Browne calls on Tipperary people to attend cost of living march in Clonmel

Tipperary Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne calls on the people of Tipperary to turn out for the Cost-of-

Living Coalition March in Clonmel this Saturday.

The Tipperary TD, who will speak at the protest, has said the march, organised by the Cost-of-Living

Coalition Tipperary, will be an opportunity for the people to call time on this government, whose

budget failed to deliver for the people.

Deputy Browne said: “I encourage everybody to turn out for Saturday’s march. No longer can we stand for policies that

fail the families of Co Tipperary who are facing the choice of eat or heat, and who are overwhelmed

with sky-high rents, a lack of accommodation, record homelessness and endless hospital waiting

lists.

“The appalling Russian invasion of Ukraine has had a disastrous effect on energy costs. But the

groundwork for the crisis we are now experiencing was laid by this government through years of

underinvestment in the people, through poor decision making, and through its focus on enriching

the well-off as the expense of ordinary people.

“The housing crisis, high rents, a lack of social and affordable housing were not created by external

forces; they were created by this government and previous ones.

“The same is the case for the health system in which waiting lists have soared to 907,754 at the end

of September, up by almost 30,000 already this year.

“Those failures are of the government’s own making.

“On Saturday, soaring energy costs will be a particular cause of concern for people.

“Sinn Fein called for a reduction in the electricity bills that many households are dreading coming in

their door and for those prices to be capped at 2021 levels. We called for cost-of-living cash

payments to be targeted at low and middle-income households to support them with other rising

energy bills.

“The government turned its nose up at this, opting instead not to cap prices, and to use the budget

to give electricity credits universally – regardless on people’s ability to pay.

“It is clear that people have had enough from a government that ignores them at every turn.

“On Saturday, I will be standing with those whose voice is being ignored by this government. I will

do as I always have done and bring those views to Leinster House and make it quite clear that

enough is enough.

“I encourage everyone who has the time to assemble at the Main Guard in Clonmel at 2.30pm and

tell the government that their budget has not worked and it is time for change.”