The Communities Against Cuts march on Sept 30th
national |
miscellaneous |
feature 
Friday October 02, 2009 16:25
by Allen Meagher - www.changingireland.ie / 'Changing Ireland' community development magazine
editor at changingireland dot ie
c/o Community Development Network, Moyross, Limerick
061-458011
- 12,000-15,000 people deliver a strong message
12,000-15,000 people marched through Dublin yesterday (September 30th) to protest at big cuts this year to community resources and the threat of massive further cuts.
The marchers are people living and working on the ground and they see the harm done, with worse to come.
"People live in communities, not economies," read one of the thousands of placards.
If there was a general theme running through the march, it was that people saw the Government as helping out ‘fatcats’ and developer friends at the expense of poor communities.
The next big COMMUNITY march - bringing in people from all over Munster – is due to be held in Limerick on November 5th (fifth).
SOME GOOD LINKS
http://www.changingireland.blogspot.com/
http://www.changingireland.ie
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/93996#attachment1000049741
http://www.siptu.ie/community
http://www.eapn.ie
http://www.cwc.ie
Related Links: Social Solidarity Network - Building a Network of Resistance: Invitation to meeting Sat 3rd Oct http://indymedia.ie/article/93882
Community development work aims to give people a voice, encourage people to participate in society and to take collective action. The cutbacks combined with the work of community people on the ground and trade unionists seeking action have prompted people to do all three. Yesterday (September 30th) between 12,000 and 15,000 people protested in Dublin against Community cutbacks.
Contrary to political expectations, communities have shown that they will not be a pushover.
The Community and Voluntary Sector was rocked by the McCarthy 'Bord Snip' report and by cuts already imposed this year, but a real fightback has sprung to life. McCarthy has been lampooned and ridiculed for saying of community groups in Ireland that there is "little evidence of positive outcomes."
His comment probably did more to bring people out on the streets than anything anyone else said.
The right-wing economist was doing the running for a Government shown (by the Carnegie Foundation and Atlantic Philanthropies, to name but two organisations) to be keen to silence dissent. The Government is also working to close down a range of resources in the poorest communities in Ireland, to cut costs.
Given that the Bord Snip report is likely to become a menu-list for civil servants handed the task of identifying resources to cut, it’s time to organize your community’s campaign if you haven’t done so already.
Communities stand to lose: Family Resource Centres, Community Employment Schemes, Jobs Initiative, Partnerships, Community Services Programmes, Childcare, Drugs projects and much much more.
If you are a worker, join a trade union (if you’re not already in one). If you are a voluntary management member, it is time for your project to join the Community Sector Employers Forum (www.erb.ie).
Protests by SIPTU caused a U-turn in June on cuts of €10m planned for Community Employment schemes.
Yesterday’s protest follows a smaller protest on September 8th when 1,200 people marched over the threat to close down 180 CDPs. In every section of the Community Sector, people are organising against cuts.
There was a lot of camaraderie and a friendly atmosphere in the march yesterday, but there was anger too, displayed in placards and in the numbers who protested.
People want a say in their communities’ futures, they don’t want to be used to save banks..
The protests and campaigning will continue. The next big march - bringing in people from all over Munster - will be held in Limerick on November 5th when Communities Against Cuts again take to the streets.
Note: Ireland has the second-greatest rich-poor gap in the so-called developed world and the OECD and UN has slammed our government for the huge inequalities. We do not wish to beat the USA and become the most unequal rich country in the world. The protests and campaign are about shaping the kind of society we wish to live in.
For up-to-date news, and community development information: http://www.changingireland.blogspot.com/
AND http://www.changingireland.ie
For links to SIPTU's campaign: http://www.siptu.ie/community
Also keep an eye on: http://www.eapn.ie (the European Anti-Poverty Network) and http://www.cwc.ie (Community Worker's Co-op) among many groups with good websites.
