Clonakility Town Council Rejects Anti-War Motion

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday February 05, 2003 10:43 by Justin Moran - Sinn Fein maigh_nuad at yahoo dot com

All local councillors should be at least trying across the State

Clonakilty Sinn Féin Councillor Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin has expressed his disappointment and shame that his colleagues on Clonakilty Town Council last night refused to support a motion for peace at their February Council meeting.

Cllr. Ó Súilleabháin proposed a motion in his name, calling on the council "to oppose the drive towards war on the Iraqi people and to support dialogue as a means to resolve the conflict". The motion also called on the Government to maintain "a policy of military neutrality and to deny the use of Irish facilities for passage or use by military personnel or equipment of belligerent states". His motion was supported by Cllr. Michael O' Regan of Labour, but opposed by Fianna Fáil councillors who were joined by Fine Gael to defeat the motion. The 2 Independent councillors abstained on the vote.

Having thanked his seconder for supporting the motion, Cllr. Ó Súilleabháin said:

"We all know why this motion is before our meeting tonight. Similar motions have been passed in Galway, Derry and Sligo City Councils and unanimously in Dublin City Council last night, as well as in 58 United States cities. More than likely, there are many other local authorities around the country that have also passed it.

We know from tonight's news that 160 U.S. warplanes carrying 18,000 armed soldiers have passed through Shannon Airport in the month of January alone. We have seen over the last week how civilians can easily penetrate the perimeter. Our collaboration in the U.S. war effort now means that Shannon Airport could be a target by terrorist organisations.

Over the last few weeks I have met many people of all political persuasions and none and this topic came up. Not one person I know agrees with our government's stance. And now we have our own army on duty at Shannon, clearly there to facilitate the United States armed forces as they make their way to make war. Our neutrality is a sham.

It's not good enough that Bertie Ahern says that 40% of the business of Shannon is now refuelling these planes. Is that the cost of Irish Neutrality today?

As a State, we are now clearly complicit in what will happen over the coming weeks to thousands of innocent men, women and children in Iraq. I am most disappointed but not surprised that this motion for peace and Irish neutrality is being opposed and will more than likely be lost here tonight."

Earlier in the meeting, Cllr. Ó Súilleabháin raised the issue of the Peace Camp at Shannon Airport (which he visited last Saturday), saying that the council should congratulate those involved over the last month. Their stance he said had raised great awareness and prompted public debate about the use of the airport by U.S. warplanes and armed soldiers. However, an acrimonious debate followed, with the other eight councillors voting against his proposal - the first time ever that a vote of congratulations went to a vote on the council!