Irate public service workers aired their views to Mayo’s five TDs at an Impact arranged meeting on Monday afternoon, where the general consensus among the public workers was the injustice that the public sector are bearing the brunt in providing significant contributions in solving the countries economic recovery, through the recently announced pension levy.
The room at the training centre in Mayo County Council was brimmed to capacity as attendees were dismayed with the “most unfair situation”, comparing the country to being in a dictatorship rather than in a democracy, with an overwhelming view that both the public and private sector should act together in their financial contributions.
Jerry King, chairperson of the council’s Impact branch, commented that those who get up every day to go to work are being made accountable rather than the “greedy and corrupt” and as the public service didn’t cause the economic problem they should not have to pay everything, while those who caused the situation pay nothing,
Opposition leader Enda Kenny TD said that those who played the part must “pay the part” with his view that the Government announcement is “unfair and unbalanced”. Dep Kenny said that he brought forward alternative proposals which would have raised €2 billion which did not require pension levies in the Dáil and the Fine Gael leader said that he would oppose the Government’s proposal.
Fianna Fáil TDs Beverley Flynn and Dara Calleary both said that they would support the Government’s stance in relation to the public service levy, which was met with jeering from the crowd. Dep Flynn said that the reality in which we find ourselves in is the start of “a very serious economic recovery” over the next five years. Castlebar based Dep Flynn said that bankers will face accountability and also stated that the private sector will also have to play their part.
Fine Gael TD Michael Ring received rousing support from those present when he called on the bankers and builders “who got us into this mess to get us out”. The Westport based TD said that “you should never take euros out of the pockets of people which is already spent” and called on a major change to take place as there will be serious consequences as people will soon not be able to pay mortgages or other financial obligations.
His party colleague John O’Mahony TD said that levies on the public sector were “blatantly unfair” and it seems that people would be better on social welfare or earning €200k a year.
Senior executive officer of Mayo County Council, Paul Benson, was adamant that contributions should be made on “equitable basis” and criticised the fact that semi-state agencies were excluded. Mr Benson said that “the Taoiseach is not in the real world” and is forming policies on “lunatic notions”. The executive officer said that he was willing to take a cutback if it starts from the top down and was concerned that the Government will enforce more taxation injuries over the coming years.
Mayo County Council employee Frank Forde said that the public service are an “easy target” to “bail out the bankers”. He said that public servants are now “the new poor”.
Assistant general secretary Padraig Mulligan said that the entire trade union movement is preparing the “most determined, united and sustained campaign in its history to meet with this challenge.” Following the meeting the Impact Mayo branch AGM was held in Castlebar where they were addressed by Labour leader Eamon Gilmore.
