Vote yes for a progressive strong Europe

Well it's all over bar the marks in the box. Whatever about the last referendum, this Lisbon campaign has been hard fought. And in truth, it's been fought with a mean and nasty edge which has gained momentum and gained in its level of rudeness as Friday October 2nd approached.

This edge has emerged largely from the no side who have chosen many opportunities to personalise the campaign. They have sought to demean individuals involved in the yes campaign by calling their bona fides into question, by accusing them of being unpatriotic or ignorant or having a vested interest in keeping Europe going. Many of the no side lost the capacity for reasonable, rational debate early on by resorting to posters which told blatant lies. Then they moved to emotive images including the new low of using the image of a foetus; this from a group which alleges to protect the life of the unborn.

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Permanent link | Comments (0) | Posted in Foreign & European Affairs • labourforeurope

Labour launch for Lisbon

Susan and Eamon
Susan O'Keeffe, our North West Euro representative and Party Leader Eamon Gilmore TD at the Labour Party Lisbon referendum launch.

Well we're off - Lisbon here we come!! The Labour Party is the first political party to launch its campaign for Lisbon on October 2nd, fronted by the parties three MEPs Alan Kelly, Proinsias deRossa and Nessa Childers and by me, Susan O'Keeffe the North West Euro candidate. The slogan is simple and direct; "Work with Europe."

We all braved the summer rain for the launch in Dublin's Merrion Hotel where we enjoyed a cup of tea and a biscuit. Not quite Portugal. Of course we knew that the Oireachtas Committee on Finance was quizzing Brian Lenihan about NAMA at the same time but these two matters will run in tandem through September. They are both of enormous importance but Party leader Eamon Gilmore TD was keen to remind everyone that, in the case of Lisbon, every citizen has a say by using their vote.

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COME AND TIE YOUR BRA TO BRIAN COWEN’S DOOR – TUESDAY JULY 28TH

The NW Cancer Services campaign held a public meeting in Sligo on Wednesday night, July 22. There was a huge crowd – around 400 people – protesting about the move to Galway of cancer services as and from August 6^th.People are worried for many reasons. The main one is that it is public knowledge that Galway University Hospital is not really ready for additional patients. It already has a budget deficit and the just retired hospital manager wrote recently that further cuts would directly affect frontline services including the provision of cancer services. Health Minister Mary Harney has said that there is no more money for Galway so the logical conclusion is that Galway can’t cope with additional patients.In addition, if you have to travel from Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim or North Mayo to have surgery for cancer in either Dublin or Galway, it creates enormous emotional and financial hardship for families, trying to juggle care of children, support for the person with cancer, travel arrangements and accommodation. For some families, just trying to get together enough money to do all that will be a stress.The meeting was an emotional one. People talked openly about their experience with cancer. Many tributes were paid to surgeon Tim O’Hanrahan who was at the top table. Tributes were paid too to the committee that has run the campaign to save the services in Sligo. They have worked tirelessly over the past 18 months to try to stop the move of services.Mr O’Hanrahan spoke too – and not for the first time – reminding the audience that he and other medics and GPs have repeatedly told the Government and the Department of Health that moving the services in this way is not a good idea. His argument is a simple one. If you live in Dublin you can travel to one of four cancer centres so access is fair and equitable. Why then if you pay your taxes but you live anywhere north of a line from Dublin to Galway must you endure enormous hardship just to get treatment. Where is the equality of access?There were many public representatives present at the meeting but neither Eamon Scanlon nor Jimmy Devins – both Fianna Fail TDs for Sligo, or Mary Coughlan, Tanaiste and TD in Donegal attended.  The meeting lasted well over two hours and at the end people agreed to protest in Dublin next Tuesday July28th. The protestors will hand a letter in to President McAleese and then travel to the Department of Health and then finally to the Department of the Taoiseach at 3.30 where protestors will tie bras to the railings in protest.There is very little time left. If the services are moved it will be very difficult to get them back. It is time to stand up and be counted. If you believe that men and women across Ireland are equal and deserve equal treatment, then come out and protest next Tuesday.

Permanent link | Comments (0) | Posted in Health • SligoGeneral

Thank you

The Euro campaign is over – well and truly. The new MEPs from across Europe have formally taken their seats in the new parliament and it remains for me to say just one thing – thank you.

Thank you to those who voted for me; who went into the polling booth to give me your number one and to those who gave me a preference. It was a humbling moment to stand at the count in Castlebar and see ballot papers coming out of boxes with numbers beside my name and to know that people trusted me enough to give me their precious vote.

I felt proud too, to be a member of a party which cares about people, not profits, to be part of a party which wants to build a country that is better for everyone – not just for some. I was proud to wear the Labour rose and the party is proud of the support you gave us in the north west.

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