Madam, – I am writing in response to Fintan O’Toole’s article (Opinion, April 12th) in which he suggests that the negative equity generation should be protesting.
Let me voice my perspective, having being born in 1976, one of the “pope’s children”, and more importantly perhaps given the current focus, having bought a house in 2003.
I think, “they put their energies into survival” sums up a lot of it, for many of us, regardless of generation.
Also, through what forum would we protest? Employment conditions are a main concern for many of those who work, and I presume many in the private sector are busy trying to keep their jobs secure.
I’m in the public sector, and I’m not in the frontline, so if Croke Park doesn’t deliver, we’re to expect further cuts.
To protest and to threaten industrial unrest in this context would seem “out of touch”, and the rest of society would further lambast the public service.
From my perspective also, I’m no longer in my trade union, having cancelled that deduction from my payslip back in 2008, along with health insurance.
And who would we protest against? Long may the honeymoon for the new Government continue, I often think, because if we end up with street protest against reforms and cuts, then where do we go from there? Another failed government and we’re probably a failed State, so good luck to them! – Yours, etc,