Labour deputy leader Joan Burton has appealed to protesters to keep demonstrations peaceful to protect Ireland’s image and tourism industry.
Ms Burton said that it was a “democratic right” for people to be “very robust in their opposition to any or all of the measures” in the Government’s budgetary plan.
But she said that the violence of the protests in Greece, which also underwent an EU/IMF bailout “really damaged its tourism trade. Tourism is a really important earner in this country and it will help it to recover.”
She acknowledged that people “are mad as hell and don’t want to take any more” but urged particularly “smaller political organisations” not to be used as “photo fodder” for the international media.
A national demonstration is planned for Dublin tomorrow as speculation mounted about the finalisation of a deal within days.
Speaking in the Dáil during the debate on the Government’s four-year national recovery plan, Ms Burton said: “I plead with people not to be photo fodder for some of the international media stalking Dublin and various buildings. Ireland is not just ghost estates and piebald ponies left to run in fields, even though those images are appealing.”
She added that in Greece the impact of the violence that occurred had been to really damage its tourism trade.
"I appeal to people in some of the smaller political organisations - I know some people are mad as hell and do not want to take anymore - not to be used as photo fodder presenting the worst image of Ireland.”