Michael Finnegan, President
of the Workers’ Party stated: “The Labour Party, as an employer and as part of government, should be ashamed of
its role in tearing up the original Croke Park deal and
forcibly reducing the pay and conditions of almost 300,000 public sector workers in this country. This deal will cause hardship
and desperation to many families. It will push more and more families into severe debt and having to decide between paying
their mortgage and putting food on the table for their children.”
“The Labour Party
has once again betrayed its electorate and reneged on those who placed their faith in that party over the years. The Labour
Party has steadfastly refused to introduce a third rate of tax for high earners which is the most equitable way of generating
income for the state. Labour Party ministers are to the forefront in handing over our oil and gas reserves to multinational
conglomerates at zero gain to the state. Labour ministers are actively destroying Irish jobs through the fire-sale and privatisation
of our publicly-owned commercial State companies of which Coillte is the most immediate example”.
“The Labour Party
has bailed out the bankers. The Labour Party has bailed out the speculators. This deal is the third direct attack on the incomes
and livelihoods of public sector workers. As well as the direct attack on wages, public sector workers have also endured a
massive attack on pension rights as well as swingeing cuts in sick leave and maternity leave.”
“It is now clearly
established in the public domain” stated Michael Finnegan “that less than 2% of public servants are high earners
in the €100,000 plus bracket per year. Yet failed property speculators who brought this country to its knees are being
paid up to €200,000 by NAMA. It is also an established fact that many lower paid public servants have to rely on FIS
and other social welfare supports to live from week to week. I would ask Tánaiste Gilmore and the Labour Party how many bankers
and speculators are relying on FIS or signing on the dole?”
“This year”
concluded Michael Finnegan “marks the 100th anniversary of the 1913 Lockout, one of the seminal moments in Irish labour
history. It is surely ironic that the Labour Parliamentary Party has picked this
moment to align themselves with our modern William Martin Murphys and desert the legacy of Connolly”.
Issued: Tue Feb 26th