Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, as Government TDs were basking in self-congratulation after the budget had been introduced, Pfizer went and spoiled the party somewhat by announcing plans to cut 210 jobs. These jobs are to be lost across the Pfizer sites at Ringaskiddy in County Cork, Grange Castle in west Dublin and Newbridge in County Kildare. In a statement the company said the job losses were being implemented as a last resort. I do not believe for one moment this is the case. Pfizer is a company that made profits greater than the GDP of many countries during the Covid crisis. Profits dropped somewhat after the pandemic - all things are relative - but they are now on an upward curve again. If Pfizer really wanted to avoid axing the jobs of workers who helped to make it those super profits, it could quite easily do so, but it is a ruthless capitalist moneymaking machine that will put profit before workers' interests every time. That is why, for example, Pfizer retirees have not received one single increase since 2007, with the company repeatedly refusing requests to meet with no reasons given. All I will say in conclusion on this subject is that if jobs start to be lost in significant numbers in the pharmaceutical industry, the State will have to prioritise sourcing or providing investment for new and quality employment.

I had wanted to make some comments yesterday about the environment but the clock was against me so I will make them now. Transport accounts for 21.4% of Ireland's carbon emissions and emissions in the sector are rising. More than three times as many primary and secondary students travel to school by car as travel by bus. This is an area where State intervention could achieve rapid results. The investment of a mere €70 million would provide the buses to bring 50,000 extra children to school by bus. An extra €26 million would allow the service to be delivered for free. Meanwhile, €665 million would be needed to introduce free public transport. A further €337 million would provide 500 new electric buses to cater for increased demand. A significant further expenditure would be needed to hire new drivers and improve the pay and conditions of all drivers. This is the key to sorting out the recruitment and retention crisis which is manifesting in a real crisis in the Cork city bus services. Given the State surplus, the Apple tax money and the wealth being hoarded by the rich in this country, which needs to be gone after, these are expenditures that are not beyond a Government prepared to put people first over profit.

Ireland is a society with many problems. Some are so severe they could rightly be described as wounds. In my city of Cork some of these problems are representing almost in miniature the problems being faced in the whole of society. Special schools are without therapists for autistic children. Water supply is often discoloured. The bus service is in a state of semi-collapse. Throughout the country, there is a massive gap between the rich and the rest. Yesterday's budget put a sticking plaster on those wounds, no more and no less than that. It fell way short of the transformational budget the people of this country need and deserve. That could and should have happened but it did not because we have a Government that is so in thrall to the rich and protecting the wealth they are hoarding and so in thrall to the capitalist market, that it will never deliver it. That is why we need a general election. It is why we need a social movement for change and a genuine left government in this country.

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