At 2pm today we march in Clonmel not just against the water charges but we march for change.
We march for the Right to:
– Have a health service which is fit for purpose.
– Education, including the restoration and increased provision of SNA’s, and an education which is truly free.
– Have gainful and decent employment which would provide dignity, respect and a living wage.
– Democratic Reform where citizens are at the heart of decision making.
– Housing, and to end homelessness and clearing of social housing waiting lists.
– Sustainable Energy, fighting climate change is not a ‘cost’ – it is a necessary strategy for human survival.
– Natural Resources. The assets of our nation were declared in the 1916 Proclamation as belonging to the citizens of Ireland, a Proclamation which
also pledged to cherish all the citizens of the state equally. The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is one of the biggest threats to people’s ability to provide labour, social, and environmental protection and represents a proposed transfer of economic and political sovereignty from the Irish citizens to multi-national corporations.
– Equality, the right to equality encompasses social and economic rights which are implied and un-enumerated rights in our Constitution. These rights should be protected in legislation which will address the issues of poverty.
– Debt Justice, as past recklessness of financial speculation is imposing an intolerable burden on people’s future.
Just us at the Main Guard, Clonmel at 2pm.
Seamus Healy TD – 0872802199
Focus Ireland Spokesperson said:This is far from rent certainty.
However, we are highly concerned it will fail to stem the constant rising flow of 70 to 80 families becoming homeless in Dublin alone very month. —–The measures are far from a convincing response to the scale of the problems we are facing.
Kelly sought that rent increases be pegged to the cost of living. But Minister Noonan(FG) backed by 25 FG Landlord TDs, and American developers Kennedy Wilson forced him to bend the knee and retreat.
Landlords can only increase the rent every two years now rather than every year as before. Landlords must get three local examples of rents to justify an increase.!!! This will make almost no difference. In a situation where there is no competition between landlords due to shortage of accomodation, landlords can simply raise the rent by double the yearly increase every two years! OR, WORSE STILL, RAISE THE RENT BY A LARGE AMOUNT BEFORE THE LAW COMES IS PASED. The Dáil sat all night to bail out the Banks. But there is no urgency about protecting tenants!
I am shocked by the jailing of five water protesters for contempt of court yesterday
I wish to condemn these jailings and to call for the immediate release of the protesters
It is important to remember that these jailings are not as a result of any crime or act of violence committed, but for a technical ‘contempt of court’ issue.
They stand in stark contrast to the impunity of those who brought about the financial crisis which has resulted in untold hardship for communities across Ireland – hardship further exacerbated by the imposition of water charges. The movement against water charges has been based on mass peaceful protest, and this will continue.
The ultimate responsibility for these incarcerations lies with the Government who have made a political choice to impose water charges on communities. The protestors jailed today are simply protecting themselves, their children and their communities from further political attacks on their living standards. They should be freed without delay.
We have a country where 37% of children live in deprivation and 1.7 million citizens have less than €100 disposal income monthly. Moreover, another 500,000 citizens have nothing left after bills have been paid. The communities represented by the protesters jailed today are the human face of these statistics. I again call on the Government to show common sense, halt the installation of water meters and abolish these charges. This is necessary to prevent any further unnecessary confrontation in the interests of both communities and workers.
Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199
Workers & Unemployed Action 