Economic and Fiscal Policy

Conference rejects the prevailing orthodoxy promoted by both the UK and Irish Governments that the cause of the financial and economic crises is excessive expenditure on public services and welfare benefits. Conference refutes any suggestion that ordinary working people and the wealthy are all in this together" strong. Conference rejects the priority given by both Governments to rescuing the banking and financial system without the introduction of fiscal and economic controls that would force them to place the needs of ordinary citizens before their own self-interest. Conference recognises that while the crises in both countries have significantly different features, in particular the scale of public subsidy to the banking system, the commonality of policies and measures to address the crises target ordinary working people, low and middle income families, State benefits and public services. Conference rejects these policies and any attempts to pay for them by the liberalisation and marketisation of public services. In particular Conference calls for: The establishment of a State Development Bank which will focus on the creation of high quality jobs.An end to the over-reliance on a Foreign Direct Investment Strategy that over-rewards Trans National Companies for their hollow promises of long term employment creation in both jurisdictions. The introduction of a fairer and more equitable taxation system which places a greater responsibility on the wealthy and business sector to pay more towards public services and public infrastructure. An end to the privatisation of public services and publicly owned assets and industries. Conference, in furtherance of these objectives, calls upon the Executive Council to build campaigns, in cooperation with other bodies which represent the interests of ordinary citizens, locally, regionally and nationally, to challenge and confront those interests in our society which promote policies designed to place the burden of the financial and economic crises on to ordinary working people and their families. Conference calls upon the Executive Committee to ensure that the trade union movement in both jurisdictions takes the leading role within society in opposition to austerity measures and to encourage affiliates to retain the option of industrial action as a means of strengthening the campaigns against these measure.