Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

I wish to share my time with Deputies Catherine Murphy, Luke Flanagan, Shane Ross and Mattie McGrath.

The Labour Party has absolutely no mandate for the policies it is pursuing - policies which make a blunt and brutal assault on middle and lower income families, children, the elderly, social welfare recipients and the working poor. On taking office last year there was a deliberate, shocking and cynical U-turn by the Labour Party. One should remember that it was to be "Labour's way or Frankfurt's way", that the poor and vulnerable were to be protected and the banks were not to receive another cent. What we have now is a savage assault on low and middle income families. This brings shame on the Labour Party.

The trade union movement, particularly the unions affiliated to the Labour Party, has a responsibility to stand up to the party and the policies it is pursuing. The unions must take responsibility because the ability of the Labour Party to pretend it represents the interests of workers is being supported by them. They must disaffiliate immediately from the Labour Party and start creating a new party of labour, as occurred in Clonmel in 1912 when James Connolly and Jim Larkin established the Labour Party. Unfortunately, that party has now turned its back on its founders, members and the general public. The leaders of the trade unions, including the bigger unions and those affiliated to the Labour Party, must take responsibility for this. They must disaffiliate from the party and start creating a new party of labour. If they do not do so, they will be as much responsible for the attacks on their members and the public as the Labour Party. They should do so immediately.

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