The Labour Party worked happily with Fine Gael for four years but has suddenly discovered that they are a party for the rich. Joan Burton has started to warn about a ‘lack of balance’ if Fine Gael started to rule alone.

In a statement Cllr Brid Smith said,Labour is acting like a second-hand dealer of dodgy cars. In 2011, they won votes on a promise that they would restrain Fine Gael. And they are trying the same trick again.But once the votes were counted after 2011 Labour dropped all talk of restraining FG and acted as their collaborator. Labour warned that Fine Gael would introduce water charges – but then voted for them.

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Cllr Smith said “The hated and unjust water charges have been pushed through by Enda Kenny and Fine Gael.

Despite their election promises to end austerity, this Government with Enda Kenny at it’s helm have inflicted severe austerity on the Irish people.
Their austerity budgets have cut the ordinary people to the bone, at the same time protecting the rich and creating new quangos like Irish Water.
To add insult to injury they are pursuing an agenda of demonising those who protest against them.”

Brid Smith added
“We are calling for the release of the five protesters jailed by the State.
This is an attempt to break up the mass movement against the Water Charges.

The Right2Water campaign will be back on the streets today and on 21 March.
Today in Castlebar we are sending a message to Enda Kenny and his party that they will get their answer at the next Election.”