CANDIDATE PROFILE: SEÁN MORAGHAN (Tralee) People Before Profit Alliance

Seán Moraghan (People Before Profit Alliance) is a shop-worker and bookseller in Tralee. He is 45 years old.

He is standing for election to Tralee Town Council.

Seán has been a council worker, tour guide, mussel-boat farmer, writer and political activist.
Seán has been involved in the local anti-parking charges campaign, protests for a better health service, opposition to education cuts, Tralee Anti-War Group, Shell to Sea, and campaigns against the G8 in support of fairer trade, and human rights activism.
He is a member of the Mandate trade union.

The People Before Profit Alliance learnt yesterday of plans to close St. Brigid’s Ward in Loughlinstown Hospital. This move by the HSE is a direct result of cuts in the department of health stemming from last October’s Budget.

St Brigid’s Ward is a general ward in the hospital and its closure will mean the loss of at least 18 beds.

Hugh Lewis, People Before Profit Alliance (PBPA) Representative in the Ballybrack ward, says: “This closure is completely unacceptable. It is an utter disgrace that our health service, which is already in a shambles, is being forced to make further cuts. In an economic crisis a decent public health service is needed more than ever. The money that is being used to bail out the banks should instead be used to fund vital services, in particular, the health service. Once again it is the most vulnerable in society that have to shoulder the burden of our economic crisis. PBPA will immediately be organising meetings to discuss how we can stop this closure.”

The recent budget included an increase in the health levy that all PAYE workers already pay. This increase is grossly unfair because it once again forces ordinary people to make up the shortfall in public finances. It also now seems that an extra health levy is going to make no difference to cuts in the health service.

Colm Stephens, People Before Profit Alliance Local Election Candidate in the North Inner City has learnt that front line staff including nurses are likely to lose their jobs in the Mater Hospital. Unions representing staff in the Hospital are in negotiations with management and are trying to make sure that the affect will be a small as possible. “I have heard from nurses that contract staff who are approaching the end of their contracts have most to fear. They are not being told if they will be kept on or not. This means that nurses from overseas cannot renew their visas and are living with a double uncertainty – in a few weeks they might not have a job and might be forced to leave the country.”