ULA: 'Yes' vote would mean 'permanent austerity'

United Left Alliance members will gather at the gates of Dáil Éireann today to highlight what they claim is the threat to democracy from the European Fiscal Treaty.

The group has said the compact enshrines economic and fiscal policies in Irish law which will "undermine the rights of Irish people to freely elect a government committed to economic policies that offer alternatives to austerity".

The ULA maintains that the treaty will "undermine democratic rights" and hand over significant powers to the EU.

United Left Alliance MEP Paul Murphy has said voting 'Yes' in the referendum will lead to "permanent austerity" in Ireland.