Replace the Household Tax with a Wealth Tax – Kelly

Cllr Anthony Kelly has renewed his call on the government to scrap the household tax ahead of today’s Labour party national convention in Galway. The Wexford Sinn Féin rep is calling on Labour party senior government member, Minister Brendan Howlin, to lobby the Labour party convention to change their stance on the controversial tax. Instead, Cllr Kelly is calling on the government to implement a fair wealth tax after it emerged that over seven hundred thousand people are living in poverty in Ireland.

Cllr Kelly said;

“Wexford Sinn Féin is calling on our local Labour party government Minister Brendan Howlin and his councillor colleagues to petition the national convention of their party to change its stance on the household tax. Figures have emerged during the week showing that over seven hundred thousand people are living in poverty in this state today. It is morally wrong and at odds with everything that Minister Howlin and local labour party councillors were elected on to pursue these suffering people to pay a grossly inequitable household tax that they simply cannot afford.”

“Over seven hundred thousand homeowners have refused to pay the household charge. It is blatantly obvious from the new poverty figures that have emerged that the majority of these families cannot and will not be able to afford to pay this tax. These people have been bled dry. I am asking Minister Howlin to represent these people now and use his influence to move the Labour party away from the maniac stance that Eamon Gilmore has taken.”

“It’s a well know story that Minister Howlin was named after a great Wexford Labour party leader, Brendan Corish. In 1967, Brendan Corish addressed his national convention and asked, ‘Do we accept man’s basic dignity as the starting point of all Government policy?’ What would Brendan Corish make of his Labour party standing against the impoverished citizens of this state today?”

“We are calling on Minister Howlin to present the sensible alternative to the Labour party convention. Axe the Household tax and introduce a wealth tax. There is no doubt that there is still wealth in this state. The Capgemini Merrill Lynch World Wealth Report annually tracks the liquid assets of the worlds wealthy. They estimate that there are over 18,000 super wealthy living in Ireland today who, through the transfer of assets from property to commodities, have recovered their wealth to 2005 levels.”

“A wealth tax would generate about €800 million a year, five times the total amount that could be taken in from the household tax in its current form. Surely it is time that the Labour party remember its roots and began to protect the basic human dignity of the new Irish poor by concentrating on a policy of fairness. Those who can afford to should pay more.”

New Ross Sinn Féin welcomes refurbishment of Quay Front

New Ross Sinn Féin has welcomed the announcement that the Quay Front in New Ross town is to be refurbished. In a statement, New Ross Sinn Féin Representative Gerard Barron said "This is something Sinn Féin has been calling on to happen for many years, and was contained in the Sinn Féin plan for New Ross Town, launched ten years ago."

"It is something that we have felt to be a necessity for the Quay Front in New Ross, and was a major part of our strategy outlined in our plan for New Ross town. Everyone is disappointed that the Dunbrody festival had to be cancelled for this year, but the refurbishment of the Quay Front will only benefit New Ross in the long term. Obviously it should have been done when public finances were more widely available, but at least now, this plan of work may create much needed employment for the people of the town."

"We also call on initiatives to enable businesses and shops on the Quay Front to start up and develop, such as reductions in rates for start up periods. A bit of foreward thinking, could develop into enticing the passing traffic to stop off in New Ross, thus benefitting the whole of the town centre."

"New Ross Sinn Féin ask New Ross Town Council to restudy the New Ross Sinn Féin plan launched in 2002 now and also to liase with Wexford County Council and the NRA to look into the feasibility of implementing other features outlined in the plan, the most glaringly obvious being for a new bridge crossing to be built at the Marshmeadows site, rather then wasting hundreds of millions on motorways taking traffic across the River Barrow at Pink Rock over a massive superstructure suspension bridge, which we believe would end up as a horrific white elephant”

We must never allow the stock exchange bell to ring over our land – Mythen

Cllr Johnny Mythen has called on the people of Enniscorthy to vote no in the upcoming European Fiscal Compact Treaty. Speaking at the annual Easter Commemoration in St Marys Cemetery, Cllr Mythen said that the people had to rediscover their spirit of self determination if we are to preserve our economic liberty, our state assets and the future for our children.

Cllr Mythen said;

“Every Easter we gather to honour and pay our respect to all those Irish men and women in every generation who dedicated their lives to the cause of Irish freedom and the creation of an Irish Republic. However today we have a very different republic. We have a republic of partition. We have republic of in- equality. We have a republic that fosters and looks after the greedy and the wealthiest of this nation, disregarding and alienating the ordinary citizens whom they are walking on and driving into the ground, by their mismanagement of our economy and by introducing callous austerity measures that are devastating and causing low income families to crumble.”

“The recent government figures released from the CSO shows the spending power of low income families decreased by 26% while families on higher income increased by 8%. This is the highest gap between rich and poor since records began. The deprivation rate, in plain words the bread line, stands at 22.5%. That’s nearly one quarter of all households in Ireland without adequate economic or social necessities. This can be attributed to the leadership of a party that shamefully claims to be republican, and now are substituted by the coalition of the willing, Fine Gael and Labour.”

“On the 31st of may we will be asked to ratify another austerity treaty. If we are serious about preserving our economic liberty, if we are serious about preserving our state assets, if we are serious about protecting the future of our children, then in all conscience we all must reject this treaty. We must as a people, as republicans, as a nation, re-awaken the spirit of self determination that beats in the heart of every Irish person. We must reclaim our country from these toxic bankers, bondholders and government yes-men.”

“We must not allow, we must never allow, the stock exchange bell to ring over our land, our people, our nation.”

Kelly continues to push for new sign at O’ Hanrahan Station

According to this week’s Wexford People newspaper, new signage is to be prioritised for Wexford's O' Hanrahan Station during 2012.

In a letter to Wexford Borough Council, councillors were informed that Iarnrod Eireann is currently in the process of updating station signage, which will be rolled out across the network over time as funding allows. Chief Executive Richard Fearn informed the council that he has asked their Building Maintenance Manager to ensure the new signage is prioritised for Wexford O' Hanrahan Station during this year and that the new signage also incorporates the O'hanrahan name.

Wexford Sinn Féin Councillor Anthony Kelly has been pushing for the placing of a new sign displaying the O’ Hanrahan name for a number of years, since the issue was brought to his attention by local residents.

Michael O’ Hanrahan was a republican leader from New Ross who was executed for his role in the 1916 Rising. He was second in command of Dublin's 2nd battalion under Commandant Thomas MacDonagh. He fought at Jacob's Biscuit Factory. O'Hanrahan was executed by firing squad on May 4, 1916.

Cllr. Anthony Kelly urged the council to keep an eye on this letter. 'We were told it would happen a year ago and nothing happened,' said the Sinn Fein councillor.

No mandate for household tax to pay back bondholders – Kelly

Cllr Anthony Kelly has criticised the government for refusing to back down on its ill fated household tax despite the refusal of over seven hundred thousand law abiding homeowners to pay. The Wexford Sinn Féin rep said that the people know that the household tax is not about raising revenue to fund local services, but rather about finding money to continue the bailout of unsecured bondholders and toxic banking assets.

“The people of Ireland have sent a very clear and concise message rejecting the household tax to this government,” Cllr Kelly said, “The Fine Gael and Labour coalition no longer have the realistic mandate to force this unfair tax on the electorate. By ignoring the will of the majority, they are only making things worse for themselves in the long term.”

“No one will be fooled into believing that the household tax was about raising revenue to fund local government. What happened to the funding for local government? It has been transferred into the bailout fund. It is being used to pay off unsecured bondholders and cover the promissory note, which is still very much on the table despite what the government says. Just last Wednesday (11th), we saw AIB hand over €1.5 billion of Irish taxpayer’s money to unsecured bondholders. This is where the household tax is going. It was never about funding local services.”

Cllr Kelly also gave his reaction to recent slurs by members of Fine Gael, including Deputy Liam Twomey, implying that Sinn Féin supports a similar property tax in the north of our island.

“A property tax does exist in the six counties. It is something that the Northern Assembly inherited from direct British Rule, and unfortunately, due to tax varying powers and fiscal levers being controlled by the British Exchequer, the assembly does not yet have the power to abolish a charge that Sinn Féin does not agree with. It is purposely misleading to compare that charge to the one being implemented by Fine Gael and Labour, and a clear attempt to muddy the waters in this debate.”

“Deputy Twomey should know that the North receives a block grant under the Barnett formula from London and then raises additional revenue through regional and district rates. This is because of partition, something that Sinn Féin has campaigned against for nearly a century. I would welcome Deputy Twomey and the Irish government to join our call to end the partition of our island and grant fiscal independence to the six counties.”

“It should also be recognised that northern rates actually pay for good public services, such as healthcare, emergency services, roads, water and sewerage. It should also be recognised that, despite a €4 billion cut by Westminster last year to the block grant, the Northern Assembly put public services and jobs first. Over the past few years, Sinn Féin in the six counties has delivered investment of more than £1 billion in improvements to water infrastructure and £492 million to develop 53 major capital school projects. Sinn Féin invested in the citizens, something that Deputy Twomeys party seems incapable of doing."

Cllr Johnny Mythen Easter Monday Address 2012 - Enniscorthy

A cairde na laochra agus a cairde go leir failte romhat go dti an comoradh “eiri amach na casca 1916”

On behalf of the republican fraternity of County Wexford we would like to welcome you all to the 96th anniversary of the 1916 Sinn Féin Easter rising. We send greetings and best wishes to those republicans who are sick or in hospital. We also remember with pride and sorrow all those who have passed away recently. We also extend our solidarity to the Palestinian people; we join with them in their legitimate quest for a free and just Palestinian nation.

Every Easter we gather to honour and pay our respect to all those Irish men and women in every generation who dedicated their lives to the cause of Irish freedom and the creation of an Irish Republic. The tyranny of distance and time will not allow us to forget the sacrifices these brave men and women gave willingly for their country.

However today we have a very different republic.
We have a republic of partition.
We have republic of in- equality.
We have a republic that fosters and looks after, to a disgusting degree, the greedy and the wealthiest of this nation, disregarding and alienating the ordinary citizens whom they are walking on and driving into the ground, by their mismanagement of our economy, by the unmanly way they are excepting the troika dictat without even putting up a single solitary argument, and by introducing callous austerity measures that are devastating and causing low income families to crumble.

The recent government figures released from the CSO shows the spending power of low income families decreased by 26% while families on higher income increased by 8%. This is the highest gap between rich and poor since records began. The deprivation rate, in plain words the bread line, stands at 22.5%. That’s nearly one quarter of all households in Ireland without adequate economic or social necessities.


This can be attributed to the leadership of a party that shamefully claims to be republican, and now are substituted by the coalition of the willing, Fine Gael and Labour.

On the 31st of may we will be asked to ratify another austerity treaty. If we are serious about preserving our economic liberty, if we are serious about preserving our state assets, if we are serious about protecting the future of our children, then in all conscience we all must reject this treaty. We must as a people, as republicans, as a nation, re-awaken the spirit of self determination that beats in the heart of every Irish person. The words self determination runs through the history of Ireland from the united Irishmen, to the Good Friday Agreement, a span of over 200years. We must reclaim our country from these toxic bankers, bondholders and government yes-men.

We must not allow, we must never allow, the stock exchange bell to ring over our land, our people, our nation.

Photos by Gavin Doyle Photography

Ballymore Commemoration marks beginning of Easter Week in County Wexford

A commemoration in Ballymore graveyard near Killinick this evening marked the beginning of County Wexford Sinn Féins Easter Remembrance events. A good crowd gathered at the ancient graveyard to honour the memory of Volunteer Joseph Whitty, who died on hunger strike in the Curragh Camp, Co. Kildare on the 2nd of August, 1923.

Mike Phelen, the Chairman of the local Joe Whitty Sinn Féin Cumann, spoke of the need to always remember the sacrifices made by men like Joseph Whitty. Mike quoted the great Belfast Republican martyr Tom Williams to finish.

“Carry on, no matter what odds are against you; Carry on, no matter what the enemy call you; Carry on no matter what torments are inflicted on you. The road to freedom is paved with suffering, hardship and torture; Carry on my gallant comrades, until that certain day".

Cllr Anthony Kelly and Ann Hogan laid wreaths on behalf of local Sinn Féin, while other wreaths were laid by Mick O’ Leary and family members. The revamped County Wexford Colour Party led the march in and out of the graveyard.

Further commemorations will be held as follows;
Wexford town (Easter Sunday) Assemble in Crescent Quay Car Park at 1.30pm. March around the town followed by commemoration in Crosstown graveyard. Cllr Anthony Kelly and Senator David Cullinane will be the main speakers. Function afterwards in Mooneys on the Quay with music from Na Buachailli.
Murrintown (Easter Monday) 12 noon. Main speaker is Cllr Tomas Sharkey
Enniscorthy (Easter Monday) Assemble on Rafter Bridge at 2.30pm for parade to St Marys.

Kelly rejects IFAs claims that yes vote is good for rural Ireland

Cllr Anthony Kelly has said he is extremely disappointed with the decision of the Executive Council of the Irish Farmers Association to call on their 90,000 members to vote yes in the upcoming fiscal compact referendum. The Sinn Féin councillor said he rejected the IFAs leadership’s claims that a yes vote would be in the best interests of the rural economy. Cllr Kelly also said that figures clearly show that it is the EU that has benefitted more from Irelands membership, not the other way around.

“I’m extremely disappointed in the IFA’s decision to campaign for a yes vote in the upcoming fiscal compact referendum,” Cllr Kelly said, “I don’t see how they can tell their 90,000 members to vote yes to a treaty that will institutionalise austerity in this nation and draw us into a devastating poverty cycle that might take decades to escape.” “

“I recognise that Ireland’s farmers have traditionally supported the Europe Union and the Common Agriculture Policy, but it has to be pointed out to them that a no vote in the coming referendum will not impact on the CAP or our membership to the EU. This treaty is not about our EU membership, it’s about strong Euro nations like Germany seeking to impose financial and political influence over periphery nations like Ireland.”

“The IFA will point out the benefits that Ireland has received from EU membership. Sinn Féin recognises that Ireland did benefit from being part of the European community and we accept that our place is in Europe, but we will not support a treaty that aims to introduce permanent austerity on the people of Ireland.”

“Supporters of this treaty will say that Ireland received €72 billion from the EU since 1973. They won’t say that Ireland contributed €31 billion of this ourselves and they also won’t mention how we have lost €184 billion through the loss of Irish fisheries assets to the EU. In total, that means that Ireland’s net loss from being a member state of the EU is €143 billion. That is the proof that it is the European Union that has benefitted from Irelands membership to the union, not the other way around.”

Annual Easter Commemorations

Wexford Sinn Féin will be holding their annual Easter commemoration in Wexford town next Sunday. The annual parade will depart Old Dunnes Car Park on Crescent Quay at 1.30pm and follow a route around the town.

Cars will then be provided to ferry people out to the main commemoration in Crosstown graveyard. Cllr Anthony Kelly and Senator David Cullinane will be the main speakers.

Commemorations will be held in Ballymore graveyard on Easter Saturday at 7.30pm and Murrintown graveyard on Easter Monday at noon. A large commemoration will also be held in Enniscorthy on Easter Monday at 2.30pm to remember the last garrison to surrender during the 1916 rising. All are welcome to attend.

Hundreds of Wexford people march on capital

Over sixty members of County Wexford Sinn Féin attended the National Rally against the Household Tax in Dublin last Saturday. Led by Enniscorthy Councillor Johnny Mythen, the Sinn Féin contingent was among a large turnout of people from across County Wexford who marched on the Fine Gael Ard Fheis with a message of defiance – We’re not paying the inequitable household tax.

Ferns based fire-fighter Dominic Gaughan, known by many who have attended recent anti household tax protests in County Wexford as the man with the flag, was among those who addressed the crowd of well over five thousand. Mr Gaughan, pointing his tricolour at the National Event Centre which housed the Fine Gael Ard Fheis, said that people needed to stick together and reject government austerity.

Among those who travelled to Dublin was a large group of young Wexford republicans who produced their own colourful posters which captured the attention and mood of the crowd. One portrayed local Fine Gael TDs Paul Kehoe and Liam Twomey as Dick Dastardly and Muttley from Wacky Races, while another depicted Minister Alan Shatter as a surfer uttering ‘Get a life dudes’ after the Minister had said earlier that day that protestors against austerity should get a life.

After the march Cllr Johnny Mythen reacted angrily to Fine Gaels attempts to ignore the protest, one of the largest seen in our nation in recent years.

“Fine Gael tried to ignore us,” Cllr Mythen said, “They actually pulled down the blinds in the building to block off their view of the thousands of ordinary citizens who chanted out, out, out to Enda and his austerity policies. They pulled the blinds on us but the Irish people will pull the plug on them.”