Harney gets painted

éirígí Councillor Louise Minihan released from Garda custody following Harney protest

éirígí Councillor Louise Minihan was released without charge from Garda custody at 11.30am following an anti-cutback protest aimed at the Twenty-Six County Minister for Health, Mary Harney. During the course of the protest Minihan poured diluted red paint on Mary Harney’s clothing.

Speaking after her release Louise Minihan said,
‘In one month’s time the government will introduce what can only be described as a blood budget. The cutbacks in healthcare that will be contained in that budget will result in the unnecessary and avoidable deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of people over the coming years.

‘Today Mary Harney had the cheek to organise a publicity stunt at Cherry Orchard Hospital, where she was turning the sod for a long overdue mental health unit. This is the same hospital which has been starved of funding for years, where an entire ward for althzeimers and dementia sufferers was closed down during the summer.

‘The red paint that I used in today’s protest is symbolic of the blood that Harney, Fianna Fail and the Green Party have on their hands. Irish citizens are literally dying to satisfy the demands of the IMF, the EU and the money markets. The wealth of this country should be used to provide a first class health service that is open to everyone and not to bail out the private banks.

Louise concluded by calling on people to oppose December’s blood budget
‘All across the country, in Tipperary, Navan, Monaghan, Wexford and elsewhere people have taken to the streets in their tens of thousands to defend their local hospitals. All of these local hospital campaigns need to come together in the run up to December’s blood budget.

‘On budget day itself the people of Ireland need to get onto the streets in protest. People don’t need political parties, trade unions or other so called leaders to tell them what it wrong with this country and they don’t need political parties or trade unions to tell them to get onto the streets. The time has come to stop moaning and start building a real alternative to the right wing policies that got the country into the mess it is in. It’s time to tell the government and the rest of the political establishment that enough is enough. We aren’t going to accept their blood budget.’

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Not condoning the throwing of paint on her but I understand the anger directed towards her.

On a more serious note - who the hell from her team of advisors allowed her to go ahead with the sod-turning AFTER she was paint-balled? Anyone with even the most basic knowledge of PR and how the media works would know these pictures will be everywhere (globally) and unfortunately for Harney will become her legacy shot. Could they not have foreseen the "blood on her hands" headlines?

AND SHE'S PAYING THESE ADVISORS WITH OUR TAXES!!!!!

the immortals wrote: »

retarded not to understand why it was done

Morlar wrote: »

On the other hand she really, really deserves to be publicly humiliated and much more.

Rebelheart wrote: »

:rolleyes: You've got issues.

mikom wrote: »

"released without charge from Garda custody at 11.30am"

I know people give out about the Gardai releasing violent criminals, but on this occasion have they really let a violent criminal walk away free?