Government Spin About Recovery Cannot Hide Deep Inequality

People Before Profit AGM: Government spin about recovery cannot hide the deep inequality in Irish society and failure to address climate and housing crisis

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said today at the People Before Profit AGM that the spin and PR that the government are pushing out about the economic recovery cannot mask the deep inequality in Irish society and their failure to address the climate crisis, and major crisis’ in housing, health, and other key public services.

He said that the system and parties that have maintained that system for so long need to be challenged.

He said that People Before Profit want to work with others on the left to build a force of the left to challenge the political establishment, address the climate crisis and the system where inequality prevails.

He said: “The government cannot get away from or mask the fact that, despite what they would say about the so-called recovery, inequality continues to grow all across this country.

“What we can see is that on the one had big corporations, big agriculture and property speculators are experiencing a bonanza whilst the housing crisis grows, Ireland’s emissions increase, school children experience overcrowding in schools and the dire crisis in the health system continues to worsen.

“What the government are doing around our Bill to keep fossil fuels in the ground is almost Orwellian. On the one hand, they pat the student climate strikers on the back and on the other they block our Bill in a nefarious, underhanded and undemocratic way.

“We need a radical policy agenda to address the crisis in the environment, the housing crisis and problems in public services.

“We cannot underestimate the importance of the climate strike global movement in the fight for system change. We would urge everyone to turn out for the global climate strike on Sept 20. We also need to make the climate movement one that improves the quality of life of ordinary working people through better public transport, insulation of homes, a major afforestation programme and supports for small farmers to make the transition.

Gerry Carroll MLA for West Belfast said: “The recent success in the campaign to achieve abortion rights and marriage equality is a testament to the growing movement for change in the North particularly lead by young people looking for a progressive alternative to the failed politics of sectarianism.

“In the North, we have made a substantial breakthrough in that we now have five elected Cllrs in Belfast and Derry.”