PROTEST:EIGHT MEN are walking 150km (93 miles) from Kilmacow in Co Kilkenny to Leinster House, Dublin, to seek an apology from the Government for its behaviour.
The group, who range in age from 34 to 64, had been planning for months to make some form of protest against the Government’s handling of the economy, but felt compelled to take to the streets following the “performance” this week of Taoiseach Brian Cowen and his Ministers.
“The performance in the Dáil this week made us sick . . . to see all those ministers going off with their golden handshakes and not one apology from the lot of them,” Stephen Tobin said.
The group, which is averaging about 20-25km a day, is hoping to reach Leinster House by Tuesday or Wednesday.
Mr Tobin said they would welcome anyone who wished to join the march, and could be recognised by the banners they carried bearing the slogans “stop the talking and start the walking” and “our children are not for export”.
Mr Tobin said he wanted to be able to tell his four-year-old daughter in years to come that he did not stand idly by while the Government’s “scandalous” behaviour continued. “I don’t want Alannah Mary-Kate to read the history books when she’s 15 or 16 and say ‘what did you do about it Daddy?’ I want to be able to say at least I did something.”
