Put people before profit, urges union

THE Government must put people before profit and adopt a more coherent approach to regional development, according to the country's largest trade union.

SIPTU general president Jack O'Connor attacked the Government for treating many essential services, from health to education, as commodities rather than as entitlements to be enjoyed by every citizen.

He said it was no surprise that the ESRI and the OECD highlighted the lack of fairness in Irish society in areas like health, education and housing, when compared internationally.