputy Twomey and his party criticised and campaigned against.”

“Sinn Féin will continue to protest against this government’s failed economic policy in County Wexford. I fear that our government TDs are living in their own little bubble, entirely unaware of the destruction that their actions are causing to families across this nation. It’s time the people of Ireland popped their bubble and reminded them who the boss is.”

41 patients on trolleys as Wexford hospital crisis continues.

Cllr Anthony Kelly has demanded that decisive action be taken to end the bed shortage crisis at Wexford General Hospital after it emerged that forty one patients had spent a night on trolleys there last week. Cllr Kelly has submitted a motion inviting hospital manager Lily Byrne to the December meeting of Wexford Borough Council to see if a plan can be devised to end the trolley crisis.

“Forty one patients lay on trolleys in Wexford General Hospital last Monday night (28th),” Cllr Kelly said. “It's unacceptable that this level of degradation of patients and hospital staff is being tolerated by our local politicians. As a public body that represents the people of Wexford, the Borough Council agreed that it was necessary to invite Lily Byrne to our next meeting where we can relay the concerns of our constituents about the ongoing crisis and formulate a plan to solve this issue. This crisis is devastating the quality of service at Wexford General and is impacting on the community’s faith in its local hospital. It must be dealt with immediately.”

“I would be very concerned that certain politicians who used the hospital as an issue to get elected on have now abandoned it to an uncertain future. Or maybe they have even forgotten about it. Talk of wonderful new medical buildings for the future will give little comfort to the sick and elderly laying on trolleys in the corridors of Wexford General tonight.”

“Sinn Féin has long campaigned for better conditions for patients and the hard working staff of our county hospital. We will work actively with the management of Wexford General and any other genuine parties to bring an end to this trolley nightmare. I’m asking the people of the county to be vigilant of what is happening at their local hospital and to put pressure on their local TDs to take action. This is a time of hardship for every family in the county but we must show that famous fighting Wexford spirit and ensure that services are maintained to a high standard at our county hospital.”

Sinn Féin highlight unfair budget cuts at Brendan Howlin’s constituency clinic.

Wexford Sinn Féin held a public engagement outside the office of Brendan Howlin TD during his clinic last Saturday morning (26th) to highlight the unfair budget cuts planned by the Fine Gael/Labour coalition government. A similar event was held outside Fine Gael TD Paul Kehoe’s office in Enniscorthy.

Speaking at the event, Cllr Anthony Kelly said;

“The government is continuing to perpetuate the myth that they have no choices in this budget. The truth is that they do have choices. Sinn Féin’s pre-budget submission has shown that choices can be made that do not punish those already on social welfare, the working poor and low income families."

“Fine Gael and Labour are following in the footsteps of their predecessors Fianna Fail, who also tried, and failed, to reduce our deficit through and slash and burn policy. They are doing this despite being elected on a mandate to do the exact opposite. This budget they are planning to deliver will not only create more hardships for families across this state, but will also fail to lead us to economic recovery.”

“You cannot cut your way out if a recession. That is an evident truth. Sinn Féin believes that the only way out of this mess is through creating jobs, putting people back to work and rebuilding our shattered tax intake. Our colleagues in the Labour party used to believe this as well but alas, their time in government as caused them to forget everything that went before the last general election.”

“Our government is busy telling the people that these coming cuts are unfortunate but necessary. They are either lying or economically illiterate. There are real alternatives. For example, a 48% third rate of tax on incomes in excess of €100,000 would raise €410 million and a wealth tax of 1% on assets worth more than €1 million, excluding working farmland and business assets, would raise €800 million. If we stopped corporations trading their profits and losses to avoid paying the correct tax, the state would raise an extra €108 million annually. It’s a question of political choice."

“Sinn Féin in County Wexford will be holding constant public engagements in the weeks ahead to remind our government TDs of the promises they are breaking and the constituents they are betraying with these austere measures. I hope the people of the county will come out too and put extreme pressure on our elected reps to do the right thing.”

Wexford Sinn Féin protest bank interest rates on behalf of mortgage holders: "Where's our bailout?"

Cllr Anthony Kelly has demanded that mortgage holders be given the benefit of interest rate decreases immediately and has denounced those banks who have refused to pass on the reductions to their under pressure customers so far. He was speaking following a Sinn Féin protest outside Bank of Ireland on Wexford’s quay front last Friday.

Cllr Kelly said;
“There are people in real trouble with their mortgages because of an economic mess that has nothing to do with them. They have been forsaken by the very institutions that this state has placed itself in danger of ruin to protect – our banking institutions. The banks are not even going to pass on the ECB’s interest rate cut to their customers, despite everything that has been done to secure their continued existence. It’s scandalous.”

“There is widespread mortgage distress, but the government has done nothing to help people. Now, it won’t even stand up to the banks which have not passed on this interest rate cut. The Central Bank has confirmed that 100,000 households are in trouble with their mortgages and 100 people’s homes were repossessed in the last three months. How many families must lose their homes before our government takes meaningful action?”

At the protest, New Ross Sinn Féin rep. Oisín O’Connell called upon the government to keep their promises by making banks pass on all interest rate cuts.

"Let's be clear: every man, woman and child in this state is on the hook for €15,000 - to bailout the banks. Because of this, the banks get cheaper credit from the European Central Bank. They then turn around, and charge us more, for the same money they get cheaper - because we bailed them out! This is a double injustice.”

“We, the people, got AIB (which is 99% owned by our state) to finally pass on interest rate cuts, to customers last week. This was the pressure of people power. The other banks need to get the message: we won't accept a bank-owned state”

“The banks are defying the government and the people are paying the price. The government needs to answer us: just whose side are you on, anyway?” he concluded.

Wexford Hospital crisis is scandal happening under our nose – Mythen

Cllr Johnny Mythen has described the current condition at Wexford General Hospital as “a scandal happening under our very noses.” The Enniscorthy Sinn Féin councillor said he observed staff and patients struggling to cope with conditions at our underfunded county hospital during a recent visit there.

Cllr Mythen said;
“Since when is a hospital ward made up of a few flimsy curtains and a couple of sheet frames thrown together acceptable as the norm. This is the reality facing each patient that enters the doors of Wexford General Hospital. That’s if they’re lucky. If not they’re fate is the corridors. While we have people turning sods and sticking their chests out about building castles in the sky, hospital staff are being pushed to the brink of exhaustion and are rapidly reaching stress levels of dangerous proportions.”

Cllr Mythen praised the work ethic and commitment to patient care offered by staff at Wexford General, but insisted that they will be overwhelmed by the problems that they are encountering unless the government intervenes now.

“Working way beyond the call of duty, both patients and staff are in an environment where their safety and health are tested to the full each day.”

“This was my experience during the week, when I brought my daughter to the hospital. I spent two days there, observing at least twenty five patients on trolleys the first day and over forty the second day. Surely the wards that are empty can be reopened now to deal with this emergency. This is a scandal happening under our very noses. The patients, staff and people of Wexford deserve better.”

Bondholder Handover Act of Treason – Kelly

Cllr Anthony Kelly has condemned the Fine Gael/Labour government’s decision to hand over €700 million to an unguaranteed bondholder of Anglo Irish Bank last Wednesday. The Sinn Fein rep. described the handover of taxpayers’ money during this intense recession as an act of treason. Speaking during a Sinn Féin protest against the handover outside Minister Brendan Howlin’s constituency office in Wexford town, Cllr Kelly said that the new government was continuing the failed cronyism policies of the last one despite promising fundamental change during the general election campaign.

“Fine Gael and Labour rightfully attacked the last Fianna Fail led government for implementing extreme austerity measures against the Irish people while protecting the very golden circle of bankers, investors and speculators whose greed had caused the Celtic Crash in the first place,” Cllr Kelly said. “They promised essential change in government but instead have enacted the same failed Fianna Fail policies. Paying out unguaranteed bondholders, who are basically super-rich gamblers who backed the wrong horse, can never be justified. Paying them during the worst recession modern Ireland has ever known is an act of treason against the long suffering Irish people.”

“We live under a government which has cut the most vulnerable in society while carefully keeping an unmanageably corrupt system in place that always favours the wealthy elite at the expense of the majority. SNAs have been cut. Patients lie on hospital trolleys across the nation. Our students are being targeted with new fees and cuts to their grants. Household charges and a water tax are to be introduced and further cuts are on the way. Yet there appears to be money available to pay the debts of highflying gamblers. It seems the priorities of our coalition government are clear.”

“The government plans to take between €3.6 and €4 billion out of the budget. A €700 million saving would have meant no household charge. It could have meant no welfare cuts. Instead the government decided to give €700 million to an unguaranteed bondholder defying morality and basic reason. Even the smallest cut has the potential to inflict so much damage. The cut of 200 Special Needs Assistants this year caused untold damage for families with special children and saved the state only €6 million.”

“Sinn Féin completely opposes paying off any of these unguaranteed bondholders. We would urge the government, in particular the Labour party, to stop these handovers. In January a further 1.2 billion is due to be paid out. Labour in opposition always claimed to oppose the right of unsecured bondholders to any payout. I’m calling on Minister Brendan Howlin to use his influence at the cabinet table to stop the handover and to instead use this money for the good of the Irish people.”

The second biggest party in the state – Job well done.

Who was the big winner last Friday when the votes were counted for the Presidential and Dublin West By election, as well as the amendment bills to the constitution?

Well certainly it was a good day for the Labour party, and there’s no doubt that Fianna Fail are celebrating victory despite losing their last foothold in the capital and becoming the first Fianna Fail party in history to have no representation there. Their candidate David McGuinness polled well, as did their de-facto presidential candidate Sean Gallagher. Of course ask most Gallagher supporters why they voted for him and they won’t mention Fianna Fail. In fact, they would likely reject him if he wore the tag of official Fianna Fail candidate.

History will surely judge Sinn Fein as the big winners of this campaign however. Two party percentage polls taken during the election had Sinn Fein listed as the second most popular political party in the state, ahead of Labour and Fianna Fail.

There can now be little doubt that Sinn Fein is the main party of the opposition, leading the voice against austerity and identifying itself firmly as the people’s party.

Ask anyone not interested in politics in this state who the leader of Fianna Fail is, or to name their front bench, and you will get few correct answers. Ask them the same question about Sinn Fein and the names Gerry Adams, Mary Lou McDonald and Pearse Doherty roll off their tongues.

The future now looks bright for Sinn Fein as the party goes from strength to strength. Martin McGuinness’s brave decision to run in an election where there was never any doubt that he would be mercilessly targeted by a vile media has paid off. The people of Ireland are no longer willing to shy away from a candidate when the establishment set their media hound and their conservative altered history book of Ireland upon them.

“Stop the handover” – Kelly

Sinn Féin Councillor Anthony Kelly is calling on people to join him in a campaign to ‘Stop the Handover’ of billions of euro to Anglo bondholders. The first payment is happening this Wednesday and will be paid out to an unguaranteed senior Anglo bondholder to the tune of €700 million. In January €1.2 billion will be paid out. This is against the backdrop of an austerity budget that will take over €4 billion out of the economy.

Councillor Kelly said:
“This Wednesday the government will pay out €700 million to an unguaranteed senior bond in Anglo Irish bank. This bond payout comes just one month before an austerity budget which will inflict hardship on children, on carers, on the disabled and on the working poor. In January a further €1.2 billion will be paid out. Billions of euros will be handed over while the Irish people face government imposed poverty.”

“The government plans to take between €3.6 and €4 billion out of the budget. A €700 million saving could mean no household charge. It could mean no welfare cuts. Even the smallest cut has the potential to inflict so much damage. The cut of 200 Special Needs Assistants this year caused untold damage for families with special children and saved the state only €6 million.”

“I am encouraging people to make their voices heard. People power can stop this outrageous payout. I am asking everybody to sign our petition which will be rolled out across the county and is also available online linked to Sinn Fein facebook pages. I am urging the people of County Wexford to tell the government to ‘Stop the Handover’.”

Martin McGuinness Rally in Ferns this Friday.

Presidential candidate Martin McGuinness will visit county Wexford on Friday 14th as part of his campaign to become the people’s president of Ireland. Mr McGuinness will speak at an election rally in the historic town of Ferns on Friday evening.

Seamie Davitt, who is Mr McGuinnesses campaign manager in County Wexford, said that he was delighted that County Wexford had been chosen as the venue for the South East’s McGuinness for President Rally.

“Martin is obviously very busy at the moment as his campaign is an all Ireland one,” Mr Davitt said. “Martin has long campaigned to have voting rights for presidential elections extended to citizens living on the north of our island. Though this will not happen in this election, Martin is still keen to visit all 32 counties of Ireland, letting them know that as President, he will represent all the citizens of Ireland. I’m delighted that he is coming to County Wexford, and I know Martin is eager to tell this historically republican county about his vision for a better Ireland.”

“On Friday evening Martin McGuinness will hold a large public rally for the south east in Ferns. It will start at 7.30pm in The Courtyard in Ferns, Wexford. Hundreds of people from across the south east are expected to attend on the night. Entertainment will be provided by local musicians and Martin will be keen to meet as many people as possible and to outline his vision for a new republic.”

"We have been inundated by members of the public wishing the campaign well and offering to help out in whatever way they can. On Friday 14th people will have an opportunity to become part of the team to elect the Peoples President and to meet Martin himself. We have buses organised for people who wish to travel to the rally in Ferns from the main towns. If people are interested in booking a place on these buses, or want further information on the rally or how they might best help this campaign, they can contact me on 086 0357072, or visit the wexford4mcguinness page on facebook."

The Lady’s not for turning

Speech by Cllr Johnny Mythen at the County Wexford Hunger Strike 30th anniversary Rally in Enniscorthy.

The Lady’s not for turning, Out. Out. Out. There is no such thing as society. These are the words of Margaret Thatcher. This was the mind set, the political dogma. The rejectionist Position, held by the British and orange state. A state ten young Irishmen had to face. Face it they did. By remarkable courage by Strength of mind, an unequal battle with a violent aggressor, a battle for the political and legitimate right to be recognised as political prisoners. In truth, a battle for the very survival of Republicanism.

Isolated, brutally treated, they put forward five simple demands;
• The right not to wear prison uniforms
• The right not to do prison work.
• The right to organise educational and recreational pursuits,
to free association with other prisoners.
• The right to full restoration of remission lost through protest.
• The right to one letter, one visit one parcel a week
These demands were met with the all too familiar and unforgivable attitudes of both Governments.
Some say 1981 was a failure, and everything was lost. However History has proven otherwise. Bobby Sands and his nine young comrades set the loom in motion. Set the loom in motion that went on to weave the tapestry of the Good Friday Agreement which ended the orange state once and for all, and will weave the tapestry for a 32 County Republic. To Bobby Sands, Francis Hughes, Ray Mc Creech, Patsy O Hara, Joe Mc Donnell, Martin Hurson. Kevin Lynch, Kieran Doherty. Thomas Mcelwee , Michael Devine, to all the blanket men and women. We owe an immeasurable gratitude. We owe a most sacred obligation. For these men and women left us their legacy of a precious gift. The gift of the unconquered human spirit.