People Before Profit held its annual convention over the weekend with 400 delegates participating. The conference was a lively affair with several debates on how the party should organize internally and how it should respond to issues such as the scandal in RTÉ.
Conference agreed to focus on key priority areas over the coming period.
It will put a lot of its energy into the cost of living crises and the housing crisis. Conference rejected the neoliberal dogma that the government cannot do anything but must leave matters to the market. It called for a three percent cap on mortgages, a new system of rent controls and rent reductions and a massive increase in social housing. The AGM agreed to mobilise for a major cost of living and housing crisis demonstration on the 7th of October.
The People Before Profit convention also noted how the Irish government is systematically seeking to erode neutrality and to drag the country into NATO or an EU army. It defined Irish neutrality as arising from an anti-colonial tradition and, in the contemporary context, meaning that Ireland must stay independent of the major imperialist blocs that are gathering around US-EU and China-Russia. It agreed to fully support a demonstration to defend Irish neutrality on the 4th of November.
One of the themes of the conference was the crisis of global capitalism. This is exemplified most dramatically in climate change. This year COP 28 will meet in the United Arab Emirates and its proceedings will be packaged by PR experts drawn from the oil industry. No better symbol could be given of how the big corporations resort to climate hypocrisy rather than outright climate denial.
In Ireland the Green Party has become a major impediment in promoting genuine environmental politics. The position of the Green Party leader Eamon Ryan in supporting the construction of more data centres and in rejecting the very idea of free public transport as causing ‘ unnecessary journeys’ typifies how those who seek to both manage capitalism and save the planet will always fail.
The conference also took steps to define People Before Profit as the main anti-fascist organisation in Ireland. It rejected the argument that one should not openly denounce fascist and far right activities by name or not engage in counter demonstrations to mobilise against the fascist threat.
Many of these themes will feature in the party’s campaign in the local council and EU election campaigns in 2024.
Conference heard from several delegates about the pollution of Loch Neagh where an algae bloom is spreading over the North’s major lake. Successive Stormont ministers had turned a blind eye to this problem and the conference pledged to work to build a major all Ireland campaign to resist the pollution of the Loch.
Conference gave full support to the current strike wave of public sector workers in the North. It will seek to deepen resistance to Tory austerity. The Tories are now talking about the possibility of water charges. The conference pledged to mobilise a major people power based campaign to resist.
Overall the conference was high spirited and brought together many young people who have joined People Before Profit. It is a growing organisation and this was evident from this very successful conference. A new steering committee was also elected that will lead the organisation based on the perspectives agreed at conference.