Month: September 2013
Young people in Ireland, like cattle, are being brought up for export
Today sees the publication of a report by the UCC Émigré project which graphically shows the devastation caused by emigration.
Repeal the 8th amendment
This Saturday will see the second annual March for Choice. Mass mobilisation is crucial to ensure the government’s attempt to wash its hands of the abortion issue, following the passing of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act, will not be tolerated and, in particular, that the betrayal of the Labour Party in its support of a bill that criminalises women and ignored the issues of foetal abnormalities, rape, incest and inevitable miscarriages will not be overlooked.
One hundred years ago in Dublin: workers’ struggles and solidarity
On this day one hundred years last Friday – September 20, 1913 – Dublin City and parts of the county is in the throes of a desperate crisis. What can only be described as a full scale class war is underway as the city’s capitalists set out to crush the demands of workers who have the temerity to demand better wages, improvements in the grinding conditions imposed on them in their workplaces and the right to join a trade union of their choice.
Seanad Éireann – its origins and conservative role
A referendum on the abolition of Seanad Éireann is taking place on the 4th October. It is a referendum that is cynically being put forward by the Fine Gael/Labour government to try to portray themselves as reformers and progressives by calling for the scrapping of a blatantly elitist institution. Enda Kenny even attacked the 'political insiders' who have never reformed the Seanad for decades. Kenny, however, fails to see that he and the rest of his Fine Gael party are at the heart of the political establishment and are true 'political insiders', central to how the state is run.
Parades & protests: Sectarian politicians deliver only conflict
Events of the weekend of 9 August to the 11th shone a spotlight on the sectarian landscape of Northern Ireland in 2013. There was fierce rioting in the city centre of Belfast on the 9th when up to 2000 loyalists mobilised to block an “anti-internment” march organised by a number of dissident republican groups.
Can the Seanad be reformed?
This government has been at war against working people since it came to power. It is clear that we need to oppose this government and its austerity policies. However, the majority of trade union leaders have utterly failed to do this.
Prostitutes facing state harassment in Limerick
The last months have seen a disgusting campaign of stigmatisation and vilification of prostitutes in Limerick. Local business owners, such as rugby star Jerry Flannery, have taken to local and social media attacking prostitutes in the most vile of language, whilst the Gardai have begun a new policy of taking those selling sex to court to get civil orders banning them from parts of the city associated with on-street prostitution.
End the mortgage nightmare
The tragic death by suicide of former Priory Hall resident Fiachra Daly has put the exploding mortgage crisis centre stage. The brave decision by his partner Stephanie Meehan go public at this difficult time for her family has put the human face to the tragedy of this financial meltdown.
No more “slut-shaming” & sexism
The only way the horrific so-called “slut-shaming” that the young woman at the centre of the #Slanegirl incident can be understood, is as a product of the proliferation of sexist objectification of women and the commodification of women’s bodies pushed by corporations and the mass media in the recent period. In the light of the warped and sometimes hateful portrayal of women and women’s sexuality that capitalism has promoted in various guises throughout its history.
Scrap the Seanad – fight elitism & austerity
In a cynical political stunt, the government has proposed a referendum on the abolition of the Seanad. The Socialist Party is calling for a Yes vote. Not because we agree with the government’s hypocrisy or general attacks on democratic rights, but because the Seanad is an undemocratic, elitist, conservative body that should be scrapped.