People Before Profit TD canvassing in Derry

Dún Laoghaire People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett was in Derry and Strabane this weekend supporting party candidates in the forthcoming May 18 Council elections.

Mr Boyd Barrett said: "It was great to talk to people on the doors in Derry and Strabane in support of our candidates for the upcoming Council election.

"The issues we hear people most concerned with in Dublin were the issues most frequently coming-up from residents here: low-pay, housing need, rental costs, food price hikes and more. There's real fury at the Tories and the DUP for austerity and political deadlock - but also deep frustration at all the main parties for propping them up.

"The records of Sinn Féin, SDLP and Alliance are quite atrocious when it comes to workers pay, privatisation of the health service and protection of the most vulnerable, including children.

"We hear them talk about opposing cuts but when they join up with the DUP to impose massive 8% Council rates hikes, service cuts and price increases, it completely undermines them. This isn't serious opposition. There's no justification for implementing Tory austerity, ever," said Mr Boyd Barrett.

The TD said it was also clear people in Derry and the North West had been badly let down when it came to investment in jobs, house building, university expansion and infrastructure. 

He added: "The cuts to Radio Foyle are shocking and emblematic of the way Derry has been treated for decades. It's a fair point to ask what has changed for Derry from the old Unionist dominated Stormont to the Good Friday Agreement Stormont?

"People Before Profit are growing across the island because of the failure of the political establishment.

"Our Derry and Strabane Cllrs Shaun Harkin in Foyleside and Maeve O'Neill in The Moor have used their platforms to amplify demands ignored by the main parties and fight to protect workers and all communities.

"We're standing a candidate in each of the 7 Derry and Strabane Council District Electoral Areas. To take on the Tories and divisive communal politics we need more fighters at the Council level focused on building resistance from the bottom-up. 

"I encourage people across Derry and Strabane Council District to strike back by voting for People Before Profit candidates on May 18."