Rising Early after the fantastic banter at the Labour Social last night was a very wise move. The motions to the floor offered a mix of Innovative Policy in Broadband provision, Fairer Pensions and More community focused Crime and Drugs policy.
I have suffered from the appalling lack of Broadband as have others who work in Information Technology in Ireland. Labour’s Policy is the most progressive and constructive policy on Broadband. With the further roll out of our policy on “Enabling Ireland’s Future” we will chart a roadmap to deliver a real Knowledge Economy in Ireland.
UCD’s motion on the Shell to Sea Campaign was a hard fought battle with numerous speakers supporting the local community of Erris in North West Mayo. “Economic Treason” was raised in relation to the virtual giveaway of the Corrib Gas field to Shell & Co for less than you’d sell a 2nd hand car. Safety was the main concern which I raised during the debate. In the end the motion was refered back to the National Executive Committee (NEC) on the recommendation of Liz McManus our Spokesperson in the area of Natural Resources. Liz will set up a Working Group to develop a party policy taking in the Economic, Safety and Energy Supply concerns of the speakers, both for and against the Shell to Sea Campaign motion. Talking to Liz after the session she assured me that such a Working Group on Corrib Gas Pipeline and Gas Terminal in Erris and I look forward to contributing to to the group.
Later, in the morning during the Justice Session controversy arose on the Naas motion which called for a more progressive drug policy through the Decriminalisation, Regulation and Control of Cannabis/Marijuana. Emmet Stagg TD spoke passionately in favour of the the Decriminalisation of Cannabis. Continually the current law on Cannabis was highlighted as keeping the money in the hands of Drug Dealers and ensuring the profitability of the unregulated Free-Market that currently exists in drugs supply. In the end the motion was referred back to the NEC in an effort to produce a progressive approach to Cannabis/Marijuana from the party in the future.
During lunch there will be a workshop run by Labour Youth which I’m looking forward to on “Building a Labour Led Government”
2 comments:
Hi Graham,
The Westport Branch were proud to support this motion and were disapointed to see it refered to committee.
Well done.
Keith Martin (Cllr)
I would question the idea that drugs exist in an unregulated free market - prohibition can be accurately thought of as the most extreme type of regulation that there is. This would mean that the drugs industry is one of the most severely regulated sectors of the economy.
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