Doolan (SF) calls for May Day Protests

dublin | summit mobilisations | press release

Friday April 09, 2004 02:04

by FS

And he's sorting out the flat bed truck for the gig.

Sinn Féin representative for Dublin South East Daithí Doolan has called on people to ignore unfounded media hype and spin and take part in May Day protests and said that 'Similar efforts to discredit peaceful protests are a hallmark of media coverage of such events'. Speaking at a press conference held in the Earl of Kildare Hotel this morning and organised by Another Europe is Possible, Mr Doolan said the protests were not against expansion, but against the 'kind of EU we are building' and that Sinn Féin was 'opposed to a Europe written on terms dictated by big business and corporate lobbyists.'
Mr Doolan said: "There has been a lot of unfounded hysteria in the media about the protests planned for May Day. Similar efforts to discredit peaceful protests are a hallmark of media coverage of such events.
"But the media has given very little coverage to what the protests are actually about. People have suggested it is a protest against expansion, against letting in the new countries. On the contrary, we support expansion, but we, new member states and old, need to have a debate about the kind of EU that we are building
"Sinn Féin firmly believes another Europe is possible. One where 55 million men, women and Children are not living in poverty, where vital public services are not open to privatisation and where the ongoing militarisation of the EU and erosion of Irish neutrality is halted, and reversed. People accuse us of being anti-EU, when in fact we're simply opposed to a Europe written on terms dictated by big business and corporate lobbyists. I am calling on people to see through the hype and the spin and turn out to the march and carnival on May Day."

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Comments (5 of 5)

simple and well communicated

by dunk

Fri Apr 09, 2004 18:37

What we are really protesting about...

by hippymoon

Sat Apr 10, 2004 01:38

Gets across the point that we are not protesting against expansion but rather the kind of EU that is being built.

Would the real Sinn Fein please stand up?

by Terry McShane

Sat Apr 10, 2004 16:57

These comments from Mr. Doolan are very welcome indeed, but the main problem with Sinn Fein is that their representatives in Dublin often appear to be in a completely different party to those 100 miles north of the capital in Belfast.

Slightly paritionist a situation surely for, as they keep reminding us, the only all-Ireland party on the island (not counting of course the Socialist Party, the SWP, the Greens, the Workers Party, Republican Sinn Fein, the Communist Party or the IRSP).

Can you really picture Councillor Joe O'Donnell from the Short Strand area of east Belfast say anything even closely resembling "we're simply opposed to a Europe written on terms dictated by big business and corporate lobbyists". Probably not.

Also, the Shinners have the habit of trying to be all things to all people: anti-capitalist (sort of) in Dublin, traditional republicans in North Kerry and South Armagh, sectarian street fighters in Belfast, anti-imperialists in the Basque country and dollar-obsessed leprechauns in Boston and New York.

Ands thats not forgetting the fact that their candidate in the upcoming European Election in the north is Bairbre de Bruin, the lady at least partly responsible for the loss of Omagh hospital. Hospital closures? Is this the sort of Europe comrade Doolan is favour of marching for on May 1st?

With a track record like that could really trust SF to hold firm on anything? I know I wouldn't.

Joe O'Donnell

by observer

Sat Apr 10, 2004 19:04

Sure how would you know what Cllr O'Donnell might say? Did you ever meet him? Just the usual tired old shite."Yeah, what that SHinner said is grand but what about?"

I have met Joe O'Donnell and....

by Another observer

Sat Apr 10, 2004 21:52

Terry is right. There isn't a hope in hell of him saying anything other than "You lot threw 26 rocks at us last night and we only threw 23 at ye, so there is no parity of esteem here"

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Doolan (SF) calls for May Day Protests

Comments (5 of 5)