This past week, the Fermoy Says No march braved the blustery weather and carried their protest through the town to the Bank of Ireland. We have nothing against the individuals working in this branch. However, we all know that the cuts to social services are still happening because the taxpayer paid out billions to bail out these banks. And few in Europe are certain that there isn’t more problems lurking on the balance sheets of Irish banks.

Economic commentators tell us that a further bank crisis may develop once it becomes clear how many people simply cannot afford to pay their loans and mortgages. And who will bail out the banks then? The very people they are pursuing for money now. Households adjust their spending to meet their income, but there is a human limit to this; people need to eat and stay warm and they deserve their dignity too.

In Europe, our ministers are negotiating to try to save money on the bailout loans. They’ve succeeded in getting up to seven years grace for some loans. What wouldn’t hard-pressed individual borrowers give for seven years grace?

When we protest each week at the regime of austerity, it isn’t an abstract thing. It isn’t just the government or the ECB or the IMF. It is against the injustice visited on ordinary people who are being asked to carry the load for a country which was bankrupted by its own banks.

Join us this Sunday, marching at 12.30 from St. Patrick’s Church, Fermoy to a bank down town! Contact fermoysaysno@gmail.com or on Facebook – fermoy says no.