PRESS RELEASE

2000 Labour Youth campaign points to dictation by Party hierarchy

Labour Youth is clearly dictated to by it's party's hierarchy who have resorted to using its young members as an instrument to revive debate on ethics and funding in politics, said Cork Deputy Billy Kelleher. "It is worrying that the next generation of the Labour party is as immersed as its Dáil representatives in the belief that it has a monopoly on ethical standards and the exclusive right to the solution to our problems," said Deputy Kelleher. "This Government has made it clear an all-party solution is required to this issue. The Labour Party refuse to be a party to that solution, and their position is untenable. It has attempted to hold the entire process to ransom by its refusal to engage in cross-party discussions unless their terms are first accepted," he added. "The people require reform and it is our duty to respond. Legislative proposals are already being drafted and will be published in the Oireachtas in due course. We are also intent on bringing forward legislation to deal with the issue of lobbying," he said. "Labour does not occupy the moral high-ground. Its record on ethics and funding in politics simply does not support such a stance. Let us not forget that Ruairi Quinn was the largest single recipient of political donations in 1997, amassing over £27,000. Labour failed in its legal obligations to inform the Public Offices Commission of a £30,000 party donation, and have yet to answer whether the £28,000 Woodchester funds were a write off or a corporate donation," continued Deputy Kelleher. "I welcome the fact that Labour Youth has put the issue of housing and racism on its agenda. Perhaps it has learned from its peers who neglected the voluntary housing sector while in office. The effect of which was that output in this sector fell from 1,000 units per annum in 1995 to 750 units in 1997. Maybe they can take their lead from this Government which this year allocated over twice as much money on housing as Ruairi Quinn did in his last year as Minister for Finance," he added. "This Government has made significant progress over the past three years in developing new legislation to protect against racism, in particular discrimination on racist grounds. This includes the introduction of the Employment Equality Act 1998 and the Equal Status Act 2000 which prohibits discrimination on a number of grounds including race, religion and members of the travelling community," said Deputy Kelleher. "Criticism of the effectiveness of the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act, 1989 has been recognised, and a review of this legislation is currently being conducted by officials at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform at the request of Minister John O'Donoghue," he concluded