That’s the message from Fermanagh Save Our Services (FSOS) who, along with unions Unite and NIPSA, are holding a rally at the Diamond in Enniskillen this Saturday, February 3, at 1pm. The aim of the protest is to call for a repeal of the controversial Bengoa and Donaldson health reports, to call for a “reinstatement bill” to “turn the clock back on cuts and the private sector encroachment on our health service”, and, overall, to call for legal protection for the NHS and local health services. 

Chairman of FSOS, Padraig Murphy, said the rally was taking place as part of a day of action across the North and England.

“We’re calling to the people to turn out on Saturday and make their voices heard, because feet on the street has the power to reverse this decision,” said Mr Murphy. “We’ve seen it before. 

“People are of the opinion we can’t reverse this, we can’t over turn this. If they’d just stop and think what happened when people marched to stop the water rates in the Irish Republic. We want the same here in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.” 

Mr Murphy explained the day of action was not needed in Scotland or Wales, where the devolved governments had not signed the Donaldson Report. Claiming the Stormont government had “signed our rights away” when the Minister signed that report, he said once implemented it would mean people could not take legal action to protect local services and that “at a whim” the NHS “can be underscored left, right and centre as far as privatisation goes.”

“People are unaware what is happening,” said Mr Murphy. “Getting feet on the street and getting our message to the people, is the only way we’re going to stop this.”