Candidate urges support for genuine left alternative:

Press Release: May 1st, 2007

John O Neill, a general election candidate in the Dublin North West Constituency, has urged those who are looking for a real alternative to the identical-twin coalition blocs to vote for radical left candidates. John, the sole candidate of the Irish Socialist Network, has a solid track record in the constituency, scoring better than both the PD and Green candidates in the last local election in the Finglas Electoral Area.

Speaking to ISN members and supporters at the start of his election campaign John stated: “Many commentators have reduced this election to a simple two horse race between Fine Gael/Labour and Fianna Fáil/PD coalitions. The truth is that these are not alternatives but the same basic goods packaged in different coloured wrappers. Both offer exactly the same neo-liberal economic formula, the same supine pro-imperial foreign policy and the same social policy based on partnership. As the recent spat over stamp duty shows the differences are so wafer-thin that both ‘alternatives’ can do no more than engage in childish auction politics to differentiate themselves from each other.”

John also castigated the so-called radical parties for their role in shoring up these conservative alliances: “Unfortunately, by indicating their willingness to enter coalition with parties of the right, Sinn Féin and the Greens have also accommodated themselves to this consensus. This is in line with the recent drift of these parties towards more ‘business-friendly’ policies. I would suggest, however, that those voters who desire a real alternative to tweedledum/tweedledee politics can indicate their wishes by voting for the many independent or small party candidates who advocate radical democratic socialist policies. In many constituencies throughout the state there are principled left candidates who stand for a fundamental democratic transformation of society and who refuse to bow to the neo-liberal consensus. A vote for candidates such as Joe Higgins T.D. and Cllr. Clare Daly of the Socialist Party and left-independents such as Cllr. Joan Collins in Dublin South Central and Seamas Healy TD in Tipperary signifies a positive assertion of the desire for such a transformation.”

John conluded: “As one of those candidates, I can honestly say that voting for socialists will not change the world but it would be good place to start in the difficult task of building a popular movement for the creation of society where working people, not politicians and business people, control their own communities and workplaces.”

Ends.

For further information contact John O Neill at: 087-6367175

Email: irishsocialist@dublin.ie