Emergency; Jim Connolly; jim@td4clare.com

                                                                   State of Emergency

According to Article 28.3.3.of the Constitution of Ireland, a state of emergency can be declared to secure the public safety and the preservation of the state in time of war or armed rebellion.

A state of emergency gives total power to the Oireachtas to enact laws deemed essential for this purpose. This was done in 1939 at the start of the Second World War.

I argue that Ireland is now under such threat due to economic factors that a state of “financial emergency” should be declared as soon as possible.

It would then be possible to deal immediately with the deliberately contrived tangle of self protective contract laws that politicians, professionals, trade unions and the Civil Service concocted over the years which, they insist, make it impossible to radically reduce the cost to the nation of paying their super sized salaries, expenses, bonuses and pensions ----- even in these desperate times.

A state of financial emergency could be also be used to do a house clearing of the miles of red tape which act as a stranglehold on enterprises old and new across all sectors. One published example illustrates the point: A truck delivering new cars from east to west has to get 4 licences at a cost  of  250 each  to travel through 4 counties.  The extra paper work, cost and time wasted is indefensible. It represents more work for bureaucrats, of course, at the citizen’s expense.

Also at home, it would clear the way to legislate in favour of those trapped in negative equity.

On the international front, a declaration of a state of financial emergency would finally demonstrate to the world Ireland’s  determination to reform its economy which currently threatens financial stability in the EU.

A referendum would be required to insert “threats to the economy” along with war and armed rebellion in Article 28.3.3. in the Constitution [ if it isn’t already in there somewhere].Examples exist in other countries.

The next government could do this quickly and, if passed, Ireland could be in a far healthier financial  space by the middle of 2011.

Even our new Taoiseach might at last be earning less than the president of America.

If elected to Dail Eireann I will try to persuade enough Independents to unite on this issue to make it happen.

Danny Lordan

Danny Lordan

Convent Road

Clonakilty

Co Cork

My name is Danny Lordan and I was born in Clonakilty on 2^nd August 1951. I have lived and worked in Clonakilty all my life. Like many families growing up in Ireland in the fifties, I saw many of my aunts and uncles emigrate to the USA and the UK. There was very little work or economic activity in Ireland. For a few years in the sixties we saw a small bit of economic activity but this was soon again followed by long years of near depression, emigration and stagnation. We had similar experiences in the seventies, eighties and nineties. During these years we saw alot of our siblings emigrate again to the USA the UK and beyond.

Then along came the “Celtic Tiger” years (whoever thought up that sound-bite should be shot, as it is the most inappropriate and meaningless tag name imaginable). I am not going to comment further here about what went on in Ireland during these years. It has been well documented and spoken about ad-infinitum. Suffice to say that after the passing of this period we now find Ireland and its people in very difficult and traumatic circumstances.

This has been caused primarily by an utter lack of leadership, patriotism and vision. Vested self and party interests have sucked the very life blood from our once great country and its people. What has happened is an outrage. The system of Government has utterly failed the citizens of Ireland and nothing more than its complete abolition will save this country.

Ireland needs new leaders, men and women with vision and the will to re-establish the organs of state. We need leaders who will radically overhaul our system of governance and re-appraise our vision of Ireland. We need leaders who are honest and who will work for the common good of all.

I am prepared to do whatever I can to facilitate that transformation. I love my Country and I know that the Irish people will overcome their current difficulties with their strong hearts and spirit. We have survived many years of oppression and famine to say we will not triumph over this adversity. We need to get back to our communities and build this country again from the ground up. This time the people need to be sure that they never again give away their power to parties or self interest groups that plague our country and rob it of its rightful inheritance.

Join me in the re-birth of a Nation. You can contribute your ideas to http://www.emeraldquill.net/. Together we can create all the changes required.

Le Dea Ghui          Danny Lordan      

Vincent Browne ( Irish Times )

Delusion of no choice is the ultimate trick

VINCENT BROWNE
Wed, Dec 01, 2010
The real genius of our warped social system is the fact that the rest of us have been persuaded it all makes sense
HOW DID we devise a society in which a private, rich elite got control of the country’s financial institutions, which made them spectacularly rich.
And then when the financial institutions were about to collapse, because of the recklessness of the rich elite, our democratically elected Government thought it in our interests to bail out these institutions, even though doing so would impoverish our entire society while the rich, reckless servants of this elite (ie the bankers) walked off with massive pensions paid for by the rest of us?
And, incidentally, I am not talking here about Sean FitzPatrick, whose life has been ravaged by what has happened, but about the boyos in AIB, the Bank of Ireland and Irish Nationwide. And how is it that our society ordains that those who must pay for the crisis are not just the rich elite and their cheerleaders in Government, but by society generally, including those who hardly benefited at all in the good times?
Isn’t there something wrong with a social arrangement which rewards some people hundreds of times more than others, not because of the social benefit they bring to society but because of a quirk in the wealth-distribution mechanism that privileges people because of their social position and/or their membership of a protected profession and/or their placement in the financial network and/or their lucky dip into the goody bag of State preferment?
And the genius of the social system that brings us these absurdities is that it brings with it devices that persuade most of the rest of us that this all makes sense: that there is no other viable social arrangement, that our democratically elected governments and politicians should collude in these mockeries of fairness and rationality; that any other arrangement has never worked anywhere else and therefore could never work; and/or that any other arrangement would bring not liberation and real democracy but, inevitably, tyranny and even more misery; that allowing people a direct say even on profound transformations in our societal arrangements is a recipe for mob rule and chaos.
That latter delusion is the ultimate triumph of the system we have bought into – that even we ourselves should have no say in the decisions on how we are to be governed and by what rules and by what standards.
For this is precisely what has happened. We, in this society, have been inflicted with the massive debts of the financial institutions controlled by a reckless, rich elite; and the consequence of this is that those who have benefited least from our bizarre social arrangements are now further impoverished; and all of us have had to surrender our sovereign entitlement to determine our own financial and social arrangements to foreign institutions, with us having no say at all in that surrender.
What is really depressing about all this is that it is apparent none of this will change with the people being given an opportunity to exercise their “democratic right” to vote in national elections. The “democratic right” extends only to deciding which of a coalition of parties is to form a new government and neither of the available options – the present crowd and the Fine Gael-Labour crowd – will make any appreciable change, no matter what the people might want.
Not that the people want anything that much different anyway for they have been persuaded by the media there is no alternative. Nobody, for instance, asked anybody involved in the EU-IMF negotiations why a further debt burden has to be heaped on us to give a further bailout to the banks.
Indeed, nobody asked why is it worse to allow banks to collapse than to allow societies to collapse or why it is worse to allow banks to be broken than to allow lives to be broken.
All the more surprising when even that bastion of the financial and business world, theFinancial Times , also thinks this is bizarre. On Monday, it said in an editorial: “As Ireland can no longer ensure the solvency both of its sovereign [ie State] and of its banking system, Europe must choose between two contagion risks. Put an end to Dublin’s suicidal promise to make whole its banks’ senior creditors and risk a wave of bank failures. Or keep the Irish State on the hook for private losses and risk an even more virulent spread of sovereign troubles. This should be a simple, brutal choice: many banks cannot survive a sovereign default. This is a time to strengthen sovereign defences and prepare for bank restructuring [ie let the banks take the hit.]”.
© 2010 The Irish Times

There is a way out of this | David McWilliams

There is a way out of this David McWilliams

Minister Coughlan Resign

The news that the closure of the Mallow beet factory was based on out of date information supplied or held by the European Commission is an absolute thundering disgrace. These are the same people sending over Olli Rehn to check on or budget plans and to see if the opposition parties are more or less in agreement with the Government Parties so that whoever is in power Europe can be sure that its status will be upheld.

It is quiet ironic that the cost of borrowing has gone up nearly 2% in just over a week. There is definitely some “strategy” behind this as there are no financial grounds for such an increase. Now I think Europe will blame Ireland for pressure on the Euro and as one expert explained on radio this am., they can play with Ireland ad-infinitum because our GDP as a percentage of Europe’s is insignificant. So in actual fact we are being conditioned to be Guinea Pigs.

I spoke with some farmers over the past number of weeks before this story about the sugar beet factory at Mallow broke today. I was concerned why they closed the plant in the first place and especially as to why they did not diversify into ethanol or alcohol production instead of sugar production. The farmers told me that they had mooted that option but unless the factory was closed completely they would not qualify for compensation. For a country that imports most of its fuel that decision beggar’s belief. It is a decision made by an incompetent Minister Coughlan who was not up to speed with what was going on and who did not have the GUTS to stand up to Europe and protect our farmers and the thousands of ancillary jobs associated with this industry.

There is alot of talk about our independence and sovereignty these past few days especially with the visit of Olli Rehn. There is no fear of losing out sovereignty as we have already lost it, especially on this issue of Mallow. Utter shame on our current Tánaiste who was then Minister for Agriculture. I would like to ask how Minister Coughlan feels today having sold down the drain the livelihoods of so many good decent Irish farmers and the workers at Mallow. Shame on you Minister; do you think you are worth €280,000-00 plus per year. You are not worth 2 Cents to this economy or to Ireland.

 You need to resign, this Govern that you are a minister in needs to resign, you are all an infliction on Irish society. Get the hell out of our lives because YOU are destroying lives. Time for real change in this country; To hell with Gombeen politics;                    www.emeraldquill.net

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Olli Rehn

Olli Rehn

It is my learned opinion and sound judgement that the visit of Olli Rehn was a pathetic Government orchestrated event aimed at drumming up support for the €6Billion Budget cuts planned for Dec. It was also a very carefully choreographed event to force the main opposition parties into supporting the Governments Budget strategy and to leave them with no other scenario but to support the passing of the budget in the Dail.

This sort of sleek, cronyism politics drives me nuts and it is solely because of this sick political agenda that this country finds itself in the mess it is in. What God given right has Fianna Fail to govern this country? Every time they were out of Government they have bought their way back to power by promising the people that they will cut this and that tax. The June election in 1977 is a clear example how a party so thirsty for power nearly bankrupted the country by introducing the abolition of rates, car tax and several other incentives that got them back into power with a majority of 20.

It is also quiet clear to me that Fianna Fail must take the electorate of this country to be a bunch of dummies. Can they not see that we see through their manipulation and scheming? If not then it is they who are the real dummies. Despite all their talk about a 4 year plan and how important it was to the Irish economy to have it published sooner rather than later, suddenly and unexpectedly we will not see it until after the Donegal by-election. Dear God give me strength to put up with this nonsense.

In any case no matter what announcements they make about taking €6Billion out of the economy, 4 year plans and Olli Rehn’s endorsements , the bond markets are not taking a damn bit of notice of them. Tonight it would cost 8.15% for the Irish Government / People to borrow money over 10 years. This is just criminal and the responsibility lies with this Fianna Fail led Government and nobody else, except of course The Green Party and the Independents who support them. When is this Government going to take the honourable and patriotic decision to resign and allow the Irish People the opportunity to get back up out of the mire they have taken them into? The sooner the better for all concerned.

It is time for fundamental political change in this country as the cancerous evil of Fianna Fail and the current crony party system can never be changed through the democratic process. It needs to be obliterated completely or else it will return again to destroy this country once again. The Taoiseach who should be ashamed of himself to be addressed as Taoiseach talks about the dire straits the country is in and how it is necessary for this budget to pass and the fiscal corrections to be made. Well Mr Taoiseach it was you created this mess. YOU!, YOU and BERTIE, and McGREEVY and all your cronies in Fianna Fail, The Banks and The Developers; To HELL with all of you scoundrels and traitors.

Time for positive, peaceful, lasting change; visit www.emeraldquill.net

Emerald Quill

The Week in Politics

To say it has been a turbulent week in Irish Politics is putting the matter very mildly. Early on in the week we say the resignation from the Dail of Dr. Jim McDaid, closely followed by The High Court ruling on the Donegal West by-election. The Governments subsequent decision to call the by-election with voting on the 25^th November before the budget seemed to have followed pressure from the Green Party.

The announcement by Brian Lenihan that he plans to take €6Billion out of the economy in this years’ budget sent shock waves through the system. There then seemed to be a bit of back tracking on the four year plan. Michael Smith on “Morning Ireland” crowing about the Governments “Free Cheese Campaign” refused to answer whether the 4 year plan would be announced before or after the Donegal by-election. Can anyone tell me why Ministers cannot or do not answer direct questions. It appears that they are deaf and never heard the question in the first place. It is a thundering disgrace and an affront to democracy.

On the Marian Finucane show today Sunday Celica Larkin was saying that it was the one objective of the PD’s to reduce taxes brought us to where we are. I wonder who told her to say that. Then we had a phone in by Des O’Malley who is very sad that the country that all our patriots died for has slipped back to a much worse position than where it was 30/40 years ago.

He said that the country really needed a new political party but that it was impossible to start a political party now without funding. As funding was based on your percentage vote you got in the last election then clearly any new party could not get any funding now. He ruled out private funding or the possibility that there are some individuals still living in this country who have respect for Ireland and its future. He fails to recognise that there are any patriots left in this country and that there is nothing here by money grabbing politicians.

I firmly believe that we will get out of this mess. We will get out of this mess if first of all we rid ourselves and the political system of the very people who caused this mess. I firmly believe that there are still individuals who are willing to work hard and unselfishly for the betterment of Ireland and its people. I want to call on these people to stand up and take charge. I want them to show leadership and courage that the countries current leaders sadly lack. I want them to form a new political movement, a new constitution and a new republic.

Join the debate now by visiting www.emeraldquill.net     www.emeraldquillnet.blogspot.com     Twitter  emeraldquillnet     Facebook Emerald Quill   or by writing to  emerald.quill@gmail.com

Together we can move mountains. “Ar scath a ceile a maireann na Daoine”

Emerald Quill

SMEagle

A few months ago I came up with this idea of helping small and medium sized enterprises in Ireland. Small business is under huge pressure because of the banking and fiscal crises. We need to help and encourage this sector as it is the back bone of our economy. I would welcome your thoughts and input into this idea.
Proposal

It is proposed to start a new SME Support Organization
One name I already have is SMEagle
To help foster:- Innovation/Investments/Inspiration/Identity ,in Small Business
Would be great if we could get the support of a number of corporate businesses like Bord Gais / Intel / Microsoft / Credit Union / Others
Funding:-  Every small business to pay €50-00 per employee / owner / manager /
(say an average of 2 employees including owners per enterprise) that would equal €100-00 per business.
With 270,000 businesses in this category this would create an immediate fund of €27,000,000-00. If the supporting group of corporate companies were to match this fund Euro for Euro we would then have a fund of €54,000,000-00. The money could be held in the Credit Union. Small Business could get a Credit for this investment from Revenue or Local Government.
10% of the funds would be held in a reserve fund annually. 10% of the funds would be given to a charity to help fund enterprise in Africa (Traidlinks)
80% of the fund would be used in the purchase of “Premium Shares” in say 1000 new “Innovative Enterprises/Start Up’s” by giving support of say €40,000-00 to 1000 new businesses every year.
This injection of capital and energy into new budding businesses will give a huge boost to the economy and on the law of averages will work out well for the existing SME’s as an investment tool.
Perhaps the Enterprise Boards and others like the Credit Union might be in a position to match this funding the new businesses Euro for Euro.
An independent adjudicating body would decide which businesses to support and invest in. This could be done with The Enterprise Boards / Credit Union / Corporate.
Members would get a small sticker or badge per year to acknowledge membership.
The 10% balance of the monies raised every year will be left in the Credit Union as security. This will help build up a formidable fund over a number of years that the SME’s could then decide on further investments or whatever.
Alot more thought and ground rules need to be developed before any move is made on this. Of course there will also be some administration expenses and so on.
Other Areas of Activity

• Representation on behalf of the SME Sector
• Innovation / Investments / Inspiration / Identity
• Networking
• Increased buying power as a Group in various sectors. Trades / Software / Food / Hospitality / Retail / Others
• Awareness of the challenges to the sector
• Training
• Help in dealing with the Banks / Lending Institutions
• Pensions
• Retirement
• Business transfers to family and /or others

The list is endless but I do feel the sector is Voiceless at the moment and any move in this direction while it may not be “perfect” at the moment would still be more than welcome. Perhaps we can join up with another budding idea / ideas and together make it even better.
Regards
_____________________________
Emerald Quill

Harnessing diaspora will help us rebuild economy | David McWilliams

Harnessing diaspora will help us rebuild economy David McWilliams

How long before the people crack? | David McWilliams

How long before the people crack? David McWilliams

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A Dream for Ireland

A Dream for Ireland

I had a dream that the people of Ireland will be inspired to bid for and host The Olympic Games in 2024/28 so that we can celebrate our first century as a Nation and to set a marker and a standard for the next 100 years. The reasoning behind my dream is set out hereunder and I call on all Irish People wherever they may be to support my vision for a New Ireland.

As John Fitzgerald Kennedy said:- The Problems of the World cannot possibly be solved by sceptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities.

We need men who can dream of things that never were.        John F. Kennedy

From 2010 to 2025 we will have many commemorations about various landmarks in Irish History. We will have

·       Home Rule

·       The Easter Rising

·       War of Independence

·       The First Dail

·       Anglo / Irish Treaty

·       Civil War

While it is wonderful and necessary to acknowledge all of these events and perhaps even more, that I have neglected to mention ( and I am not saying that they should not be acknowledged ) they will in reality stir up old sentiments of hatred, nationalism and collectively put our fragile peace agreement in jeopardy. As a Nation I believe we cannot afford to take that risk. We have had enough of bitterness born out of the last 850 years that would last us for hundreds of millennia.

Now is the time to put the past behind us and to set new goals and standards for the Ireland of the future. We need to put aside “Gombeen Politics” and “Gombeen Politicians” and Hierarchical Institutions that no longer serve them not to mind the people of Ireland. It is time for the people to speak, to show leadership and an entrepreneurial spirit, that this country is abundant in but sadly lacking in our political leaders, church and financial institutions.

We have had enough of marching, enough of “gobble-de-gook”, enough of pseudo banter and comedy between political parties playing at a system that is outdated, archaic and no longer serves the common good. It props up un-sustainable politics, playing games with peoples’ lives and livelihoods.

Alot of money, time and effort will be spent over the next 15 years remembering these past events, one after another. The whole country will be caught up in one continuous pageant that will take the focus off our real problems and onto something that I feel could have severe negative consequences for our Nation if not handled properly and diplomatically. What is actually going to be achieved by all of this commemorating? I believe nothing of any value and only an increase in bitterness and division.

Our Country is at a crossroads. It needs a new vision and purpose. Bailing out Zombie Banks and propping up dying or dead institutions is not what Ireland needs. Let’s get together and work together to deliver a New Ireland. I call on all likeminded people to stand up and be counted. To shake off the shackles of the past, to set ourselves worthy goals and a secure future based on thrust, respect and integrity for all. Let “Liberty Equality & Fraternity” be the sole basis of our New Republic

I call upon you to turn the proposed celebrations planned for the next 15 years into one consolidated effort to bring The Olympic Games to Ireland in 2024 so that we can as a Nation show to the whole World that Ireland has come of age and has truly taken its place amongst the Nations of The World. That Ireland has come of Age, moved away from the past and closed the door on its old bitterness’s that has gnawed away at our true potential for generations.There is no going back, no bitterness, no recriminations, only peace and acceptance. What a gift to give to our children and to one another as we celebrate a century as a Nation. No other gift could be more worthy, more rewarding and more fulfilling.

By making our pitch for The Olympics we will collectively be honouring all our past heroes / heroines and statesmen / stateswomen who made this country, this Nation a reality. We will also be honouring all our great athletes and sports men and women from all walks of life who have brought honour and glory to this wonderful Nation of ours. Finally we will be honouring every man, woman and child of this great Nation who have toiled endlessly for its success in whatever profession or trade they have worked in

We can call upon the Irish Diaspora in the USA and across the World to join with us in the attainment of our goal. I call upon our inspirational leaders like Mary Davies ( Special Olympics ); Mary Robinson ( Former President of Ireland ); Mary McAleese ( President of Ireland); Fergus Finley; Ruari Quinn and others to join us in our quest for Olympic glory in 2024 and accomplishing “Our Dream for Ireland”

Regards

________________

Emerald Quill

Once upon a time in the west - Finale

Best Documentary Nomination: “Addicted to Money” | David McWilliams

Best Documentary Nomination: “Addicted to Money” David McWilliams

Simple rules of economics say we must spend, not cut | David McWilliams

Simple rules of economics say we must spend, not cut David McWilliams

The Four Capacities Every Great Leader Needs (And Very Few Have)

The Four Capacities Every Great Leader Needs (And Very Few Have)

Minister Gormley ( Time to Decide )

The Marian Finucane Show 10/10/10

Listening to The Marian Finucane show today, you might be forgiven for thinking you were on another planet or at least in another country.

Minister John Gormley went to great lengths to welcome in with open arms an all party forum where the ills and woes of the state of the country could be agreed upon and an all party remedy imposed. He even made it quite clear that even though the Taoiseach Brian Cowan may have some reservations about such a mood that this would be “sorted”.

Minister Gormley is playing a two sided game. On the one hand he knows that the game is up between The Green Party and Fianna Fail. He can no longer sustain or indeed endorse the actions of either Brian Cowan or Brian Lenihan. However he is playing a cat and mouse game. The honourable thing for him to do is to meet The Taoiseach and explain to him that The Green Party are withdrawing from Government. Frankly he does not have the “Guts” to do that.

Instead he has floated this all party forum idea in a back door exit strategy. There are several positives for The Green Party in this. First of all they do not need to withdraw from Government if the austere measures have the support of all parties in the House. Secondly they will not have to take hard political decisions as they are becoming increasingly unsure of the effects such policies are having on the country. In other words they have lost confidence in both Minister Lenihan and The Taoiseach because if they had not then they would not need this all party forum in the first place. With the all party forum they can sit back and say well “We thought otherwise but this is The all Party Solution and in the National Interest we are supporting it.

These measures were not introduced by Fianna Fail and The Greens but by All Parties in Government. So by default The Greens survive in Government until 2012, while at the same time washing their hands of all responsibility and abdicating their adopted role in Government. Mr Gormley must take all of us for a bunch of gob******. Who in God’s name is he trying to cod? The electorate of this country are far more intelligent than he thinks.

Minister Gormley either accept your role in this “Awful” Government and abide by the consequences of the decision of The Green Party to enter coalition with Fianna Fail or Resign. There are your only options, because if you think you are getting off the hook through this slippery move you have another thing coming. Minister Gormley “GO NOW” and let the people speak.

Elite is preparing to sell country down the river | David McWilliams

Elite is preparing to sell country down the river David McWilliams

The Senate and The President

Can somebody tell me did our President invite our Senators to afternoon tea or did they invite themselves? It seems to me a snub to the ordinary working person that all members of an outdated and dis-functional Seanad should be invited to The Aras. Clearly at a time when our elected representatives are paying over €1300-00 for an overnight at a hotel and running up endless bills on taxis and so forth, what is the paltry significance of an afternoon tea invite.
The significance of it is that our President chose or was invited to choose to invite all members of Seanad Eireann in a show of defiance and a thumbs up to the ordinary people of this country.
"Seanad Eireann plays an important and indispensable role in the political affairs of Ireland" says our President. Well I do not think so. The Seanad should be abolished. It is outdated and no longer serves the people of this Country. www.emeraldquill.net

Elite is preparing to sell country down the river | David McWilliams

Elite is preparing to sell country down the river David McWilliams

The Emerald Revolution

The Emerald Revolution

It is proposed to set up a new political institution called “The Emerald Party”. This will not be based on the old style political party line.

In fact it will be radically different. Its purpose is to change through totally peaceful means the whole political system in Ireland.

It will hold peaceful demonstration and candle light parades to highlight its policies and agenda. It is a totally non violent, non aggressive movement. Its sole aim is to bring about cataclysmic change in Irelands political landscape through a peaceful peoples revolution.

Ireland is currently in the throes of a severe depression brought about by miss-management of the economy by the current government. Its position is exacerbated by the fact that absolutely no political alternative is available. Through the past two years of turmoil we have hear nothing but cries of foul play from the opposition parties but not one firm constructive policy to steer this country back to prosperity.

It is really like a circus, one party blaming the other, waiting to seize power by default not by showing any real leadership or progressing new innovative policies. Ireland at this moment of crisis lacks just one item and that is true patriotic leadership. There is not one leader amongst all in Dail Eireann or Seanad Eireann that is worthy to tie the shoe laces of any of the signatories of The Easter Rising or indeed those of Collins, DeValera, Costello or Lemass.

This inherited political system as we have come to know it is “DEAD”. Its very nature creates its own demise. It is based on a premise of self gratification and self preservation through the now archaic “Party System”. It is time to call a halt to this before it drags down the whole country and this illustrious people with it. Enough is enough. The game is up.

The Irish people are very resilient. They have endured years of oppression, war and conflict. They have withstood “The Great Famine” of 1845/50, the war of Independence, even Civil War and the “Birth of a Nation”. I am calling on that great resilience to rise once again. While I know the task is hard it bears no resemblance to what our forefathers endured. With our history and forbearance this journey will be a “cake walk”.

Ireland is at an historic cross road. Soon it will celebrate the 100 anniversary of “The Easter Rising” closely followed by its 100 year anniversary of Independence. We have at this defining moment in history to ask ourselves just one question. Have we been served well in the last 100 years by our political system and parties? I hear a resounding NO. It is time for change. To finish with what is not serving us as a nation and to embrace new and innovative ways of self governance.

Let’s start the movement for CHANGE. I needs to be a peaceful and holistic movement involving all strata of society especially our disadvantaged and under privileged. It should embrace all persuasions, be non aligned religiously and be above all else directed and driven by the ordinary working people of IRELAND.

I call upon all of you to join our movement and to put your trust first of all in yourself and in our future as a NATION. Together we can turn this mess around, together we can make things happen, together we can restore Ireland to the vision of Pearse, Connolly, Collins and De Valera.

Let’s start to make CHANGE, to embrace CHANGE, to deliver CHANGE.

Join “The Emerald Revolution” and “The Emerald Party” TODAY to show your support and consolidation.

The Emerald Agenda for Change

The Emerald Agenda

For Change

Banking:-

Ireland is in the throes of a massive banking crisis. Some or nearly all of our banks are in major difficulty. This has created a huge problem for Ireland in the International Market. It is becoming increasingly difficult for Ireland to raise money on International Markets as speculators weigh up the risk of Ireland as an investment opportunity. This is exacerbated by the fact that two years after this crisis broke the current Government and Minister of Finance are still nowhere near putting a final figure on the Bail-Out cost for Anglo Irish Bank.

“The Emerald Party” proposes that Ireland caps its BAIL OUT contribution to all banks at €20 Billion Euro or 50% of its cost whichever is the less. We are all aware of small and medium sized business going into liquidation on a daily basis. There is no mercy shown to these companies or individuals. Assets are sold off at liquidated prices and creditors are proportionately compensated. Banks and Bond Holders seem to be treated completely in another way. If they made poor or totally bad investment judgements then the tax payer must BAIL THEM OUT. There is absolute no loss to the banks or bond holders in this current process.

Banks are PRIVATE INSTITUTIONAL BUSINESS. They are in the banking business to make money and especially to make alot of money. We can all remember our two older and main banks returning profits of nearly €1 Billion per year, then per half year and later still per quarter. All this profit dragged out of a small economy of 4 million people. Then they lost the run of themselves and started to take more and more risks. Pay their chief executives €4 / 5 Million per year, and lo and behold when they get into trouble their first port of call was Dail Eireann. The same banks are treating small and medium sized business with distain. They are treating mortgage holders in arrears with contempt and doing their level best to penalize traditional mortgage holders to compensate the said banks for their stupidity in buying into the tracker mortgage craze.

So “The Emerald Party” proposes the above policy. The money saved can be pumped into small / medium sized enterprises, capital spending projects, the smart economy and alternative energy sources, to create jobs and wealth in this country again. In brief we propose the following:-

·       Cap the total bank bailout at €20 Billion proportionally

·       Sell off all Government shares in all banks to the open market

·       Facilitate a third banking force in Ireland

·       Welcome in foreign banks

·       Extend the capacity of The Credit Union

·       End the bank guarantee scheme immediately

·       Tax at 95% any/all salaries / bonuses / benefit in kind, paid to bank executives over €500K /year

·       Put a levy on all bank transactions to fund Irelands 0.7% contribution to 3^rd World Aid Programmes

·       To draft up a new banking constitution that absolves the state from future bailouts.

·       To direct the DPP to protect the interest of this state in relation to all banking matters.

·       To cut all non business ties between Government and The Banking Sector in this State

·       To implement a New Banking Code of Practice in Ireland guided by the Enforcer of Corporate Affairs, The Central Bank and The Banking Regulator.

Finance:-

The Government is to immediately set up a National Recovery Fund of €5Billion. This fund is to be matched with equal and additional funding from the Banks. The purpose of this fund is to get this economy working again, to create hundreds of thousands of jobs in the small and medium sized enterprises. The Government will also fund and re-energize the IDA and Enterprise Ireland to seek out and secure massive international investment in Ireland. They will target specifically The SMART economy, the Green economy, the FOOD sector and the ENERGY sector. The Government also proposes the following interim measures that will take immediate effect and remain in force for a minimum of 5 years.

·       Banks and Mortgage providers are to be prevented from re-possessing homes. Meaningful negotiations are to be entered into with mortgagees and a holing scheme is to be put in place until the economy is back in sustainable growth.

·       A special Mortgage relief fund is to be set up to help couples who are in dire straits financially.

·       A special task force comprising of the Taoiseach, the Minister for Finance, the deputy Minister for Finance, The Governor of The Central Bank and The Financial Regulator is to be set up to address the issue of personal debt and debt management. This group will look specifically at such measures as debt forgiveness, or part forgiveness, the bankruptcy laws and the fast tracking and streamlining of same as well as the huge issue of negative equity.

·       The Government will also introduce a blanket ban on all utility providers from turning off power supplies to their customers. An independent regulatory body will be set up funded by the utility providers to address this issue. In the future only those who will not pay rather than those who are doing their best to pay will have their service stopped.

Enterprise / Employment:-

The Government is to set itself as TOP PRIORITY the rebuilding of the economy. Every effort and every scheme will be employed to get people back to work. Enterprise and entrepreneurial efforts will be assisted in whatever way possible.

Enterprise Boards across the country will be directed to help new start ups, help create additional employment in existing business and support and encourage as much as possible small to medium sized business.

Special areas of interest will be targeted. These include the FOOD Industry, the SMART economy, the GREEN economy; the alternative ENERGY sector, TOURISM as well as COMMUNITY backed projects.

The Government is to set up task forces in all regions. These will be hosted by the current Enterprise Boards and will invite in local banks, the credit union and business leaders in the area. This will take immediate effect and its task will be to create 1000 jobs in each area within its first 6 months of operation. Its function will be to identify opportunities in the market place and to assist and encourage new enterprises to fill those niche markets. Some of the new enterprises could be import replacement projects.

A new scheme is to be introduced to encourage all existing small and medium sized business to take on at least one new person. Special tax allowances will apply to facilitate this scheme

Finance to help start ups will be generated through the Enterprise Boards working closely with the banks, the credit union and the Government Recovery Fund. Weekly meetings are to be held and an attitude of urgency and delivery to be the hallmarks of the new task force groups.

Health Care:-

Health care has been prioritized so many times by so many Governments it has become just a cliché. However this Government will really once and for all address the issues with our Health service and deliver a quality of care that is second to none.

Our current Health Service is TOP HEAVY, full of pen pushers, administrators, accountants and RED Tape. The biggest job in the current health service is to cover ones backside. Nobody will take responsibility for anything. There are enquiries after enquiries, cover ups after cover ups and were just going nowhere with it.

The HSE is to be dismantled and a whole new structure is to be established with its sole aim to provide state of the art care for the people of this country. It will be based on the Danish / Canadian system. It will be PATIENT driven with full emphasis on FRONTLINE services rather than office staff.

The Government is to set up a task force comprising of the Minister for Health, the deputy Minister for Health, the Minister for Finance, Senior Consultants, Junior Doctors, GP’s and Nurses. Its task will be to deliver this new service within 2 years. In the interim the orderly rundown of the HSE will commence.

It will be focused on the removal of administrative staff and the ensuring that frontline staff remains unchanged during this transition period. The overall focus is that Ireland and the Irish people will have the quality health service that they deserve and will stop for once and for all the continuous bungling that’s been incessant for decades in the health service.

The Government will promote a healthy lifestyle for the people of Ireland. So expect very HEAVY TAXES on cigarettes and alcohol.

Social Welfare:-

The Government will ensure that all those legitimately without work will be catered for. However it will tackle vigorously all abuses in the system. With immediate effect the following policies will apply:-

·       Any emigrants from whatever country will not automatically qualify for social assistance

·       Only persons who have worked in Ireland for a period not less than two years will qualify for assistance

·       Fly in collections of Social welfare will be stopped.

·       Social welfare will not be paid to persons living in another state

·       People over 6 months on social welfare will need to provide at least 20 hours of community service to qualify for continual payment of benefit

·       A rigorous campaign to cut out fraud will be implemented

Communities:-

The new Government will be COMMUNITY focused and will support and encourage communities throughout the country. It will encourage community projects, community development and will look to the communities up and down the country to provide local leadership and enterprise.

Our elderly will be treated with respect and dignity. Every effort will be made to involve our aging population in all aspects of community life. We will encourage our elderly to share their life experience with our youth and to guide them and help them achieve even greater things in their own lives.

Farming / Rural Affairs:-

The importance of farming and rural communities to Ireland will be recognized by this Government. Our strong farming tradition needs to be fostered and encouraged to create jobs rather than to be stifled and stagnate. This Government will, with the help of the farming community create 50,000 additional jobs in agriculture over the next 5 years. Areas to be developed are:-

·       Bio –fuels

·       Sugar Beet as a fuel

·       Reforestation

·       Food Crops

·       World supplier of quality food

·       Cottage industries in food and crafting

A proper rural community transport system needs to be put in place and the survival of rural Ireland is to be a TOP PRIORITY.

Food Sector:-

As mentioned above one of Irelands greatest asset is its FOOD INDUSTRY. We need to build on our strengths as a quality food producer by expanding our product range, developing up new niche markets, developing quality brands and also ensuring QUALITY as a top priority.

WE will set up an online sales and marketing strategy so that quality Irish produce can be sold and delivered with confidence anywhere in the World. This shall be achieved in one year.

Tourism:-

This Government is fully committed to the tourism sector. Ireland has wonderful natural resources that money could not by. A wonderful rugged landscape, thousands of miles of breathe taking coastline, unspoilt rivers and lakes. We need to build on our strengths. We are also a very welcoming people, taking care of our visitors needs in a friendly and polite way.

We are also blessed with our music heritage, our writers, story tellers, out cultural tradition and we need to really build upon these solid rocks of interest. Ireland has a truly long and while at sometimes dark history it is still none the less colourful and invigorating. We need to build on our HISTORY by creating further interest, study groups and role playing villages.

More and more visitors to our shores are looking for real life experiences of our heritage rather than visiting interpretative centres and museums. We will set up a special task force under the leadership of the Minister for Tourism. Its target will be to market Ireland and to double our number of visitors in 5 years. They are to come up with creative and innovative ideas in how to expand our tourist numbers and how to get people to stay longer hear and revisit. The task force will invite in leaders from the hospitality trade to help with developing the business plan for the industry for the next 5 years.

Ireland can also position itself as a centre of learning and excellence in Life Science. Our outstanding Universities can be channelled into proving education to hundreds of thousands of foreign students who may go on to settle here, or start up business here in the future. We certainly have enough free accommodation in this country to house them and it could also provide an ideal solution to the so called “ghost villages” around the country. This stock of houses could be held in the national interest for 10 / 20 years and later sold off to private individuals.

Civil Service:-

Our civil service needs to be massively reformed. It has become a colossus over the past 10/15 years and no longer serves the real needs of our people. It needs to be streamlined, refocused and rededicated to providing real services that communities and individual need.

This Government wants to restore the pride and service of a vibrant, serving civil service. We are all part of the one community and the civil service plays a major role in helping our citizens in need. Let’s restore the civil service to its former glory and its true purpose in society.

Green Economy:-

Ireland has massive opportunities to enhance and develop its GREEN Economy. It can be achieved by focusing on the following points as well as many others:-

·       Wind Power Generation

·       Sea wave power generation

·       Thermal Energy

·       Solar Power

·       Bio-Fuels

·       Renewable  Energy supplies ( Wood for example )

·       Energy conservation

·       Energy Recovery Systems

·       Growing crops like Hemp & Sugar Beet

·       Insulation

·       Reduction in number of cars / trucks

Smart Economy:-

Ireland has a golden opportunity to develop its SMART Economy also. It can do this by focusing on these and other ideas:-

·       Developing informational hubs

·       Developing non- invasive Social Media opportunities

·       Life-Science Research & Development

·       Robotics

·       Mobile applications

·       Next Generation Information medium

·       Creating Entrepreneurial & Innovative Forums

Education:-

As mentioned earlier Ireland can become a centre of learning on a global scale. We need to build on our university status and bring our controls and standards to the supreme height. This alone could make Ireland’s future very bright. Alot of foreign students could go on to actually work and live full time in Ireland thereby contributing massively to its development and future.

We also need to look critically at our primary and second level systems and ask ourselves honestly if they are serving our youth and preparing them in the best way for adult life. There have been some reports carried out on this subject and rather than carrying out another report we would suggest setting up a committee to make a final decision on the subject and plan for implementation within 12 months.

Foreign Affairs:-

Ireland needs to play a leading role internationally especially in the furtherance of peace and conflict resolution.

Strategic Planning / Development:-

Ireland needs to develop a short, medium and long term plan for its social and economic development. This should be completed and presented for approval within 12 months.

Creativity / Entrepreneurial ship:-

Ireland needs to encourage and foster a climate of Creativity and Entrepreneurial-ship. A special forum needs to be established so that people with creative ideas have the opportunity to discuss and develop them. Local Enterprise Boards can assist at this level by providing confidential forum for the discussion and development of new and innovative ideas.

People with ideas need to be acknowledged and honoured rather than being vilified and ridiculed. This Government plans to set up a rewards structure for such creative individuals and will honour them nationally as well as financially. This country needs people with ideas and this Government will support and foster this.

There are many members of communities up and down the country who do Trojan work and deliver daily sacrifices for their communities. These people also need to be rewarded and recognized. This Government proposes the setting up of a Presidential Reward Scheme to honour such sterling endeavours.

Justice / Defence / Law Reform:-

Ireland needs a radical overhaul of its legal and justice system. Under the new Minister for Justice a review group will be established to deliver the required reforms with 2 years. Areas to be covered including many others are:-

·       Criminality and Subservice Groups

·       Drugs

·       Financial regulation

·       Modernization of all laws

·       Prisons

·       Role of Army

·       Role of Garda

·       Traffic Police

·       Emigration

·       Citizenship

·       Children’s Rights

·       Asylum Seekers

·       Abuse

·       Bullying

Sport:-

Ireland has contributed enormously to the field of sport on an international basis. Based on our population base we have delivered well beyond the respected norms. Internationally we excel in Golf, Sailing, Soccer, Rugby, Boxing, Cycling and Exploring. It is time for Ireland to capitalize on these fantastic achievements. We could set ourselves the Goal of Hosting the Olympic Games in 2024 or 2028 to mark our 100 year as a Nation and to set the standard for this country for the next century and beyond. Together as a COMMUNITY we can achieve whatever goals we set ourselves.