Say no to the crazy austerity policies

Dear Editor,

Last Saturday, the Campaign against the Household and Water Taxes were able to celebrate a major victory in the fight against austerity as a million people have chosen not to register or pay the household charge. On the day, over 10,000 people from the campaign and a number of other community groups marched to the Fine Gael Ard Fheis in protest at the Government austerity measures. The austerity policies of the Coalition have done nothing to lower the soaring unemployment rate or halt the tide of emigration. At the same time, the Government have been cutting essential public services, community facilities and social welfare, while introducing the household charge. All these attacks have the biggest effect on the most vulnerable in society who are struggling to make ends meet. These cutbacks have been introduced to cover the cost of bailing out banks and bondholders. The Government was expected to pay another €3 billion to bondholders last Saturday but negotiated to defer the payment until after the referendum on the Fiscal Treaty. No doubt the Government will use this renegotiation to help try and persuade people to vote yes in the referendum. Of course they will fail to mention the extra €90 million interest they will pay as a result of deferring the payment to bondholders. The treaty will enforce austerity on the whole EU and make the current economic situation even worse for ordinary people and thus should be opposed and rejected.

There have been a number of campaigns around the country fighting on single issues such as the household charge, cuts in education, and the closure of nursing homes. The only way to defeat the Government and stop its brutal austerity policies is for all the various campaigns to unite and stand together. There will be an opportunity for people to express their opposition to the Government’s austerity policies in Galway on 14 April, when the Labour Party hold their national conference at NUI Galway. The Labour Party will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of their founding by James Connolly and Jim Larkin but they have betrayed the legacy of Connolly and Larkin, real socialists who stood up for the weakest in society. A wide range of political and community organisations and campaigns have come together to organise a march from Eyre Square to NUI Galway on the day. It is time for everyone to stand together and say no to the crazy austerity policies of the Labour Party and the Government. Join the protest on Saturday 14 April at 2pm in Eyre Square.

Yours,

Kiran Emrich,

The Green,

College Road,

Galway.