Hundreds blast potential Leo & Martin coalition
Protesters demand change on housing & health crises
They got 43% of the vote but it doesn’t give them a majority BRID SMITH DUBLIN YESTERDAY
HUNDREDS of people came out to call for real change and protest at the possibility of a Fianna Fail and Fine Gael coalition yesterday.
People Before Profit’s Brid Smith TD, Homeless Action Ireland and Extinction Rebellion were among the groups that gathered at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin.
Protesters, holding the banner “Stop the Fianna Fail-fine Gael Stitch Up – March for Real Change” walked from Parnell Square to O’connell Street.
Ms Smith said voters called for change in the recent General Election – not another Government led by Leo Varadkar’s Fine Gael or Micheal Martin’s Fianna Fail.
Ahead of the demonstration, she added: “We’re calling it a stitch-up between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and the reason we’re using that term is because the very clear sentiment of the recent election was not Fianna Fail or Fine Gael.
“They got roughly around 43% of the vote, which together is significant, but it doesn’t give them majority rights.
“But the sentiment of the election is that we need real change – on housing, on health, on the cost of living, on reversing the pension age.” Meanwhile, spokeswoman for Homeless Action Ireland Leah Daly said the wishes of half a million voters are being ignored.
She was previously homeless with two of her children for two years, and forced to live in emergency shelter even though she was working for a private senior care company.
Ms Daly added: “We’re here to show that we don’t want a Fianna Fail/fine Gael government.
“It’s been the same thing for the last 90 years and I think people are really, really screaming for change now.
“We need to stop selling public lands to private developers and we actually need to build social housing supply on those lands and affordable homes as well.
“I have small children and you don’t want it even more expensive for them, so you worry about them ending up homeless when they’re older.
“We’re all sending the same message – half a million pw eople voted for change and I think that’s being ignored right now.”
Another member of Homeless Action Ireland said the group was happy with the turnout, despite fears over the coronavirus.
Ryan Hennessy added: “Unfortunately, with health concerns around the coronavirus we didn’t get the turnout we expected but overall the support was fantastic.
“Every speaker was passionate and spoke from the heart.”
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