Economy Motions

Economy, Jobs and Finance

94. This Ard Fheis notes:

The failure of the Fine Gael Labour government to renegotiate the EU/IMF austerity deal
The unsustainability of the Irish Government debt now at 112% of GDP
The unsustainability of the state’s contingent liabilities now at 125% of GDP
The rising interest levels on portions of the EU/IMF bailout loans
The rising levels of unemployment, inflation, personal indebtedness and mortgage distress
The declining levels of consumer spending, tax revenue and investment in job creation

This Ard Fheis agrees that:

The policies being pursued by the Irish Government and the EU/IMF are clearly failing
The policies of austerity and bank bailouts are damaging the economy and blocking any chance of social or economic recovery
Taxpayers’ money should not be used to bail out toxic private sector debts
A new approach to economic policy is urgently required

This Ard Fheis commits to:

Oppose the EU/IMF austerity deal
Promote investment in jobs creation and economic stimulus
Promote investment in addressing poverty and inequality via a family stimulus
End the blanket banking guarantee
Impose burden sharing on senior bondholders
Call for the negotiation of a new EU wide debt resolution mechanism based on principles of burden sharing and economic stimulus
Call for negotiated loss sharing with the European Central Bank

Ard Chomhairle

Passed Lost Referred

95. This Ard Fheis rejects the Fine Gael/Labour Government’s policy choice of austerity and cutbacks. Austerity punishes citizens for the bad choices of government and the greed of vested interests.

The Irish government/IMF/EU cutbacks agenda targets the most vulnerable and damages the prospect of economic recovery. Austerity is socially and economically unjust. Reductions to already low incomes, such as cuts to social welfare and the imposition of the inequitable Universal Social Charge is contributing to further job losses and economic decline.

Austerity has failed. The cutbacks have not reduced the budget deficit or the numbers out of work. Austerity has damaged the domestic economy and intensified the economic crisis.

Ard Chomhairle

Louth Comhairle Ceantair

Passed Lost Referred

96. This Ard Fheis believes that:

A small island economy such as Ireland must have a strategic industrial policy and that equitable, effective, efficient, well regulated, financially healthy semi states can be the engine of the State’s economic recovery.

The McCarthy Report and its recommendations for the sale of state companies in whole or in part represents a right wing agenda that is committed to small government and aggressive privatisation of public enterprise and service.

Not only will this set back economic recovery, the proceeds from the sale are likely to go to pay off private bad debt.

The majority of the commercial semi-states considered by McCarthy for asset disposal are of strategic value to the State.

The McCarthy report provides no critical analysis of the impact of selling off assets - it looks simplistically at each potential sale from a balance sheet perspective ignoring the political/social/long-term effect of the recommendations.

The proposal in the McCarthy report to merge Coillte and Bord na Móna leaves open the option of disposing of land and assets currently under the control of those bodies.

The handing-over of ESB’s transmission assets to EirGrid, creating a new ‘Smart Grid’ company with ultimate full ownership and responsibility for the development of Ireland’s electricity and gas networks, would have serious consequences into the future.

Eircom has taught us the dangers of privatising key utilities – asset stripping and lack of investment has hindered economic development and impacted negatively on the State’s competiveness.

11 semi-states show that in 2009 the combined tax revenues for the state was 1.3 billion euro, 40,178 people were employed, 2.2 billion euro was paid in wages and 336 million was paid in dividends.

Any proposal to sell or asset strip strategically important semi-state assets which should be used as the engine for economic recovery should be opposed.

Ard Chomhairle

Passed Lost Referred

97. That this Ard Fhéis reiterates its complete opposition to the handing over of our oil and gas reserves and calls for;

- A minimum 51 % state shareholding in all oil and gas finds;

- A 50% tax on oil and gas profits;

- A 7.5% royalty, and;

- The revoking of all licences until such a regime is put into place.

This Ard Fheis also opposes the proposed use of the hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking’, drilling process, if the Lough Allen gas project goes ahead, and pledges its full support to local communities who are opposed to this unsafe procedure.

Ard Chomhairle

MacDiarmuida/Gilgunn Cumann, Manorhamilton

Passed Lost Referred

98. This Ard Fheis believes the time has come to initiate a debate about Ireland’s membership of the Euro. Membership of the single currency has tied the 26-county economy to inappropriate monetary policies since its inception, with low interest rates fuelling the unsustainable property boom during the Celtic Tiger years, and the current policy of interest rate rises and fiscal tightening coming at a period when the economy is badly in need of stimulation. Ireland needs to be in a position to avail of the full range of economic policy instruments, including control of interest rates and currency valuation, if it is to rebuild its economy.

O’Neill/De Barra Cumann, Cork City

Passed Lost Referred

Jobs

99. This Ard Fheis notes with deep concern the growing number of people on the live register. Sinn Féin believes this trend can and must be halted. To do so Sinn Féin proposes that the Irish government supports sectors in which we have a competitive advantage, which provide the largest multiplier return to the state, have strong international demand and are jobs intensive, through the following steps:

1. The provision of a targeted stimulus investment

2. Establish a Jobs Retention Fund

3. Set up an industrial body to pre-empt job loses

4. Ensure counter cyclical access to credit

5. Target workforce training

6. The development of an All Ireland Research & Development Strategy.

Ard Chomhairle

Passed Lost Referred

100. The Irish government has failed to produce a sustainable job creation strategy. Sinn Féin calls for

· the government to reverse the policy of austerity and provide a targeted stimulus investment in sectors which are sustainable, have a competitive advantage, which provide the largest multiplier return to the state, have strong international demand and are jobs intensive

· the provision of tax mechanisms that will incentivise investment into new business

· incentives for Irish pension schemes to provide seed capital for Irish business

· a new and expanded Business Expansion Scheme

· reform of the enterprise development sector so that there is a one stop shop in each city and provincial town in which citizens can access the services provided by the County Enterprise Boards, Enterprise Ireland, InterTradeIreland and Invest NI

· the provision of a Business Incubation Centre in each city and provincial town which is linked to the One Stop Shop and is third level integrated

· the amalgamation of the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and Invest NI in order to increase reach and savings internationally

· Local Authorities to amend city & county development plans to allow clusters of reduced rents for start-up businesses and incubations units.

Ard Chomhairle

Passed Lost Referred

101. This Ard Fheis notes the falling supply of money in the economy due to government policy and the downward pressure on prices. In an effort to ensure that Irish business remains sustainable this Ard Fheis calls for the reduction of costs affecting small business with the use of the following initiatives:

· End upward only rent agreements

· Create a progressive rate which is charged on the basis of the rental valuation of the premise and the profitability of the business

· Reduce the costs of utilities consumed by Irish business

· Invest to reduce costs in rail, road and communications technology

Ard Chomhairle

Passed Lost Referred

102. This Ard Fheis recognises that one of the most serious features of the economic crisis has been the large number long term unemployed that remain on the live register. Sinn Féin proposes that both the Irish Government and the Executive establish a National Employment Task Force.

Ard Chomhairle

Passed Lost Referred

103. This Ard Fheis calls on the Irish Government to develop a Programme to help and support existing and new Small to Medium Enterprises (SME's) in Ireland. The Irish Government needs to prioritise this sector and bring in a Programme of Work in an agreed timeframe to help these Businesses get the support they require.

Wolfe Tone Cumann, Sallins,

Co. Kildare

Passed Lost Referred

104. This Ard Fheis supports the ‘Springboard’ initiative that provides 6,000 additional higher education programmes for people who are unemployed and seeking to upskill and calls on the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn, to implement similar initiatives to assist the 400,000 plus people currently on the Live Register to find employment.

Louth Comhairle Ceantair

Passed Lost Referred

105. This Ard Fheis calls on the Irish Government bring about real reform in the public sector that is not just about redundancies and reduced pay. This reform would include upskilling and training of public sector workers to allow many of the functions that are currently outsourced to be carried out internally, saving public money on consultancy fees, with a view to making the Irish civil service one of the best skilled public services in the world.

Wolfe Tone Cumann, Sallins,

Co. Kildare

Passed Lost Referred

106. This Ard Fheis calls for a democratically elected, fully funded Údarás na Gaeltachta which is fully independent in its charge of enterprise development in Gaeltacht Areas.

Meath Comhairle Ceantair

Passed Lost Referred

107. We call on the Irish Government to implement a strategy to deal with the existing empty Industrial/Retail units in retail andbusiness parks so that they can be put to productive use. This Ard Fheis calls on the Irish Government to take some or all of these Idle Units on board and use them in conjunction with relevant state agencies to establish Community workshops for people on the live register to upskill themselves.

This will then generate a better skilled workforce to take on the global skills needed and also put Ireland in the driving seat for contracts as we will have the trained workers.

Wolfe Tone Cumann, Sallins,

Co. Kildare

Passed Lost Referred

108. This Ard Fheis calls for the reintroduction of an Aggregates Credit Levy Scheme in the north so that struggling companies within the quarry industry in border areas may be given a chance to survive.

Murphy/McManus Cumann
Derrylin/Kinawley, Co. Fermanagh

Passed Lost Referred

109. This Ard Fheis recognises Tallaght as having one of the worst unemployment black-spots in the country with nearly 10,500 people currently on the live register, a fifth of whom are under 25, and calls for the Minister for Employment to immediately implement a realistic Jobs Strategy to help people get back to work.

Markievicz, Ryan and O’Farrell Cumann, Tallaght.

Passed Lost Referred

110. This Ard Fheis calls for the Introduction of improved social insurance safety nets for those who choose self-employment in the event of their business venture not working out. This would mean that self employed people would be given the option of paying PRSI at the same level as PAYE workers in order to receive the same entitlements in the event that they become unemployed.

Ard Chomhairle

Passed Lost Referred

Cuts

111. This Ard Fheis:

- Reaffirms Sinn Féin’s strong opposition to cutting public-sector jobs, particularly in the Health Service which is already under severe strain

- Calls on the Executive to step up their work with the trade unions to safeguard jobs and services.

Andersonstown Martyrs

Passed Lost Referred

112. This Ard Fheis:

- Reaffirms that Sinn Féin is committed to building an alliance with workers, trade unions, and the community and voluntary sector to resist and fight back against the British government cuts to public services and to the North’s block grant

- Recognises that participating in and building the ICTU-led campaign against the cuts is a crucial part of this resistance

- Notes that that these actions, including protests and public meetings, are vital to send a signal to the British government that the community rejects their destructive cuts agenda. They will also play an important role in showing the other political parties in the Assembly that the community wants to see an alternative strategy.

Clonard Cumann

Passed Lost Referred

113. This Ard Fheis remains fundamentally opposed to the Draconian Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011.

The Act will have far-reaching consequences for older people, significantly:

The discontinuance of the State Pension (Transition) from 1st January 2014. (The Transition Pension is currently payable to people aged 65 for one year who retire and satisfy the contribution and other qualifying conditions.)
The raising of the pension age to 68

These changes may leave a gap for those in the Public Sector who are members of the integrated pension scheme (paying A1 RSI) and who have a compulsory retirement age of 65.

We reiterate our opposition to this unfair and unjust Act and call for it to be revoked.

Wolfe Tone Cumann, Sallins,

Co. Kildare

Passed Lost Referred

114. This Ard Fheis congratulates the community sector for their commitment and dedication on delivering a wide range of services to those in greatest need within our local communities. Sinn Féin supports those in the community sector campaigning to defend jobs and services and condemns in the strongest possible terms the ongoing attacks and cuts being imposed on the community sector. Our party believes in the empowerment of local people to enable every citizen to participate fully and equally in the social and economic life of their communities and wider civic structures, those implementing these cuts oppose this and wish to stifle community activism. Therefore, this Ard Fheis reaffirms our call for the provision of long-term core funding and resources to ensure that community development is sustained and enhanced by government departments and that the Irish government reverse the decision to shut down CDPs and re-instate all the Community Development Projects.

Andersonstown Martyrs Cumann

James Connolly Cumann, Ballyfermot,
Dublin

Emmet Clarke Cumann, South West Inner City

Passed Lost Referred

Workers’ Rights

115. This Ard Fheis notes that the Fine Gael/ Labour Party government has continued with the Fianna Fáil policy of attacking low paid workers in the 26 Counties while continuing to pay the debts of speculators and private bondholders. Cuts to the low paid will only serve to push working families into poverty. It will also depress consumer spending and lead to further job losses in the private sector.

This Ard Fheis believes that:

- Fine Gael/Labour proposals to go after those covered by JLCs and REAs makes no social or economic sense. The JLCs and REAs are an important mechanism for protecting the wages and conditions of some of the lowest paid workers in the country. We believe they should be retained and that the wage rates or conditions of the state’s lowest paid workers should be maintained.

- There is room for improving the operation of such mechanisms and we would support sensible and progressive proposals for the reform of the JLCs and REAs. However we oppose the introduction of an inability to pay clause, and utterly oppose any attempt to reform or abolish the system with a view to driving down wages.

- Legislation is urgently required to protect agency workers, who very often have little or no job security, entitlement to sick pay, pension entitlements or to other non-pay benefits.

- Regulations are needed to address the exploitative approach, which some employers have taken as regards unpaid internships.

Ard Chomhairle

Markievicz, Ryan and O’Farrell Cumann, Tallaght.

Passed Lost Referred

116. This Ard Fheis calls on Sinn Féin to continue to campaign against companies utilising the services of agency companies to avoid their obligations as employers to their workers. Sinn Féin will continue to support the workers and those made redundant at Vodafone, at a time when the company was / is making huge profits in this state. We call on the Irish Government to act for the protection of Irish workers and Irish jobs in this and other cases.

Louth Comhairle Ceantair

Passed Lost Referred

117. This Ard Fheis calls on the union leadership in the 26 counties to campaign for the protection of the rights of workers in situations where their employing company is bought over by another We also demand that the Irish Government take action to support the rights of workers in these instances.

Louth Comhairle Ceantair

Passed Lost Referred

118. This Ard fheis Congratulates SIPTU on its Fair Hotels campaign and calls on all Sinn Fein members and supporters to use Fair hotels where possible, we also call on all other trade unions in Ireland to advertise the names of shops/businesses that are Unionised so that people who would prefer to do their business with unionised staff can easily do so.

Logue/Marley Cumann, Crumlin,
Dublin

Passed Lost Referred

119. The Ard Fheis following on from the Workers’ Rights for an Ireland of Equals policy document passed by it in 2007 directs the Spokesperson for Social Protection to commence the development of a policy on Basic Income.

James Connolly Cumann, Ballyfermot,
Dublin

Passed Lost Referred

120. The Ard Fheis

- noting that rising inequality is creating an economic elite which wields enormous power and appears to have lost touch with the reality of life for the majority of people,

- condemning the fact that in 2009 the income of CEOs was 136 times the size of the income of the bottom sixth of Irish households,

- recognizing that in order to secure an Ireland of Equals we must address income levels at both the bottom and the top ends of the spectrum,

- directs the Spokespersons on Finance and Social Protection to commence the development of a policy articulating maximum societal income ratios and a framework for the implementation of same.
James Connolly Cumann, Ballyfermot,
Dublin

Passed Lost Referred

Economy Motions

Ard Fheis 2011