Day 29: The Fiscal Treaty

Sinn Féin begin legal proceedings against the Independent Referendum Commission. Labour state clearly that Sinn Féin are legally wrong over veto. Fine Gael say Sinn Féin are cynically using the legal system for their own political gains. The ULA call the Government liars and money will be in the ATMs and that even they expect a surplus on actual spending over the next few years. Labour claim it is unrealistic to ignore banking debt.

Judicial Review - Sinn Féin and Ireland's Veto

Sinn Féin have asked in the last 2 days of the campaign for a Judicial Review (JR) on comments made by the Independent Referendum Commission (IRC) on Ireland's veto on the ESM.

Sinn Féin had said that the veto still existed on the ESM as it had yet to be ratified by the House of the Oireachtas. However the IRC had said that the government need to veto the setting up of the ESM before they signed the treaty for the ESM, so according to the IRC the government decided not to veto the ESM therefore the ESM already came about in Europe. Sinn Féin are contesting this.

Gerry Adams said "Pearse Doherty’s legal team wrote to the referendum commission on Friday. The letter challenged the Commission’s assertion that the opportunity for a veto on the ESM was now gone. Sinn Féin firmly believes that this is not correct."

In response to the legal action taken by Sinn Féin against the IRC Labour's Alex White, TD, highlighted a series of inaccuracies and distortions provided by Sinn Féin. He says that Sinn Féin continue to say that Ireland can gain access to the EFSM from the EU and that Ireland can veto the ESM treaty. He states the only way Ireland can gain access to the ESM is by ratifying the Stability Treaty. He believes that Sinn Féin are misrepresenting this issue. The ESM will be the only fund available from July 2013 and the EFSM ceases to exist. He concludes by saying "Article 48 of the ESM Treaty provides that it shall enter force upon ratification by Member States whose initial subscriptions represent no less than 90% of the total subscriptions set out in Annex II of that treaty. Of seven million shares, Ireland's contribution is 111,454 shares or 1.6%. It follows that Ireland cannot prevent the entry into force of the ESM Treaty".

Fine Gael's Lucinda Creighton said today that Sinn Féin is abusing the Irish Legal system for political gain. She believes this is a last ditch attempt by the party to gain media coverage before blackout of Broadcast media which occurs at noon tomorrow. She said that Sinn Féin know all to well that a Judicial Review (JR) takes longer then 12 hours, as they are not strangers to the legal system (if you remember Pearse Doherty successfully brought a JR in relation to By-elections in Donegal, which he successfully contested). Minister Creighton concluded "Sinn Féin has hit a new low. The actions of Sinn Féin and Deputy Doherty are motivated by nothing more than naked self-interest and I am confident that the Irish people will see through this ploy".

YES for Stability and Progressive Politics

Labour's Emer Costello, MEP, told voters today that the NO sides view that the treaty locks Ireland into austerity is false, she believes that treaty is compatible with progressive politics. Again she stated Labour's view that proper management of public finances is key to sustainability. She pointed to the failed policy of Charlie McCreevy "when I have it, I spend it, and when I don't, I won't". She again pointed out that the rules in the treaty already exist but have never really been implemented. She quoted Paul Murphy, Socialist MEP on this fact.

Labour's Ciarán Lynch, TD, has called for a YES vote for certainty and stability. He says the treaty is about protecting the EURO in your pocket. It says it is about creating an environment for creating jobs. Certainty that we can pay for schools and hospitals into the future. He understands the difficulties that people are suffering and that his has been 4 of the worst economic years for most people. He states that this is about working through our problems and that there are no "fairytale solutions" to our problems. He points to the election of Francios Hollande in France that has put growth to the centre of this Treaty, something that Labour and the government has being asking for sometime, but had failed to gain traction on. He concludes "Only a Yes vote will provide certainty that we will have access to the ESM emergency funding, if needed, to keep our schools and hospitals and other service running and will keep us functioning as a country."

NO to Lies

Richard Boyd Barrett, People Before Profit Alliance (PBPA), told voters today that the government are lying about no money for salaries, pensions and social welfare if we vote NO. He points to government figures that show primary deficit at €3.1billion in 2013 and not the €18billion the YES side have claimed. The government also expect to see a surplus in the years that follow. He says that in the worst case suggested by the government is a complete "hoax". He says that the €18billion calculated by the Government includes Bank Debt and other interest on that debt, it is clear that we would not be able to support this without EU funding but that the actual gap between expenditure and income is €3.1billion could be filled by putting extra taxes on those earning over €150,000 and a wealth tax on the top 5% of earners.

He concluded "The government’s ‘big threat’ is a dishonest hoax designed to deflect from the real issue, which is the enormous amount of cuts and austerity that will be imposed if ratify this treaty. It is voting yes to the treaty that will bring on the nightmare scenario of economic depression. Voting NO is a vote to demand a fairer and sustainable alternative to disastrous policy of austerity."

In response to the claims made by the ULA's Richard Boyd Barrett Labour's Dominic Hannigan has stated that such claims that the government is lying is "ridiculous". He says it is unrealistic to ignore the banking debt of €15.9billion that Ireland has taken over from the Irish banks in the bailout programme. He concluded by saying "Throughout this Referendum campaign, the Labour Party has been honest to the Irish people in explaining what route is best to ensure recovery. We have consistently argued that a Yes vote will help stabilise our currency, attract inward investment, and give Ireland certainty for the future funding of the State. A Yes vote is in the best interests of the Irish people together as we continue on our road to recovery".