The Communities Against Cuts march on Sept 30th
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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
The Communities Against Cuts march. Weds 30th Sept
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.
A good cut
Bray protesters
Save our CDPs
One of many positive outcomes, Colm McCarthy take note
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Comments (13 of 13)
Jump To Comment: 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Neofeudalism literally means "new feudalism" and implies a contemporary rebirth of policies of governance and economy reminiscent of those present in many pre-industrial feudal societies. The concept is one in which government policies are instituted with the effect (deliberate or otherwise) of systematically increasing the wealth gap between the rich and the poor while increasing the power of the rich and decreasing the power of the poor (also see wealth condensation). This effect is considered to be similar to the effects of traditional feudalism.
Check This clip on the right hand side of the HOME PAGE here http://maxkeiser.com/
Have you see this?Oil dealers are to ditch dollars for buying barrels.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7dH4e8HYFA
Um pardon me if I am wrong, but 20 years ago were we not objecting to public funding of community based projects as a "cheap bargain bin" alternative to providing real, permanent and properly funded public services?
Many of these services were only sticking plaster solutions in the first place that should have been placed in proper public ownership.
"€1BILLION would keep John O'Donoghue travelling in the style he enjoyed as minister for 10,000 years'. Economics Professor Karl Whelan in the Irish Times Oct 2. and we propose to give a multiple of this to failed banks.This is economic and social lunacy on Stilts.
They are building a highway from Lodz to Warsaw using chinese workers at €1 per hour. Helena Gronkewicz former head of European Investment Bank said this is a new and exciting development in free market capitalism.
Please call your local FF/Green TD and ask them to answer a simple yes/no-Are they voting for NAMA? Yes/No
Enough calls will rattle their cages.
Irish Society and Politics - Decadent - Decadent societies are often prosperous but usually have severe social and economic inequality, to such a degree that the upper class becomes either complacent or greedy, while the lower classes become hopeless and apathetic. The middle class may exhibit either or both patterns, or it may vanish entirely. Poor leadership is generally held to be both a cause and a symptom of decadence, as the lifestyle of a decadent individual is usually considered to be incompatible with responsibility.
The following link leads to almost 200 photos by Evelina Saduikyte, SIPTU organiser.
more
Ask our community
Ask our community
Don't snip pavee progress
Family Resource Centre National Forum activists outside Buswells
more
Don't turn your back on our story
Tipperary Rural Travellers CDP
Kerry Network of People with Disabilities - this CDP already held a protest attended by 100s of people in Tralee
What 'snip' should stand for
A happy Fingal community protester
More pics
Stop milking our community! In this pic: People from Ballybeg in Waterford. from Ballyfermot in Dublin, NUI Maynooth, and representing Family Resource Centres West. Also in the picture is Trevor Quinn, SIPTU organiser in Cork.
Wexford participants
Mr McCarthy, What do you know about poverty? asks one marcher. In this 4-in-1 pic: people from St. Michael’s Estate, An Siol, Step by Step, Bawnogue Youth and Family Support Group and community activists from Cork.
One placard can say enough
In this photo: marchers and drummers representing Bluebell, Inchicore, the Northwest Inner City Network, An Siol based in Manor St., Dublin 7, and the Southside Women's Action Network in Loughlinstown, Dublin 18.
More pics
CAP CDP in Ballymun
CASP in Dublin says no to cuts
Children say RIP to CE and FRCs
P le C from Galway
Save our homework club
Ok nobody's perfect - there are 60 more photos of groups from around the country I could upload, but I better stop now before I double up any more pics!
(Duplicates now hidden by moderator)
Changing Ireland printed edition (also on www.changingireland.ie)
More photos from the march
CDPs in Cork were there in force
Community radio station Near FM interviews a Donegal woman at the protest on Sept 30th
Keep disability on the agenda
Longford work must continue
Some of the Limerick marchers in Dublin