Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Since the Anti-Austerity Alliance and People before Profit seems to be the only group in the Dáil that has spoken thus far that took a decision to support the outcome of what has happened, it might do Deputies well to listen rather than just to snipe or remove themselves from the building when the left speaks.

A quote that is apt is that there are decades where nothing happens and there are weeks where decades happen. That is certainly the case with respect to the events in Britain in recent days. On Thursday a majority of UK voters opted to leave the EU in an act of what has been called "raw democracy". Many people here are not happy with that. Some people would like the great unwashed not to have a vote. What we have seen is that millions withstood bullying, intimidation and their dismissal with open contempt in many cases by their so-called betters in political parties and in business. We have seen that reflected in some of the tone of today's comments in the Dáil. World leaders from Obama to NATO to the IMF to Tony Blair told people to remain and they chose to exit. It has been slowly dawning on some in the media and in the establishment that there is a recognition that this is a backlash, a working class revolt, by those who do not, and have not, benefited from EU or British capitalism in recent years or for decades. With respect to the 17 million people who voted to exit, there is an inchoate class anger and rage at what they have suffered under the EU and big business, making them pay for a crisis in recent years and decades of low pay, an increase in zero-hour contracts, cuts in benefits, increased privatisation, a decrease in public services and a housing crisis. I can completely understand the progressive instincts of very many people in Britain who voted to remain, particularly young people - those who did vote. Of such people, the large majority voted against the little Englanders, the nationalism and the racism that they saw, and wanted co-operation and unity across Europe and so on.

The EU cannot provide this and it is not progressive. I would like to remind people here of the reality. The EU about which I have heard today is nothing like the reality of the EU. It is a capitalist club the primary interest of which is to represent the interests of the bosses, the wealthy and the 1%. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, received a phone call to the effect that a financial bomb would go off in Europe if the Irish Government and the Irish people dared to burn the bondholders. Has the Government forgotten this? During the bailout the private debt of speculators in European banks was shouldered onto the backs of ordinary working class people in Ireland. What about the humiliation last year of the people of Greece? Has the Government forgotten that? This is what the EU now stands for. The EU is allowing thousands of refugees to drown in the Mediterranean while it does a deal with President Erdogan and Turkey to keep them held outside of the EU. That this is considered progressive is quite incredible. This is the EU that working class people in Europe see and that people in Britain saw. What about the EU ban on public spending that is affecting our housing crisis? There has not been a peep about that. The spending by Ireland of money from the strategic investment fund and cash held by NAMA on our housing emergency is outlawed under EU rules but we should ignore this.

Obviously, there were genuine fears among people who voted to remain about racism and intolerance. For this reason, 48% of people voted to remain. There was racism in the official "leave" side but there was massive racism in the "remain" side. During the mayoral elections, Mr. David Cameron, used disgusting racism against Mr. Kahn. That is forgotten. Who was it that stirred up racism and fears about immigration in the first place? These people built their careers on stirring up racism. I am amazed at the sudden concern of Fianna Fáil. Deputy Martin in his contribution effectively characterised 17 million in Britain as being racist.

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