31/01/2012

Adams Calls For Euro Referendum

The Sinn Fein President has said that Irish citizens must have their say on the recent EU treaty.

On Monday, European leaders agreed on a rescue fund for the eurozone with 25 out of 27 EU states backing the German led agreement for stricter budget discipline.

Only Britain and the Czech Republic refused to sign the deal that will impose automatic sanctions on countries in breach of new budget deficit limits and pledging to enact balanced budget rules in national law.

Commenting on the text of the "austerity treaty", Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams said it would not solve the Eurozone crisis and that Irish citizens "must have their say".

Deputy Adams said: “The final text of the Eurozone austerity treaty as agreed by 25 of 27 EU heads of Government in Brussels last night will do nothing to solve the Eurozone crisis. Indeed it will make matters worse.

“The Treaty involves the surrender of important Irish fiscal and budgetary matters to un-elected and unaccountable EU officials and the imposition of drastic and destructive austerity.

“It confers significant new powers on the European Commission and European Court of Justice to compel member states to alter their fiscal and budgetary policies or face significant fines.

“This Treaty is anti-growth and anti-jobs. If ratified, it will place an economic straight jacket on Ireland for decades. Its debt and deficit limits are draconian and will mean decades of austerity imposed on a country crying out for investment in jobs and growth."

(DW)

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