14th October 2002

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`Nice contains a covert privatisation agenda in Article 133' - Doolan

Sinn Fein Campaign Manager for the Nice Referendum, Daithí Doolan, has called on people to examine the Nice Treaty and its plans for the privatisation of public services. Mr. Doolan was speaking at a mock auction organised by Ógra Shinn Fein to highlight the issue of privatisation.

Mr. Doolan said :

``Nice contains a covert privatisation agenda in the form of Article 133. If Nice is passed it will massively increase the EU's ability to pressurise member states into implementing sweeping privatisation measures. This explains the motivation of the business lobbies such as IBEC in backing Nice''

``The EU's chief negotiator for GATS (General Agreeement for Trade and Services), Robert Madelin, has identified the health and education sectors as ``ripe for liberalisation''. This is furthrer evidence of the threat to our public services''

``Sinn Fein is opposed to privatisation of national industries and services. We do not see why essential services should be sacrificed to private corporations interested only in profit who would lay off thousands of workers, cut services and cut corners to make a Euro''

``Those people who oppose privitisation and support Nice should seriously re-think their position as the two are mutually exclusive''.

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