The following is an edited version of Gerry Adams’s speech
Everything is relative but in Ireland we also have our difficulties. Over half a million are unemployed; almost 450,000 in this State. Many citizens cannot pay their bills or mortgages. Youth unemployment is especially high, North and South.
The policies of Fianna Fáil, and now Fine Gael and Labour are responsible. Forced emigration is one of the huge damning failures of this State. Citizens are angry. Angry at the political and banking elite and the developers – the golden circle – that enriched itself through corruption, greed and bad policies. Angry at the Government for failing to hold these elites to account. Angry at broken promises by Fine Gael and Labour not to pay one more red cent to bad banks and then handing over €24 billion.
Many citizens thought they were voting for change in last years general election. But what happened?
Tweedledum has been replaced by Tweedledee and Tweedledumber. Fine Gael and Labour were elected to change the disastrous policies of Fianna Fáil leaderships. Instead they embraced these policies.
What is the point of the Labour Party in this Government? What would James Connolly think of the Labour leadership’s implementation of right-wing austerity policies? What would he think of the promises made and broken by the party he founded? My commitment to you this evening is that Sinn Féin will not make any promises we will not keep.When Sinn Féin makes a commitment . . . we keep our commitments.
In the North, the absence of fiscal powers and cuts by the British Tory government have made the Executives task more difficult. In this State the government gives fiscal powers away! This State needs a Government-led job creation strategy. There are funds available – in the National Pension Reserve Fund, in the European Investment Bank, in the private pension sector and in Nama. Sinn Féin proposes a €13 billion stimulus.
This stimulus would run over three years, creating approximately 130,000 jobs directly. The projects are there.
Vitally needed schools, creches, roads, regeneration projects; broadband and a water system that needs to be modernised . . . a public health service free at the point of delivery which provides for citizens from the cradle to the grave, and also funded by direct taxation, is good economics.
After one year of this Government the health service is worse now because this Government is doing exactly the same thing as Fianna Fáil. And patients and their families are paying the price, while those at the top award themselves obscene salaries and huge bonuses.
Rural Ireland is also under attack. Rural schools, post offices and Garda stations are being closed. Rural people are told they can no longer cut turf where it has been cut for generations.
They are being compelled to pay septic tank and household charges. Unemployment is driving young people to far off foreign shores.
I want to turn now to the austerity treaty. When considering what way to vote people need to ask themselves if the austerity of recent budgets led to jobs and growth? The answer is obvious. The answer is no. If you accept that, you should vote No.
Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fáil have not offered any positive arguments in favour of this treaty. The Taoiseach wont even debate the issue! That’s not leadership! Thats not showing citizens the respect they deserve!
Instead Mr Kenny, Mr Gilmore and Mr Martin are trying to scare people into voting Yes. Whether it was British rule or a domineering church hierarchy, Irish citizens have had enough of being ruled by fear.We are done with that.
It is a good and patriotic and positive action to say No to a treaty that is bad for . . . society and entirely without any social or economic merit. Next Thursday. vote No.Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement the British government has agreed to end its jurisdiction if a majority of people vote that way. All of us – North and South, nationalist, unionist and others, need to plan for that.
In this state more and more people realise we do not have a real republic. Sinn Féin wants to demonstrate to unionists that a united Ireland is also in their interests . . . A single Island economy makes sense.
Harmonising our systems will . . . create jobs. A new, agreed united Ireland will emerge through a genuine process of national reconciliation. Through a cordial union.
Sinn Féin is for a new republic where the interests of citizens come first . . . Sinn Féin is about nation building. A nation rooted in harmony, equality and justice.
The people of Ireland are entitled to social justice. Equality is achievable . . .
So, now is the time for courage, for commitment and patriotism, for hope . . . for our great country. For Ireland.