SF launches campaign against Fiscal Treaty
Sinn Féin has launched the party’s campaign against the EU Fiscal Treaty in Dublin today.
Speaking at the launch, party president Gerry Adams claimed that Ireland will be able to access bailout funds if the electorate votes No in the upcoming referendum.
“Fine Gael and Labour and Fianna Fáil claim that if we don’t sign up to the Austerity Treaty we will not get access to emergency funding. This is utter nonsense,” he said.
“The simple fact is that this is not a done deal. For the European Stability Mechanism to come into law it has to be given a legal basis in the EU Treaties (via an amendment to Article 136) and all 27 member states, including this one, have to agree to this.
“Are Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore seriously suggesting that they intend to sign up to something that would jeopardise access to emergency funding, if the state needs it?
“The choice is between austerity and economic stimulus and growth. The choice is between us handing over powers to unelected officials and bureaucrats in the European Commission and in the European Court of Justice and allowing them to run this State, and to police fiscal as well as monetary matters.
“Or we can vote No to this and assert the right of citizens to elect or sack our governments; and for citizens to have democratic authority over those who govern us.
“It is quite clear austerity doesn’t work. We’ve had six austerity budgets. The deficit has grown not reduced. Half a million citizens are unemployed. Working people and lower and middle income families are bearing the brunt of the government’s decisions.”
