Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

This by-election is an opportunity for the people of Dublin West to hold the Fine Gael-Labour Government to account for the raft of false promises made before the election and the rapid series of betrayals that have occurred since then.

In the typically cynical fashion of the political establishment here, Fine Gael and Labour exploited the despair and anger felt by ordinary people who have been devastated by the economic crisis created by the greed of bankers, speculators and developers. People have been devastated by the brutal austerity imposed in the aftermath of the crisis to protect those self-same bankers, speculators and developers. They exploited the despair and anger to hoist themselves into power and into office promising change from the policies of the Fianna Fáil Government, but no sooner had they achieved office than they moved quickly to give us more of the same failed policies of protecting the super wealthy, bondholders and bankers, and doing the bidding of the EU-IMF at the expense of ordinary working people and the vulnerable in society.

Fine Gael promised on every election poster to get Ireland working. Since then what has it done? It has continued the massacre of jobs in the public sector.

It, along with Labour, incredibly, is now promising to privatise vital State assets to corporate vultures to pay off the gambling debts of bondholders, something everyone knows will lead to more job losses for ordinary workers in this country. The parties in Government promised before the election to protect public services and the vulnerable. Instead, they have closed down hospital accident and emergency units and cut resources for those with special needs. They talked about fairness before the election, and instead they have moved to attack the few protections for low-paid workers and raided the pensions of ordinary workers in this country to pay off the gambling bondholders.

This election is a chance for the people of Dublin West to pass verdict on the Government's betrayals and false promises, and to point in a different direction of saying that the needs of ordinary people and the vulnerable sectors of society, and the priority of getting people back to work should be the first priority of any government that claims to represent the people. Councillor Ruth Coppinger, standing in opposition to the Government, is someone who has a track record of standing with working people as they fight for justice and fair play. It would be a tremendous message for the Government to elect Councillor Coppinger. The people of Dublin West can be sure if they do that, she will stand with them in the battles ahead as the Government continues its reign of betrayal and austerity on the innocent people in this country who bear no responsibility for the crisis created by the corporate and political class in this country and in Europe.

See this speech in context