Who Are the People Before Profit Alliance

In Wicklow the question was first publicly asked in the media following a meeting in Arklow, organised by People Before Profit Alliance (Wicklow), at which it was proposed to publicly discuss the decision by Roadstone Ltd to quarry out of existence a coastal headland and landmark Arklow Rock; which dominated the landscape since the Ice Age.

The meeting was disrupted in a disorderly and threatening manner during which the organisers were told this was a local matter, and was none of their business and they should go back to where they came from.

The town has been vigorously divided on this issue in which Roadstone opponents argue on environmental and tourist grounds for the retention of the rock. Those supporting Roadstone claim the benefits of employment and a supply of quarry material for the Gorey by-pass and local construction industry outweigh environmental and heritage arguments.

The past record of People Before Profit in engaging local controversy on the side of the anti neo-liberal argument had already began in North Wicklow where they campaigned against a proposal to build a huge residential and commercial complex which would overwhelm the existing commercial and visual aspect of the town and create flooding difficulties for residents down river of the development.

Examples of other causes they espoused in support of that philosophy were; a full-time county wide fire service for Wicklow, an accident and emergency unit in Loughlinstown Hospital, a massive coastal development in Greystones, infrastructural facilities for BrittasBay, a Rail station for Avoca, the protection of a heritage centre being compromised by an upgraded roadway in Baltinglass and the efficiency of wind farm energy turbines.

The group was chaired by academic Dr Colman Etchingham Senior Lecturer in mediaeval history in NUI Maynooth. The Alliance in Wicklow had a Dail candidate, Carmel Mc Kenna , a remedial teacher and activist. Carmel is a former Labour party candidate who confronted an immovable bureaucracy who refused to provide speed ramps to protect pedestrians by staging a lie-down on the road with fellow residents. The speed ramps were promptly provided. Their secretary Paul Leahy, author of this article was a community activist from Brittas Bay who continues to fight for a water supply.

The group have left wing origins who out of frustration by the failure of the Left to make a real impact on the political scene, set up People Before Profit. They came together to design a strategy to promote an effective left wing agenda in Irish politics.

They focused on issues already existing in local communities rather than abstract ideologies, and through leaflet dissemination on the streets and housing estates, collecting signatures from the public on various issues and public protests at civic offices. This is accompanied by high powered media coverage of their activities.

The implementation of their ideological base is expressed through simple measures such as higher taxation to support the provision of social services rather than the privatisation of these services.

Because of their pragmatic approach, their membership is drawn from a wider background. Paul Leahy was a lifetime member of Fianna Fail before rediscovering the expressionism of his Republicanism in this new alliance

Public meetings are addressed by academic experts and high profile activists who inspire stimulating discussion from discerning audiences.

The Alliance now had organisations in several constituencies with a number of candidates already selected to contest Dail seats in the forthcoming general election.

There is a consensus emerging nationally from the alliance that as they achieve a national identity through activities in different parts of the country a gradually developing strategy relevant to addressing present day ills in Irish society unifying identification with the principles behind their cause will convince the electorate that there is a real alternative which can address the issues that affect their daily lives.

While the Alliance failed to win Dail seats and the organisation in Wicklow collapsed, they did win a number of local authority seats two years later.






Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Oliver_Leahy