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Irish people finally protest against bail-out cuts and harsh budget plans

Austerity march attracts 20,000 strong crowd onto the streets of Dublin

PATRICK COUNIHAN,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Sunday, November 25, 2012, 9:08 AM

Updated Sunday, November 25, 2012, 9:08 AM

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Up to 20,000 people have taken to the streets of Dublin in a pre-budget protest.

Ireland’s fight-back against austerity has finally taken off – up to 20,000 people have taken to the streets of Dublin in a pre-budget protest.

Saturday’s march from the Garden of Remembrance to the GPO marked the first serious public kickback against the conditions imposed by the EU and IMF bail-out.

Speakers called on the government to fight the austerity measures set to worsen in next month’s budget.

The march was organised by the Dublin Council of Trade Unions and attracted demonstrators from all across Ireland.

DCTU chief Michael O’Reilly told the crowd that Saturday’s march is only the first of many as the Coalition government prepares to unveil more savage cuts.

O’Reilly said: “The evidence is clear - you cannot cut your way out of a recession. On the contrary - with each cut in public spending and with each euro taken out of the pockets of low and average earners, we are digging ourselves further into a hole.

“These protests prove the Government can’t afford another austerity Budget on December 5. And we will be outside the Dail (parliament) when they unveil their budget on Wednesday week.”

The marchers were led off by a woman wearing a white mask and riding a dark horse as traffic in the capital came to a standstill.

United Left Alliance deputy Richard Boyd Barrett urged the crowd to use Saturday’s march as the beginning of a new campaign against government cutbacks.

Boyd Barrett said: “I hope this protest will lead to a national campaign of resistance against austerity and the bank bail-outs.

“It is abundantly clear, that half of the population - if not more - simply cannot take any more. The fabric of our society and our economy is being ripped apart.

“This madness has to stop. We must cease immediately the insane policy of prioritising the interests of banks and markets over the needs of ordinary citizens.”

Irish Congress of Trade Union boss Eugene McGlone called for a general strike but, according to the Irish Sun newspaper, the call was rejected by other union officials

Socialist deputy Joe Higgins told the paper that the march was the start of a sustained battle against further hardship being imposed on the people.

Higgins said: “This is a magnificent demonstration against austerity and the household tax.

“The property tax is going to be a nightmare for ordinary householders.

“The boycott and the intensification of a massive campaign against it is the only way to stop it.”

Protestor Donal McGreevy urged the Government to stop the cuts. He told the Irish Sun: “It was a superb turnout and the Government will have to sit up and take notice.

“The people of Ireland have had enough and shouldn’t be held responsible for the actions of those who brought this country to its knees.”

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casualMBA | Nov 27, 2012, 12:50 PM EST

Junior bondholders’ “gambling” aside, Europe’s “Troika” has not gambled on Ireland. Why? Because of Ireland’s “base.” Beyond the human resources and stability of the Irish people, Ireland has some of the most fertile fields in Europe (574, 645 acres of which, at least, were confiscated from the Fitzgeralds – a good many from the O’Neills as well - without the return of sizable lands since Ireland’s Republic has been founded. This “base” is Ireland’s collateral, before nations, and underlies (not undertakes) its future plans and, more importantly, its “cultural integrity” and reputation before nations.

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Towngate | Nov 27, 2012, 06:44 AM EST

Jayses Jakers you are all up in a heap here! Mixing up several separate elements of the 'Irish Condition'.~~~ To say the actual lives of politicians charged with the country's recovery are in danger for doing their sworn Duty is putting it strongly. They might squalk and moan for a bit, but at heart, they realise the over-abundant, generous welfare benefits can afford to be reduced by at least 25% before anybody would feel the pinch. Weed out the over-paid Public service salaries and pensions, remove 50% farm subsidies and they know the country will be well on the way to recovery.They can't insist or expect it to stay as it was, when that is what got us needing to borrow so heavily in order to continue existing as a 'viable nation'. ~~ You rail against the 'Troika' who are only the inspectors we agreed to, who check we are keeping our side of the bargain, and in whose powers lie the ability to inform the World Markets that Ireland can be trusted and is taking the necessary steps to 'return to the fold' of financial prudence. So stop whining - you brought it on yourself and give the Dossers, Crooks and Overpaid Pirates a hefty kick in the Craic!

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jacersagain | Nov 26, 2012, 06:38 PM EST

The really-well attendances at marches against austerity will happen after the promised cleavings under the forthcoming Irish Budget are revealed. I actually fear for the very lives (not just the political lives) of any of the politicians voting in favour of passing the promised "worst ever" budget in Ireland, such will be the huge rage of Irish people against the cost to them of re-paying junior bond-holders their gambling losses. And for the lives of the Troika teams and their insistent mentors of the Irish Government. How about Ms. Merkel's life, who steadfastly insists that junior bondholders should be repaid their losses by Irish citizens? Please God it won't come to that but that risk is there (it's being whispered around). But what will come will be further deaths and suicides brought about by the Budget and its consequences, something the Troika and Ms. Merkel won’t be bothered about. A question: can a Government (or members of the Troika and its teams’ bull nose-ring leading of the Irish Government) be brought to any Irish or European Court charged with the deaths of its citizens, caused by their decisions, by suicide or inability to live anymore under Government- or Troika-enforced austerity measures on citizens who had nothing to do with junior bondholders' gambling habits??

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pilib04 | Nov 26, 2012, 11:46 AM EST

Fianna Fail and the Greens facilitated this banking disaster and Fine Gael and Labour are accomodating the banks. Sinn Fein is the only political party willing to take on the banks!

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casualMBA | Nov 26, 2012, 11:02 AM EST

Often hear of "why" bailout (rescue Irish and European banks, developers, profiteers of one kind or another) and "consequences" of bailout (cuts to earned or unearned benefits and services and harsh budget plans for future years/gov'ts) but do not often hear of Irish people's "base" for the bailout in the first (pardon me) place

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IrelandNorth | Nov 26, 2012, 07:41 AM EST

Gárda Síochána eye-in-the-sky estimated attendance at 10,000. Organisers at 18,000. Split the difference - approximately 14,000! Union leaders on five and six figure sums rarely prove radical. Too much in common with their supposed class adversaries. Most recent Government innovation is rumoured to deduct Universal Social Charge (USC), (ie Bankster Bailout Benefit), from social welfare payments, even though many such recipients are living in exempted local authority (ie public) accomodation. A comment attributed to JFK comes to mind: "We had better give them reform. Or they will give us revolution!"

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angrypaddy | Nov 26, 2012, 01:47 AM EST

Ir.Central likes to sensationalize its headlines in order to sell more newspapers to emigrants that who came here in the '60's Todays Irish watch live rte.ie for their news .Having watched the pathetic turn out on Saturday 5,000 would be more like it,there were 10 times as many people at the Irish rugby game (that must be where your reporter was)as most of the louts were to busy watching Man Utd in the pub as usual to be bothered to protest and as Brian Dobson lemented it was far to cold.The dolers are not getting any cuts in the budget they are happy enough with their lot!!Let the tax payer pay for the lot.

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gobdawpaddy | Nov 25, 2012, 11:40 PM EST

Riley, while I accept that this doesn't mean much to the man/woman in the street who is currently out of work or having difficulty paying bills etc.., international investors appear to hold a similar view to Towngate. Michael Hassenstab has invested between 8 and 10 billion USD (depending on the source) and I read a story just yesterday of a London based broker being advised by his boss that 'if it's Irish, buy it'. I believe Franklin Templeton bought in when Irish 10 year bonds were yielding over 12%, they are now trading around 4.5% (the last time I looked). Cliff Taylor in an article in the Business Post observed that 'in recent months, international perception of Ireland has shifted dramatically' (favorably). Again this doesn't mean much to families that are struggling right now, but it is positive.

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Towngate | Nov 25, 2012, 07:23 PM EST

Riley 1987 whoever you are ...I suspect a 'Card-carrying Member' of something. > when a man points a finger at someone - he points three back at himself! - you thrice fool! ~~~~~~ Look-it! :- If the Government refuses to pay Public (borrowed from ECB, etc, remember!) in ridiculously disproportionate freebie Welfare Benefits and Subsidies,salaries and pensions; on which the 'claimants' have based their delusional standard of living, then that is what I call The Right Track! ~~~ Irish recovery IS possible - but the all the grasping dossers have to be dealt a severe blow with a Reality Stick!

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gobdawpaddy | Nov 25, 2012, 05:19 PM EST

Dunno where IC gets its information from but Irish media who had people present in Dublin put the number in attendance at between 8,000 and 10,000.

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Riley1987 | Nov 25, 2012, 12:36 PM EST

@Towngate If you think Ireland is on "the right track" to recovery you are a fool

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Towngate | Nov 25, 2012, 10:17 AM EST

Patick: It seems you are acting as a mouthpiece for DCTU and ULA. If these bodies had the interests of the Irish Public at heart - instead of defending the narrow Restricted Practices of their overpaid and over-pensioned members,their protests would have some meaning. Any austerity measure should include Suspending or totally proscribing such self-serving Organisations. ~ The elected Irish Government should stand firm against these bullies, and keep Ireland on the right track for Recovery.

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