Galway protest against government cuts (Video, SpunOut.ie Youth)

Friday November 06, 2009 18:30

by SpunOut.ie Youth Volunteer - SpunOut.ie Youth Movement

The West's Awake

Vibrant rallies were held today in Dublin, Cork, Dundalk, Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Tullamore and Waterford to protest against the treatment of workers and the vulnerable in Irish society. It is estimated that over 20,000 marched in Dublin, up to 15,000 marched in Cork and up to 5,000 or more in other cities and towns around Ireland. This is undoubtedly a powerful collective message to our government.

Galway marcher

SpunOut.ie chatted to many protestors at the Galway rally and asked ‘Why are you here?’ Some of the messages we heard back were:

* ‘We are being treated unfairly.’

* ‘Those in power and the elite are trying to keep these old ways alive so that they stay rich,
while we lose our jobs.’

* ‘I deserve better and my children deserve better.’

* ‘I’m a fully qualified nurse, just out of college and I have no chance of getting a job.
I don’t want to leave the country or my family. What am I going to do?’

* ‘We can’t put up with the way our government is treating us any longer. We must do something.’

The clear message from the organisers of the rallies, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, is:

'This is about how we can get through the crisis without forcing low and middle income families to bear all the burden. It is about how we can emerge in better shape on the other side and make sure the same mistakes are not repeated.

The priorities of Government are wrong and will not change unless you get up, stand up and demand that they do what is best for people.'

The Five Key Demands of Government from ICTU are:

1. Tackle the Jobs’ Crisis
2. Stop cuts to peoples’ incomes
3. Protect vital services
4. Safeguard peoples’ homes
5. Make the wealthy pay their fair share

Minister for Health, Mary Harney, has said marching will not reduce the economic challenges facing the country. She also said people have the right to protest in a democracy, but said the Government has to take the decisions that it deems necessary to deal with the economic crisis. She said the Government faces unprecedented economic challenges and that everyone needs to work together in the national interest.

If you have any thoughts on the protest, on the thousands of people marching, or on our government, discuss it on the SpunOut.ie discussion forums here:
http://www.spunout.ie/forum/php-BB-3/viewtopic.php?f=6&...=2722