Labour shouldn’t invoke Connolly and Larkin

The response by Minister for the Environment, Alan Kelly, to the magnificent turnout at the water charges protest in Dublin, has done much to galvanise the movement.

His threat to legislate for deductions from social welfare, pensions or wages was reprehensible. Why didn’t he threaten the bankers and those who have transferred all their assets abroad, to avoid paying their taxes in Ireland, and legislate to cease all the schemes that enable such payments?

I accuse the Government of stymying any genuine social and political protest with the imposition of their most foul ‘deduction’ law.