Sinn Féin Leader on Dublin City Council and European election candidate for Dublin, Daithí Doolan, has said that Ireland needs MEPs that will prioritise workers’ rights.

Speaking ahead of this evening’s SIPTU election hustings at the Communication Workers Union, Cllr Doolan said:

“The European elections are an opportunity to elect someone who will stand up for workers, their families and communities.

“Sinn Féin believes that it is time for workers and workers’ rights to be front and centre of the political agenda.

“As an activist on the side of workers for all of my life, I supported the Dunnes workers 40 years ago as a teenager, supported the Irish Glass Bottle workers 20 years ago, and have again stood on the side of Clerys and Debenhams workers in their disputes in recent years.

“If elected as MEP for Dublin, I would bring that same commitment to Brussels.

“Workers’ rights and workplace democracy have been under attack for some time and, now more than ever, we need MEPs to stand up against any attempts to erode these hard-fought-for rights.

“We are witnessing a race to the bottom in terms and conditions of work, falling living standards and declining real incomes, and the marginalisation of trade unions and workplace democracy.

“According to the Central Statistics Office, workers are projected to be worse off in 2024 than they were in 2020. We need to reverse that trend.

“Sinn Féin have been to the fore in pushing for the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages to be implemented – specifically the section that requires the Irish government to bring forward an action plan to increase collective bargaining coverage to 80% amongst the workforce.

“That is why workers need representatives in Europe who are on their side. For far too long, workers and their rights have been an add-on or an afterthought.

“I want to see the European Parliament and Irish government working in partnership with workers and their trade unions to ensure that the protections for workers are strong, and that workers’ voices are heard loud and clear.

“As an MEP, I would be that strong voice in Brussels – standing up for workers’ right to organise, to collective bargaining and for delivering adequate minimum wages.”