Fianna Fáil will be robbing the Irish people if it removes the May Day public holiday, the man who introduced it said last night.
Former Labour Party leader, Ruairí Quinn, expressed shock at the decision by Fianna Fáil to consider dropping May Day as a public holiday. May Day, he said, was a day specifically celebrated internationally to recall the great social and economic achievements of the Labour movement.
"A motion passed at the Fianna Fáil Ardfheis at the weekend made it Fianna Fáil policy to take this day away from the people.
"As the minister who originally introduced the May Day holiday in Ireland, I am shocked that Fianna Fáil would consider dropping it and thus negate the great historical meaning behind it," Mr Quinn said.
"It makes nonsense of Fianna Fáil's commitment to social partnership and respect for working people. Instead this is the true face of Fianna Fáil, reactionary and conservative," he continued.
"The first of May is celebrated across Europe and the world as the international day of celebration of workers," he added.
"I hope the Taoiseach will provide an explanation as to why he supports this robbery from the people and whether he intends to remove the only truly international public holiday from our calendar," he added.