Dublin Mid West: Rob Connolly

Friday 17th June marks the 100th day of the Fine Gael/Labour government. Enda Kenny and Éamon Gilmore set out the first 100 days as being a time when they will make a significant impact on jobs and the economy.  Voters were promised a jobs budget, renegotiation of the IMF/EU deal, and widespread reform. On all fronts they have failed. Fine Gael/Labour have continued the same failed austerity economics that the hated Fianna Fáil/Green government implemented.

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell is a classic book, which every socialist should read. Although written in the early part of the last century its ideas and characters are fresh and interesting. Its author was a worker who died 100 years ago in poverty but this article and review reprinted from 1977, shows how his legacy lives on.

"It is an unpalatable fact, in light of the severity of the crisis, that repossessions must be expected to rise significantly." These were the chilling words uttered by the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Matthew Elderfield. He wasn’t speaking about luxury cars that some people may have bought and couldn’t keep up their repayments when their wages were cut or they lost their jobs. He was talking about people’s homes, the roof over their heads, the refuge where they and their families find respite when everything else – income, jobs, their children’s welfare – might be crashing around them due to the economic crisis.