‘Challenge austerity, cronyism and corruption’ – Sinn Féin Ard Fheis opens in Wexford

» John Hedges

An Phoblacht Editor

‘We are on the side of the poor, of middle and low-income workers, of the unemployed, of the homeless, of the sick, the disabled and the elderly’

IRELAND is now at a crossroads in political, social and economic terms, Sinn Féin Senator David Cullinane said in opening the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis in Wexford on Friday evening.

To achieve a fair and just society across the island, he said, republicans must challenge the status quo. They must “bring an end to the cronyism and to the corruption that has poisoned the political system” and “challenge the class privilege and political elitism that distorts Irish society, North and South”.

“We must rattle the cage and burst the bubble of the political establishment.”

Austerity works for the few – for the bankers, the well-off, the privileged, the rich, and the political class – but not the many, he said.

“In our actions, our politics, and our policies and in our vision for the future, Sinn Féin are unapologetically and unreservedly anti-austerity.”

The Waterford senator said that the “the spin from the Government parties we are now on the path to economic recovery . . .

“It is also the line of top bankers, sections of media, pseudo economists, and others.

“It is the line drummed into us by Brussels, by the Troika, the ECB and their apologists.

“It is the line of neo-liberal free marketers, the Centre Right, and the fiscally conservative.

“Austerity as a route to recovery is now the accepted line of Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fáil.

“In the North, the conservative parties are following suit.”

In the South, he said, Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fáil all support austerity as a means of addressing the crisis.

Labour ministers are willing to destroy their own party “so they can wallow in the comfort and prestige of high office”, the Sinn Féin senator said. “Having sold their political souls they now look forward not to a free and more equal Ireland but to lavish pensions.”

And Fianna Fáil, he said, are happy to embrace “any policies, ideologies and spin that gives the illusion of clear water between them and the corrupt and incompetent practices of successive Fianna Fáil-led governments”.

Sinn Fein is also in favour of recovery, he said, “But what we are not in favour of is recovery at any cost.”

Sinn Féin, he said, wants “real recovery”.

He continued:

“North and South, Sinn Fein is standing up for ordinary people.

“We are on the side of the poor, of middle and low-income workers, of the unemployed, of the homeless, of the sick, the disabled and the elderly.

“We know that in Wexford tonight, and right across the country, there are households struggling to cope with real cuts, increased charges and rising prices.

“There are the unemployed who are struggling to maintain some form of self-respect and dignity, while at the same time service a Celtic Tiger mortgage on an Austerity Ireland income.

“There are the pensioners whose entitlements have been slashed, and who in this cold and wet winter have to choose between lighting a fire and having a hot meal.

“Food or fuel – this is the cost of having Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fáil in power and of Tory cuts.”

He described the thousands of young people forced to emigrate as “the lost generation” who have paid too high a price for the financial crisis.

David Cullinane added:

“Low-paid workers – those on the minimum wage whose incomes have not increased since 2007 – they have paid too high a price.

“Part-time workers and those on zero-hour contracts who are at the mercy of their employer and have no idea from week to week what hours they will be working – they have paid too price.

“But those of us gathered here tonight don’t have to be told this.

“We already know all of this because these are our people.

“They are the communities we live in, work in, and represent.

“These people are our sisters and brothers.

“They are our husbands, our wives, and our partners.

“They are our children.

“They are the people, North and South, that Sinn Féin represents.”

Genuine recovery is possible, he said but “all of us who believe in a fair and just society must work in whatever way we can to challenge the status quo – we must rattle the cage and burst the bubble of the political establishment.”

Quoting the words of Bobby Sands, he said that everyone, republican or otherwise, who believes in freedom has their part to play in this phase of the struggle.

“And let us make no mistake about it – we have no right to believe that freedom can be won without struggle.

“A chairde, as we begin this weekend of debate and discussion, let us heed the words of James Connolly:

“If you remove the English Army tomorrow and hoist the green flag over Dublin Castle, unless you set about the organisation of the socialist republic your efforts will be in vain.”