Clare Daly resigns from the Socialist Party

by Bemused Sun Sep 23, 2012 20:26

The WSWS site have an interesting analysis of Clare Daly's resignation and of the ULA itself in a piece on Sept 17th. Presumably they have their own axe to grind and its hard to know whether some of this is just the usual factional fighting amongst Left groups

Ireland: Behind Clare Daly’s resignation from Socialist Party
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/sep2012/daly-s17.shtml

On September 1 Dublin North TD and long-standing Socialist Party member Clare Daly announced she had resigned from the party following a row over her political connection to the disgraced property developer and Independent TD Mick Wallace. She said she will “redesignate” herself as a United Left Alliance (ULA) TD.

Daly’s move demonstrates once again the thoroughly unprincipled character of the Irish ex-left as a whole, as it lurches ever further to the right. The ULA was founded against the backdrop of the collapse of Irish state finances and the negotiations with the Troika of the European Union (EU), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Central Bank (ECB) over an 85 billion euro bailout in November 2010. It is an opportunist alliance between the SP and Socialist Workers Party (SWP), designed to channel growing anger over the vicious austerity measures of the ruling elite back in to parliamentary politics and to maintain the control of the trade union bureaucracy over working class struggles.....

The rest of the text can be found at the link above

by Althea - deworkinclass Sat Sep 22, 2012 00:04

Have you ever paid someone for a nixer and not declared the VAT?

by fred Sun Sep 16, 2012 11:25

At least Clare Daly had the integrity to attend the Marian Price march on principle. Good for you Clare!
No sign of the SP leader Joe and his backstabbing apparatchiks, or indeed any of the other political backstabbing sectarian rats keeping the left in Ireland hamstrung.

Apparently SF not there either unfortunately. Where were you Gerry Adams / Pearce Doherty / Mary Lou??

by Jolly Red Giant - Socialist Party / CWI Thu Sep 13, 2012 12:15

I hope it brought you some relief -

One question -

Do you think it is appropriate for a socialist activist to give political support to a tax dodging property developer?

by fred Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:08

"The Indo articles are utterly, totally irrelevent to the substantive issue - which you are studiously avoiding addressing."

what, you mean the blatant smearing of an ex comrade of 25 years service by the SP showing them up to be the "non party political" party who are as nasty as any other political party when it comes to playing cynical backstabbing petty politics and also for being totally sectarian? I'm addressing that aren't I?

I'm also addressing the fact that this petty sectarian behaviour is keeping the left small and unthreatening to the right when something more effective and inclusive is desperately needed to properly fight the corner of the poorer classes under severe economic and social assault in this country.

kicking Clare Daly in the guts when she is down is not the way to do this. I used to give my support to SP but after this and after the last morbid, sparsely attended SP meeting I attended with the usual rehashed oratory from a tired Joe, I'm looking for other more inclusive and effective political avenues. Clare Daly was the last hope for boosting the profile of left politics in Ireland. Even she has had enough pouring her efforts into a black hole of frustrating ineffectiveness for the Irish people after 25 years of doing so. Me too.

It's such a train wreck, you'd almost think they are doing it deliberately!! They also take everyone's names and numbers at every meeting, which is kinda suspicious.

Either do party politics effectively to build a decent broad base to challenge and damage the right and it's policies as a parallel strategy, or get out of it altogether like proper revolutionary socialists and concentrate on grassroots organisation, before you are totally corrupted and co-opted.

by Jolly Red Giant - Socialist Party / CWI Wed Sep 12, 2012 18:53

The Indo has also also printed Clare Daly's rebukes verbatim - more a case of lazy journalism than anything else - and don't forget the nicey, nicey piece by Meave Sheehan (an article it must be pointed out that is full of factual inaccuracies).

The Indo articles are utterly, totally irrelevent to the substantive issue - which you are studiously avoiding addressing.

by fred Wed Sep 12, 2012 18:36

You know there is something wrong when the indo print an SP statement verbatim.

That's their way of saying "we couldn't have done a better hatchet job on Clare Daly than the SP"

by Jolly Red Giant - Socialist Party Wed Sep 12, 2012 18:14

In all honesty fred - if you have anything to say that contradicts the position as outlined in my comments above then feel free to do so.

I never said that the Socialist Party was blameless during this entire episode, certainly with hindsight there are things that could and probably should have been done differently. However, none of this takes away from the fact that the only issue of any significance that was discussed since the beginning of June was her political support for Mick Wallace. Clare Daly and yourself can scream 'smear campaign' all you want (as she has done in a recent newsletter distributed around Swords) but that doesn't take away from the fact that the dogs in the street know that the reason for her resignation was her unwillingness to stop her political support for Wallace. The Socialist Party had a responsibility to outline to it's supporters the events that led up to her resignation and the issue under discussion with her for eight weeks. Her continued support for Wallace was demonstrated once again the day after she resigned when at the CAHWT National Steering Committee meeting she spoke against three motions reaffirming the position of the CAHWT that Mick Wallace was not to have any role within the CAHWT other than an ordinary member and was one of only four delegates that voted against the substantive motion on the day. Two weeks before her resignation she went and spoke at a public meeting in Wexford that was advertised as a series of meetings involving Clare Daly and Wallace under the umberella of the CAHWT and organised by Wallace's supporters (despite the fact that the CAHWT had decided that Wallace should not appear on any CAHWT material or speak on the platform of any meeting organised using its name). Furthermore - if the ULA was such a contentious issue for Clare Daly then why did she never raise it even at branch meetings of the Socialist Party branches in Dublin North and why did the entire membership of the Socialist Party in Dublin North fully support the approach of the Socialist Party National Committee? These issues cannot be fudged - if political support for Wallace was not the issue then why was it the only issue Clare Daly raised during repeated discussions with the Socialist Party and why did she refuse to sign public statements issed by the Socialist Party that criticised Wallace for not being transparent with the people who voted for him over his tax dodging and that defended the Socialist Party from the political attack launched by Wallace against the party in the Dail (indeed the only party that Wallace has attacked is the Socialist Party, despite the fact that the Socialist Party was the only party that did not demand his resignation).

Now one final point - if Mick Wallace actually was interested in helping to build support for the CAHWT he would voluntarily withdraw himself from any leadership role within the Campaign in order to avoid further damaging the Campaign through he tax dodging activities. He has not done so and appears to have no intention of doing so. This begs the question - what is his real motive for refusing to take such a step? - is he more concerned with preserving his own support base in Wexford through the CAHWT than he is in ensure that his tax dodging cannot be used against the Campaign as the government step up their attacks by bringing householders to court?

by fred Wed Sep 12, 2012 12:19

blah blah ... everything the SP did was right .... blah blah .... It's all Clare Daly's fault .....blah blah....mick wallace mick wallace clare daly tax cheat mick wallace clare daly smear smear smear.....blah blah.....damaging the socialist party politically.....blah blah..... mick wallace clare daly mick wallace clare daly tax cheat smear smear smear....blah blah.....we're not backstabbing political rats honest...blah blah

by Jolly Red Giant - Socialist Party/CWI Wed Sep 12, 2012 11:34

I see that the resignation of Clare Daly from the Socialist Party has brought the usual attackers on the Socialist Party out of the woodwork. There are a number of people on here jumping up and down blaming the Socialist Party for these events - irrespective of what actually happened - and taking Clare Daly's statement as a statement of fact.

So lets put out some facts for consideration in relation to Mick Wallace

1. Mick Wallace took VAT amounting to €1.4million from working class families who purchased properties he built and instead of passing this VAT onto the revenue commissioners he used it to plug a hole in his construction company's finances.

2. At the same time his construction company was going down the tubes Wallace almost doubled his salary and the salary of his son from the company - the company that was using the unpaid VAT to cover losses.

3. Wallace went to the revenue commissioners and came to an agreement to pay over a total of €2.1million in unpaid VAT, penalties, fines and interest.

4. Wallace then told the revenue commissioners that he would not be paying this €2.1million

5. When the story broke in the media Wallace went into the Dail and attempted to justify not paying this settlement.

6. A Dail committee then requested information from Wallace relating to his VAT situation and his agreement with the revenue commissioners - Wallace failed to provide any information.

7. More importantly Wallace has failed to provide any explanation to the people in Wexford who voted for him in the last election.

8. Wallace has hidden behind company law to protect numerous assets that he has at his disposal, assets which could be used to pay this debt.

9. Wallace is a tax dodging property developer who has demonstrated that he is no different than any other property developer when it comes to protecting his own financial interests at the expense of working class people in this country.

10. I haven't even gone into the fact that, as patc pointed out, among other things Wallace is also guilty of taking pension deductions from his workers and pocketing the money instead of forwarding it to their pension fund.

Now those who have made statements of support for Wallace on here should answer this question - is it appropriate for the Socialist Party or any other left wing activist to give political support to a tax dodging property developer?

Onto Clare Daly's resignation from the Socialist Party.

Contrary to John Throne’s comments, the Socialist Party has repreatedly acknowledged the role that Clare Daly played both within the Socialist Party and in the wider movement over the past 25 years. It would be an insult to both the Socialist Party and to Clare Daly to do anything otherwise. The Socialist Party has no interest in or not intetion of doing anything other than recognise and acknowledge this role – it is not an issue.

The difficulties that arose related to Clare Daly’s political support for Mick Wallace in the aftermath of his exposure as a wealthy tax dodger. These developments are unfortunate, it has been a serious political setback for the Socialist Party and for the wider workers movement.

Clare Daly backed the initial position of the Socialist Party that Wallace should repay every penny of tax owed, that he should make a full, frank and transparent disclosure to the people who elected him, but did not back calls from the establishment and the media that he should resign as a TD – it is up to the people of Wexford to determine if he should be their parliamentary representative.

However, the relationship between Clare Daly and the Socialist Party rapidly deteriorated as Wallace utterly failed to do anything other than attempt to justify his actions and received political support from Clare Daly as he did so. Over a period of two months the Socialist Party National Committee held ten private discussions with Clare Daly in an effort to resolve the issue and find a solution that would be acceptable to both Clare and the Socialist Party. Clare was asked to attend three separate National Committee meetings (which she was a member of) but failed to do so. During the course of July and August Clare Daly refused to sign press statements that were critical of Mick Wallace, including when he attacked the Socialist Party in the Dail. She also refused to defend the Socialist Party from political attacks in public, including at one public meeting where a Socialist Party representative was verbally abused and threatened by supproters of Wallace. Even as she resigned the Socialist Party was willing to continue discussions with Clare Daly with a view to resolving the issue. She chose a different route.

For the Socialist Party there could be no political support for a tax dodging property developer no matter how left-leaning he might appear. You cannot speak out of both sides of your mouth if you want to retain any credibility among the working class. Clare Daly’s political support for Wallace was politically damaging the Socialist Party, particularly within the trade union movement where Socialist Party members were subject to criticism by activists and rank-and-file members. The issue was also creating significant difficulties for the CAHWT as activists were reporting from all over the country that it was an issue on the doorsteps as they were trying to build the CAHWT. Within the CAHWT campaign groups all over the country demanded that Wallace not be allow to be a representative of the CAHWT. Despite this Clare Daly not alone supported Wallace but actively assisted Wallace in his role in contravention of motions passed at the CAHWT National Steering Committee.

Finally in relation to the ULA. During all the discussions that took place over a two month period not once did Clare Daly raise the ULA as an issue of political disagreement with the Socialist Party. Her comments about the ULA following her resignation from the Socialist Party are actually a contradiction to her actions while she was a member. I and the Socialist Party hope that her new found love of all things ULA will be positive – however, as long as she continues to offer political support for Wallace, the ULA will suffer political damage and the CAHWT will be undermined in its efforts to defeat the government. Clare Daly has made a serious political misjudgement in politically supporting Wallace.

On a point of factual information for Gearoid – the Socialist Party has absolutely no control who is or is not a member of the Technical Group. It is a Dail procedural arrangement to facilitate speaking time and private members motions. Any independent TD or member of a party with less than 7 members has to be allowed join the Technical Group – no one can be excluded. If Wallace applied to rejoin the Technical Group tomorrow no one could stop him. To suggest that the Socialist Party has any political affiliation with the like of Shane Ross because of the Technical Group is spurious in the extreme.

by fred Tue Sep 11, 2012 21:40

you are a completely patronising git.
There... I think I feel better about myself now for saying that to you.
Someone needed to!

by jmj Tue Sep 11, 2012 20:55

Perhaps you are the sort who thinks his lack of substance can be covered over with bombast and demanding the last word. Well I'm afraid you're wrong,

It doesn't matter how many last words you have, if none of them address the topic to hand. So take as many as you need to feel good about yourself. I won't intervene unless you say something to support your assertions.

by fred Tue Sep 11, 2012 20:45

so, you're an arrogant fuckwit! at least that's clear ;-)

by jmj Tue Sep 11, 2012 16:53

1) You accuse me personally of smearing Clare Daly, but you can only refer to a Socialist Party press release.
2) You announce, with no evidence, that the Socialist Party press release is a smear and not a statement of an SP position. In fact the SP has said repeatedly that it recognises the excellent work Clare Daly has done on behalf of working people, and regrets her departure - e.g. http://socialistparty.net/component/content/article/3-n...party
3) You attempt to cover the transparency and shallowness of your position with invective.

You are a dishonest poster, who cannot justify his statements with reference to fact. You are no better than a troll.

by fred Tue Sep 11, 2012 16:46

I don't have to conform to any fixed set of menu choices you present me jmj. Just who do you think you are?? Very self important. Some socialist you are!

This disingenuous press release was a cheap attempt to say the words mick wallace and clare daly as often as possible in the same sentence, thus smearing her with his business choices.

Clare Daly did not do anything wrong with VAT or anything else. She spent most of her time in the SP representing the ordinary people's interests yet your press release talks mostly about mick wallace, with a quick mention of her previous work to cover your political ass and make people think you are nice people really. Not backstabbers at all.

It stinks. It's smearing. Clare Daly did not deserve that. If any apologies are forthcoming then the SP should apologise to Clare Daly for this spiteful press release. Of course, you won't do that. Not that it matters. Clare will continue to outshine you lot in any case.

by jmj Tue Sep 11, 2012 16:21

Where is the smear?

Put up evidence, withdraw the allegation, or expose yourself as dishonest. Which is it?

by jmj Tue Sep 11, 2012 16:20

The rest of the country is not so enthusiastic. Witness the decision of the CAHWT national delegate meeting on Sept 1st, with 78 votes against his being involved with the campaign, against 4 in favour.

In Cork, I have not met a single member of the campaign or spoken with a single person who feels he should be involved in this campaign.

by fred Tue Sep 11, 2012 16:03

28th august, anti-household charge meeting in White's Hotel Wexford.
Mick Wallace got a standing ovation. Seems he does have some support

by fred Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:31

"I don't get the feeling that you have been talking to too many people offline about this matter - try it and see how Wallace is perceived."

I think it was actually a standing ovation at the recent meeting he spoke at.

That's more than the SP have gotten in a while for their ineffective stubborn inflexible non inclusive completely unthreatening to the right politics.

Good luck with that. Meanwhile I hope Clare Daly gets on with the business of progressing a more inclusive effective alternative left, while you lot are busy trying to stab her in the back. A new approach is sorely needed.

by jmj Mon Sep 10, 2012 22:07

Why are you trying to attack me rather than discuss the topic at hand?

An association with Wallace would be a disaster for the CAHWT. It would discredit the campaign in the eyes of most people. I don't get the feeling that you have been talking to too many people offline about this matter - try it and see how Wallace is perceived.

Pray tell, where am I smearing Clare Daly? Can you back this up? Or will you withdraw the claim?

by fred Mon Sep 10, 2012 18:53

jmj, judging by previous comments you are also a member of the SP and are interested in keeping political rivals like Clare Daly away from what you see as your turf by smearing her again and again with the tax affairs of mick wallace. So much for having ethical people in the CAHWT indeed!!

I think I'd rather have mick wallace than some political rat who is playing dirty politics. Who knows what stance such a person might take down the line if it proved politically advantageous. Its clear that such creatures are not averse to stabbing comrades in the back politically to save their own necks!!!

Give me Clare Daly and Mick any day than you lot!! At least then there would be no worry about backstabbing politics.

by jmj Mon Sep 10, 2012 15:52

He withheld 1.4 million euro of other people's taxes, allegedly to keep his business open. At the same time, he managed to double his own and his family members' wages.
He failed to pay his employees' own contributions to their pension fund.
He has agreed to use half of his Dáil pay to cover the tax debt - it would take 50 years of half his gross pay to cover this, leaving aside interest. At the same time, he has begun to claim his party leader allowance, so he is now taking home more than he was before he made this magnificent concession.

His presence in the CAHWT would be very damaging. Opponents of the campaign would have a field day with such a character standing for taxation justice. I am a member of the campaign and I, along with my local branch, are disgusted by his behaviour and opposed to his having any further involvement with CAHWT. I can think of few things that would discredit the campaign more than this man being seen as a leader.

by fluoridefreeireland Mon Sep 10, 2012 14:00

Clare Daly is right to support Mick Wallace, he's done great work for the Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes.

So what if Mick lied on his VAT return, of course this was wrong, but he has settled the matter with Revenue - this was not the crime of the century, that dubious honour belongs to Fianna Fail and their infamous bank guarantee.

It smacks of great hypocrisy for the CAHWT to remove Mick Wallace - so much for sticking together!

by pat c Wed Sep 05, 2012 10:52

The latest accounts on file for MJ Wallace are for the year to the end of August 2008 and were signed by the directors, Mick and Sasha Wallace, on April 22nd, 2009. The company recorded a loss of €2.7 million, having made a profit of €428,220 the previous year. By that stage the bank debt due to be repaid within five years was €42.4 million, and the company was not putting its employees’ pension contributions into the Construction Workers’ Pension Scheme. Nevertheless the salaries of the company’s two directors almost doubled, from €148,141 to €289,605

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2012/0630/1....html

by pat c Wed Sep 05, 2012 10:48

Mick Wallace fined €7k over pension payments
Updated: 21:59, Monday, 5 December 2011

Nine News: Wallace fined €7,000 for failing to pay pension contributions
Independent TD Mick Wallace has been fined €7,000 for failing to pay pension contributions for his workers into their pension fund.
Mr Wallace pleaded guilty to five charges of deducting pension contributions and failing to pay them in the Construction Workers Pension Scheme between January and May 2008.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1205/wallacem.html

by fred Wed Sep 05, 2012 04:50

do you have any links to back that up patc? otherwise it's just a smear.

by pat c Tue Sep 04, 2012 21:54

If all Wallace had done was withhold the VAT to keep the company going and to save jobs then I would have no problem with it. I thought that was the story originally and I defended him on his record. But then it came out that he doubled his and his sons salaries, from €140k pa to €280k pa each when his companies were in trouble. He also withheld workers contributions to the construction workers pension scheme and was convicted in court for this.

Wallace also employed security guards to keep union organisers off of his sites.

His employees on sites and in his restaurants had to go to the Labour Court to get their entitlements.

Wallace pretended to be different, he isn't.

by Gearoid O Loingsigh Tue Sep 04, 2012 16:59

The SP are doing what they have always done, they kow tow to the right to prove they are the respectable lefties, the ones that can be trusted. Mick Wallace made a mess of things, was wrong, but probably sincere. There is no principle involved. The SP had him removed from the Technical Group but Shane Ross continues to be a member of it. The capitalists know you are a safe pair of hands which is why they will probably go along with the smears. In campaigns all sorts of people get involved, you don't have to pass an SP test in kow towing or political correctness to be part of it (unlless it is just a front of course).

As for putting considerable resources into building the ULA. Come on. Recently you had two protests over the South African mining massacre, one SP one SWP. They hardly ever present themselves as ULA but as constituent parts.

by opus diablos - the regressive hypocrite party Tue Sep 04, 2012 08:06

..made his enemies early.

Does nobody remember those banners hanging from his scaffolding condemning the illegal Iraq war??

Not nice...not nice at all..showing up our brave media and the depths of their embedding. Knives out. Can't have mavericks with minds of their own.

Might damage the industrialised hospitality.

by feudal castrato Tue Sep 04, 2012 06:35

I agree with John

The SP will relentlessly smear Clare Daly with the tax affairs of Mick Wallace.

The fact is, though Mick Wallace was wrong to attempt to evade tax, it was nothing like the kind of stuff going on at anglo. He was employing quite a few people and trying desperately to keep a business afloat. Under pressure he made an error in judgement. Contrary to what the number of media column inches on the topic might lead you to believe, Mick wallace did NOT single handedly bring down this country. His debt is a drop in the ocean compared to the many billions borrowed

There is a very good reason why the right made such a big attack on mick wallace, because, despite his business error of judgement, his politics were very much on the side of the ordinary people and he had a certain charisma and was very well liked by the public.

He spoke quite well in the dail in a manner that connected with a lot of ordinary people.

Sure he is a flawed individual, but he is still an elected representative and it is up to those who elected him to decide if he is still fit to represent them in the dail or not. Judging by his most recent appearance on the water charges where he received a standing ovation, I think the answer there is a resounding Yes.

despite his tax gaffe, I'd much prefer mick wallace any day to any number of FG / Labour TD's selling us out to financial terrorists and banksters and foreign corporations.

Evidently Clare sees this in Mick wallace Too. Personally I'd much prefer to be represented by a person like Clare who is willing to stand by a colleague through the rough as well as the smooth, despite having to weather some personal criticism, rather than some opportunistic self serving political rat incapable of loyalty who jumps ship and dumps colleagues as soon as they become a political liability to themselves and their career.

Clare Daly has consistently shown ethical and personal integrity, even when it meant she left herself vulnerable to cheap political attacks. All most of these politicians care about is their own survival. They show no real backbone and principle. That includes the SP td's in my book.

Their cheap veiled political attacks show them up for the bottom feeders they truly are. Deliberately facilitating the right's attacks on Clare Daly because the truth is they now fear her as a political rival who will steal voters away from them.

I wish Clare every success in working to give us a decent alternative to this pathetic stagnant left sectarian paralysis we are currently stuck with as the only alternative to the disgusting sneering right in Irish politics

by Elric Mon Sep 03, 2012 23:08

I like Clare as well but I haven't seen any political reasons for her break with the SP.

by cropbeye - n/a Mon Sep 03, 2012 22:08

I have to say I have a lot of sympathy for Clare Daly.

I think she has a more mature understanding and nuanced appreciation

of people and the human condition

than most of them in the SP.

by Elric Mon Sep 03, 2012 19:28

Statement on Clare Daly’s involvement in the ULA
WRITTEN BY PARTY REPORTER
MONDAY, 03 SEPTEMBER 2012 16:00

There has been media comment regarding the position of Clare Daly TD in the United Left Alliance. The Socialist Party would like to state its position.

The Socialist Party, together with the People Before Profit Alliance and the Workers’ and Unemployed Action Group, initiated the United Left Alliance (ULA) in November 2010. We have devoted considerable resources and work to the development of this Alliance. For us, the ULA is an extremely important development that can be an important step towards the building of a new, mass, working class party.

Such a party could give real political representation to working class people, provide leadership in the vital struggles against austerity, popularise anti-capitalist and socialist ideas as well as provide an important space for people to get active in left-wing politics.

The Socialist Party is committed to building the ULA on a broad and non-sectarian basis, together with all those committed to a principled left position. Despite her resignation from our party, the Socialist Party is in favour of Clare Daly being a TD for the United Left Alliance. However there are important issues, including issues of principle, relating to Clare Daly’s political support for Mick Wallace that can’t be brushed under the carpet and need to be discussed inside the ULA. The outcome of that discussion clearly could affect Clare Daly’s status in the ULA.

We feel that the ULA and its public representatives must take a principled position of not giving any political support to Mick Wallace, including opposition to any involvement by him in the Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes (CAHWT).
Mick Wallace’s tax evasion is considered by ordinary working class people to be a very serious issue. That means that any involvement by him in this campaign represents a serious liability for the CAHWT. Equally, any connection between him and the ULA will be damaging for the ULA.

We feel that Clare Daly’s political support for Mick Wallace has already inflicted serious damage on herself, and some damage on the Socialist Party and the United Left Alliance. Unless there is a change in this situation, it will cause much more significant damage to the ULA in the future, undermining this vital project. These are real and important issues for the component groups in the ULA, their members and the individual non-aligned members of the ULA and need to be discussed by all within the ULA to a point of conclusion in the weeks ahead.

Accountability is vital in building a new left. We want Clare Daly to be a ULA TD and we accept that she is a member but because of her actions the ULA and its component parts have a right and indeed a duty to ask Clare some questions and to seek commitments on the crucial issues of concern.

Is Clare Daly going to continue to politically support Mick Wallace? Is Clare Daly going to continue to support the Loch Gorman campaign formerly involved in the CAHWT, which said today that they will continue to endorse Mick Wallace’s involvement in anti-household tax work, despite the stated opposition of the CAHWT and the ULA? Is Clare Daly going to feel freer to explicitly support Mick Wallace, beyond sitting beside him in the Dail, now that she has left the Socialist Party? At the CAHWT National Steering Committee last Saturday, Clare Daly defied the policy of the ULA as decided by consensus at the ULA Steering Committee, that ULA public representatives should support the disassociation of the CAHWT from the Loch Gorman campaign if that campaign did not agree to end its involvement with Mick Wallace. Will Clare Daly give a commitment to abide by the policies and decisions of the ULA?

Any issues or questions over Clare Daly’s status in the ULA can quite easily be resolved if Clare breaks her political alliance and connection with Mick Wallace TD, and the Socialist Party sincerely hopes that that is what she does. Asking Clare to do this isn’t unreasonable, it’s a political necessity.

We are more than willing to work constructively together with Clare Daly as a ULA TD to give representation for working class people and develop the ULA. The basis for important steps forward for the ULA and the left is clearly posed. The cuts in the HSE give a glimpse of the savagery that will be unleashed by the government in the coming budget. ULA activists are centrally involved in the Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes, which will be central to building a struggle and opposition to the government’s and the Troika’s austerity agenda. The potential is there for a major struggle involving tens of thousands of people against unjust taxation and austerity. This environment will provide real opportunities for the left and the ULA to develop. Being connected to Mick Wallace, which the ULA can be via Clare Daly, can only inhibit the ULA from playing the role it should in this movement.

Building the ULA on a principled left basis and with a socialist programme is the way to maximise its development from these opportunities.

by Kevin Higgins Mon Sep 03, 2012 17:39

I endorse what John Throne says. Clare, and anyone seen to be supporting her, will now come under relentless attack. Indeed, it's already happening. Ultimately though this could turn out to be a ugely positive development. I have written a blog in response to Clare's resignation yesterday. It's at the link below.

by john throne - Facts for Working people Mon Sep 03, 2012 14:33 loughfinn at aol dot com

Clare Daly has a heroic record fighting for working people and women's rights. This cannot be taken away from her no matter what anybody says. We need to be prepared for the SP leadership to try and diminish her record now she is no longer a member.

I believe that her move to put her resources into building the ULA holds the possibility of real progress. If Clare can get together with other non sectarian forces in the ULA and move that organization to where sectarianism is less of a problem then this would make the organization more effective and also attract new forces who are at present inside because of what they see as the sectarianism.

The non sectarian forces in the ULA and outside the ULA should now come together and build a non sectarian current in that organization. This means openly admitting we were all sectarian to some degree in the past and openly discussing sectarianism as a problem. Clare's decision offers an opportunity to do this.

John Throne.

by Rational Mon Sep 03, 2012 14:23

Claire daly should not get one scrap from the tax payer. To say she has backed someone who is central to the very reason that this country is where it is tells me she has absolutely no credibility left. We must distant ourselves as far as possible from someone like this. What she has supposedly stood for is gone down the swanny as far as I am concerned. She is standing by someone who has and is taking from the pockets of every working person and pushing those in debt, further into debt.
Mick Wallace was supposed to be the type of person she would stand against. She is a let down and it is a blessing for the SP that she is gone.

by jmj Mon Sep 03, 2012 13:46

In fairness, the SP cannot just pass this funding on. If you want to attack the SP, do at least try not to appear unreasonable.

by feudal castrato Mon Sep 03, 2012 03:04

Sour grapes from the SP? Are the SP cutting its arm off to spite it's face? :
The SP are playing right into the hands of political opponents on the right and a right wing media.

Hmm...You'd almost think the SP were trying to deliberately keep the left weak in Ireland!! Either that or they are just really really stupid, vain and petty and don't want any political rivals.

Principled or not, the party needs some money to operate. Judging by her good record, Clare daly would have put that money to good use in campaigns. Now it'll just go to banks.

Quote:
"Ms Daly is said to have sought a share of the allowance to allow her to continue to fund her activities as an Independent TD.

The Socialist Party received €120,000 from the exchequer last year, based on it having two members of the Dáil. The money is used towards funding organisational work and policy development, including the employment of four members of staff.

Mr Higgins said yesterday he intended to write to the Minister for Finance asking him to in future pay the Socialist Party leader’s allowance based on the party now having just one TD.

He said the legislation governing the payment of such allowances meant it could not be paid in respect of a non-party TD. This precluded him from keeping the allowance at the same level as previously and dividing it between the party and Ms Daly, he said.

While the move would have implications for the employment of up to four staff, Mr Higgins said the party would try to continue to fund the positions itself in the immediate future at least."

rest of article here:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0903/1....html

by lefty Mon Sep 03, 2012 02:38

socialist party statement is divisive and disingenuous. Their stubbornness is holding back / stunting growth of new left ideas in Irish politics

we need a broader left movement in Ireland as Clare says. She is probably right to leave so she can grow a new left with a broader base.

She was probably the most effective left politician in the SP in the media. People were really starting to admire her. SP were stupid to let her go, but hopefully something good will come of this and the ULA will grow into a strong force for change. Even if the SP spit their dummy and pull out.

It's really a pity the SP tried to sabotage her as she left by bringing up all the mick wallace stuff again in their statement in an effort to try to further exonerate themselves. Dirty politics! I'd expect better from true socialists.

Clare has turned out to be the better person in this exchange, and the SP have shown themselves to be petty and capable of playing dirty politics..

Good luck Clare.

by Elric Sun Sep 02, 2012 22:30

Clare Daly statement in full
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0901/....html

Below is the full text of Clare Daly's statement on her resignation from the Socialist Party

I can confirm that yesterday I resigned from the Socialist Party and redesignate myself as a United Left Alliance (ULA) TD. I believe it is time to prioritise the building of the ULA. The success of the Household Tax Campaign and the prospect of an intensification of vicious attacks on working people in the next budget makes the building of an alternative political force, that can present a real challenge to the establishment parties, an urgent priority”

Unfortunately the potential of the ULA has not been fully realised and it is now time that the component organisations prioritised the building of the ULA.

I note with some regret the inaccurate content of the Socialist Party statement issued today. I have no intention of engaging in a public war of words with the Socialist Party leadership. I am proud of my record as a Socialist Party activist and public representative, as a shop steward representing Aer Lingus workers and a campaigner with people across Dublin North and beyond.

I will continue with the same intensity and passion to represent and fight on behalf of working people inside and out of the Dail. I will be judged on my record over twenty five years and my future record.

I have the highest of regard for the members of the Socialist Party especially those past and present who worked tirelessly with me on numerous campaigns over the last 25 years. I hope to maintain good working relations with Socialist Party members and look forward to working together as ULA members.

I will be working closely with those who have made a priority of building the ULA and offer my support and assistance to branches and members in developing the ULA nationally. I hope to see a large number of ULA candidates running in the local elections.

I will also continue to support all those fighting austerity. A real movement of people power needs to be built to stop the wave of attacks on ordinary working people.