PRC-UTE
13th October 2008, 00:29
(Speech delivered today by Paul Little, Ard Comhairle.)
Comrades,
It is an honour and a privilege to be asked to speak here today at this
commemoration to remember our comrade Seamus Costello who in the words of
Nora Connolly O'Brien, daughter of James Connolly Seamus was "the only one
who truly understood what James Connolly meant when he spoke of his vision
of the freedom of the Irish people."
No better tribute could have been paid to Seamus and indeed sums up Seamus
as an outstanding revolutionary who believed as Connolly did that there
could be no National Liberation struggle without the class struggle. And
that stands true today. Comrades for us in the Republican Socialist
Movement passionately believe that the class and liberation struggle are
one. And we should all follow the example laid before us by James Connolly
and Seamus Costello of making the goals of National Liberation and
Socialism a reality.
It is important for us as Republican Socialists to keep the memory of the
man alive and indeed carry his vision of a better Ireland forward, for
ourselves, and future generations.
In 1974 Seamus and other Republican Socialists formed the Irish Republican
Socialist Party in an attempt to build a party of the Irish working class
and with the formation of the Irish National Liberation Army, he saw this
as the vanguard of the anti-imperialist struggle to end British rule in
Ireland once and for all. Seamus seen capitalism, whether native or
foreign, as much the enemy of the working class as British imperialism.
Comrades we must oppose capitalism with as much vigour as we oppose
British rule. That means organising a proper revolutionary party,
involving ourselves in our communities, our trade unions and embracing all
the people of this island under the banner of class unity.
As in Seamus' time our movement has come under attack from our enemies in
the Dublin regime through draconian laws which are no more than internment
on the word of a single garda. We send greetings to our comrades in
Portlaois and indeed to all republican prisoners. We also condemn the
mis-treatment of Aidan Hulme, a republican prisoner in Portlaois and
demand that he gets proper medical attention. He is currently in Portlaois
and is suffering from very severe injuries to his lower legs which have
basically confined him to bed 24 hours a day. Last week a doctor advised
that Aidan get immediate medical treatment in a specialised unit, so far
this has not happened. We demand that it does happen and we send Aidan our
best wishes.
Seamus Costello, along with others, established the Republican Socialist
Movement in 1974 at the height of the struggle against British imperialism
and severe economic hardship across the island. The Ireland that Seamus
grew up in enjoyed none of the democratic rights envisioned by republicans
in the Easter proclamation the democratic program. So Seamus joined the
IRA and Sinn Fein at an early age and devoted his life to achieving
National Self Determination and democracy for the people of Ireland.
It was when he entered the Curragh as an internee that Seamus and others
defined the way forward for the Irish republican struggle. He instigated
and developed the resurgence in "Connolyite" republicanism and pulled
republicanism not only to the left, but directly into the everyday lives
of the people of Ireland. When Seamus, as Connolly had done, made the
connections between the struggle for independence and social issues, he
made the Irish republican struggle relevant for the working class in
Ireland.
Seamus had a powerful gift of analysing the problems that the people of
Ireland faced and offered attractive and radical alternatives to them.
Comrades, if we look at the political landscape of Ireland today, can we
honestly say that the lot of the Irish people has improved? Of course not.
Recent economic reports deliver conflicting accounts of where Ireland
stands. Last year, the United Nations published its Human Development
Report for 2006 and Ireland ranked 17th in the human poverty index. Last
year also marked the publication of another report: Bank of Ireland
Private Banking published its annual Wealth of the Nation report - and the
picture painted was rather different. We were told that, in terms of net
wealth per capita, Ireland was the world's second-richest country after
Japan.
After the few years of unfettered free market boom of the "Celtic Tiger",
huge wealth was generated into a few hands here in the 26 Counties. There
was a spending spree in the private housing sector. Unfortunately, this
huge generation of private wealth and its accompanying spending spree
largely bypassed the essential public services on which we all depend,
particularly health and education. The building boom in the private sector
was not matched by public housing output, and we ended the boom with more
than 43,000 households on local authority waiting lists - an increase of
nearly 60 per cent since 1996. When one includes those who cannot afford
to buy or rent on the private market, the total number of people in
housing need is 250,000. And while the country's top chief executives
could look forward to salary packages topping €1 million annually.
How can this be justified? How can the welfare and education systems fail
so many people here due to lack funding? We have a situation where our
natural resources are sold to the highest bidder, Shell, as in the case of
the Corrib gas field off the coast of Mayo.
These resources are the property of the people of Ireland and they should
not be sold off for short term political and economic gain.
We are facing an inevitable capitalist crash with rising unemployment and
huge demand for stable homes and communities; then nationalise the
construction industry to employ people to build more homes for those who
need them. Don't nationalise the debt created by greedy fat executives who
won't be freezing in there homes this winter.
Ireland today suffers from all the problems that the Ireland of Seamus
Costello suffered. The answers can be found in the radical thinking and
analysis of Seamus Costello and if we apply his analysis we can't go far
wrong. Seamus had a passion for the Irish struggle, which he saw as
inseparable from the struggle for working class emancipation. He was able
to inspire those around him to devote their time and energy to the
struggle with this passion.
Comrades, we know the problems that we face. Capitalism is again on the
ropes and this will affect us all but we must use this situation to
benefit the working class. We must be ready to take advantage and to
promote socialism as a real and viable alternation to the boom and bust of
capitalism. Seamus has left us with the radical politics that can solve
them. He has left us a vehicle with which to carry those ideas. It is up
to us to show some of Seamus´ passion for change and start to put things
right. Fall in behind the party of the Irish working class, the IRSP.
Smash imperialism and smash capitalism. Onwards to victory comrades.
Comrades,
It is an honour and a privilege to be asked to speak here today at this
commemoration to remember our comrade Seamus Costello who in the words of
Nora Connolly O'Brien, daughter of James Connolly Seamus was "the only one
who truly understood what James Connolly meant when he spoke of his vision
of the freedom of the Irish people."
No better tribute could have been paid to Seamus and indeed sums up Seamus
as an outstanding revolutionary who believed as Connolly did that there
could be no National Liberation struggle without the class struggle. And
that stands true today. Comrades for us in the Republican Socialist
Movement passionately believe that the class and liberation struggle are
one. And we should all follow the example laid before us by James Connolly
and Seamus Costello of making the goals of National Liberation and
Socialism a reality.
It is important for us as Republican Socialists to keep the memory of the
man alive and indeed carry his vision of a better Ireland forward, for
ourselves, and future generations.
In 1974 Seamus and other Republican Socialists formed the Irish Republican
Socialist Party in an attempt to build a party of the Irish working class
and with the formation of the Irish National Liberation Army, he saw this
as the vanguard of the anti-imperialist struggle to end British rule in
Ireland once and for all. Seamus seen capitalism, whether native or
foreign, as much the enemy of the working class as British imperialism.
Comrades we must oppose capitalism with as much vigour as we oppose
British rule. That means organising a proper revolutionary party,
involving ourselves in our communities, our trade unions and embracing all
the people of this island under the banner of class unity.
As in Seamus' time our movement has come under attack from our enemies in
the Dublin regime through draconian laws which are no more than internment
on the word of a single garda. We send greetings to our comrades in
Portlaois and indeed to all republican prisoners. We also condemn the
mis-treatment of Aidan Hulme, a republican prisoner in Portlaois and
demand that he gets proper medical attention. He is currently in Portlaois
and is suffering from very severe injuries to his lower legs which have
basically confined him to bed 24 hours a day. Last week a doctor advised
that Aidan get immediate medical treatment in a specialised unit, so far
this has not happened. We demand that it does happen and we send Aidan our
best wishes.
Seamus Costello, along with others, established the Republican Socialist
Movement in 1974 at the height of the struggle against British imperialism
and severe economic hardship across the island. The Ireland that Seamus
grew up in enjoyed none of the democratic rights envisioned by republicans
in the Easter proclamation the democratic program. So Seamus joined the
IRA and Sinn Fein at an early age and devoted his life to achieving
National Self Determination and democracy for the people of Ireland.
It was when he entered the Curragh as an internee that Seamus and others
defined the way forward for the Irish republican struggle. He instigated
and developed the resurgence in "Connolyite" republicanism and pulled
republicanism not only to the left, but directly into the everyday lives
of the people of Ireland. When Seamus, as Connolly had done, made the
connections between the struggle for independence and social issues, he
made the Irish republican struggle relevant for the working class in
Ireland.
Seamus had a powerful gift of analysing the problems that the people of
Ireland faced and offered attractive and radical alternatives to them.
Comrades, if we look at the political landscape of Ireland today, can we
honestly say that the lot of the Irish people has improved? Of course not.
Recent economic reports deliver conflicting accounts of where Ireland
stands. Last year, the United Nations published its Human Development
Report for 2006 and Ireland ranked 17th in the human poverty index. Last
year also marked the publication of another report: Bank of Ireland
Private Banking published its annual Wealth of the Nation report - and the
picture painted was rather different. We were told that, in terms of net
wealth per capita, Ireland was the world's second-richest country after
Japan.
After the few years of unfettered free market boom of the "Celtic Tiger",
huge wealth was generated into a few hands here in the 26 Counties. There
was a spending spree in the private housing sector. Unfortunately, this
huge generation of private wealth and its accompanying spending spree
largely bypassed the essential public services on which we all depend,
particularly health and education. The building boom in the private sector
was not matched by public housing output, and we ended the boom with more
than 43,000 households on local authority waiting lists - an increase of
nearly 60 per cent since 1996. When one includes those who cannot afford
to buy or rent on the private market, the total number of people in
housing need is 250,000. And while the country's top chief executives
could look forward to salary packages topping €1 million annually.
How can this be justified? How can the welfare and education systems fail
so many people here due to lack funding? We have a situation where our
natural resources are sold to the highest bidder, Shell, as in the case of
the Corrib gas field off the coast of Mayo.
These resources are the property of the people of Ireland and they should
not be sold off for short term political and economic gain.
We are facing an inevitable capitalist crash with rising unemployment and
huge demand for stable homes and communities; then nationalise the
construction industry to employ people to build more homes for those who
need them. Don't nationalise the debt created by greedy fat executives who
won't be freezing in there homes this winter.
Ireland today suffers from all the problems that the Ireland of Seamus
Costello suffered. The answers can be found in the radical thinking and
analysis of Seamus Costello and if we apply his analysis we can't go far
wrong. Seamus had a passion for the Irish struggle, which he saw as
inseparable from the struggle for working class emancipation. He was able
to inspire those around him to devote their time and energy to the
struggle with this passion.
Comrades, we know the problems that we face. Capitalism is again on the
ropes and this will affect us all but we must use this situation to
benefit the working class. We must be ready to take advantage and to
promote socialism as a real and viable alternation to the boom and bust of
capitalism. Seamus has left us with the radical politics that can solve
them. He has left us a vehicle with which to carry those ideas. It is up
to us to show some of Seamus´ passion for change and start to put things
right. Fall in behind the party of the Irish working class, the IRSP.
Smash imperialism and smash capitalism. Onwards to victory comrades.