Clr. Gerry Murray Co Mayo. Resolution 134.
This year 2006 marks the centenary of Michael Davitt's Death, Michael Davitt
was the Founder of the Land League and it could be argued that the Land
Question in the 1880's marked the beginning of the end of the British
Empire. As we reflect on Davitt's life and times you realise that this
current Government is completely at odds with every single value and
principle that Michael Davitt Stood for. And nowhere is that more evident
than in this Government's ongoing obsession with privatisation and the
mistaken belief that the deregulation of our essential services is a cure
for all ills.
Last week an old age pensioner and farmer contacted
me because Eircom refused to give him a phone line, despite the fact that
the nearest pole was 700 yards away. I contacted Eircom and the reason they
gave me was that the cost of the land line was too expensive. I appealed to
the Independent regulator and they upheld Eircom's decision.
When
Eircom was privatised cast Iron guarantees were given to the People of Rural
Ireland that each household would have a phone line. These guarantees were
enshrined in Irish and EU law and became known as the Universal Service
Obligation.
We now have a situation where Eircom is refusing to
fulfil that obligation and many people through out Ireland are now being
denied a basic phone service. Meanwhile the Government have refused to
intervene citing that it is a matter strictly for Eircom and the Independent
regulator. In short they have put the corporate good before the common good.
Keeping
our essential services in Public ownership is not about ideology, it is
about equality, and it's about delivering equality for all of the people of
this island.
The same is applicable to our Natural resources, and
I commend the Rossport five not just for their campaign in relation to the
pipeline, but also for their campaign to secure Public ownership of all of
our natural resources.
Michael Davitt fought against Landlordism,
but he also fought against the servant boy mentality that sustained and
maintained it, that servant boy mentality is still alive and well in this
country, and can be found just down the road in Government buildings, as
Senior Ministers pander to the every whim of their corporate sponsors.
Sinn
Féin was totally vindicated in relation our critical analysis of Public
Private Partnerships, and I have no doubt that we will be vindicated in
relation to the stance we are now making on this particular issue, and I
believe that the day is not too far away, when Sinn Fein will be in a
position to take our essential services and natural resources back into
Public ownership on behalf of the people of this country.