People Before Profit selects Ruairí Fahy as its representative for Limerick City North.
Last night People Before Profit held a selection convention to choose a candidate for the 2024 local elections. The event was attended by members of People Before Profit along with veterans of the Limerick Water Charges movement.
Paul Murphy, TD for Dublin South-West, attended the convention and outlined the current political situation with the intersecting crises of a rising cost of living and unaffordable and inaccessible housing, “I feel there is an appetite rising among people against these rising living costs. People can clearly see the cracks in the system where energy companies are pulling in obscene profits while people have to choose between heating and eating. There is a demand for a mass movement from people where people are coming up to me saying we need something like the water charges.”
Former Councillor for Limerick City North, Cian Prendiville gave an overview of the strong socialist roots in Limerick from the 1919 Limerick General Strike where workers took control of the city in opposition to escalation by British forces to the movements against Rent Increases by the National Association of Tenants Organisations (NATO) in the 70s, against refuse charges in the 2000s and more recently against the water charges. “What links all of these movements together is that it was through the actions of people coming together and fighting together that real change could be made.”
There were also contributions from former socialist councillors Paul Keller and Joe Harrington outlining the importance of a socialist voice on the council to shine a light on the political wheeling and dealing as well as being a voice for those who are often ignored in electoral politics.
Newly selected representative, Ruairí Fahy said “In Limerick City North, there are serious issues with wealth inequality, overcrowded and unsuitable housing and it’s very clear from speaking to people there over the last few weeks and months that there is a desire for a radical politics that goes beyond the few crumbs our elected politicians are willing to throw out to quell anger at rising costs and broken promises. People are recognising that the privatisation of our energy generation has been a disaster with working families now bearing the cost as companies are free to drive up their prices even though their extraction costs for fuel haven’t increased.
“There may be supply issues in some areas due to war or the pandemic, but the solution isn’t to hike up prices until people who can no longer afford to heat their homes or buy food to eat, the solution is to develop a democratically planned socialist system that gives people a say over how our resources are used. It is only with such a system change can we tackle the combined crises, in health, housing, energy and climate change. This can’t be achieved by one person getting into the council chamber, it can only happen by people getting involved with movements and standing up and fighting together for a future where people’s needs are put before profit.“
People Before Profit launched its branch in Limerick in February 2021 and since that launch has played a key role in developing movements on environmental, housing and energy crises in Limerick.
Members of People Before Profit chaired and organised the “Raise The Roof” coalition here leading in growing demonstrations against dereliction, evictions and the failure of market provision of housing.
With help from local campaign groups and Dublin based TDs Paul Murphy and Brid Smith they have raised local environmental issues such as the health risks of an expansion of the Aughinish Alumina site, the climate risks of the fracked gas import terminal planned for the Shannon Estuary and the respiratory and cancer risks of burning waste in the Irish Cement kiln.
