Today in the European Parliament, GUE/NGL MEP Paul Murphy highlighted the ongoing need to fight the imposition of private bank debt on ordinary people by supporting a grassroots campaign group submit a petition to the European Parliament that calls for urgent measures to end the subjection of future generations to debt-slavery.

The 'Ballyhea Says No' campaign group's petition calls into question the European Union institutions' roles in pushing for the continued payment of bondholders by the Irish state and the imposition of austerity measures in Ireland.

Paul Murphy said: “Ballyhea Says No's message is that it is successive generations of Irish people who will be paying for this debt if it is not written off. There were never any bailouts for Irish people, just bailouts for banks. This crisis was precipitated by the launch of an incomplete currency and the Euro should not have been launched without central controls.”

Diarmuid O'Flynn from Ballyhea Says No said: “Since March 2011 we have been marching every Sunday in Ballyhea in County Cork, Ireland, against the bailouts of bondholders and the austerity that has been heaped upon ordinary working people.”

He added: “When the Troika leaves Ireland they will be leaving with smiles on their faces.”

GUE/NGL Press Contact:
Emily Macintosh +32 470 85 05 08
European United Left / Nordic Green Left
European Parliamentary Group