Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

File photo. Senator Ivana Bacik Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

Bacik outlines Labour's vision for post-Covid Ireland and attacks government 'shambles' in bye-election bid

The long-time Senator is looking to win a Dáil seat for Labour in Dublin Bay South.

LABOUR SENATOR IVANA Bacik launched her campaign this evening as she bids to win a seat in the upcoming Dublin Bay South bye-election.

Criticising the government as “a shambles” and “entirely lacking in vision”, she emphasised affordable housing, decent healthcare and childcare, and tackling climate change as some of her key priorities heading into the campaign. 

Earlier today, one of Bacik’s rivals to fill the seat vacated by former Fine Gael housing minister Eoghan Murphy, his party colleague James Geoghegan, set out his stall at a press conference with Tánaiste Leo Varadkar

Varadkar indicated it would be likely that the bye-election will be held during the summer. 

In the four-seater, Dublin Bay South already has TDs from Fianna Fáil (Jim O’Callaghan), the Green Party (Eamon Ryan) and Sinn Féin (Chris Andrews).

While Geoghegan is hoping to retain the seat for Fine Gael, Bacik will be aiming to take the seat and add to Labour’s six seats in the 33rd Dáil.

She said this evening: “I am really proud to be a candidate here on my home ground. My family home is here in Terenure where my mother still lives, I went to school and college in the constituency, following graduation I lived in Ringsend and the south inner city – and for many years now have lived with my own family in Portobello.

And I have been a Labour member in this constituency for many years – I first joined what was then Dublin South East as a student through Trinity Labour – I want to give particular thanks to all the comrades in Trinity Labour who have already been busy on my behalf stuffing envelopes – in the best tradition.

Bacik said that the government is “failing”, “driven by vested interests” and said “there is no one who believes its half-hearted schemes will make a difference”. 

She said that the pandemic has shown how much government can do in an emergency situation and this bye-election was an opportunity to shake Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil out of their “complacency”.

“Alongside our economic recovery, we must also ensure a social recovery with real progress on building sustainable communities,” she said. “We need to focus public spending on vastly increased provision of affordable housing; on decent healthcare, childcare and social care, on investment in education, on public amenities and on tackling climate change. 

“In this constituency, care is a huge issue. So many people that I have met over the last few weeks and months have spoken with me about their difficulties in accessing quality affordable childcare; about their concerns for older relatives and lack of care options; and about the appalling lack of places for children with additional needs in local schools.

“I have led the development of a national childcare policy for Labour; and have been working with parents of children with additional needs to secure increased provision of school places.”

She said the Labour party’s vision is similar to that of the post-war Labour party in Britain – “a national health service and welfare system to provide support ‘from cradle to grave’”.

Bacik added: “That’s the vision that we in Labour are now putting forward for Irish society as we come through this awful crisis. I would like to play a part in making that vision a reality and that’s why I am honoured to be your candidate.”

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
39 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eoin Ó Cuinneagáin
    Favourite Eoin Ó Cuinneagáin
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 8:36 AM

    But house prices still rising & interest rates higher then European counterparts…..

    133
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Full Circle
    Favourite Full Circle
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 8:44 AM

    Not much shock they are making a loss, there’s constant ads for them about mortgages but when apply for one the staff at the branch can’t even understand a credit union statement!

    114
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Fitzgerald
    Favourite Alan Fitzgerald
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 9:43 AM

    @Full Circle: yes I agree, i went in to them enquiring about a mortgage and there was questions no other bank asked me and it seemed they are looking for ways to not give it to you. I went to EBS and had the opposite they were upbeat and positive and actively working to help you and had a can do attitude. I’ve learned from my experience sometimes it depends on the person you are lucky enough to meet on the day and how well they are prepared to put the work in and present your information in the best light to the underwriters who ultimately makes the calls. Some will just bang your details in to a computer and that’s it others will work with you and help you.

    45
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gerard Heery
    Favourite Gerard Heery
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 8:45 AM

    Top men on 500000 each, get a college graduate to take their golfing jobs ,there a few mil saved already ha.

    63
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute artur fil
    Favourite artur fil
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 8:46 AM

    Central Statistics Office has provided estimates of the value of savings within Irish economy that have reached “between 28-30% of the value of all of the income within economy” . According to CSO and central bank people saved a lot of money during the lockdown.

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gerard Heery
    Favourite Gerard Heery
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 9:30 AM

    @artur fil: there’s nothing to spend on other than the house at the moment, a car is becoming a milestone, tax and insurance to do 5km a day, I reckon that the government is working on ways to relieve you of your saving like higher home tax, tax on savings thru negative interest tax, and the banks stealing Your Own money by charging you for using it ,would not worry about there loads of wouldn’t walk on the same side of the road as the sun so they wouldn’t have to carry their shadow after the benefits your hard earned money will bring them.

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shougeki
    Favourite Shougeki
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 6:13 PM

    @Gerard Heery: “Millstone” not “Milestone”. As in “Millstone around your neck” – originally meant as a way to weigh someone down so they died by drowning as a capital punishment.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Bourke
    Favourite David Bourke
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 10:37 AM

    They can blame covid all they like, but the fact is they’re an incompetent bank that treats their customers like dirt.

    I left (with some difficulty I might add, they did not make it easy to close my account, and continued charging me after I submitted a more than one form to close the account) after years of banking with them when I realised that some banks actually *wanted* customers.

    They seem to hire the most disinterested employees they can find, and only open for 2-3 hours on a full moon. Useless bank, hope it collapses.

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute martin hayes
    Favourite martin hayes
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 9:37 AM

    I am quite sure all of our hearts will be bleeding for those poor misfortune thieves

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute cryptodon
    Favourite cryptodon
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 10:12 AM

    Defi is going to cause real problems for them very soon

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Contrary Mary
    Favourite Contrary Mary
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 9:59 AM

    Wonder how much was made from those charged per transaction requiring a card. Had to be a pretty penny or two.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute brendan o connell
    Favourite brendan o connell
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 1:53 PM

    I went to them years ago for a small loan, I had been with them for years it was very big deal and got turned down , went down road to credit union no prob at all… So it was good bye to tsb then.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute
    Favourite
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 12:33 PM

    There is only one bank that’s the best at anything and that’s the BOM Bank Of Matress

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute brendan o connell
    Favourite brendan o connell
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 1:48 PM

    @: I hope it is fireproof and thief proof.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute eoin o fainin
    Favourite eoin o fainin
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 12:14 PM

    Those poor bankers

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stiofán De Priondárgas
    Favourite Stiofán De Priondárgas
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 7:03 PM

    And is this the bank the Ulster Bank customers are supposed to move to?

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Padraig O'Shea
    Favourite Padraig O'Shea
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2021, 1:32 PM

    That’s because there is no one to answer the phones anymore… which I can’t understand… only company I have come across that u can’t contact to give money to… but the advisers that have everything streamlined know best…efficiency with the cost of customer service will not work in the banks best interest longterm..

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Top Horse Shop
    Favourite Top Horse Shop
    Report
    Mar 4th 2021, 4:29 AM

    They have sold some of their loan book to the vultures and they are buying some of Ulsters loan book ,one couldn’t make this up, would be better off to go like AIB who are going gambling with Goodbodys and maybe buy a couple of bookie shops

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds