Time to reflect on what Government have done in run-up to election

Considering RTÉ have been telling us we are in election mode, maybe we should reflect on what our Government has achieved to date.

In 2011, Labour along with Fine Gael told us that they were going to mend our fractured and broken economy. They told us they were committed to protecting the vulnerable, and that they were committed to building an Ireland based upon fairness and equal citizenship.

So now, after four years, what have we got?

We have got an increasing number of home repossessions — the worst this country has seen since the Famine according to Fr Peter McVerry.

Home repossessions invariably leads to homelessness, and obviously we are experiencing an increase in that.

Fine Gael and Labour also gave us the Troika-backed water charges (water we already paid for), which inevitably led to the water protests.

Fine Gael and Labour have allowed the bankers to breach mortgage contracts, sorry, correction, not ‘breach’ — it’s an ‘over-charge’.

The Government have given us the GP cards for the under sixes and over 70s, but isn’t this just really giving back a tiny amount from what they have already taken?

However, our government did give families an extra fiver per child in the last budget, and this was very welcome, but what is most disgusting was how they took more from the lone parents. What’s the point in giving €5, if they are going to take €75 a while later?

The excuse was to make people more proactive. I don’t think people could be any more proactive. They are very proactive, on the streets daily, telling our ‘public representatives’ what they want, and what they need.

And Fine Gael and Labour told us that Ireland was to be fair and equal. Where is the fairness where we are looking to incriminate more than 20 water protestors, from a working class area, because they delayed the Labour Tánaiste for a couple of hours.

There is one thing that Fine Gael and Labour told us in 2011 which is correct, and it’s worth bearing this in mind, considering the silly season of electioneering is upon us.

They told us that they would seek to match the spirit, courage and pride of the people, so that we could begin a period of renewal — they were spot on there, but what they didn’t see, was that the people’s spirit, courage and pride would be their downfall.

Cáit O’Beirne

Cnoc Na Si

Tubbercurry

Co Sligo