1% Network Announces ‘Political Walking Tour’ Through Dublin 4

dublin | anti-capitalism | news report Thursday September 23, 2010 11:27 by Brian & Gregor - 1% Network 1percentnetwork at gmail dot com

The 1% network has announced details of a ‘political walking tour’ through the affluent districts of Dublin 2 and Dublin 4. The tour, which will bring protesters through the ‘heartland of the Golden Circle’, will stop at a number of locations, including the new headquarters of Anglo Irish Bank on Burlington Road, property developer Johnny Ronan’s property on Burlington Road and IBEC headquarters on Baggot Street. The tour will assemble at the Wolfe Tone Monument on Stephens Green at 1pm on Saturday, October 9th, 2010.

The 1% network is a coalition of socialist groups which has come together to oppose the cutback agenda of the government and to promote a socialist alternative to the current socio-economic system. Organisations within the coalition include éirígí, Irish Socialist Network, Seomra Spraoi and the Workers Solidarity Movement. The name of the coalition was chosen to highlight the fact that just 1% of the population control in excess of 34% of the wealth of the state.

Speaking in advance of the tour Gregor Kerr of the 1% Network said,

“It is almost unbelievable that just 1% of the population, roughly 40,000 people, control more than a third of the wealth of the state. This one statistic tells you all you need to know about modern Ireland. How can there be any hope of a better future for the children of this country when the distribution of wealth is so grossly unequal?

“Since the current recession began the government have deliberately and repeatedly chosen to make the most vulnerable in our society pay for the greed of the rich. The last three budgets have seen savage cuts to healthcare, education and social welfare, as well as increased taxation on average and low paid workers. At no point has the government targeted the 1% who own more than a third of the wealth of this country.

Highlighting the need for the 1% to pay their fair share Brian Leeson of the 1% Network said,

“The super-rich amassed great fortunes off the backs of ordinary people during the Celtic Tiger. It is now time for them to them to take the pain, just like everyone else. Instead of targeting social welfare recipients, the sick, the young, the old and the working poor the government should focus on making the 1% pay their share.

“The walking tour will give people the opportunity to quite literally see how the 1% live. The route of the tour deliberately cuts through the stomping ground of the infamous Golden Circle. The tour will stop outside of the homes of tax dodgers, the headquarters of failed banks and the offices of gombeen politicians, who between them they have brought the economy to ruin and our society to edge of the abyss.”