The government today unveiled a four-year plan, the objective of which is to take an unspeakable amount of money out of an already fragile economy. All sectors of society would gradually see falling living standards, a progressive elitism creeping into our education and health systems, crippling taxes and job losses in both the private and public sectors.

Here is some of the measures that will be taken:

€15bn correction over four years
* Public expenditure down €10bn, tax up €5bn
* Corporation Tax will remain at 12.5%
* Social Welfare to be cut by €2.8bn by 2014
* VAT will rise to 23% by 2014
* Health spending to fall by €1.4bn over term of the plan
* Minimum wage to fall to €7.65 per hour
* Property tax in place by 2012
* Domestic water charges to be in place by 2014
* Plan includes ‘full implementation of the Croke Park deal’
* New entrants to Public Service will face a 10% pay cut
* Public Service pensions to be cut by an average of 4%

And the irony of this plan is: It may not even solve the problem; indeed it could make it worse. One solution now being proposed by certain experts is a programme of debt forgiveness, not just for governments, but also for those hard working and law-abiding citizens struggling with personal debt. Indeed, this is the logical solution.

In the meantime, we have to get onto the streets, we have no choice but to participate in the resistance to the cuts. If we don’t, we simply lose our voice.

What can you do? Assemble at Wood Quay in Dublin at 11:30 am and march to the GPO. If you would like, you are most welcome to march with Labour Youth NUIM. Contact labour@nuimsu.com if you’re interested for more details on what train we’ll be getting from maynooth.

Additionally, it is strongly recommended that you write to your local TD. www.tellyourtd.com Whilst some may think it’s futile, the reality is that if students and young people put real pressure on our elected representatives, they will listen. We can make our voices heard. And if we do, a better future will result for us all.

In the meantime, see you all on Saturday!! Check out the ICTU website for further details on the route etc. www.ictu.ie/november27

Tuesday 12th October:
Labour Youth NUIM AGM with Special Guest, Councillor Dermot Looney
Hall C, Arts Block, 7pm

AGENDA:
-Introduction to the Committee & from Members on the floor
-Introduction to the Labour Party by Councillor Dermot Looney
-Election of an t-Oifigeach Gaeilge (Irish Officer)
-Election of 1st Year Officer (position involves liasing with our first years and keeping them interested in our society)
-Election of Deputy Officers
-Constitutional Amendments
-Upcoming Events
-AOB

The new issue of the Left Tribune (Vol 5 Issue 2) is only available online this time and there’s some excellent contributions as usual. Luke Field talks about the civil partnership bill, our very own Comms Officer Declan Meenagh debates the pros and cons of Facebook, Conor Ryan writes about the importance of following through on positive poll ratings and Neil Warner reviews one of the cornerstones of early liberal theory, John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty. There’s also a selection of pictures from events around various places and a Branch in focus section on DIT Labour.

Also, the deadline for contributions to the important recruitment issue of Left Tribune are due on August 17th. They can be emailed to the NYE Commuications Officer.

As for our branch, NUI Maynooth Labour are currently preparing for the  recruitment drive in September and we would encourage every member who can to get involved and help to get new  members onboard. You may even get a Labour Youth t-shirt! (Reminder: Clubs and Socs day is set for September 29th)

- Steve

Democracy, prosperity and Human Rights – these are the hallmarks of the treaty that, rather than risk party politics, Labour campaigned for in the national interest.

But the truth is that this is just the first stop. This is our first step to bring about the change our country needs – not just in government, but in our politics. There’s so much that needs to be reformed, and built up again on new fundamentals. But challenging as these things are it’s not the size of our problems that concerns me the most – it’s the smallness of our expectations. And that’s what we have to change first.

We voted for Lisbon despite Fianna Fáil, not because of them. Over the coming weeks we will be redoubling our efforts to get Fianna Fáil out, to bring about a change of government and to give the country to new start it needs.

Thank you, Maynooth.

They said that voter apathy would win again. That young people don’t care about politics. That the same old Civil War politics matter more than ideas and energy.

But 24 hours ago, at one of Ireland’s fastest-growing universities, you came out in your droves and packed into in a busy, stuffy hall on the north campus and did what the skeptics said we couldn’t do. You came out and, together, made Labour Youth the second-largest party on Maynooth Campus. Thank you, Maynooth.

You out-recruited all other parties for the first time in our University’s history. You helped buck the trend from apathy and towards passion. And with your signatures, your commitment and your energy you have made visible for everyone to see the new trend in Ireland – Ireland is starting over.

You came out and you said ”Let’s stop, and start again”. You came out and called an end to the wrong kind of politics. And with a stroke of your pen you asked to commit to a new kind of politics – care, not greed; opportunity, not waste; and an Ireland that works.

Our government has said that students will have to tighten their belts. And nothing makes this student madder than someone telling those citizens most likely to revive the economy that their belts aren’t tight enough. For it has been said so truthfully that it is the student, not the banker, who drives our economy forward. It is the student, not the politician, who has to live the politician’s choices. And it is the student, not the multinational, that loves their country, that works so hard to change their country, and that gives the leaders they elect the permission to abuse that country. It is not their patriotism, it is their judgement that has been so sorely lacking. Nobody should even think about running for office if they don’t belief, with full heart, that students have nothing but the fullest capacity to offer their country. And that ends today. It ends with your signature.

We are not alone in this new trend – all across the country, Labour Youth has had a huge influx of new members who want to change their community and their country for the better. In every college in the country, students are signing up to help grow a party that insists on social justice. Today we are one step closer in Ireland because of what you did in Maynooth.

Thank you, Maynooth.

Oisín O' Reilly, Aengus Ó Maoláin, Emmett Stagg T.D. & Mag's Murphy

“This is one of the most important referenda we have held in recent decades. The outcome will not just determine our relationship with the rest of Europe. It will also have a major impact on our capacity to recover from the economic crisis and to get people back to work,” the labour Leader Eamon GIlmore TD said launching the final phase of Labour’s Lisbon poster campaign.

The poster carries the simple message ‘Yes, it is that important’ because nobody should be under any doubt about the importance of Friday’s poll.

Eamon continued: “The economic environment has changed beyond recognition since we last voted on Lisbon in June 2008.

“The world has been plunged into an unprecedented recession and the impact has been felt more deeply in Ireland than most other countries.

“If we are to receover from the recession and get people back to work, action is required at both national and economic level. We have to work with the EU or we will trail behind other countries when recovery comes.”

Eamon’s full statement is available in our press centre and you can see photographs from the launch on our Flickr account and you can download the poster from here for use on your own site.

Highlights:

6 – There is a better way than NAMA …

8 – The poor can’t pay for this crisis

10 – Education Cutbacks = Economic Illiteracy

14 – Green Party wiling in Government

16 – Israel-Palestine Conflice: Europe our Role

19 – Lisbon: Not Perfect, but a good start!

To download a copy of the Left Tribune click on the image of the front page above!

The National meeting, held this Saturday in University College Cork, saw an engaging and active debate on different points and aspects to the treaty. The meeting was opened with a panel discussion on Lisbon by invited speakers on both sides of the debate. Speakers included; Declan Walsh, noted legal expert on EU law from UCC speaking in favour; with Roger Cole founder of PANA (Peace and Neutrality Alliance) speaking in opposition.

Gary Honer Chairperson of Labour Youth stated after the National meeting that “Labour Youth will now be joining the campaign trail with Labours successfully expanded delegation of elected MEPs, in fighting an informative and vigorous campaign to generate a yes vote on October 2nd.”

“Labour Youth will be campaigning for a yes vote on Lisbon on the grounds that it will establish greater rights for all EU citizens under the Charter for Human Rights; and that the structural readjustment treaty is a necessary step to tackle the democratic deficit that has seen the EU appear estranged from voters in recent years.”

Speaking at the event, Labour Youth Chairperson, Gary Honer, stated that “This governments attitude towards our education system is woefully inadequate and is a national disgrace”

“Today as thousands of students across the country receive their CAO results, they are faced with the uncertainty of fee’s being re-introduced and the mess that is the grant system”

“This Governments attitude towards Students is farcical; already we have seen the recruitment ban in the HSE, the proposed streamlining of the grant system which still hasn’t happened, the reduction in the number of Special Needs Assistants, the reduction in the number of English language teachers and the failure to reduce the pupil-teacher ratios”"
“Labour Youth has been campaigning for a better grants system and for equality of access in our third level system for quite some time.”

“It’s time that Batt O’Keefe and his colleagues in government we’re shown the door as their continued failures in office will only lead to further difficulties for all of us”