Group to protest gagging of debate on Nice and privatisation - Thurs Oct 9th - 3pm

Wednesday October 09, 2002 22:26

by Eamonn Crudden

ATTAC are holding this protest at very short notice - anyone concerned with Article 133/GATS/Privatisation who can make it along at 3pm would be very welcome. Any Libertairians who have those lovely 133 posters would get a special welcome I'm sure.

Press Release
October 9th, Dublin

Group to protest gagging of debate on Nice and privatisation

The citizens’ association ATTAC na hÉireann will tomorrow hold a demonstration outside the Referendum Commission to demand fair and balanced information on the privatisation consequences of the Nice Treaty.

ATTAC spokesperson Donncha Ó Briain says:
"The Nice Treaty holds out the prospect of Ireland being forced to deregulateand privatise public services in the near future. Clearly, this is a significant issue for the electorate to consider before casting its vote. The job of the Referendum Commission is to provide information so that people can make a balanced choice. On the issue of Nice and privatisation they have failed that responsibility."

"The Commission’s literature merely states that QMV will be extended to EU Common Commercial Policy, without explaining the context within which this change is being introduced. No mention is made of the EU’s current involvement in the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) at the WTO, and its aim to open public services to deregulation worldwide. Many now fear that Ireland’s loss of veto in this area could mean a pro-privatisation GATS agreement being imposed on Ireland against the will of its people"

" Attempts to gain balanced information on this issue have been unsatisfactory. In a response to a recent request by Eamonn Crudden of the Article 133 Information Group, the Referendum Commission supplied internet links to the European Commission
and to a press release by Mary Harney. They made no attempt to communicate the content of the submissions already made by ATTAC to the Referendum Commission and the Forum on Europe on this issue. We now call on the Commission to redress the balance before October 19th"

Location: Referendum Commission, 18 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2
Date: Thursday 10th October, 2002
Time: 3pm

Contact:Donncha Ó Briain 01-6611501 / 087-3615379 / 2845345

ATTAC na hÉireann ireland@attac.org http://attac.org/ireland/
Association for the Taxation of Financial Transactions to aid Citizens