Omagh District Council urged to defend Communities from Cuts

tyrone | worker & community struggles and protests | press release Wednesday February 02, 2011 20:04 by PRO - SIPTU

Ireland's leading Trade Union SIPTU delivered a presentation on their campaign against cuts to communities to Omagh District Council on Tuesday 1st February.

The presentation was delivered by local community activists, Siobhan McDermott, Barry McColgan and SIPTU Lead Organiser Martin O'Rourke and aimed to build awareness and cross community, cross party support behind the community campaign.

A cross section of Councillors were present with all the main political parties represented at the engagement. and SIPTU believe the presentation was enthusiastically received by all. All the Councillors speaking at the meeting expressed their support for the campaign and many noting they were active members of community groups.

SIPTU's Martin O'Rourke, Siobhan McDermott and Barry McColgan at Omagh District Council

Speaking after the meeting with Omagh District Council, SIPTU's Martin O'Rourke said,

"SIPTU will engage and seek to work with all 26 District Councils, to defend our communities in the face of Tory led cuts to the Assembly budget. We started in Omagh, as it is an area with many innovative and excellent community development projects, providing models of best practice for many other areas. Omagh and its people have benefited immensely from a very vibrant and strong community and voluntary sector and it was reassuring to see all local Councillors and all political parties, support SIPTU's campaign."

"We will be continuing to engage with the local communities, to organise community workers against any proposed cuts, and to this end we have organised a public engagement 'Defending Omagh's Communities from Cutbacks' in the Strule Arts Centre, Omagh on Tuesday 17th February at 7.30pm. All are welcome."

Omagh Community Activists Siobhan McDermott and Barry McColgan prepare for the presentation