After six years of austerity, the government is claiming we are moving towards recovery. But who is benefiting from the recovery? If it is to mean anything, it must bring some relief for low and middle income families, who have borne the brunt of cuts, unemployment and mortgage distress.
Instead, the Fine Gael/Labour government plans to continue cuts and austerity measures in 2014.
This year families will have to pay a full year’s property tax and in October water charges will be introduced
Recent budget cuts have led to a rapid rise in poverty and homelessness. Incredibly, the government is now bringing in more tax breaks for landlords and property speculators, which is driving up rents and the cost of housing.
On top of this, they intend to introduce a further €1.2 billion in cuts and taxes in the next budget, while paying €9.1 billion in interest to service the debt run up by bankers and speculators.
If we want meaningful recovery, we must demand new policies that prioritize jobs, and help low and middle income families.
We say:
- Freeze interest payments on the bank debt – Use this money to create jobs
- Support struggling mortgage holders and protect family homes
- Establish an emergency programme to provide social housing and create employment – Abolish new tax breaks for property speculators
- Invest in Health and Education – No more cuts
- Protect our natural resources and state assets – Invest in these resources to generate jobs, industry and vital infrastructure
- Support small traders and businesses – Cut rates and parking charges
- Abolish the Property Tax and USC & No to water charges – make the super-wealthy and big business pay their fair share
- Establish real democracy and accountability at national and local level.
We have paid a terrible price for the looting of the country by bankers, developers and the former Fianna Fail government.
But Fine Gael and the Labour Party have betrayed their promises to deal with the crisis in a fair way.
They are still taking money from the pockets of ordinary people and privatising our public services and resources, while protecting the interests of the super-wealthy.
ALL the establishment political parties – Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour – promise you everything but then behave the same when in power.
We need to build a new political force in this country to replace them.
People Before Profit Alliance is working to build this alternative. We believe People Power is the key to bring real change. We are running candidates right across the country in next year’s local elections and also running Brid Smith for MEP for Dublin. We will resist further unjust cuts and taxes such as water charges and campaign for jobs and fairness.
As we saw with the pensioners fighting for their medical cards or the recent successful battle to stop the sale of our forests: ‘people power’ can win.
Please support us in trying to build this kind of alternative.
Join the People Before Profit Alliance and get involved in our election campaigns.
