ULA TDs condemn Eamon Gilmore for his inaction regarding the ongoing detentions of Irish nationals in Israel

Racist incidents need to be met with strong community response.

Here Joe Higgins TD looks back on 2011 -  a year marked by an intense and deepening crisis within the economic and social structures of European capitalism and the dramatic manifestations of that crisis in this country also.

Speaking at a press conference convened this morning in response to the Budget, Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins said: "The draconian proposals for the attempted implementation of the new Property Tax have the stamp of a Troika dictat and verge on a financial dictatorship attacking low and middle income households. The proposal is a grotesque abuse of Revenue powers to try cow home owners but there will be massive anger, discontent and active resistance.

With billions more going into the banks and the privatisation of semi states combined with cuts in the number of public sector jobs on the agenda, it is clear that this government is starting where Fianna Fail and the Greens left off. During the recent election while there was much talk of re-negotiating the EU/IMF deal it is evident now that both Fine Gael and Labour are committed to its implementation.