Socialist Party conference: The Socialist Party has accused the Coalition of pursuing the most right-wing economic policy since Irish independence and pledged to fight privatisations in the State's transport system.
The party leader, Mr Joe Higgins TD, said privatisation was being driven by the EU and would inevitably result in attacks on the pay and conditions of workers.
At the Socialist Party conference during the weekend, he called for major protests against a visit to Ireland next June by the US president, Mr Bush, and said his party would oppose the Government's referendum on citizenship.
"Such a referendum tied in with the local elections in particular, would be an opportunity for right-wing bigots and racists to parade their xenophobia toward ethnic minorities," he said. "It is undoubtedly the case that the housing crisis in particular has fuelled some misplaced resentment against immigrant workers and asylum-seekers."
He said the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the Government owed the Irish people an apology for allowing Shannon Airport to be used to facilitate the "criminal invasion" of Iraq.
"That they are now proposing to allow Bush to use a visit here to assist his re-election campaign shows just how devoid this Government is of principle," he said.
Mr Higgins was speaking in Portlaoise where 150 delegates gathered at the weekend to prepare their campaign in the local and European elections. The party is fielding 13 candidates in the local election and Mr Higgins is running in Dublin in the European Parliament election.
He said in his address that the draft EU constitutional treaty underpinned the privatisation policy and claimed the treaty would allow "further scope for multinational corporations to move into crucial public services like health and welfare". He said that crucial publicly-owned companies such the ESB, Aer Rianta, Aer Lingus and Dublin Bus were being lined up by the Government for privatisation.
On the suspension of postal services, he said a secure future for An Post "lies with the workers being at the heart of the management of the service, rather than being pushed around at present".
Mr Higgins said the party expected to take "several more seats", in addition to retaining the seats held by Ms Clare Daly and Ms Ruth Coppinger on Fingal County Council.
He said the party aimed to make its campaign against bin charges a major issue in the elections. Mr Higgins, Ms Daly and Mr Nick Murphy were among 22 bin tax protesters sent to prison during the campaign last year.
Seven of the party's candidates are running in Fingal - with two each running in Mulhuddart and Swords - while the party will contest single seats in Dublin City Council, South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. It will also contests single seats in Cork, Limerick and Drogheda, Co Louth.
