‘Bankers didn’t keep the show on the road, ordinary workers did’
Sinn Fein leader on why we need a change after bonuses shock
OUT of government 10 years, it has taken Fianna Fail only 10 months to bring back big bonuses for bailed-out bankers.
It was confirmed this week the Government will end the ban on bonuses for the top brass at AIB.
This is a financial institution bailed out to the tune of €32billion by the Irish people.
When I challenged Taoiseach Micheal Martin, he dodged giving a clear explanation.
Fianna Fail had been out of government for 10 years but it has only taken them 10 months in office to resume the payment of outrageous bonuses to elite staff in this bank.
A Sinn Fein government would not have allowed this to happen.
It is a kick in the teeth to every person in receipt of the PUP who will face a tax bill, to student nurses and midwives and to every single family and worker who struggles in these extraordinary times.
This Government has had no problem giving big pay hikes to super junior ministers, judges, the new Secretary General of the Department of Health and pension increases for ex-taoisigh.
Now it has delivered for bankers while ordinary people make do with crumbs from the table. It is a tale of two Irelands.
VULTURES
When this pandemic hit, we didn’t turn to bankers, hedge funds, the insurance industry or the vulture capitalists to keep the show on the road.
No. It was ordinary workers who kept the show on the road.
Now they watch on as this Government allows rewards for well-off bankers as if they have done the heavy lifting.
When, in fact, many of the financial institutions have done the opposite in trying to profit from the hardships of the pandemic.
This is the same government who signed off on a miserly 10c increase in the minimum wage last October.
The hypocrisy and breathtaking.
Things were bad when Fianna Fail and Fine Gael pretended to oppose each other. It is even worse now that they are joined at the hip.
The return of big bonuses for bankers sees the resurrection of the toxic banking culture from the bad old days that brought this country to its knees.
It confirms what we already know – this is not a government for workers and families.
This is a government for wealthy bankers, loaded developers and big landlords. It shows why we need change like never before.
lack
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This is a Government for wealthy bankers, developers and big landlords