Finance Department Briefs ICTU on Economy 05/03/09

Statement by John Carr, INTO General Secretary, on Today’s Economic Briefing

5 March 2009

Leave middle Ireland alone and go after the rich

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions today received a briefing from the Department of Finance and the Taoiseach’s Department on the economy situation. INTO General Secretary John Carr attended the briefing as a member of the General Purposes Committee of the ICTU.

Speaking after the meeting in Government Buildings, John Carr said there was general agreement that the country is in a worsening economic crisis and today’s meeting was a first step in getting everybody together to discuss that.

He said government needed to make sure that the vulnerable are protected, that banks release money and that the lower paid and those whose pensions are in trouble are protected.

“Unions are prepared to make a contribution,” he said, “and will do everything in their power to reach a consensus.” But he said government had already attacked lower and middle income families through the pension levy imposed on public servants. He said the next step had to be about leaving middle Ireland alone and going after those with the means to make a contribution to economic recovery.

ENDS.