People Before Profit’s candidate in the Galway West by-election says he supported the blockade by protesters of Galway Port last week.
Denman Rooke launched his campaign on Monday this week, at an event in The Ol’ 55 pub on Prospect Hill, where his views were echoed by TD Richard Boyd Barrett, who addressed the gathering.
“We support, in principle, the protests, and PBP has campaigned for temporary price caps on fuel, electricity, heating oil and other essential goods for some time,” Rooke said, adding that the party attempted to introduce legislation two years ago to protect citizens from soaring prices on essentials.
“Sometimes, militant protests are effective” he said, referring to the widespread activism from 2014 to 2016, blocking the installation of water meters, which led to plans for charging for excess water usage being scrapped.
Speaking to the Advertiser, Rooke said he would have supported a blockade of the US, Israeli or Iranian embassies as a more pointed protest “that connects the dots” on the specific causes of oil price inflation.
“The US and Israel are running rampant across the globe. Ireland is complicit, with the military use of Shannon, and the government not implementing the Occupied Territories Bill,” he said.
“The national appetite for change is now undeniable, and that whatever the outcome of the by-election, [myself] and People Before Profit will still be here championing solidarity, care, and community against the dehumanisation of capitalism,” Rooke told supporters.
Former independent County Council candidate for Gort-Kinvara, and environment activist, Sinéad O’Brien, expressed relief that trade unionist and CATU activist Rooke was running, saying that politics needs strong, people-focused politics now more than ever. She also urged all present to ensure they are registered to vote.
PBP’s Dún Laoghaire TD, Richard Boyd Barrett, attended the campaign launch in the city centre, where musician Áine Tyrrell opened proceedings with a rendition of Bob Dylan’s iconic protest song ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’.
Boyd Barrett said he would not query the nature of fuel protestors’ actions in blockading Galway Port “because it was effective”.
“Some disreputable or right-wing influences may have tried to influence or infiltrate the protests, but – almost word for word – what [the protestors] want, is what we have been calling for – for some time – to address the cost of living crisis,” he said, speaking to the Advertiser.
The Dublin TD said he approved of the Vote Left alliance set-up for the Galway West by-election, and hoped the model might spread to other constituencies for the next general election.
Responding to news that Galway city councillors intend to lobby government officials and Oireachtas members to increase the allocation of Local Property Tax to be retained by the city, Boyd Barrett said PBP has always opposed LPT, and that the block funding model which preceded it should be returned to, with more resources shared between local councils.
Earlier, Barrett addressed the University of Galway’s Palestine Solidarity Society as an invited guest speaker. The event, A World on Fire, tackled global topics under the banner “Palestine, Iran and resisting US imperialism”.
