'Maybe We Make Kettles' - says Tanaiste!

national | anti-war / imperialism | feature Friday June 04, 2004 00:00 by Indymedia Ireland Editorial Group - Indymedia Ireland

Harney Denies Ireland Has an Arms Trade - 'or a racist Minister for Justice' sez Wag

Tim Hourigan is always at the right place at the right time when it comes to Shannon and environs. In his latest coup he finds the Tainiste in the local Supermarket denying Ireland has an arms trade. She'd probably also deny the fact that prisoners in US Style extra-judicial detention are being flown through the Airport down the road from the self-same Supermarket. Read it and weep:

"I was wondering why there was a Garda helicopter over the area on Saturday morning. I went up to my local shopping centre to use the cash machine, (which told me I was so broke I couldn't get to the corner if it cost 10c to go around the world).

When I turned around, there was Mary Harney and her husband with local PD TD Tim O'Malley, and council candidates Bridget Teefy, Jim Hickey, and other hangers-on although I didn't spot her sister-in-law Isobel Geoghan (sister of IBEC boss, Brian, Mary's hubby) who is running in Ward 4 in Limerick.

There was nobody else around, just the PDs and me. . . . ." Click below to continue reading

One of the PD cllrs recognised me and started patronising me with the usual waffle. Harney turned to shake my hand.

I told her I considered her to be a war criminal for aiding and abetting Bush. I reminded her that we'd met before (that was at a shopping centre too, and it was on TV! : )

I also said that as a free and peaceful citizen of Ireland I was appalled at the plans to restrict my freedom of movement in and out of the Shannon area during the visit of G.W.Bush, that the roads will be closed for a man who has killed more innocent people than Bin Laden.

Harney made no attempt to reply to this, instead asking me if I was running in the local elections.

I told her I'd be campaigning against McDowell's racist referendum. I then told her that I was appalled that Ireland continues its arms trade with Israel.

Harney said that we don't make weapons, perhaps we sell kettles for the Israeli bases or maybe software...

I interrupted to point out that it is HER department that issues the licenses in a sneaky, secretive system, that licensed over 2.6 BILLION euro of military and 'dual-purpose products' last year.

I reminded her that Analog in Limerick makes the weapons targetting and firing systems (HARDWARE) for the Apache Attack helicopters used by the Israelis recently in Rafah and elsewhere.

My neighbour works in Analog as a supervisor and tells me that at least one line is exclusively dedicated to making weapons parts for the Israelis.

At this point Harney started to retreat while one of her lackeys accused me of wanting to run Analog of out limerick and leave us with no jobs.

I retorted that Analog make plenty of other things and would not close down if they stopped making weapons.

At this they scuttled away to their cars, I turned around to go and saw that a few of the Tesco staff had been watching this, and giving me the thumbs up sign.

So, Mary Harney, the minister for enterprise trade and employment, is unaware of an industrial sector that did over 2.6 billion in trade last year?
Or does she just run away from the truth that she has helped to convert Irish production to the means of death and destruction.

You might want to ask any PD candidates who knock on your door about this mental blindspot that afflicts Mary Harney.

Amnesty International's Irish Section criticises EU arms export controls and names Irish-registered companies "Balcombe Ltd." and "Limid Invest Ltd." as taking advantage of loopholes.
Eoin Dubsky calls for review of Arm's export licences
Derry City kicks out the death traders
Infiltration of Arms Activist groups in UK
Arrests of protestors in London
Govt. report on arms trade (2003)
Global Women's Strike protest Salthill Airshow
Famine Walk 2003 connects hunger and militarism
Arms Trader to run Iraq
1200 foreign companies in Ireland. More than half are from USA