Donegal TD Thomas Pringle has called on the Government to listen to healthcare and community workers and avoid strike action next week.
He has made the calls in the Dáil, as those crucial workers have threatened strike action over a lack of pay restoration from the Government.
“As we all know, sadly we are facing into a strike by organisations that do not want to put the people they assist at risk, who provide vital services for many of the most vulnerable people in our society.”
“They have been forced into this position by a government that refuses to recognise the value of the services that they provide. And I have to ask why is the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DEPER) not here, ministers. No fault to yourselves, but you cannot give pay restoration on your own. It is only DEPER, Minister Donohoe, who can sign off on this.”
“I am talking about organisations like the Irish Wheelchair Association, who I met with last Monday in Donegal to hear about the impact that a strike will have.There were many service users there who spoke so highly of the support they get and were 100% behind the staff in the strike action.”
“To be there and listen to the respect that vulnerable service users have for the staff of the Irish Wheelchair Association was humbling and showed the impact that a strike like this will have on them, but their support was total.”
Deputy Pringle also emphasised how these issues have been ongoing for a decade and a half after the financial crash of 2008.
“It is amazing that in 2023 we are still talking about the effects of the bailout and the impact it has had on every part of our society” the Deputy said.
“Carers allowance hasn’t increased since 2008 and they were only looking for restoration this week in the budget. Criminal barristers only received part restoration in this budget as well from cuts before the bailout. The pay issue of the Sections 39, 56 and 10 organisations are going on strike goes back to the bailout. Housing was attacked by the Troika and we are still living through that now.”
“Thousands of children are homeless directly because of the bailout and there is no sign of even an attempt to resolve that.”
