WE MUST HAVE A
RECOVERY THAT BUILDS A
FAIRER SOCIETY
BY CAOIMHE ARCHIBALD The coronavirus pandemic has been a devastating public health emergency which has resulted in the death of hundreds of thousands across the world. States across the globe put the necessary measures in place to control the spread of the virus; businesses and schools have closed and restrictions have been put on travel. As all this has unfolded so too has the growing economic crisis. All the forecasts to date have indicated that this economic crisis will dwarf the crash of 2008. The lasting effects of that economic crisis are still being felt across this island. A
This pandemic has highlighted the unequal nature of our economy and it has also shown who the essential workers are
decade of austerity North and South stripped our public services bare and left our health services struggling to cope with this crisis. In the 6 counties the British Tory government cuts agenda has diminished the welfare state to the bare minimum. The responses from conservative governments north and south to the 2008 economic crisis were to impose austerity measures, which resulted in the housing crisis, the spiralling waiting lists in our health 26
• Health services were badly hit by the last austerity cuts
services, and a culture of precarious work, with part-time workers and young people in particular forced on to zero hour contracts with limited protections. The response to the crisis caused by this pandemic so far has been unprecedented. Government interventions have seen billions of pounds and euros directed towards individuals and businesses; revealing the fact that austerity has always been a political choice, and it has always been possible to adequately invest in public services. North and South, plans to incrementally ease the lockdown are being implemented. It is vital that we maximise our geographic advantage and that this island works as a
single epidemiological unit. In re-opening our economy and society, we must continue to be guided by best scientific evidence, best practice and the World Health Organisation guidance. This pandemic has highlighted the unequal nature of our economy and it has also shown who the essential workers are. These people are in our health service, in retail and other frontline services. Doctors, nurses, utility providers, our carers, our cleaners; it is shameful that some of these are among the lowest paid jobs. We must learn lessons from the crisis and build a better society coming out of it. We must recognise the contributions of those
ISSUE NUMBER 2 – 2020 - UIMHIR EISIÚNA 2 anphoblacht
