Kerry Government TD Warns of Further Cutbacks in the Public Service

kerry | worker & community struggles and protests | press release

Tuesday February 16, 2010 11:01

by Brendan Guilfoyle - KPSWA

Tom McEllistrim meets the Kerry Public Service Workers' Alliance

A Kerry North Fianna Fail TD has told public servants that there will be further cuts in the public service if they choose to vote for any alternative candidates in the next general election (audio clips below). Deputy Tom McEllistrim made the comments during his address to members of the Kerry Public Service Workers’ Alliance who picketed his Tralee constituency clinic on Saturday.

FF TD Tom McEllistrim with KPSWA protesters

A Kerry North Fianna Fail TD has told public servants that there will be further cuts in the public service if they choose to vote for any alternative candidates in the next general election (audio clips below). Deputy Tom McEllistrim made the comments during his address to members of the Kerry Public Service Workers’ Alliance who picketed his Tralee constituency clinic on Saturday.

Deputy McEllistrim explained that for the last seven years his Oireachtas expenses were the lowest of any of the six TDs in Kerry. He then went on to warn that if public service workers “vote for other ones then there will be higher expenses and they will cost more and there will have to be more cutbacks in the public service.”

Members of the Kerry Public Service Workers’ Alliance (KPSWA) escalated their ongoing picket action last weekend at Deputy McEllistrim’s constituency clinics in Tralee and Listowel. Over 130 members of SIPTU, IMPACT, TUI, PSEU, CPSU, PNA and GRA participated in the protest action.

The KPSWA called on Deputy McEllistrim to resign the government whip and support the workers in the county. Deputy McEllistrim responded by stating that TDs were “in a lot more insecure job than the public servants” and he asked “why didn’t George Lee stay – he knew he was up for re-election but there’s no re-election when he’s in RTE”.

Martin O’Grady (KPSWA spokesperson) said that “public service workers are outraged at the words and actions of Deputy McEllistrim who voted for unfair and draconian wage cuts. The wage cuts will result in a direct loss of over €25 million per annum to Kerry. Local businesses will suffer heavily and more jobs will be lost in a county with an unemployment rate that is twice the national average. Slashing the wages of those who have jobs will not create a single job for those seeking employment”.

The KPSWA called on Deputy McEllistrim to have the courage and honour to resign the whip and demand a complete reversal of government policy. If he continues to prop up this corrupt government, the KPSWA is determined to see that he will pay the ultimate price at the polls.

The KPSWA has written an open letter to the Kerry government TDs and the picketing of Deputy McEllistrim’s clinics is the first in a series of actions that will target government TDs over the coming weeks.

The KPSWA has brought together representatives of educational, civil, health, garda and administrative workers. The objective of the KPSWA is to stop and reverse the cuts to pay and public services.