Public Meeting On Lisbon
Éirígí spokesperson Daithí Mac an Mháistír will be speaking in Cork City tonight (Thursday) as part of a public meeting on the upcoming referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
Speaking before the meeting, Daithí said the Treaty offered nothing but hardship for working people in Ireland and the rest of Europe.
“Thanks to the Trojan work of a number of people, here and in Europe, we have the evidence to present to the working people of Ireland that this is a treaty that does not have their interests at heart,” Daithí said.
“The Lisbon Treaty, like all EU treaties before it, promotes the need, and therefore greed, of private business over the needs of people.
“Debacles such as the privatisation of Eircom and massive water charges for schools are only a taster of what is to come if the Lisbon Treaty is passed.
“In real terms, this treaty means that private corporations will be evermore facilitated to make vast profits from essential services such as healthcare and education.
“This treaty continues a policy dating back to the 1980s whereby ‘restructuring’ of essential public services such as water and sanitation, public transport, energy, post and telecoms has taken place. This ‘restructuring’ has led to the widespread conversion of these public services into private businesses (The cases of Aer Lingus, Eircom). The Lisbon Treaty is now taking aim at the crucial public service areas of health, education and social care. Neo-liberalism is EU policy, and it is pushed further by this renamed constitution.”
Daithí concluded: “To vote No to this Treaty will be to stand on the side of democracy and a vision of Europe wherein the people are sovereign; wherein politicians are the servants of the citizens of their respective states. Saying No to Lisbon is to say yes to the possibility of a democratic Europe.”
Tonight’s public meeting, organised by Anti-War Ireland, will be taking place in the Victoria Hotel, Patrick Street, Cork. Proceedings will begin at 8pm. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.