At their AGM earlier this month Direct Democracy Ireland (DDI) announced the election of a new national executive and a new leader in Pat Greene from Drogheda Co. Louth.
Their main goal is to continue the rapid growth of the party, and in particular highlighting DDI’s main policy of returning the power of citizen initiated referendum to the people by reinstating updated articles previously removed from our Constitution by our first government. DDI believe this omission is responsible for the disempowerment of the Irish people in our current political system.
Pat Greene described the challenges faced by the people of Ireland as
shameful and a sad reflection of a political system that favours an elite group, and it can no longer be tolerated. Our hope is that people will embrace the power of direct democracy and join DDI in their drive to reinstate it in Ireland.
He went on to say
a system of citizen initiated referenda would act as a watchdog over our government, just as it has worked very well for the Swiss people for over 800 years”. He used the example of the controversy over Irish Water saying “the will of the people to hold water in public ownership is being ignored; but this could be enforced by the people in a direct democracy, and this would make governments think twice about any decision they make.
Pat highlighted that:
In the European elections DDI candidates received around 50 to 60,000 different preference votes nationwide which was very encouraging for our first time out; and DDI fell just short of having 3 local council candidates elected, between Drogheda and Waterford where they are strongest.
In the DDI statement they stressed:
We are the only political party calling for Irish Water to be dismantled and a complete halt put on water charges. As Minister Coveney confirmed we already pay for water through taxation for water services. DDI is calling for all water services to be returned to municipal control and once again call on the government to put the Irish people ahead of bondholders and bankers who are being bailed out with this new charge.
For more information see the DDI website.
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