Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

The foundation that organises the World Economic Forum is funded by about 1,000 of the biggest multinational corporations, typically grossing more than $5 billion in turnover annually. The gathering in Davos that the Taoiseach attended is by invitation only, bringing together the world's biggest capitalists, quite an array of leading right-wing politicians, including the Taoiseach, and the media. When the Taoiseach went strolling around the streets, if he had any spare time, he would be unlikely to run into a few plumbers from Castlebar or shop stewards from the local factory. It is fat cats all the way, representing big business interests and the philosophy emerging is overwhelmingly to propagate neo-liberal, right-wing economic policies. The philosophy is pro-privatisation and pro-race-to-the-bottom in terms of workers rights. What is the purpose, therefore, of the Taoiseach visiting Davos and spending taxpayers money rubbing shoulders with these people? The taxpayers funding his trip are the victims of this whole system. I have no doubt that many of the biggest financiers and bondholders who crashed the world economy and financial system, and who were doubtless investing here and gambling on the Irish property bubble, were rubbing shoulders with the Taoiseach as well. I ask him to desist from attending this particular forum in the future. Perhaps he could redeem himself by saying that he got some big, new idea coming home from Davos to transform our situation here but I cannot see any evidence of that, given that he is continuing the disastrous austerity policies right up to this moment. I ask the Taoiseach to explain himself and we can see if there is any justification for this visit.

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