EU’s Culture of Secrecy Comes to Dublin: No Access to Information for TDs on Vital Trade Talks

by F Thu Feb 19, 2004 22:34

Good initiative.

And a DAPSE article I could actually read and understand !

We want more.

by ec Fri Feb 20, 2004 17:30

Press statement Embargoed 13.00, Friday February 20  

Another Europe is Possible  

Protest at Dublin Castle 13.00, Friday February 20  

Challenge priorities of the EU says campaign Alliance.  

Speakers include:
Bill McCamley, SIPTU Dublin Bus; Eamon Ryan TD; Conall O'Caoimh, Dóchas; Jo Tully INO (personal capacity); Joan Collins, Anti Bin-Tax Campaign; Eddie Conlon, TUI (personal capacity); Rita Fagan, St. Michaels Community Support Centre; Paul Dillon, President UCD-SU.

  The ‘Another Europe is Possible’ alliance is outside Dublin Castle today to challenge the priorities of the EU. The secret discussions at today’s Article 133 Committee meeting are about plans to make European business more profitable, whatever the social cost.  

With profits from manufacturing at a low ebb, big business wants to get into public services. Essential services like public transport, health, education, social housing, water and waste disposal can be turned into business opportunities – with guaranteed incomes and big profits. This is what the EU’s drive to ‘liberalise’ is all about. And the draft EU Constitution, which would make privatisation of health and education much easier, would put this neo-liberalism at the heart of EU law.  

The EU’s intention is to create the conditions for big companies take over and run public services, both in Europe and in developing countries – where the effects can be disastrous. We call for the needs of ordinary people to be the priority, not the profits of big business.  

INO Shop Steward Jo Tully highlighted the risks to the health service:  

“The  present A&E and hospital stay-per-night charges, unaffordable GP fees and medication costs, and VHI premium increases are a glimpse of what is to come.  The Government has made clear its intention to privatise the VHI, making it a straight for-profit commercial insurance company. Premiums WILL rocket. We are facing an American model of Health Service - 'if you can pay you get, if you can't you die', which will be made possible by the new draft Constitution for Europe.”  

Eamon Ryan challenged the secrecy surrounding the Article 133 Committee, saying:  

"We cannot tolerate secretive trade negotiations being carried out on behalf of the Irish State, with no democratic accountability to the Oireachtas, or to the public at large. I am calling on the Government to publish the documents and proposals it is presenting in our name here today"  

Bill McCamley argued against Irish and EU privatisation policies:  

“The EU is implementing a neo-liberal agenda of privatisation. In Ireland the manifestation of that is in the governments attempts to break up CIE and privatise Dublin Bus. SIPTU Dublin Bus branch opposes the privatisation of our services and will take action to defend our workers’ conditions and the services for the public.”  

Arguing that trade rules should not harm the poor, Conall O'Caoimh said:  

"Transparency on trade policy is essential to ensure that trade rules are not weighted against the poor. To benefit from foreign investment, developing countries must have the power to require investors to link into the local economy. Yet in the current WTO negotiations, the EU is seeking to take this right away from many developing countries. This pressure would be less likely if the European Parliament had the power to influence what the EU looks for in world trade talks."  

Commenting on the charges that come with privatisation, Joan Collins said:  

“The Anti-Bin Tax Campaign is well aware that privatisation is on the agenda, and it is a key part of our campaign. Many bin collection services around the country have already been privatized, with huge increases in charges.”  

Eddie Conlon argued that EU policy would put the quality of education at risk, saying:  

“I have no doubt that privatising education services will have a detrimental effect on the quality of education. The use of PPP will divert badly needed funds into the pockets of private investors. It will be very difficult to fight further privatisation in Ireland if the EU agrees to open trade in education services.”  

Challenging recent suggestions that Irish universities should be let go private, Paul Dillon added:  

" The Students Union In UCD is strongly opposed to any suggestion that the our Universities should be privatised. The Student Movement needs demand that our Education System is properly funded by the government and this is the goal that we will work towards. Furthermore, we oppose the ideological agenda which says that essential public services should be run by the private sector"  

Quotes end.  

For information / comment from Another Europe is Possible, contact:  

Rory Hearne  086 152 3542                Brendan Young  085 713 1903  

For further comment:
Bill McCamley 087 906 6461  Conall O'Caoimh  4053802  Paul Dillon, 087  685 9446  Joan Collins 087 775 8942  Rita Fagan 4533938  Eamon Ryan 6183333.

Jo Tully and Eddie Conlon can be contacted via Brendan Young.

by Franz Stummann - AER Tue Feb 24, 2004 20:35 f.stummann at a-e-r dot org 0033388227447

Congratulation to DAPSE , above all to Brendan Young and all collaborators for the action at Dublin castle on GATS. At least we know by now that the members of the 133 Committee are real persons and that they have real meetings, although it is obviously rather difficult to establish their identity. With all the secrecy around this EU-Institution I got more and more the impression the Committee is just virtual and therefore protests are just in vain. Let's hope that following the letter by courageous TD's and MEP's we will be enlightened by the Irish Government.

by ec - 1 of Indymedia Ireland Tue Feb 24, 2004 21:08

Here are the irish members and their Phone numbers - They will not spill the beans however and think it laughable the idea that they should.

Irish Representatives on Article 133 Committee:

Tony Joyce (01) 6312543 - Dublin

Eugene Forde (00) 322 2308580 - Brussels