Protests planned for IMF visit

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett has promised 10 days of protest when the IMF delegation is next in Dublin, from July 6th until the 16th.

Mr Boyd Barrett said there would be a serious attempt to mobilise protests, like those taking place in Greece, against what he described as "this disastrous IMF-EU deal".

He said it was critically important that the IMF delegation was met with a "sea of resistance by sections of society that were being attacked to pay off bankers and bondholders".

He added: "Let’s hope the Greek protests continue but let's hope even more that they begin to spread into countries like Ireland, Portugal and Spain."

The Dún Laoghaire TD said speakers from Portugal and Greece had been invited to attend a public meeting on July 6th and various events would take place after that date, culminating in a “national demonstration” on July 16th.

"We hope to have thousands of people on the streets on that day," he said.

Mr Boyd Barrett contrasted the "resistance of ordinary Greek people and workers" with the behaviour of the Irish Government. "We have to go beyond saying please to the ECB. We have to say no to the ECB, the way the Greek people are saying no," he said.

He said the Greek people had forced a serious debate in Europe about the need to shift the financial burden onto banks and bondholders.

"We're saying please and we're being treated with contempt. We’re being humiliated," he said. "Our economy is sinking and our society is being crushed."