Despite appalling weather conditions, members of the 1% Network gathered outside the Central Bank in Dublin’s Dame Street on Thursday evening (10^th March) to highlight the fact that, despite the change in government the wealthy 1% still “pull the strings”.

The evening’s events began with a symbolic sealing off of the Central Bank with crime scene tape.  This was done to highlight the fact that it is “a symbol of no-regulation capitalism and unbridled greed,” said Brian Leeson, 1% Network spokesperson. 

The 1% Network has announced plans for a Street Theatre and Music event and an Open Meeting during which the Central Bank in Dublin’s Dame Street will be cordoned off as a crime scene. 

Members of Ireland’s wealthy elite have announced plans to meet outside the Central Bank in Dublin’s Dame Street on Thursday 10^th March at 6p.m. to celebrate the fact that it’s “business as usual now that the election is out of the way”.

The 1% Don't Need to Stand In Elections - Whoever Forms The Government We'll Still Be pulling The Strings'

The election will be over, the new government will be formed. But what will have changed?
The 1% elite will still own 34% of the wealth.

10 March · 18:00 - 19:00
Location : Central Bank, Dame Street, Dublin 2

No political party would be allowed to take power on a platform of taking their riches from the wealthy 1%.  Their huge wealth gives them political power.  The power and wealth cannot be taken from the elite through the ballot box, it can only happen by a massive social upheaval.

DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS MEETING HAS BEEN POSTPONED TILL THE NEW YEAR

The population of the south have just been subjected to the toughest austerity budget that western Europe has seen in 30 years. Yet the tax hikes that targeted the low paid and those on average income actually saw the richest 1% gain! Someone earning only 15,000 euro could be paying nearly 6% more tax but someone whose income is a million will be paying 6% less tax.

The 1% Network has sharply criticised the government for claiming that a vote by Dáil Éireann to approve the IMF-ECB deal would give it ‘political legitimacy’.

As part of the budget protests at the Dáil Dec 7th 2011 Andrew Flood gave the following speech for the 1% Network at the left bloc rally. "If we wish to build a new society based on equality and real democracy, we need to find a way to take political power as well as economic wealth away from that 1%"

Anarchist organisation Workers Solidarity Movement (WSM) has confirmed its intention to join the protests against Tuesday’s budget at Dáil Éireann.

Speaking today, Gregor Kerr, WSM P.R.O. said that members of the organisation would be joining the 1% Network protest meeting at Wolfe Tone statue St Stephen’s Green at 5:30p.m. and marching with them to participate in the protest at the Dáil at 6p.m.

“Ordinary people are being sacrificed on the altar of international capitalism.  We absolutely must step up the protests against what’s being done to us.” – Gregor Kerr, 1% Network spokesperson

The 1% Network has called on “workers, the unemployed and all who care about any form of democracy or equality” to protest outside the Dáil on Budget night, Tuesday 7^th December.