People Before Profit wants to re-distribute the wealth so that we are not continually subsidising the wealthy. One way we can do this is to abolish the water and property tax and transfer the tax burden to the financial sector.
Brid Smith from people Before Profit explained
Anti-Austerity Alliance – People Before Profit
COMMON PRINCIPLES:
Radical Alternatives & Real Equality
General Election 2016
Common Principles: Radical Alternatives & Real Equality
People Before Profit
Share the Wealth: An Alternative Vision for Ireland
Introduction
Our Priorities: A Summary
Arts – Childcare – Disability – Drugs – Economic Policy Summary – Education – Employment and Labour Rights – Environment – Foreign Policy Health – Housing – Irish Language – Land Use and Food – Law – LBGT Rights – Natural Resources – Political Reform
Racism – Water – Woman’s Right to Choose – Youth Equality
Introduction
By Richard Boyd Barrett
Despite government parties’ claims of economic recovery, Ireland remains a deeply unequal society. Government growth projections and claims of economic stability lack all credibility in the face of the evidence that another global economic down-turn is looming.
The Labour Party worked happily with Fine Gael for four years but has suddenly discovered that they are a party for the rich. Joan Burton has started to warn about a ‘lack of balance’ if Fine Gael started to rule alone.
In a statement Cllr Brid Smith said,‘Labour is acting like a second-hand dealer of dodgy cars. In 2011, they won votes on a promise that they would restrain Fine Gael. And they are trying the same trick again.‘But once the votes were counted after 2011 Labour dropped all talk of restraining FG and acted as their collaborator. Labour warned that Fine Gael would introduce water charges – but then voted for them.
People Before Profit have warned against looming plans within Irish Water to cut jobs and implement ‘efficiencies’ and cost savings of €1.1bn which would include a reduction in staffing levels of 1,200-1,500 in the period 2014-2021.
Cllr Brid Smith hosts speakers at anti-water charges rally outside Dail, July 2015
New legislation is to be rammed through the Daíl next week regarding Water Charges. Two bills are to be introduced yet only information on one has been released.
Cllr Bríd Smith said “As predicted, this legislation is yet another attack by the Government on the most vulnerable in society. This week we see cuts to One Parent families take effect while this Government has plans to lump another bill onto households via Landlords as debt collectors?. It’s completely unacceptable.”
Bríd continues “there’s only one answer. Feet on the street on July 1st and 14th! The day the bill is pass through the Daíl and the day it is to be voted on.”
Another Bill is to be introduced but little has been released as yet. The bill in questionis for attachment orders on social welfare.
The new amendments in the Environment Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2015 dealing with water charges include:
Delegates from People before Profit, including Brid Smith, attended the June 13 Conference convened by the Right2Water trade unions to discuss a programme of Policy Principles for a Progressive Irish Government. There they argued, along with others, for the need for a government of the left to refuse to pay the huge debt loaded on the Irish people as a result of the bankers’ reckless greed.
There has been a great resistance to the water charges in Ballyfermot. All street meetings have been well attended and everyone has vowed to stand in solidarity and boycott the bills as they continue to land. There hasn’t been any attempts to meter Ballyfermot but we all must stay vigilant and come out and stop the metering when the time comes. From the rivers to sea! Irish water will be free!
