Metro West vital for jobs and transport

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.

Tens of thousands of householders have received their third threatening letter from a local authority with the warning that they are liable to be summonsed to appear in court if they do not pay their household tax and register within 10 days of receiving the letter.

A report published by non-governmental foundation, Front Line, examining human rights in respect of the Corrib Gas dispute, raises serious issues regarding the policing of the project and in relation to the project itself. Front Line is an international foundation established in Ireland in 2001, concerned with the rights of those who can be considered human rights defenders. The report finds that according to the United Nations definition, those involved in peaceful dispute against Shell may be categorised as human rights defenders.

Bitter resentment is the over-riding feeling of the majority of people who have felt compelled to pay the property tax.  Successive polls have shown mass opposition to this home tax. Unfortunately, people clearly lacked confidence about refusing to pay as their form of protest.