Starting a winter of discontent

WITH almost 3,500 turning out, more than three times the expected number of participants, frontline service staff issued a strong attack on the Government’s economic strategy at yesterday’s protest march through Dublin city centre.

Organisers had forecast that only 1,000 nurses, gardaí, firefighters and other frontline personnel would be able to take part in the parade, especially as only those off-duty were being asked to attend. However, by 1.30pm, a whole hour before the public servants were to be lead off by vintage vehicles, it was already obvious that many more were there to show their outright anger at the perceived attack on public sector pay and conditions.

Even at that point if there had been a car crash in Parnell Square, the starting point for the parade, there would have been almost 1,000 nurses and gardaí to tend to the victims and arrest the culprit.