Anti-austerity movement in Ireland
The anti-austerity movement in Ireland saw major demonstrations from 2008 (the year of the Irish economic downturn) to 2015.[1]
Anti-austerity movement in Ireland
22 October 2008 – 23 February 2015
Unemployment, corruption, austerity, social protection, financial crisis, banking crisis, arrival and presence of the IMF in the country, bipartidism, particracy, democracy deficit
Demonstrations, occupations, civil disobedience, Internet activism
Ended
The protests began during October 2008 after the Fianna Fáil–Green Party coalition of the 30th Dáil oversaw the implementation of the bank guarantee, and were given further impetus by the late 2010 intervention of the European Union/European Central Bank/International Monetary Fund troika and the collapse of that government early the following year. Protests continued during the Fine Gael–Labour coalition of the 31st Dáil.
2009[edit]
On 18 February 2009, 13,000 civil servants voted for industrial action over a proposed pension levy.[48] They effected this action on 26 February.[49]
Days earlier, as many as 120,000 people, had protested on the streets of Dublin on 21 February.[10][50] This was followed by a further march through the capital by gardaí on 25 February[51] and a lunch-time protest by 10,000 civil servants on 19 March 2009.[52] This was followed by two separate taxi drivers' protests in Dublin on 20 March 2009.[53]
2013[edit]
In late January, the Ballyhea protesters who have been going since 2011, achieved their 100th protest.[99]
On 28 January 2013, protesters against the household tax occupied the public gallery and Cork City Council abandoned a meeting. A similar protest had occurred the previous October but that meeting resumed after Gardaí were deployed to remove the protesters.[100][101][102][103]
On 9 February 2013, more than 110,000 people marched against the bank debt burden in nationwide demonstrations in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Sligo.[104] Then on 11 February 2013, protesters against the household tax demonstrated at meetings of South Dublin County Council in Tallaght and Fingal County Council in Swords.[105]
On 13 April 2013, people marched to Dublin Castle where EU leaders were meeting during Ireland's EU presidency.[106] Banners indicated people had come from across the country to register their protest against home and water taxes while, in the week of Margaret Thatcher's death, posters exclaimed "Bury this Thatcherite tax" and others called for a general strike. Anti-austerity politicians, including TDs Richard Boyd Barrett, Joe Higgins and Joan Collins, addressed the crowd.[107] RTÉ's coverage of events was roundly criticised by commentators.[108]
On 1 May, gardaí arrested five members of the Campaign Against Home and Water Taxes, including Cork City Councillors Ted Tynan and Mick Barry, during a midday protest inside the Patrick Street branch of the Bank of Ireland in the city. People gathered on the street.[109]
2014[edit]
In March 2014, people protested against austerity at an awards ceremony honouring President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso in Cork.[110] Also that month the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) rejected seven complaints against RTÉ's Six One News focusing on news anchor Bryan Dobson's on-air insult of people demonstrating against austerity as "idiots".[111]
On 12 November, anti-water tax protesters heckled at Dublin's General Post Office as the Taoiseach unveiled the government's planned Easter Rising centenary commemorations.[112]
On 15 November, anti-water tax protesters including the recently elected Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy, forcibly prevented the car of the Tánaiste, Joan Burton, from leaving an event in Jobstown.[113] As she was escorted away by Gardaí a water balloon struck her shoulder.[114] A video from the same weekend of one young lady being flung violently against a bollard by Gardaí emerged later and went viral, provoking public outrage and commentary.[115][116]
On 17 November, anti-water tax protesters in Sligo blocked the Taoiseach's car and scuffles broke out.[117][118]
Right2Water emerged in late 2014. They would hold regular demonstrations nationwide in the years ahead (details of which are here). On 10 December, as Right2Water gathered outside the Dáil, an unofficial group broke away and occupied the main junction of the city, O'Connell bridge. Traffic was brought to a standstill as protesters used barricades and sat on the roads to block traffic.[119] After several hours the crowd of 1,000 had dwindled to an estimated 200. Scuffles broke out as Gardaí removed people by force to clear the thoroughfare and three men and a woman were arrested on public order offences.[120]
Civil disobedience was widespread across the nation as the year drew to a close, with residents in many areas preventing workmen from installing water meters on their properties.[121]
2015[edit]
On 26 January, President Michael D. Higgins's car was surrounded by demonstrators against the water charges. The incident followed on from Higgins's signing into law of the Water Services Bill without referring it to the Council of State.[122][123] The protest, politicisation of the office of the President and the personal abuse shouted at the President were widely criticised.[123][124]
On 12 February, people demonstrated outside the Department of Justice following the arrests of some anti-austerity activists (including that of Paul Murphy, TD), in relation to the Jobstown protest of the previous November.[125]
On 19 February, there was a demonstration in Dublin after five people opposed to water charges were sent to Mountjoy Prison for contempt of court, after they had breached orders about interfering with the installation of water meters.[126]
On 21 February, thousands of people marched through Dublin from the Central Bank to Mountjoy Prison in opposition to the jailing of five protesters and the continuing arrests of activists.[127] The crowd were told that three of the five had initiated a hunger strike after being moved from Mountjoy to Wheatfield Prison.[128][129] They hunger strike was abandoned two days later, on 23 February.[130]
Also on 21 February, people associated with the groups Forgotten Farmers, Right2Water, People Before Profit and the National Reform Movement gathered outside Fine Gael's National Conference in Castlebar.[127]
On 23 February, a group occupied the main council chamber for more than half an hour and disrupted a meeting of Cork City Council. There to watch the debate on a motion condemning the jailing of the five activists, their protest meant the vote was not held as the meeting was abandoned.[131]