Madam, – As a parent, I daily bring my children to their school in south Wicklow. For months we have been trying to get our dangerous local roads repaired, so that our children may journey to school without having to endure potholes, dust, rubble, swerving cars, etc.
No doubt our campaign mirrors many similar efforts the length and breath of the country, as locals fight to ensure vital infrastructure and services are maintained to a standard common in most modern democracies.
From the moment we first decided we had to do something – anything – to express our frustration, the level of public support has been astounding. A hastily arranged public meeting attracted a huge crowd of locals, angry at the service they had been getting. Debates were held and issues discussed. This soon led to a march, held on Wednesday, in which more than 200 children, parents, teachers, and locals, joined our walk to school, the purpose of which was to highlight our broken roads. Plenty of (senior) people proudly stated this was the first time they had marched in their lives, and of how fulfilling it felt to be making a stand. The mood in our community, in our villages, in our towns, is one of defiance, one of disbelief in authority, one of intolerance. Overwhelmingly, people are willing to protest, and are happy to be doing so.
Garnering support from local media and local politicians is very difficult, and I have written more letters, and know more about council budgets, than I care to – but we will continue to fight the good fight for the sake of our children. We will get our road to school fixed, and will then move on to other burning issues.
I would urge all those citizens who feel let down by their services, by their politicians, by those in power, to tap into this general mood, and take the initiative to march, to protest, to really “do the State some service”.
For all the hardship around, power is still with the people. – Yours, etc,