éirígí Tir Chonaill

Cuid mhór i láthair ag agóid fhrith-bhuiséad an Chlocháin Liath

08/12/2010

(English version follows)

D'ainneoin na drochaimsire fabhtaí oíche Mháirt, tháinig slua de níos mó ná 120 duine amach ar phríomhshráid an Chlocháin Liath i gCo. Dhún na nGall chun freastal ar agóid eagraithe ag an pháirtí sóisialach poblachtánach éirígí in aghaidh buiséid 2011.

Ag a sé a chlog oíche Mháirt chruinnigh daoine ag oifigí Fhianna Fáil ar an Chlochán Liath. Chonaic an cruinniú daoine ó gach aoisghrúpa, idir pháistí óga agus déagóirí go dtí seanóirí ag tabhairt aghaidh ar theochtaí an-fhuara agus ar dhálaí oighreata chun a bhfearg agus a gcur in éadan in aghaidh an bhuiséid a chur in iúl ina raibh ciorruithe ar leas sóisialach agus sochar linbh, ciorruithe ar phá oibrithe chomh maith le laghdú ar an íosphá agus ciorruithe ollmhóra do na ceantair Ghaeltachta.

I rith na hagóide, thug urlabhraí éirígí i nDún na nGall, Mícheál Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig aitheasc don slua ag rá "Caithfidh daoine cuimhniú go bhfuil gach uile TD, FPE, Seanadóir agus Comhairleoir atá tofa, cé acu anseo i nDún na nGall nó go náisiúnta, go léir ciontach go cothrom as staid na tíre seo inniu toisc gur thacaigh siad leis na polasaithe a thóg chuig an ghéarchéim seo muid. Ní féidir linn muinín a bheith againn as na polaiteoirí seo agus an t-aon bhealach chun tosaigh ná feachtas marthanach d'agóideanna sráide, easumhlaíocht sibhialta agus stailceanna ginearálta eagraithe ag na gnáthdhaoine."

I ndiaidh an imeachta mhol An tUasal Mac Giolla Easbuig na daoine a d'fhreastal ar an agóid. "Ba fhear áitiúil é Peadar O'Donnell as an bhaile seo agus bheadh sé bródúil as an slua mór daoine a tháinig amach anseo anocht. Tá a spiorad diongbháilteacht agus a throid ar son ceartais shóisialta beo go maith iontu" a dúirt sé. "Caithfear na hiarrachtaí a rinne siad chun a bheith anseo anocht a mholadh, go háirithe leis an drochaimsir ghuaiseach a d'fhulaing siad. Ba iontach an rud é mná agus fir ó gach aoisghrúpa a fheiceáil anseo agus bhí sé ar fheabhas déagóirí agus páistí chomh óg le seacht mbliana d'aois a fheiceáil ag déanamh iarracht páirt a ghlacadh" lean urlabhraí éirígí.

Chríochnaigh Mac Giolla Easbuig: "Ní thabharfaidh daoine faoi deara cé chomh géar is atá na ciorruithe seo ach sna míonna amach romhainn mar sin tá sé riachtanach go bhfanann siad ar na sráideanna ionas go n-éisteofar leo agus go spreagann siad daoine eile chun an rud céanna a dhéanamh. Caithfidh gach duine na ciorruithe seo a fhriotú, ar na sráideanna cosúil leis an oíche anocht chomh maith le sa láthair oibre. Ní féidir le ach na daoine féin dul i bhfeidhm ar athrú agus ba chóir go mbeidh an oíche anocht an chéad léirsiú as an chuid mhór atá le teacht ionas go bhfaigheann na gnáthdhaoine an cháilíocht beatha chothrom, chóir agus ghnaíúil atá tuillte acu. I ndiaidh an sluaite a tháinig amach anocht a fheiceáil creidim gur féidir leis na daoine é seo a bhaint amach."

Large Turnout At Dungloe Anti-Budget Protest

Some of the crowd at the Budget 2011 protest in Dungloe

Despite treacherous weather conditions on Tuesday night, a crowd of over 120 people took to Dungloe Main Street in County Donegal to attend a protest organised by the socialist republican party éirígí against the 2011 Budget.

At six o'clock on Tuesday evening people gathered at the Fianna Fáil offices in Dungloe. The gathering seen people of all ages from young children and teenagers through to senior citizens brave freezing cold temperatures and icy conditions to vent their anger and opposition to the budget which seen cuts in social welfare and child benefits, cuts in workers pay including a reduction in the minimum wage and huge cuts to the Gaeltacht regions. 

éirígí Tir Chonaill sokesperson
Micheál Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig
addressing the crowd

During the protest, éirígí spokesperson in Donegal Micheál Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig addressed the crowd saying “People must remember that every one of the elected TDs, MEPs, Senators and Councillors whether here in Donegal or nationally, are all equally guilty for the state this country is in today due to the fact they backed the policies which led to this crisis. We cannot trust these politicians and a sustained campaign of street protest, civil disobedience and general strikes organised by ordinary people is the only way forward.”

Following the event Mr Mac Giolla Easbuig commended the people who attended the protest. “Peadar O'Donnell was a local man from this town and he would be proud of the large numbers of people who turned out here tonight.  His spirit of determination and fight for social justice is alive and well in them”  he said. “The efforts they made to be here must be commended, especially given the hazardous weather conditions they endured. It was great to see so many women and men of all ages here and seeing teenagers and children as young as seven making the effort to join in was fantastic” continued the éirígí spokesperson.

MacGiolla Easbuig concluded:  "People will only start to realise how harsh these cuts are in the coming months so it is imperative that they stay on the streets to let their voices be heard and that they encourage others to do the same.  These cuts must be resisted by everyone, both on the streets like tonight and in the workplace. Only the people themselves can truly affect change and tonight should be the first of many demonstrations to come so the ordinary people get the fair, just and decent quality of life they deserve. Seeing tonight's turnout makes me believe the people can achieve this.”

the éirígí Budget 2011 protest in Dungloe