The Government represents the rich few

I am a representative of bus workers, and a citizen suffering because of the Government’s efforts to repair the country’s balance sheet.

Bus workers are struggling under a mountain of debt, as a result of the greed and ineptitude of business regulation and politicians. The lack of realism, and lack of empathy towards the plight of lower and middle income workers, means the nightmare will continue.

Bus workers had to move to the four corners of Leinster to obtain affordable housing, while the main political parties acted as cheerleaders to the property bubble. These workers are in negative equity; persecuted by financial institutions. Enda has just thrown 13,000 mortgage holders of the former Irish Nationwide to the wolves, and sent out a clear signal to ‘vulture funds’ worldwide that it’s open season on Irish citizens.

Both semi state bus companies have concluded cost-cutting deals (the second in four years) to help out the banks. Workers bore the brunt of these cuts.

Universal social charge has taken the last remnants of disposable income from our members’ pockets.

Household charges, LPT, and increases in utility bills are crucifying ordinary people.

We can’t afford to eat, so where do they think we will get the money to pay these extra taxes? This is without mentioning water charges, and the daft universal health insurance proposal. At what point in our young nation’s lifetime did it become policy to represent the few at the expense of everyone else?

Thomas O’Connor

Crumlin

Dublin 12