Southern Ireland in recession

Written by Paul Murphy Tuesday, 23 February 2010 14:30

Is the worst over?

Brian Lenihan introduced the budget for 2010 with the statement that “the worst is over”. This astounding declaration was accompanied by rising unemployment, attacks on public and private sector wages, and the admission that the savagery of the 2010 budget will be matched in 2011 and 2012. There is no question that for working people, the worst is far from over. Part One of a three part article.

Joe Higgins MEP call for Halifax to be taken into Public Ownership

Written by Joe Higgins MEP Friday, 12 February 2010 19:40

Responding to the news of Bank of Scotland (Ireland)'s decision to close its Halifax outlets with the resulting loss of 750 jobs Socialist Party MEP Joe Higgins commented.

Hermitage attack pay and conditions

Written by Michael O'Brien Thursday, 28 January 2010 00:00

A generalised assault is underway against the pay and conditions of workers in the private health sector. In the likes of the Bon Secours and the Mater Private the employers have sought to impliment paycuts in line with the governement attacks on public service pay.


However the Hermitage Clinic in Lucan has gone even further. In September/October 2009 they began a sham consultation with the clinic's 300 staff (half of whom are nurses in the INMO and the remainder other technical and admin grades represented by SIPTU) about implemented cost saving measures. This came on the back of a major investor pulling out of the clinic.

Water charges on the way back Boycott the Meter – Boycott the Charge!

Written by Michael Murphy Tuesday, 26 January 2010 00:00

Thanks to the Green Party and Fianna Fail’s continued attempts to make ordinary workers pay for the economic crisis, domestic water charges are on the way back for householders, 15 years after they were abolished.

Public sector workers on the breadline

Written by AnnOrr Tuesday, 26 January 2010 00:00

Ann Orr spoke to Laura who is married to a public sector worker who prior to the recent pay cuts earned €28,000 a year. They are both in their twenties and have a son who is nearly two years old.

What cuts have you been affected by over the last year?
"First, the pension levy came in. It was rolled back a bit for lower paid civil servants so we didn’t notice it as much as we had initially thought. Then the early childcare supplement got halved and we definitely noticed that.
"To be honest, one of the hardest things last year was just the media campaign against public servants, knowing that we are not privileged and quite poor and struggling and yet having to hear constant attacks in the media. After six months of that it starts to really wear you down.
"Then they came out on budget day saying that they would reduce child benefit but that families on income supplement would be protected. I knew instantly that they would find some loophole. They increased the limit of family income supplement but the change in the limit makes no difference to us. We still only get €20.”

ICTU leaders fail - Strike action can reverse cuts

Written by Stephen Boyd Thursday, 14 January 2010 00:00

ICTU’S SO-CALLED "plan of action" to oppose the pay cuts imposed on public sector workers is vague and doesn’t outline a clear strategy as to how the cuts can be reversed.

ICTU’s Public Services Committee is attempting to do the impossible. They are trying to come up with a plan of industrial action which will have a minimal impact on their members pay and on services to the public, while at the same time putting sufficient pressure on the government to force them to overturn the pay cuts. It can’t be done. If there is to be a fight to reverse the €1 billion in public sector pay cuts, then it won’t succeed without major strike action that directly impacts on the functioning of government and the provision of public services.

Young people didn’t cause the crisis

Written by Eddie McCabe Wednesday, 16 December 2009 00:00

The blatant way in which young people were singled out as easy targets in the recent budget was a draconian and discriminatory attack by the government.

The question they faced was clear- from which group in society could they take the most and expect the least backlash? The young unemployed- the most isolated, unorganised, inexperienced and therefore vulnerable group in society were an obvious choice.