Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

I too am happy with the moving of the writ for the Carlow-Kilkenny by-election and to support the Anti-Austerity Alliance candidate, Conor Mac Liam. He will be a fitting replacement and a total contrast to the man whose seat he will be filling, a man who was rewarded and backslapped amazingly by the Labour Party here today, leaving the water charges, the household charge and the property tax in his wake.

This by-election could not have come at a better time. The Government was elected on an anti-bondholder agenda and a call for a democratic revolution in its workings and operations. This, however, has been fully exposed this past week. We have seen a return to form of crony capitalism at its very best around the issue of Siteserv. We have had a Government devoting three days to a propaganda campaign to try and convince people there is a real recovery under way. The emperor, however, has been found to be naked.

This is a most important by-election, coming when the delivery of water bills to 1.5 million homes will take place. It is the most hated and reviled austerity measure in this country for the past seven years. These issues will be highlighted and championed by the Anti-Austerity Alliance and Conor Mac Liam who will use the election to strike a blow against water charges. He will be the only candidate advocating non-payment and a boycott of the water charges.

The people of Carlow-Kilkenny have a powerful weapon in their hands. They can vote on behalf of ordinary people nationwide. This is the first election since the water charges progressed. It should not be forgotten that the Anti-Austerity Alliance won two by-elections in a row. It would be great if we won third. We can use this election in the same way as the Dublin South-West by-election was used.

2 o’clock

Why send another suit to sit over there with the Government, or to be tweedledum or tweedledee with Fianna Fáil? We need real change in this country. Conor Mac Liam is a proven campaigner. He fought against a two-tier health service after the tragic death of his wife Susie Long. She had highlighted the way her cancer spread because of the lack of a universal health system. Conor has also championed the issue of SNAs in Carlow and Kilkenny. He will highlight the fact that Kilcreene Hospital must be kept open.

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