Speeches From The ULA Forum (Part 2)

The recent United Left Alliance forum in Liberty Hall (25/6/2011) was the first real opportunity for the different factions within it to debate a possible future programme that the ULA should adopt. Following on from my previous post containing videos of the first plenary session, below are the main speeches from the debate from the floor on the first plenary session "The left response to the crisis" and the speeches from the second plenary session of the day from Seamus Healy, Declan Bree, Richard Boyd Barrett and Joe Higgins.

The Enough Campaign And The ULA

The 'Enough' campaign's recent #IrishRevolution July16th protest demonstration drew a crowd of between 400 to 1000 people (depending on who you ask) onto the streets of Dublin's city centre. The event didn't quite live up to its billing, but was an energetic and encouraging demonstration nonetheless, by groups opposed to the EU / IMF deal, and other issue specific groups. The Enough campaign was initiated by the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) to try to create a broad opposition campaign against the EU / IMF deal, and to demand a referendum on that deal. Whilst this type of initiative is to be welcomed, I believe that its demands do not go far enough. I also believe that future campaigns ought to be initiated, developed and prepared for under the banner of the United Left Alliance (ULA). Unfortunately, the SWP don't agree with this, and prefer to push ahead with their own 'Enough' campaign.

Speeches From The ULA Forum

The recent United Left Alliance forum in Liberty Hall (25/6/2011) was the first real opportunity for the different factions within it to debate a possible future programme that the ULA should adopt. Below are the main speeches from the first plenary session of the day, with an introduction from Ailbhe Smith from People Before Profit, and speeches from  Professor Terrence McDonough from NUI Galway, Kevin McLoughlin from the Socialist Party and Kieran Allen from the Socialist Workers Party. In a previous post  I have already put forward my views on the internal debates within the ULA. By watching these speeches, you can make your own mind up. 

The Race To The Bottom Continues...(High Court sanctions cuts to the low paid)

The news that the High Court of Ireland has upheld a challenge from the 'Quick Service Food Alliance'  on the constitutionality of laws setting the mandatory minimum wages of 200,000 low paid workers, is indicative of the race to the bottom in pay and conditions of workers in Irish society.  It is also illustrative of the rotten system we live under. When High Court judges, who on hugely over-inflated salaries themselves refuse to take a pay cut, an issue that will need be put to a referendum,  can condemn the lowest paid workers in Irish society into further poverty, we know we live in a screwed up system.  The Joint Labour Commission (JLC) wage setting mechanism was there to set minimum pay rates for workers in the retail, bar, restaurant, hairdressing and catering sectors amongst others.  These workers, most often women, students or migrants, already victim to low pay, will now face the prospect of further pay cuts in their meagre salaries.

Reformism: A Cancer To Socialism

The great James Connolly once said "The day has passed for patching up the capitalist system, it must go." His words ring true more so now than they ever did, and should be noted by some factions within the broad left of Irish politics. The underlying debate that simmered at the ULA forum in Liberty hall (25/6/2011), was on the type of programme that a new mass party (when the ULA goes that way) will adopt. The Socialist Party put forward the case for a strong and principled 'socialist' programme, with a clear and explicit route towards a socialist society.  The Socialist Worker's Party and People Before Profit called for a socialist programme too, but one that is less explicit and is focused more on daily struggle for reforms, with 'socialism' as the "long term" aim. In this approach, they are making a grave error. The objective situation has arrived, and in diverging from DeValera's famous 1918 injunction, "labour must wait", it must be put forward that labour must wait no more!

Power To The People

Today, March 9th 2011 saw the first sitting of the 31st Dail.  The make up of that new Dail had in the region of 70 new T.D's.  Amongst their number was the 5 new United Left Alliance (ULA) T.D's, Joe Higgins, Clare Daly, Richard Boyd Barrett, Joan Collins and Seamus Healy.  Before taking their seats in the Dail, all of the ULA T.D's marched to parliament from the central bank with the people who had voted them in.  I was one among their number.