WELCOME TO OUR liveblog of The Frontline Fiscal Compact treaty debate being broadcast live RTÉ One tonight. Four campaigners, one moderator and, no doubt, a lively studio audience will debate the pros and cons of the treaty.
Hosted by Pat Kenny, the debate will see the following representatives from both sides of the argument:
- On the Yes side – Tánaiste, Foreign Affairs Minister and Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore and publisher, businesswoman and star of Dragons’ Den Norah Casey.
- On the No side – Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald and former European Parliament candidate and Libertas chairman Declan Ganley.
Ready? Let’s do this…
21.27 – In case you’re still a bit confused about what exactly it is we’re voting on next Thursday week, you can read our layman’s guide to the Fiscal Compact treaty, helpfully decoded by our own Gavan Reilly. Still time to read it before the debate gets under way and everybody starts shouting at each other.
21.28 – The Nine O’Clock News has finished up and now all that’s left is the weather, the ads and then Pat himself…
21.54 – “We don’t even know who this money went to,” says Ganley of the payments to bankers and bondholders. He says he has met with European journalists are all asking him about the bank debt. We’re telling them that it’s a message about the bank debts if we vote No.
Gilmore: France is looking for what Ireland has been looking for. We need to have a growth agenda and job creation. On bank debt, he says that we have to negotiate it down. That is something that the government is already doing.
Ganley says that Gilmore has not negotiated down the bank debt, brings up the famous ‘Labour’s way or Frankfurt’s way’ quote and says the government has failed to negotiate it down. A smattering of applause from the audience.
21.56 – McDonald: The result of this treaty will be more austerity and Gilmore was quite prepared to sign on for that. Irish have to rely on Hollande to call it like it is that austerity has failed. Trade unions, the social and democratic parties, and the Labour parties around Europe know that austerity is failing. The European trade union body has come out against a European treaty, for the first time ever.
22.05 – McDonald: We’re heading into bailout two if we continue current government’s policy. The fund is not yet established, aside from the 90 per cent funding requirement, in order for it to be legally constituted there will have to be change to existing treaties. Given his (Gilmore’s) level of his concern, ample opportunity to remove the offending clause – the so-called blackmail clause. The treaty which establishes the ESM explicitly stated that it is for countries in crisis.
Gilmore: Sinn Féin is selectively quoting.
Lots of shouting over each other… Pat interrupts. Lots of calls from viewers saying they can’t hear what’s going on because of the shouting, says Pat.
Pat lays down the law.
22.07 – Casey: This is about how much you pay for the money. I live here all year round, in a veiled dig at Ganley.
Ganley: Xenophobia. I speak with this accent because my parents had to emigrate…
Casey: I employ people in Ireland..
Ganley: I do too…
All a bit unsavoury… and Pat goes back to the audience.
22.10 – Fella in the audience representing the agricultural sector says that if we have uncertainty we will go downhill “rapidly”. Another farming voice says the opposite, he says that one thing that is not mentioned is the cap – the debt brake on spending. The ESM fund is insufficient, says James Reynolds from the ‘Farmers for No’ group.
Reynolds continues until Pat interjects and goes off his head: “They’ll take it from the farmers! We will do the programme on the CAP in January! Let’s leave it alone!” He adds: “Ah, get a life!”
Pat seemingly very annoyed about a mention of the EU Common Agricultural Policy by farmers and tries to change the subject while waving his arms frantically.
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