By Kevin Henry, QUB Socialist Society

20 STUDENTS and workers joined a picket organised by the QUB Socialist Society and Socialist Youth against the visit of US consulate representatives to Queens.

By Richard Manton

ON 19 March, the convicted Holocaust-denier and fascist David Irving will try to speak at NUI Galway.

In March last year, Irving attempted to speak at UCC in Cork, but was stopped by the Stop Irving Campaign initiated by the Socialist Party. There are a few important differences between the two attempts. Firstly, Irving will speak on his views on the Holocaust rather than free speech, making it even easier for him to cut straight to his fascist and anti-Semitic programme. Secondly, there have been huge developments in the economic and political situation in Ireland in the last year that could assist Irving in building the far-right.

By Stephen Boyd

THE COUNTRY is hurtling at full speed into an economic and social catastrophe. Some claim there could be 500,000 unemployed by the end of the year. Workers and their families at companies such as Celestica, IBM, Boston Scientific, and many many others are reeling from the shock of thousands of job losses.

By Michael Murphy

THE DECISION by the government to nationalise Anglo Irish Bank and now recapitalise AIB and Bank of Ireland (BOI) to the tune of €7 billion of tax-payers’ money is an attempt to shore up the Irish banking system. All Irish banks are on very shaky ground.

By Paul Murphy

JANUARY 2009 saw the worst ever increase in unemployment. Those signing on to the live register rose by 36,500 to a total of 327,900. Brian Cowen has admitted that unemployment could reach 400,000 by the end of the year, but if it continues at that rate it could pass the half a million mark by the end of 2009.

Fighting the pay cut: McLoone makes no impact!

By Tadhg Kenehan

THE RESPONSE of the IMPACT leaders to the attack by the government on the wages of public sector workers has demonstrated bankruptcy at the heart of the leadership.  

By Denis Keane, CPSU Executive

THE ANNOUNCEMENT of a “pension levy" on public sector workers has been met with a wave of anger by civil service and public sector workers. The reality for public sector workers the majority of whom earn €35,000 per annum or less, is that far from being overpaid, they are already struggling. To quote David Begg, the difference this levy will make to these workers is "the difference between existing and not existing".

By Stephen Boyd

TRADE UNION activists in the public sector have reported widespread anger at Brian Cowen’s draconian pay cut of €1.4 billion. Amongst lower paid public sector workers there is seething anger at the scale of the pay cuts, which will leave them struggling to make ends meet.

By Conor Payne

A MONTH after announcing 1,900 redundancies in Limerick, Dell has been forced to make important concessions to workers. Workers have succeeded in forcing the company to provide a better redundancy package, increasing the cap from 52 to 104 weeks pay and improving the pay rates in the package, which previously covered only basic pay.

Derek, an unemployed electrician spoke to the Socialist about the difficulties he has encountered “signing on”.