March against the cuts in Clonakilty tonight, 21 October

cork | worker & community struggles and protests | event notice Tuesday October 21, 2008 13:58 by Miriam Cotton

Send a message to Fianna Fail and Mary Harney

The partial climbdown on medical cards for the elderly is deceptive: the clawback by Harney and her circling privatising vultures is to be the introduction of legislation to end automatic entitlement to medical cards for the over 70s - the means by which she will secure the same outcome as she did last week. She'll just have to go a bit more slowly at it than she at first thought.

If you live in the Clonakilty area come to the march tonight and register your feelings - speakers will include representatives from across the political spectrum - the march is not politically aligned in any way.

Once the spinning on the climbdown-that-is-not-a-climbdown has is spun out, there is serious danger that people will be encouraged to believe the problem is solved. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Full details about the march below - when, where, who, what and how:

Clon March Against the Cutbacks
March and rally against Budget Cuts. Assemble CLONAKILTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAR PARK Tues. 7.30pm. Bring Banners, placards, friends and attitude. Spread the word.

We are still working on the organisation of this event, and hoping to get speakers from all political parties that want to be represented, with possibly also representatives from a Trade Unions, Schools, etc. (If interested, treat this as an invitation).

While the present focus is on the over 70's Medical Card issue, these cuts will also impact on Schools, Carers, Local Authority funding, hospitals and support groups for the most vulnerable in Ireland today. The impact will be felt in Clonakilty and West Cork as much as every other part of the country.

The proposal is to assemble in the safety of the Community College Car Park at 7.30pm, and at 7.45pm proceed down to Ashe St., onto Pearse St., Bridge St., Kent St., Rossa St. and into Astna Square for speeches, etc.
A petition will be circulated for people to sign, and when this is completed, will be handed in to the nearby Constituency Office of Christy O' Sullivan, T.D. on McCurtain Hill (beside the Chinese Restaurant).
This is NOT a personal issue with Mr. O' Sullivan. The petition will read:

"To: Mr. Christy O' Sullivan, T.D.
We the undersigned are Constituents of yours and call upon you as our public representative in Government NOT to vote in favour of any Government Budget proposals in the Dáil that will include cuts which will have a negative impact on the lives of the most vulnerable of your constituents, particularly in the areas of Health and Education"

I would also like to stress at this point that while this is being organised by myself, I want to emphasise that this is NOT a SF protest rally. It is being organised to give an opportunity to every man, woman and child, every worker, every teacher and student, everyone that works with people with disabilities whether in the home or a hospital, and many others concerned about a wide range of issues that will affect their lives, to come together and emphasise to the local Government T.D. how seriously we all feel about these matters.

We would hope that as a result, he would do the right thing when it comes to voting on the budget on Thursday.
As I mentioned above, I am endeavouring to contact representatives of other political parties in the hope they will be available to address the meeting.
Go raibh maith agat,
Cllr. Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin,
An Gallán,
Cloich na Coillte,
Contae Chorcaí.