Adams: Don't be fooled by treaty Yes side

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has used part of his Árd Fheis speech to campaign for a No vote in next week's fiscal treaty referendum.

Mr Adams also questioned the validity of having the Labour Party in Government if, as he claimed, they are just going to implement right wing austerity policies.

Mr Adams also attacked Taoiseach Enda Kenny, accusing him of a lack of leadership in refusing to agree to a televised debate on the treaty.

He accused Mr Kenny, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore and Fianna Fáil's Micheál Martin of trying to scare people into voting Yes

"Don’t be fooled," Mr Adams said.

"Remember what Fine Gael and Labour said during the election.

"Remember all Fianna Fáil’s promises.

"Join with the millions across Europe who are demanding an end to austerity."

Mr Adams also launched a blistering attack on the coalition saying "Tweedle dum has been replaced by Tweedle dee and Tweedle dumber. "

"Fine Gael and Labour were elected to change the disastrous policies of Fianna Fáil leaderships," he said.

"Instead they embraced these policies."

Mr Adams said that when considering what way to vote, people need to ask themselves if the austerity of recent budgets led to jobs and growth.

"The answer is obvious," he said.

"The answer is no."

Mr Adams also posed some sticky questions for Labour.

"What is the point of the Labour Party in this government?" he asked.

"What would James Connolly think of the Labour leaderships’ implementation of right wing austerity policies?

"What would he think of the promises made and broken by the party he founded?"

Mr Adams said his commitment to voters was that Sinn Féin would not make any promises it would not keep.

Saying that Ireland had to "break the cycle of austerity and inequality" Mr Adams said that while it was crucial that Ireland deals with the banking debt, these policies must be accompanied by a plan to get citizens back to work.

"And austerity won’t do it.," he added, saying the State needs a Government-led job creation strategy, with funds to be sourced from the National Pension Reserve Fund, the European Investment Bank, the private pension sector and NAMA.

Mr Adams spent just under four minutes of his keynote speech at the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis campaigning for a No vote in next week's fiscal treaty referendum.

It means Taoiseach Enda Kenny will be given the same time in addressing the nation to call for a Yes vote tomorrow evening.

Excerpts from Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams' address to the party's Ard Fheis:

On the Fine Gael/Labour coalition:

"Citizens are angry.

Angry at the political and banking elite and the developers – the golden circle – that enriched itself through corruption, greed and bad policies.

Angry at the government for failing to hold these elites to account.

Angry at broken promises by Fine Gael and Labour not to pay one more red cent to bad banks and then handing over €24 billion.

Many citizens thought they were voting for change in last year’s General Election.

But what happened?

Tweedle dum has been replaced by Tweedle dee and Tweedle dumber.

Fine Gael and Labour were elected to change the disastrous policies of Fianna Fail leaderships.

Instead they embraced these policies.

They have cut public services and wages.

Attacked the rights of the most vulnerable.

And introduced new stealth taxes.

The household charge, water charges; septic tank charges; VAT and fuel increases.

What is the point of the Labour Party in this government?

What would James Connolly think of the Labour leaderships’ implementation of right wing austerity policies?

What would he think of the promises made and broken by the party he founded?

My commitment to you this evening is that Sinn Féin will not make any promises we will not keep.

When Sinn Féin makes a commitment – as we demonstrated often during the peace process – we keep our commitments."

On economic growth:

"We have to break the cycle of austerity and inequality.

We need to get citizens back to work.

We need fair taxation.

We need to eliminate wasteful public spending.

And yes, it is crucial that we deal with the banking debt.

But these policies must be accompanied by a plan to get citizens back to work.

And austerity won’t do it.

In the North, the absence of fiscal powers and cuts by the British Tory government, have made the Executive’s task more difficult.

In this state the government gives fiscal powers away!

This state needs a government led job creation strategy.

There are funds available – in the National Pension Reserve Fund, in the European Investment Bank, in the Private Pension sector and in NAMA.

Sinn Féin proposes a €13 billion stimulus.

This stimulus would run over three years creating approximately 130,000 jobs directly.

The projects are there.

Vitally needed schools, crèches, roads, regeneration projects; broadband and a water system that needs to be modernized.

Sinn Féin supports inward investment but we will also champion Small and Medium enterprises and homegrown businesses.

Upward only rent reviews, and the denial of credit by banks for our small and medium sector, doesn’t make economic sense.

It does make economic sense to replace imports with home-produced products and to target specific sectors for export.

It does make economic sense to expand the agri-food sector.

It does make economic sense to build on the potential of tourism.

Sinn Féin advocates a joined up all-island strategic approach to fully exploit this potential.

Sinn Féin will also change social protection to introduce a safety net for the self-employed.

Ireland does have the visionaries to develop our own industries.

That vision must be matched by government action.

Ní dheanann déine é sin.

Ní hí an déine an reiteach.

Caithfidh muid daoine a chur ar ais ag obair.

On the public sector:

In a real republic there is a duty to provide the highest quality of public services.

Better services delivered more fairly and paid for by direct taxation.

All citizens, throughout their lives, should have access to education at all levels based on their ability but the cost of educating their children is increasingly a challenge for many parents.

Education must give children, all our children, the best start possible.

That also is good economics.

Tá Sinn Féin tiomanta do leasuithe sláinte – agus do infheistíocht in ár seirbhís sláinte poiblí.

A public health service, free at the point of delivery which provides for citizens from the cradle to the grave, and also funded by direct taxation, is good economics.

The number of sick children awaiting hospital admission and on trolleys had increased by almost 700% in three years.

In the first four months of this year 26,106 citizens were left on hospital trolleys.

Almost 60,000 patients – adults and children - are on waiting lists - a 50% increase on 2010.

After one year of this government the health service is worse now because this government is doing exactly the same thing as Fianna Fáil.

And patients and their families are paying the price while those at the top award themselves obscene salaries and huge bonuses.

Citizens need to stand together against this. It is wrong.

It must be stopped."

On rural Ireland:

"Rural Ireland is also under attack.

Rural schools, post offices and Garda stations are being closed.

Rural people are told they can no longer cut turf where it has been cut for generations.

They are being compelled to pay septic tank and household charges.

Unemployment is driving young people to far off foreign shores.

In Leitrim I was told that half of those between the ages of 22 and 26 have left.

The heart is being torn from communities as a whole GAA generation leaves for Canada and Australia.

In this state around 70,000 people are emigrating each year.

That’s nine citizens every hour.

Mothers and fathers wonder who will leave next.

Rural Ireland, and especially the west is being devastated.

Forced emigration is not a life style choice.

But it is an indictment of the two men from the west who lead this bad government.

Shame on you Taoiseach.

Shame on you Tánaiste."

On the EU fiscal treaty:

"I want to turn now to the Austerity Treaty.

When considering what way to vote people need to ask themselves if the austerity of recent budgets led to jobs and growth?

The answer is obvious. The answer is no.

If you accept that, you should vote No.

Austerity isn’t working now and won’t start working on 1st June.

Neither will it bring stability or certainty.

Austerity means more cuts.

And increased charges.

Right now if you do not like the policies of the government you can sack them or re-elect them.

You won’t be able to do that with unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats in Frankfurt and Brussels.

That is undemocratic.

Don’t give up your power.

Don’t give your democratic rights away.

And don’t write austerity into the constitution.

Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fáil have not offered any positive arguments in favour of this Treaty.

The Taoiseach won’t even debate the issue!

That’s not leadership!

That’s not showing citizens the respect they deserve!

Instead Mr. Kenny, Mr. Gilmore and Mr. Martin are trying to scare people into voting Yes.

Whether it was British rule or a domineering church hierarchy, Irish citizens have had enough of being ruled by fear.

We are done with that.

The Irish government is also out of step with the rest of Europe.

Other EU states are delaying ratification because they know the mood in Europe is changing.

But not our government.

They settled for much less than anyone else, despite Sinn Féin’s clear warning about the foolishness of accepting this bad Treaty.

When the Taoiseach endorsed it in the Dáil he never mentioned growth or jobs.

Not once!

Or a write down of Bank debt.

The truth is Mr. Kenny and Mr. Gilmore are out of their depth.

This Government simply cannot be trusted on this Treaty.

It claims we will be locked out of funds if citizens vote NO.

That’s not true!

The legal mandate of the ESM is very clear.

Funding will be provided, and I quote, where it is ‘indispensable to safeguard the financial stability of the euro area as a whole and of its Member States.”

So don’t be fooled.

Remember what Fine Gael and Labour said during the election.

Remember all Fianna Fáil’s promises.

Don’t be fooled. Be wise.

Join with the millions across Europe who are demanding an end to austerity.

It is a good and patriotic and positive action to say NO to a Treaty that is bad for you, bad for your family and community, bad for society and entirely without any social or economic merit.

Next Thursday. Vote No.

On a united Ireland:

"Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement the British Government has agreed to end its jurisdiction if a majority of people vote that way.

All of us — north and south, nationalist, unionist and others, need to plan for that.

In this state more and more people realize we do not have a real republic.

Sinn Féin wants to demonstrate to unionists that a united Ireland is also in their interests.

A United Ireland makes sense.

A single Island economy makes sense.

It does not make sense on an island this size and with a population of six million, to have two states, two bureaucracies, two sets of government departments, and two sets of agencies competing for inward investment.

Harmonising our systems will save money, improve efficiency and create jobs.

A new, agreed united Ireland will emerge through a genuine process of national reconciliation.

Through a cordial union.

Sinn Féin is for a new republic where the interests of citizens come first.

A new Republic that is inclusive and pluralist.

A new Republic created democratically and peacefully.

Sinn Féin is about nation building.

A nation rooted in harmony, equality and justice.

The people of Ireland are entitled to social justice.

Equality is achievable.

Irish people have the genius and the right to demand it.

In our time.

For all citizens, for all our communities.

So, now is the time for courage.

For commitment and patriotism.

For hope.

For all our children.

For our great country.

For Ireland."