Over 20,000 living in deprivation in Minister Donohoe’s constituency
The Workers’ Party candidate in Dublin Central, Cllr Eilis Ryan, today (Sunday) said that Fine Gael’s claims of economic recovery are ringing hollow in Dublin Central, where an estimated 20,000 people are suffering multiple deprivation experiences based on an extrapolation from CSO figures.
“Fine Gael’s Minister Paschal Donohoe has been circulating leaflets bearing the slogan ‘Keep the Recovery Going’ in a constituency where over 20,000 people are living in deprivation, including many people in work.
“Such slogans ring hollow for all those who were by-passed by the Celtic Tiger, disproportionately impacted by the economic collapse and austerity measures, and have yet to see any signs of recovery”.
Cllr. Ryan said, “Dublin Central is experiencing a deprivation crisis, a jobs crisis, a low pay crisis and a housing crisis – none of which will be addressed by the Fine Gael prescription of tax cuts, tax breaks and public-private partnerships”.
“What is needed is a range of interventions such as those proposed by the Workers’ Party. These include a State Enterprise Board to identify high value-added sectors in which to develop public enterprises, a Public Investment Bank to invest in cooperate and public enterprises; investment in high-quality social housing, and a range of measures to tackle low pay, including raising the Minimum Wage to the Living Wage.
“Without such interventions, the much-vaunted ‘recovery’ will continue to bypass the people of Dublin Central”, Cllr Ryan concluded.