The People’s Convention in Cork South Central welcomes a new initiative on the side of the people:
Press Release, 12th March 2014:
End the Dictate of Political Parties!
In it’s first Public Statement the newly established group, the ‘South East Electoral Ward for DEMOCRACY!‘ has called on people to reject demands from the Revenue Commissioners for the payment of Property/Home Tax.
The group is asking householders not to complete the declaration or cooperate in any way with this new tax, they have described it as an unjust imposition on already hard pressed families.
The group chairman, Tony Kelly of Douglas, a long time Trade Unionist and supporter of the Campaign Against Home and Water Taxes, said that it was high time for ordinary people to stand up for their own rights. He described the Home Tax and the coming Water and Broadcasting Charges as money gathering to pay the speculators who gambled on bond markets and lost – the people should not be forced to pay these debts.
Secretary of the group, Diarmaid Ó Cadhla from Ballintemple, said that the policy of austerity was being imposed on the Irish people contrary to election promises of both Fine Gael and Labour. He highlighted that the Political Party system itself allows groups of vested interests, such as the banks, to dictate the policy of our state, he said:
“The Political Parties have manipulated our democratic process, they have abused our mandate and now expect us to accept lies as a normal part of politics, this is not right!”.
The group is asking people to move beyond merely protesting and to challenge the existing ‘powers-that-be’ by supporting People’s Candidates in the Local Elections next year. People’s Candidates will be selected in public forums by the voters, before the election, and will have to sign a contract that they will accept mandate from the people on every issue of policy decided in City Council. Candidates will not be allowed to accept a Party ‘whip’ and will be subject to Recall if the voters of any area should decide – this approach is designed to ensure that the people are to ones who decide all policy and are left in control.
The group is encouraging local people to make themselves available for possible selection as candidates, which is regarded as a high civic responsibility, not a career move as has been the practice of Political Parties.
The “for DEMOCRACY!” group has launched the idea of contesting EVERY seat in both City and County Councils in June 2014. If this can be realised it will begin to change the history of Ireland and provide a real alternative to the people, fighting against austerity and for democratic representation in our own state.
The group has taken up the fight against the Home and Water Tax and Austerity in general, we hope this broader non-party political, non-‘ism’ based approach will assist. People have had enough of Political Parties and any movements based on some ‘ism’ or other – the simple demand of democracy is that the people be represented – not parties or other vested interests.
END.
Contact Diarmaid Ó Cadhla on 086-3805005
Secretary,
Cork South East Electoral Ward for DEMOCRACY!
c/o Ionad an Phobail, No. 99 Douglas Street, Cork – Visitors Welcome!
