Around 1,000 people took part in a lively protest in Dublin as part of the worlwwide day of action against austerity, which saw protests from New Zealand, London, Australia and Rome and many other places. The march which went from Parnell Square to the Merrion Hotel, where IMFofficials are staying was addressed by speakers from Community Organisations, Hospital cuts campaigns, Bus Cuts campaigns, Education Cuts campaigns and ended with an open mic assembly where individuals got up and had their say. For more on Enough Campaign see: www.enoughcampaign.org
The IMF-EU-ECB ‘Troika’ are back in Ireland. Their austerity policies are causing immense suffering and are making the economic crisis worse, meanwhile bondholders and the superwealthy are getting off scot-free. This time they are demanding we sell €5 Billion worth of state assets. We are selling the family silver to pay for Zombie banks.
The IMF want to cut public sector pay again and they want to further dismantle protections for low paid workers. They plan to slash social welfare, education, special needs services and close hospital A&Es. They also plan to scrap social housing, introduce a household tax and a water tax. ESB, Bord Gais, Coillte, Aer Lingus are all on the auction block. State enterprises like the ESB are what transformed Ireland from a third world country to a modern economy. Putting these vital public assets in private hands is disastrous. The Eircom privatisation set Ireland back years on broadband. Rail privatisation in Britain led to more rail disasters due to cutbacks in signalling. The same will happen here with electricity, power and water. Private companies are only interested in making profits not in running good public services. Selling the ESB off will just transfer that social wealth into private hands.In fact the ESB shows what proper state investment can achieve. The ESB transformed Ireland through its electrification scheme. It delivered high quality jobs and cheap electricity. In the face of mass unemployment and emmigration we should be investing in state companies to create jobs.
Open assembly outside Merrion Hotel, on front of the Department of Finance
This has been the IMF’s policy for decades. They load a country with debt and then demand it sells off its state assets to pay them back. Africa has been devastated by these policies, the life expectancy of the population has collapsed and in the end countries have ended up owing just as much as when they started.
Ireland’s debt is odious, illegitimate debt. It is the debt of the bankers and private speculators. Let them pay their own debts! FG and Labour have completely reneged on their election promises to ‘burn the bondholders’.
We, the taxpayer, have to cover the bank’s debts but there is no similar bail-out for homeowners in mortgage arrears or workers who have lost their jobs. If we don’t stop them we’ll be thrown back to the 1920s.
But they can be stopped. Mass protest can force the government and the IMF to back down. Three years ago the pensioners forced the then government to back down. If we all stand together we can push them back again.
