Debate dominated by demands for expanded public services

The Workers’ Party held its annual Ard Fheis over the weekend against a background of continuing election speculation.  Over 200 delegates from across Ireland debated a range of motions, with demands for expanded public service taking centre stage.  The Workers’ Party will be contesting the constituencies of Dublin Central, Dublin North-West, Dublin Mid-West, Meath East, Waterford and Cork North-Central.

The tone of the conference was set by party President Mick Donnelly, who said that:

 “The theme of our conference today is the fight for a future of socialism. What has become clear following repeated financial and environmental disasters in recent years, is that without socialism, there can be no future for mankind. The themes we are discussing here today – fighting for decent public transport and workers’ rights, campaigning for public housing for all, or banning fracking in our countryside – will be crucial in the struggle for socialism.

“But even moreso, growing a solid organisation which can take up that struggle with strength and unity, is critical. That is the task of the Workers’ Party.”

Dublin City Councillor Éilis Ryan called for waste management services to be taken back into public ownership.  Pointing out that privatised bin services – many of which are based offshore – generate no revenue for local authorities while profiting both from the charges they levy on households and additional revenue from selling on recyclable waste, Cllr Ryan said that workers and residents throughout Dublin were paying the price for a failed policy:  

“The privatisation of our bin services has resulted both in a deterioration of the service provided, and a diminution of workers’ rights in the sector.  With private bin companies not providing auxiliary cleaning services, fly tipping has become everyone’s concern but nobody’s responsibility, and public squalor is everyone’s concern but nobody’s responsibility”, Cllr Ryan said.

Cllr. Ted Tynan is the party’s representative in Cork North Central and spoke on a motion seeking transparency in the delivery of community services in areas of high deprivation:

“Vital community services are increasingly being delivered by entities focused on financial targets rather than community needs.  The impact is felt particularly in areas of high deprivation, where vital services such as disability services are focused less on local needs than on their perceived potential to generate revenue.  Such services must be brought under local control and with involvement of all stakeholders and full transparency regarding delivery decisions”, Cllr Tynan said.

Seamus McDonagh represents the Workers’ Party in Meath East and highlighted the need to move towards a public housing model  which would ensure the availability of high-quality housing where people live and work:

“Spiralling house prices, runaway rents and insecurity of tenure mean that people in Ireland are now facing an unprecedented housing emergency.  The only solution advanced by parties of the right is more and better incentives for private housing providers, despite the evidence that the private housing market is failing people.   This failure affects all income groups, but is particularly evident when it comes to those dependent on local authority housing, where allocations are based on availability of supply rather than need.  Only a public housing model can serve the needs of people and the economy”, Seamus McDonagh said.

David Gardiner, the party’s representative in Lucan-Palmerstown, addressed the public transport crisis, calling for public transport subventions and investment to be brought up to EU levels:

“An extensive and efficient public transport service is a social, environmental and economic necessity.  Yet our public transport service has been degraded over the past decade, with inadequate subventions and investment.  The crises currently facing Iarnrod Eireann, Bus Eireann and Dublin bus have the origins in a lack of state funding, and will not be resolved by moves to privatise bus routes and outsource work which will simply further degrade public transport.  Rural communities, as well as peripheral  Dublin communities, are paying the heaviest price for governmental disengagement. If the crisis is not to become a full-blown emergency,  the levels of subvention and investment in our public transport service must immediately be brought up to EU levels”, David Gardiner said.

Lorraine Hennessy, the party’s representative in Clondalkin, addressed the recent finding by the European Committee of Social Rights finding, in a complaint brought by the Community Action Network,  that Ireland has failed to provide adequate housing conditions on local authority estates.

“Submissions made to the committee, including by residents from Balgaddy where I myself live, pointed out that the sale of local authority housing stock has meant that while local authority housing comprised 15.5 % of all residences in 1971, it now accounts for only 7% and thus is a minority proportion which increasingly accommodates a population which is socioeconomically disadvantaged.

The issues affecting those families and children include substandard housing conditions, overcrowding and dampness, inadequate estate management and insufficient policing responses to persistent antisocial behaviour.

We are calling on the government to honour its obligations to address the violations outlined by the committee in relation to this class action taken by tenants of 20 Local Authority estates, and to set up an independent regulatory body which can deal with disputes arising between tenants and their local authority landlord.”

The party’s Dublin North-West representative, Gavin Mendel-Gleeson, and spoke about the forthcoming referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment:

“The Workers’ Party was the only party to campaign against the Eighth Amendment in 1983, and we will be campaigning for its repeal in 2018.  One cannot claim to fight for a rights-based society if one denies bodily autonomy to over half the population.  Abortion is not only an issue of women’s rights:  it is also a class issue, with women on low incomes, as well as migrant women and others, unable to afford the average €1700 required to travel for an abortion.  That is why, 35 years after we campaigned against the Eighth Amendment, the Workers’ Party will be campaigning vigorously for its repeal in 2018”, Gavin Mendel-Gleeson said.”

Dick Roche is the Workers’ Party representative in Waterford, and re-affirmed the party’s long-standing solidarity with the Palestinian people:

“November 29^th will mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, and the Workers’ Party reaffirms its demand for an end to the Israeli occupation and the immediate withdrawal of the Israeli army and settlers from Palestinian territory as well as the release of political prisoners.  A just and equitable solution will only be achieved with the creation of an independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state”, Dick Roche said.

ENDS

For further information contact Cllr. Éilis Ryan (086) 3108553