“Stormont is failing”, that is the message from the Irish Republican Socialist Party in response to the news that many cancer sufferers in the North have turned to burning their own clothing due to the financial implications of their illness. Many cancer patients simply can’t afford to heat their homes while others are struggling desperately to meet mortgage and rent payments.
IRSP representative in Belfast, Paul Little, responded to comments by Heather Monteverde of Macmillan Cancer by saying:
“ This news is extremely saddening but not surprising. Working class communities have been left completely abandoned by the establishment parties. In the South of Ireland we all know about the failures of the government and the HSE with regard to caring for the vulnerable, children in particular. In the North it seems the situation is little better. What kind of society are we part of that makes people suffering from cancer turn to burning their own clothing to stop themselves freezing? Is this what is meant by the ‘Peace Process’?
Despite the desperate nature of the current situation, the IRSP Central Committee member believes that even worse is to come:
“ We are now looking into the face of an extremely draconian budget, designed by the Tories. The cuts contained in that budget will only serve to exacerbate the problems facing the most vulnerable people in our society. It is hard to imagine anything worse than cancer sufferers burning their own clothes to avoid the cold, but that is what we are facing.
“ Working class people are seeing these cuts being brought in over their heads, and it is totally undemocratic. The establishment parties in Stormont are also complicit in this situation, they are the ones who will be implementing Tory policy in Ireland. They are more concerned with executive seats than the suffering of working class people in all communities across the North. Stormont is failing people, that much is obvious.”
