Cork Sinn Féin will hold a picket today as Brian Cowan visits Cork University Hospital, to protest against the proposed €1 billion in health cutbacks and highlight the fact that there is an alternative to the consensus for cuts.
Speaking this morning, the party’s general election candidate for Cork North Central, Jonathan O’Brien, said:
“It is deeply ironic that Brian Cowan is coming to Cork today on a visit which will include both CUH and CIT, given that his government is currently finalising a budget which will cut up to €1 billion from frontline health services and slash spending on education.”
“Sinn Féin rejects the political consensus that cuts in pay and services are the way to restart the economy. Taking another €5 billion out of the economy this December will only lead to further jobs losses and kill any prospect of growth. This analysis is now supported by the ERSI as well as many in the trade union movement and the community and voluntary sector. The fact is Fianna Fail are deciding economic policy not in the interests of the Irish economy, but at the behest of the financial markets and the EU.”
“Sinn Féin wants a longer time-frame for reducing the deficit, and a budget where the focus is on taxing those who can pay, rather than cutting services for those most in need. We are the only party to reflect the growing chorus of voices in civil society rejecting the consensus for cuts. Today’s protest is to highlight the possibility of an alternative budget and is part of the build up to our national protest against cutbacks in Dublin on December 4th.”
