Adams Calls For Treaty Rejection

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams is in Castlebar this morning to launch a process of consultation with rural Ireland as part of a fight-back against the erosion of public services.

Teachta Adams said: "Our goal is to produce a plan for the regeneration and growth of rural communities. It is the policies of this government, as well as the last, which are contributing to the crisis in rural Ireland.

"Mayo, the birthplace of Michael Davitt, is a good place to start the fight-back for rural communities which have been betrayed by the government."

As Taoiseach Enda Kenny signs up to the Austerity Treaty in Brussels the Sinn Féin leader called for a rejection in the referendum of the Treaty.

He warned that: “The policies of austerity are stripping local communities of essential services – of schools, of guidance counsellors, hospitals, post-offices and Garda stations.

"It is also adding new stealth taxes like the Universal Social Charge, the Household Charge, VAT increases, motor tax increases and septic tank charges. Businesses, shops and pubs in rural towns and villages are closing.

"All of this and the absence of equality of access to public services threatens the quality of life of people living in rural Ireland.

"A whole generation of young people are forced to leave. This GAA generation is playing our gaelic games in Brisbane, Birmingham and Baltimore instead of their own parish.

"And this will worsen if the austerity treaty is ratified in the referendum.

"The Taoiseach is signing that Treaty this morning. He wants to hand significant new powers over to the European Court of Justice and the European Commission.

"Mr Kenny is allowing these institutions to impose economic policies on democratically elected governments and to impose heavy fines where they believe these policies have not been adhered to.

"And as part of this the Government plans to cut a further €8.6 Billion from the economy in the next three years to meet the Troika deficit target of 3%.

"Enda Kenny and Eamonn Gilmore’s austerity treaty demands that this deficit be reduced to a 0.5% target. This means that up to a further €6 billion in cuts and new taxes will be imposed!

"But thankfully the Irish people will have their say. The Irish people cannot afford this Treaty.

"Sinn Féin will campaign for a No vote. That is the democratic option."

(CD/GK)