SIPTU Deputy General Secretary, Greg Ennis, has called on Sinn Féin, Labour and the Social Democrats to work together to build a real alternative government to present to voters in time for the next General Election, in an address to union activists in Navan, County Meath.
Ennis said: “I earnestly believe that the parties of the left such as Sinn Féin, Labour and the Social Democrats, need to continue to build and overtly work together to give voters a real alternative, so as to ensure we have the best chance of bringing about the first left-wing Government in the history of the State in 2029, or earlier as the case may be.
“Things are changing. The combined vote of the Civil War parties last Friday, is practically the same as the 42% achieved by Fianna Fáil on its own in 2007, so I remain optimistic, but we all need to focus and work on this necessity. Every one of us has their own particular part to play. No part is too great or too small.”
He added: “We need investment in things that matter, and we need to further educate workers that political change is necessary if we are to provide investment in adequate public services for our citizens.
“In modern times, Ireland has never been as financially rich, but yet so socially poor. 550 people on hospital trolleys yesterday, 15,000 people homeless, record rent and house prices, the most expensive and delayed paediatric hospital in the world, while our children with scoliosis wait three years in excruciating pain for corrective surgery.
“The most expensive bike shed in Europe, €1.4m on a security hut, but we cannot pay our Section 39 care workers their correct rate of pay? As this goes on, the Civil War parties jockey over Ministries and status in the next Dáil and as to how long Michael or Simon will spend as the rotating Taoiseach. Meanwhile many will spend tonight in tents on wet concrete footpaths in our capital city, while facing into the teeth of the incoming Storm Darragh.”
The address was delivered at an event in the Dan Shaw Centre in Navan to celebrate the 50thAnniversary of the ITGWU/SIPTU Branch in County Meath. The event included a presentation on the history of the Union in County Meath and a ceremony in which long service scrolls and badges were presented to activists.