This Government are fools. They are destroying this country- even the parasites of international finance believe so. In October they will announce Billions more for Anglo Irish Bank – and this on top of the 23 Billion we’ve already wasted!

The Fianna Fail Green Government have to resort to outright lies and the manipulation of statistics in their pathetic attempt to gloss over the true extent and severity of the economic crisis and Ireland’s collapse. They will tell you, for example, that our fall hasn’t been as bad as Iceland or Turkey and that if you keep your head down, work away and accept the cuts all we be for the best .

Yet we have become the economic basket case of Europe. The strategy of Cut, Slash and Burn is just not working.

Just look at the jobs crisis. If you add in discouraged workers (those taking early retirement because of lack of work, students etc) and the self employed who can’t claim welfare, as well as the 60,000 who will emigrate this year- then nearly one in five workers are unemployed.

The SWP is absolutely determined to continue the fightback against the rotten clique who govern this country – we will be on the streets again on September 29th. That date is also the day set for a call for Europewide strikes and demonstrations against cuts and austerity- called by the European Trade Union Council- so it’s vital we get everyone onto the streets that day- a day when workers and the unemployed will be voicing their outrage all over Europe.

Cuts

The government’s only response has been to close hospitals, shut down community development projects, cut welfare, and generally leave untouched the untaxed super rich.

In next December’s budget they want to take all those on minimum wage into the tax net and welfare. The government already cut welfare last year by €8 (not to mention the 2% cut represented by taking the Christmas bonus) and looks set to do the same again this year.

This is basic Thatcherism- to make being on welfare such a terrifying prospect that those who work will accept a reduction in wages.

And now they want slave labour- forcing people to work for the dole is another free gift to the employers. The FAS work placement programme has people working 40 hours weeks for nothing except their welfare. The new work for dole scheme will see people having to do community work for their benefits but this government is destroying the community sector- with thousands of jobs already gone! This hypocrisy is unbelievable- on the one hand to pretend to be interested in solving unemployment yet on the other adding to the dole queue with their Thatcherite policies.

Health Cuts Kill

It’s not only welfare that will take another hit in December – the destruction of our Health services is set to continue apace. According to nurses’ organisations over 1,300 beds have been closed by this Government while 8,000 people die every year due to ‘errors’ and neglect in our hospitals.

The Government has closed countless regional hospitals and despite the general myth that ‘the Irish don’t fight back’ these closures have produced some of the largest mobilisations seen here over the last year- 5,000 marched in Wexford, 5,000 in Ballinasloe, 20,000 in Clonmel to name just a few!

Fight Back

The Irish CAN protest. When the government came for the pensioners 15,000 of them forced the powers that be to retreat. Then we had 80,000 teachers and supporters marching. Then 100,000 public sector workers came out against pay cuts on two occasions. Last year also saw the strike of 250,000 public sector workers as well as the Waterford glass and Thomas cook occupations.

It was only the cowardice of the Union bureaucrats that took the momentum out of the movement and disheartened people by not leading an effective fight back.

That’s why we need to link up with every fight back or resistance that breaks out, we need to re build rank and file and grassroots organisation.

We also need to escalate the protests when they do occur- a strike is the most effective form of mass civil disobedience but we have to take others.

We need mass sit downs, the occupation of government offices. The crisis is too severe and the consequences of passiveness too great. If you lie down they will only kick you and keep kicking you.

The SWP is determined to place itself at the heart of every single fight back and we are calling on you and all our supporters to join, build, and mobilise for, the protest on Sept 29th- let’s widen these protests and bring together as many strands of opposition as we can. Join the Protest from Anglo Irish Bank at 12pm on Sept 29th – joining the ICTU protest at the Dail.

If you agree the get active with the socialists!