What would Connolly say?

What would Connolly say? 

Would he say that launching an enquiry into why €21 million earmarked for vital extension work to a hospital was a waste of money? Would he say that it was still ok to spend such large sums on security for a pompous photo shoot of a foreign monarch in Dublin? Would he say that imposing unfair taxes on ordinary people while allowing the wealthy to escape much of the burden was ok?

Apparently this is what the Labour party believes James Connolly stood for.

This article is being written in response to a piece by the Labour mayor of Wexford. In his article (Never ask questions unless you know the answers), Cllr Ryan has a go at Wexford Sinn Féin for holding a picket outside Labour HQ in Wexford last May Day. This is to be expected and you cant argue with someone wishing to defend their party. However there are a few issues raised by the Labour mayor that need to be addressed.

1. "Connolly was an able man who showed that it was always necessary to cut a deal so as to protect your interests." - Perhaps, but would James Connolly have conceded to IMF dominance? Would he have put the interests of foreign financial institutions before the interests of the Irish people? Some deals should never be cut. 

Would Connolly have supported the Universal Social Charge, a grossly unfair tax? Would he have supported the idea of a pension levy on ordinary people while the wealthy were allowed to avoid it? Connolly lived his whole life in poverty. Putting the needs of the wealthy before the needs of the ordinary man would have surely sickened him. I have no doubt that he would have strongly opposed any group that supported this notion, whether they had a red rose or a starry plough as their symbol.

2. "Wouldn’t it be great if some of those who organised the picket at SIPTU in Wexford actually joined a union and perhaps read up on Connolly’s life?" - Is the Labour mayor of Wexford, a county where there are twenty thousand people on the live register not to mention those who are out of work and cannot claim benefits, suggesting that only Union members should be allowed to stage protests against the incompetence of our government? Are the Labour party planning on setting up a new union for the half a million unemployed citizens in Ireland? James Connolly spent most of his live out of work or moving from one dead end job to the next. Im sure he would be able to identify more with the unemployed of Ireland, who struggle from one day to the next, than with the wealthy leadership of the modern labour party.

Maybe it is Labour members of Wexford Borough council who should read up on Connollys life. Recently they voted against a Sinn Féin motion calling for the abolishment of the Universal Social Charge. I think anyone vaguely familiar with the life of Connolly would know which way he would have voted on that motion.

3. "Strikes me that James would have very little time for those in Wexford who used Mayday as a self seeking publicity stunt."- Kettle calling the pot black surely. As you can see from our photos, Wexford Labour had no problem getting their pictures taken at pickets up until they entered government. What a difference entering government can make. They've also forgotten many of their pre election promises.

4. "Perhaps they would have been better off coming up with an alternative that would contribute to getting our country out of the mess it was left by the wealthy insiders." - Sinn Féin is the only party on this island putting forward progressive alternatives which could get this nation back on its feet. Would we have introduced an impotent jobs initiative? No, we would have introduced a proper jobs stimulus to get this country back to work. We would put €600 million into a job creation and retention fund, €400 million in state childcare and the pre education sector and €1 billion into infrastructure projects. We would have also ringfenced €500 million into a Youth Jobs Fund to create 20,000 jobs for the under 25s. As always, our proposals are costed and could easily have been implemented by the Labour party in government. Unfortunately, it is the Labour party, and not us, who cannot come up with effective alternatives to the last Fianna Fail government and have instead condemned the people of this country to more bad government and further austerity budgets. What would Connolly say?  

Universal Social Charge protest in Gorey

"Tax the worker 'til we have nothing."  Thats how a Gorey woman described the Universal Social Charge when talking to Wexford Sinn Féin activists yesterday.  Wexford Sinn Féin were staging the protest against the controversial tax, handing out leaflets explaining why the USC is an unfair tax, and asking passersby to sign postcards to the minister calling for the immediate abolishment of this cruel charge.

"A tax on the working-poor", was how Labour leader Eamon Gilmore described the Universal Social Charge last February.  What a difference an election can make!  Last week, Labour members of Wexford Borough Council joined their Fine Gael comrades in voting against Sinn Féin Cllr Anthony Kellys motion calling for the abolishment of the USC. 

Enniscorthy Sinn Féin Cllr Johnny Mythen got on better.  His motion calling for the abolishment of the USC was passed unanimously by Enniscorthy town council last month.  The Fine Gael and Labour members were only too happy to endorse a motion that not only went against their government, but also went against their party colleagues living a few miles down the road. 

Is there a split in the County Wexford branches of Fine Gael and the Labour party?  Surely this made all the papers? No, it didnt make any of them... strange that.

Wexford Sinn Féin have vowed to continue their fight against the unfair Universal Social Charge and will be taking the campaign to your town soon.

Francis Hughes remembered in Castlebridge

County Wexford Republicans gathered in the memorial garden in Castlebridge last Thursday evening to remember hunger striker Francis Hughes on the 30th anniversary of his death.

The occasion was organised by the local ’81 commemorative committee as part of a series of events aimed at reminding and educating the people of County Wexford about the H Block hunger strike, which saw ten republican prisoners die on hunger strike in the summer of 1981.

A vigil will be held in New Ross next Saturday (the 21^st) to remember hunger strikers Raymond McCreesh and Patsy O’ Hara. 

Kelly vs the false promises

Cllr Anthony Kelly has taken the fight to the Fine Gael/Labour coalition, tackling their Wexford town council members on the continued hardships being caused to families by the Universal Social Charge, and the missing €21 million earmarked for the "guaranteed" extension of Wexford General Hospital.

Last Monday night, at a meeting of Wexford Borough Council, Cllr Kelly tabled a motion calling for the abolishment of the Universal Social Charge. This came after his fellow party councillor Johnny Mythen had a similar motion passed by Enniscorthy town council last month. Despite the pre election promises made by the Labour party in regard to abolishing the USC, the Labour reps on Wexford Borough Council joined their FG partners in voting down Cllr Kellys motion.

Next, Cllr Kelly raised the issue of the missing €21 million which had been billed to cover the cost of vital extension work to Wexford General Hospital. Cllr Kelly pushed a motion calling for an enquiry into the whereabouts of the missing funds. Incredibly, Labour and Fine Gael reps once again voted down his motion.

"I've seen it all now," Cllr Kelly said.

  

Sinn Féin call Labour out

County Wexford Sinn Féin protest outside Labour Constituency Office on May Day

Members of Sinn Féin from across County Wexford gathered outside Brendan Corish Hall on May Day to send a definitive message to the Labour Party; what would Connolly say? Wexford Sinn Féin Cllr Anthony Kelly led the colourful protest outside the building which is used as a constituency office by Minister Brendan Howlin and hosts meetings of the Wexford branch of the Labour Party.

Cllr Kelly said;

“We want to send a message to the Labour Party, the party that claims to represent workers, on International Workers Day. What would Connolly say? What would that great Irish Socialist say if he saw the Labour party in government with Fine Gael today? What would he think of them transferring tax payer’s money to gambling bondholders and into toxic banks, while half a million citizens are out of work? What would he make of their Universal Social Charge, a regressive tax which effectively cripples low and medium income workers, while the super wealthy still avail of morally criminal tax exemptions? What would James Connolly say if he saw Irelands sick lying on hospital trolleys in overcrowded corridors knowing that ‘socialists’ were in power?

“These are questions that the Labour party must consider. While Fianna Fail were in power, Labour seemed to have all the answers. Now that they are sitting on the other side of the Dail, their ideas seem to have dried up. Labour made promises to protect the working poor and most vulnerable in our society before the election. These promises must be honoured. If not, come the next election, it won’t be Sinn Féin or Connolly asking these questions, but the Irish electorate.”

May Day March in Wexford

“A new government and two new Ministers in the County, but Wexford is still forgotten.” That was the message from Cllr Anthony Kelly as he took part in the Sinn Féin organised International Workers Day parade in Wexford town on May Day. The parade was made more colourful by the addition of a range of flags, including the Starry Plough, the Red Flag and of course, the Irish Tri-colour. Several placards were also standing out as the parade entered the Bull Ring, including one held by a little girl that read; Enda Kenny earns €200,000 a year, how much do you get?”

“We are here today to honour International Workers Day and to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the Wexford lockout,” Cllr Kelly said, “but we’re also here to send a clear message to the new coalition Government that we will not allow Wexford to be forgotten. Wexford Sinn fein are calling for a full public enquiry into the disappearance of the €21 Million that was earmarked for Wexford General Hospital. The new Coalition is blaming the last Government and the HSE. The people of Wexford deserve a better explanation.” Cllr Kelly also criticised the Governments intentions of selling off Rosslare Europort and said the Labour Party must stand up to Fine Gael by opposing any privatisation of our state assets.

Enniscorthy SF Cllr Johnny Mythen also attended the parade. Earlier, he and Cllr Kelly had helped veteran Republican Socialist Mick O’ Leary lay a wreath at the spot where Michael O’ Leary (no relation) was batoned to death during the 1911 Wexford Lockout. “It’s ironic that one hundred years on and once again the workers of Wexford are being locked out,” Cllr Mythen said. “The working poor are being crucified by the Universal Social Charge, and where are they seeing their tax money go? Not to build an extension to their local hospital. Not to create jobs for the twenty thousand plus unemployed in this county. Not to benefit the people of County Wexford at all. Sinn Féin campaigned for a referendum on the IMF deal but were defeated by the other parties. The ordinary person is being denied their say. Once again the workers have been locked out.”

New Ross Sinn Féin call for abolishment of unfair tax on the working poor



Declan Carroll, Oisin O' Connell, Cllr Anthony Kelly & Ger Barron



Pictured alongside Wexford Cllr Anthony Kelly are New Ross Sinn Féin members Declan Carroll, Oisín O'Connell and Gerard Barron at the launch of Sinn Féin's leaflet calling for the abolition of the Universal Social Charge.

In a statement issued afterwards, Oisín O'Connell called for the urgent abolishment of the grossly unjust Universal Social Charge, and demanded that County Wexfords five Oireachtas members honour their election promises to stand up for the ordinary people of this County, by working in the Dail to bring an immediate end to this unfair tax on the working poor.

“County Wexford’s five TDs each made promises to protect the interests of the citizens of this County during the recent election campaign,” said Oisín, “Now they must honour their commitments to the electorate. This tax needs to be abolished and instead the Government should work on building a fairer tax system by creating a progressive tax base that taxes fairly and equalises wealth.

Not only is this tax causing untold misery for ordinary people, it is also completely unfair. We have discovered an anomaly in the USC that allows people on much higher wages to pay less. The anomaly means that somebody on €30,000 euro is better off under the Universal Social Charge system when compared to what they were paying under the health and income levy system. This is insanity and shows that Fine Gael and Labour are now operating on the same economic policy as Fianna Fail before them – protect the elite, and over tax the working poor. Fine Gael and Labour should honour their election promises to reform our corrupt tax system instead of implementing failed Fianna Fail economic policies.”

New Ross Sinn Féin will be delivering the USC leaflet to 5000 homes across the district in the coming weeks.

Bobby Sands remembered in Gorey

Last Thursday night, on the thirtieth anniversary of his death, County Wexford republicans gathered in Gorey to remember hunger striker Bobby Sands.  Carry black flags and placards displaying images of the ten hunger strikers who died in 1981, they caused quite a stir by the 1798 monument in Gorey town.

"Firstly he was intimidated out of his job, and then in 1972, his family were intimidated out of their home," Fionntan O' Suillebhan told the assembled crowd, as he tried to explain what had changed Bobby Sands from being an ordinary working class boy into being an Irish Revolutionary.

"He joined the republican movement at the age of 18, and as he wrote himself, 'my life now centred around sleepless nights, dodging the Brits, calming the nerves to go on operations but the people stood by us. The people not only opened the doors of their homes to lend us a hand but they opened their hearts also. I learned that without the people we could never survive and I knew that I owed them everything.' And I suppose that's a lesson for today's dissidents who think that their group can survive without the support of the people."

Fionntan then read out a few lines of poetry from Bobby Sands.

They tortured me quite viciously

They threw me through the air.

It got so bad it seemed I had

Been beat beyond repair....

 Each dirty trick they laid on thick

For no one heard or saw,

Who dares to say in Castlereagh

The 'police' would break the law!

On behalf of Gorey Sinn Féin, Liam Morris then called for a minutes silence. Afterwards, Cllr Anthony Kelly reminded everyone who attended that the County Wexford '81 committee intended to hold a vigil event on the anniversary of the death of all ten hunger strikers. These events would be spread across the county, and the next one would be held in Wexford town.

Wexford SF oppose privatisation of waste collection

Two Sinn Féin councillors in County Wexford have said that they support council refuse workers, and oppose any plans to lay them off in favour of private contractors. Cllr Anthony Kelly and Cllr Johnny Mythen reiterated their party opposition to any plans to privatise this sector, and instead called on the government to honour their pre-election promises to reform the taxation system, allowing new wealth collected to fund vital public services.

“Following the privatisation of waste collection services in South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire/ Rathdown, it now seems that it’s only a matter of time before efforts are made to change things in County Wexford,” Cllr Kelly said. “Wexford Sinn Féin fully supports County Wexfords council refuse workers and will oppose any attempt to get rid of them in the name of privatisation. I’m worried that these workers will be made redundant and sent to join the other twenty thousand unemployed people in this county on the Dole Queue. If we are to witness a private company taking over council waste collection services in County Wexford, then these workers must be redeployed in other areas rather than let go.”

Cllr Johnny Mythen added;

“We hear a lot of talk that privatisation leads to price cuts and that the takeover of this public service by private companies will ultimately benefit ordinary people. The truth is, that in the past we have witnessed such “price cuts” quickly be forgotten as private companies carved out monopolies for themselves, allowing rapid price escalations. Historically, privatisation has been shown to hurt the poor and less well off the worst. Vital services should be available to all and paid for with a fair and progressive tax system based on ability to pay.”

Wexford Sinn Féin to honour Bobby Sands

County Wexford Sinn Féin will commemorate the hunger striker patriot Bobby Sands in a vigil ceremony this Thursday night (5th May) on the thirtieth anniversary of his death.

A vigil will be observed from seven pm by the 1798 monument at the top of Gorey town to remember the MP who died on hunger strike in protest against Britain’s decision to remove political status for republican prisoners.

Members of the public are welcome to attend and observe this dignified gathering, and information packs on the 1981 hunger strikes are available from Wexford Sinn Féin for anyone wishing to learn more about this monumental event in our recent past.