Minister Joan Burton's comments' an attack on vulnerable citizens

dublin | anti-capitalism | press release Monday September 12, 2011 21:05 by Republican Network for Unity - Dublin

The recent comments made by the Minister for 'Social Protection' Joan Burton, that the approved cuts last July to social welfare were “regrettable and necessary,” is nothing short of a malicious attack on an unprecedented scale against the most vulnerable citizens in this country.

Up to 630,000 people who are in receipt of social welfare will be greatly effected by these abysmal cuts. The cuts to fuel and household allowances will have disastrous consequences for the already struggling members of society, who have become hapless victims at the behest of the malevolent IMF-EU imposed austerity measures.

Mrs Burton's onslaught comes in light of the US and IMF exerting pressure on the debt ridden ruling classes, who have been urged to “take bold action” by Christine Lagarde, to crack down on entities such as social welfare and repay back the major accumulated debt that they owe.

The money that is being used to repay back these creditors instead, must be used for the human development of our society. The rights of the creditors, shareholders and speculators are insignificant in comparison with the fundamental rights of the citizens in this country.

We ask Mrs Burton, how can she justify these cuts to the lone parent trying to make ends meat on the pittance of social welfare, to the pensioner who struggles to keep warm during the cold winter months having to resort to going to bed early to save on fuel costs, to the thousands upon thousands of people who remain unemployed, to those who face forceful evictions and to those who have no fixed abode, and the list goes on.

The safety and well-being of the most vulnerable in today's society is absolutely paramount and the Republican Network for Unity lends our unequivocal support to ensure that this is and remains the case.

It is quite apparent that capitalism is in a crisis and that the ruling class appear to be in complete disarray and in a state of weakness, but never the less, it is still well capable to wield the weapons at its disposal against the workers. It's weapons of choice are the privatisation and commodification of our health care, water, public services etc, to take away and deprive people of their basic human rights.

This is why it is vital for the salvation of the citizens in this country, that the means of production, distribution and wealth are put into the hands of the people and distributed accordingly by the people, for the people and to benefit everybody’s needs.

The destruction of the capitalist mode of production and the abolition of private property, that remains in the hands of a tiny proportion of society in Ireland, will see the transference of the means of production from the hands of the elite minority to that of the immense working class majority, for the benefit of all citizens in society.

This is why it is imperative to the struggle for the subsistence of mankind, that all private property be abolished and with it the capitalist stronghold that continues to dominate over the lives of the working class in Ireland today and why, only through a workers republic, can we witness the realisation of our national and economic emancipation, and that without it we will remain just as before, slaves to the same capitalist mode of production that dominates our very lives today.

Only by Socialism alone, can we have an impact on the socio-economic problems we all face today and challenge the capitalist class and the political status-quo, so to put an end to capitalism and imperialism in Ireland, once and for all, for a Workers Republic!

Tony N RNU, Baile Áth Cliath