We’re paying a high price for privatisation
Public companies like Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Aer Rianta, ESB and local authority bin collections are being fattened up for privatisation.
That is the real reason for the strikes and the exorbitant price rises this year.
This right-wing Government claims that privatisation will reduce prices. But look at the latest 7.7% increase in line rental from privatised Eircom. This is the third hike since February ’03, making a huge 25% increase in a year.
These telephone lines were installed with taxpayers’ money and are now being greedily exploited by profiteers, while our telecoms network has gone from being one of the best in Europe to one of the worst.
Similarly with National Toll Roads, where prices have shot up as this private monopoly simply rakes in massive profits for nothing.
Speaking of megabucks for nothing, the banks made over €3,000 million profits last year, as their private cartel kept raising ‘charges.’
I believe we should have vibrant public sector companies that will benefit all of the people, not private sector concerns driven by short-term profit.
Ray Corcoran,
16, Hollywell,
Ballymun,
Dublin 11.
