CHANTING, DANCING and the joyous singing of Italian workers’ songs were interspersed with enraged calls for the troika to get their “dirty hands” off Ireland’s assets, hospitals, jobs and children, as about 1,000 people marched in two protests against “corporate greed” in Dublin over the weekend.
About 400 people took part in a march – organised some months ago to coincide with similar marches across the world – from Parnell Square, to the Department of Finance, via Kildare Street.
Separately, about 600 took part in a march also from Parnell Square, to the site of the “Occupy Dame Street” protest outside the Central Bank. Participants in this would not join the other, citing the participation in it of trade unions and political parties.
Among those on the former, were parents of children with special needs, pensioners from Tara Mines, community group representatives, members of trade unions Mandate, Siptu and Unite, as well as members of People Before Profit – United Left Alliance and the Enough! campaign.
They carried placards with slogans such as: “Bail out hospitals, not the bankers”; “No 10 per cent cut to our pensions”; and “Some cuts never heal, hands off our children with special needs”.
Stopping for a time outside Leinster House they moved on to Merrion Street, with drummers heading the procession and a number of people leading chants, including “Cuts, job losses, money for the bosses” and “IMF get them out, we know what they’re all about”.
Outside the Merrion Hotel, where members of the IMF-ECB- EU troika are said to be staying, Richard Boyd Barrett TD led the crowd in cries towards the hotel entrance.
They chanted: “IMF, shame on you” and “Our State assets, get your dirty hands off. Our hospitals, get your dirty hands off. Our jobs, get your dirty hands off. Our children, get your dirty hands off.”
A number of speakers addressed the crowd from the steps of the Department of Finance.
Adrienne Murphy from the Against Cuts in Education campaign said Ireland was being praised for being successful in implementing cuts.
“There are kids with autism, with Down’s syndrome, with mild learning disabilities, whose educational supports have been removed, causing heartbreak to families, but also frustration and disruption in the classrooms. Parents are being bullied to take their children out of school. Is this the measure of our success?”
Jim Brennan of the Tara Mines Pensioners Group spoke against moves to take 10 per cent from his retired colleagues’ pensions each year for the next four years.
“The Government says this is to create jobs. But our spending power to support local businesses and services is being attacked.”
Rita Fagan, community development worker from Inchicore, Dublin, spoke about cuts to community projects across the State. The Labour Party had failed communities such as hers, she said.
“They have turned out to be no better than Fianna Fáil. Hearts are being ripped out of communities. O’Devaney Gardens has lost an after-schools club, a creche, a community centre. The community sector has to be defended.”
She then led an impromptu version of the second World War anti-fascist song Bella Ciao, which brought a smile even to the face of the Garda observing on the step behind her, with her lines: " We are workers, we are working, bella Ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao, We are children, we are playing, bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao, We are Garda, we are guarding, bella Ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao."
Mr Boyd Barrett said the march would the first in a series leading to December’s budget. “We have to be more determined to build a movement against the cuts than they are to impose them,” he said.
