Month: June 2009

21 posts
Read More

Socialist Youth Protest

By Laura Fitzgerald

THE FOREMOST employers’ organisation in the country, IBEC, is becoming increasingly vocal in its condemnation of the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) system. The JLC system sets minimum pay and conditions in certain industries, including catering, contract cleaning and the hotel sector.

Read More

Government on the ropes after election defeat

By Kevin McLoughlin

Socialist Party defeats Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein

IN 2007 Bertie Ahern won a third successive general election, bringing Fianna Fail close to an overall majority. In 5 June Bye Election Ahern’s nominee, his hapless brother Maurice, came fifth in the Bye Election in the Dublin Central constituency which they had dominated for decades!

Read More

End religious control of schools

By Councillor Ruth Coppinger

THE HORRORS of the Ryan Report have put on the agenda like never before the need for removal of religious control of education. Government whip, Pat Carey TD, said the state may now "take on its responsibilities for delivering an educational system" – an amazing statement for a minister to have to make in a developed country.

Read More

Northern Ireland: Who can fill the political vacuum

By Peter Hadden

THE NORTHERN Ireland European election results have placed a huge question mark over the long term future of the Assembly. The crestfallen faces of DUP supporters at the count said all that needed to be said about the impact of the vote for Jim Allister and his Traditional Unionist Voice.

Read More

Where now for the Iranian revolution?

Working class must decisively enter struggle
By Tony Saunois, CWI

Thirty years after the 1979 revolution Iran has again erupted in revolutionary convulsions as millions have taken to the streets to protest against the undoubted rigging of the Presidential election. Within a few hours of polls closing, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his cohorts in the theocratic dictatorship claimed a sweeping victory of 64% of the votes cast based on an 85% turn-out.
Read More

Norther Ireland: United Against Racist Attacks

In the past week, the Socialist Party in Northern Ireland has been central to protests organised in opposition to a spate of racist attacks on Romanian families living in Belfast. Over 20 families were forced from their homes in vicious attacks in which stones and planks of wood were used.

Read More

Blasphemy!

By Laura Fitzgerald

“A person who publishes or utters blasphemous matter shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable upon conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €100,000.” An archaic, perhaps medieval hangover from the past? On the contrary – in fact, this is actually being proposed by Minister Dermot Ahern as a new crime of blasphemous libel that will form an amendment to the Defamation Bill.