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

I am just finishing now. They will take place in education, health and justice. "Structural reform" is troika language for major cuts. These cuts and reforms will lead to services closing and benefits being cut. We have already seen how the Belfast City Hospital accident and emergency department has been closed and there is a threat to the Mater Hospital accident and emergency department as well.

If one opposes austerity on principle, how can anybody go along with this agreement? If a struggle was waged against the agreement, it would have received massive support in Northern Ireland society. We have already seen that with the public sector and other strikes that have taken place in the North against the Assembly and Westminster cuts.

See this speech in context