FINGAL County Council workers went on strike last week 'with heavy hearts' in an effort to get the Government to 'listen'. Some 650 members of Impact picketed outside the local authority offices around the county, joining hundreds of Siptu members in demonstration at further proposed wage cuts. Speaking during the protests, chair of the Fingal Impact branch, Catherine Keogh, said employees had been left with no choice.

'People are here because they've been forced to be here,' Ms Keogh said. 'Nobody wanted this. A lot of our members are on very low pay and work very hard and that's not coming across to people.

'Our clerical officers would earn around € 28,000 a year, of which they already took a hit on the pension levy. They didn't get any pay rises this year and they just can't afford to pay any more.' Demonstrations took place around County Hall in Swords throughout Tuesday, as well as in Blanchardstown and at council depots and buildings across Fingal, although workers reluctantly took the eventual action.

'I think they feel the Government isn't listening and this is the only way to get them to listen,' Ms Keogh continued.

' They [council staff] had heavy hearts yesterday knowing they were walking out the door, that they were forced into the position that they'd have to go out and leave their jobs. They're determined now that they've made that step. ' The Government have to save € 1.3 billion. There are ways of saving money, a million different things - every business has room for improvement.' Much has been made of the apparent split between private and public sector workers, although any divide appears to have been almost bridged.

'We're not seeing that at all,' Ms Keogh noted. ' We're getting great support. The truth is the ordinary man or woman are saying 'we're going to work every day, we're propping up this country and we can't bear the whole thing'.

'In reality, we all live in the one society, our kids go the one school, your brother will be in the public sector, your wife will be in the private sector, your mother will be somewhere in the semi-state.

'Today has shown that I do think the perceived gap that was there is closing.'

- Robin KIELY