Socialist Party (Ireland) Struggle, Democracy, Socialism

By Paul Murphy

“IRELAND NEEDS a new political party; one that reflects the sweeping reassessments that have taken place in the past six months, ever since the old order started to disintegrate…. One popular, coherent movement is what is required.”

Justine McCarthy, writing in the Sunday Tribune (3 May), expressed an essential truth that the Socialist Party believes about the political situation in Ireland – there is a desperate need for a new mass party to represent working class people.

By Councillor Mick Barry

GREEN PARTY Minister for the Environment John Gormley spoke in April of the inevitability of the return of domestic water charges. With the Commission on Taxation due to report to the government in July on methods of increasing tax revenue and with another Budget due in December, this represents a real threat to workers and their families. Minister Mary Hanafin told the Irish Times last December, “If we had domestic water charges in Ireland, families would be paying €700 or €800 per annum.”

By Councillor Mick Murphy

EMPLOYERS AND the government are using the economic crisis to push through cuts in workers wages and working conditions.

Senior managers in modern industry, many of whom have MBAs, are well versed in managing during a crisis and lately their training is being put to good use in so far as they are taught to never waste a good crisis. In almost every company the top brass have taken their cue from the downturn and are attacking any and all conditions.

By Councillor Clare Daly

TWO YEARS ago, Anne her partner and her two children owned their own house and ran a small business. As the loan for the business was tied in with their house, when the business ran into trouble they lost their home also.

By Michael Murphy

THE DESTRUCTION of our health service by the government continues apace. Having completely failed to establish a proper functioning and accessible health service during the boom years the government are pursuing their agenda of cut backs and service closures across the country.

While there was an increase in health funding during these years the reality is that the cuts of the 1980s have never been undone. The 3,000 beds that were cut then haven’t been replaced and health funding only ever reached 90% of the EU average.

By Conor Payne, UL Socialist Youth

AFTER INITIALLY saying it would announce its plans in relation to college fees in April, the government has delayed the decision. The hated Fianna Fail and Green government want to minimise the amount of “bad news” in the run-up to the European and Local Elections. Young people will not be fooled by this approach. There is no doubt that fees are on the cards and that they will deny access to education for thousands of young people.

SY – What are your job prospects like?

Maria - I am not at all confident about getting a job in the current climate. Having spent three years studying it looks as if it is for nothing. I have applied for advertised vacancies but I haven't even got interviews because this year there are loads of experienced teachers who are now unemployed because of the cutbacks, competing with those of us who are newly qualified. I have also sent out lots of CVs but haven't got a single reply.

By Councillor Ruth Coppinger

 PARENTS VOTING on 5 June need to factor in a huge issue that will impact their children’s future but is being largely ignored in the media. When their kids return to school in September, two to three teachers will no longer be there and their school will be thousands of euro poorer. That means bigger classes with less attention for their child and more requests from school principals for parent donations to keep schools running.

Fiona O’Loughlin spoke to Tracey who lives in Clondalkin with her 18 month old son.

Fiona: How have the cutbacks in recent budgets affected you and your family?

Tracey: “I am single parent and I work part-time two days a week. My childcare costs me €75 per week so losing the early child care supplement will hit me very bad. I was getting €93 per month and this will now be cut to €45 per month until December but then it’s gone altogether. Between this and the other cutbacks I don’t know if it will be worth my while staying in work, even though I want to.

Interview – Kandeepan, a Sri Lankan Tamil living in Ireland, who has assisted the Stop the Slaughter of Tamils (SST) campaign, spoke to the Socialist. TS – Why did you get involved with the Stop the Slaughter of Tamils protest? K – I love my people and my country the Tamil Eelam. The Tamils have been terrorised since 1948 by ...