Monthly Archives: February 2012
Some reflections on Irish anti-nuclear movement in 1970s
by Eisteach
Aim:
To stop the building of 5 nuclear power stations around the coast of Ireland.
How:
The first task, decided by a collective of activists, was to hold the first anti-nuclear weekend festival in Carnsore Point in 1975 which was to be the site of the first nuclear power station.
The purposes of the festival were:
To build a thirty-two county anti-nuclear movement
To learn of the dangers of nuclear power
To hear of the experiences of invited speakers from around the world
To hear first-class music through the best sound system of the time
To see first-class theatre
To feed the people, food to be vegetarian and to be paid for at cost price.
To provide the children with a dedicated and safe play area.
The social media used to inform the people were posters, leaflets, benefits and meetings.
The festival was free.
A field was donated by a local farmer and two weeks before the festival a Read the rest of this entry
Hundreds attend Newbridge anti-home taxes protest
Photo: John Squires
by Philip Ferguson
Hundreds of people took to the streets in Newbridge, Co. Kildare – estimates ranged from 250 to 500 – on Saturday, February 25 to protest against both the household tax and the septic tank tax. “Don’t register, don’t pay,” was the message delivered by both the banner leading the march and the chanting of the marchers. The protest went to local Fine Gael TD Martin Heydon’s office, although Heydon himself wasn’t there.
Speaking outside the office, Independent councillor Paddy Kennedy, who was also one of the organisers of the protest, urged people Read the rest of this entry
Organising against the household and water taxes – nationally
Day of Action, Saturday. February 25
CAHWT protests:
- Carlow – Assemble at Croppies Grave, 98 Street, Graigecullen, 12noon
- Clare – Ennis, March from O’Connell monument, 2pm
- Cork – Cork, Daunt Square, 2pm
- Cork – Mallow, March to Town Hall from Killarney Road, 2.30pm
- Donegal – Gaoth Dobhair, Assmble at Páirc Gnó Ghaoth Dobhair, 12noon
- Donegal – Fál Carrach, Crossroad, 12noon
- Dublin – Balbriggan, Town Hall, 12noon
- Dublin – Ballyfermot, Ballyfermot Road shops, 2pm
- Dublin – Blanchardstown, Council office, 1pm
- Dublin – Balbriggan, Town Hall, 12noon
- Dublin – Cabra, Assemble at Phibsborough Church, 12noon
- Dublin – Coolock, Northside Shopping Centre, 12.30pm
- Dublin – Dundrum, Town centre, 12noon
- Dublin – Dún Laoghaire, Church Wall, 2pm
- Dublin – Finglas, Shopping Centre, 12noon
- Dublin – Lucan, Superquinn, 12noon
- Dublin – Ringsend, Library, 11.30am
- Dublin – SWIC, Tyrconnell Road office of Catherine Murray TD, 12noon
- Dublin – Swords, Main Street, 12noon
- Dublin – Tallaght, Leafleting at The Square, 1pm, and protest at Pat Rabbitte clinic, 2pm
- Galway – Browne Doorway, Eyre Square, 2pm
- Kildare – Maynooth, The Square, Maynooth Village, 12noon
- Kildare – Newbridge, Assemble at St Conleth’s Church, 12noon
- Kilkenny – Courthouse, Parliament Street, 2pm
- Limerick – March to City Hall from Pery Square, 12noon
- Monaghan – Car calvacade from Peter’s Lake carpark, 10am
- Waterford – John Roberts Square, 3pm
- Westmeath – Mullingar, The Square, 12noon
- Wexford – Enniscorthy, Assemble at Fairgreen, 10am
- Wexford – Gorey, Main Street, 2pm
- Wexford – The Bridge, Wexford Town, 1pm
- Wicklow – Bray, Assemble at Town Hall, 12noon
Organising against the household and water taxes (and the septic tank tax too) – Newbridge
by Mick Healy
A
large crowd of over 300 people packed into the Hotel Keadeen in Newbridge Co. Kildare for a meeting organised by the Anti-Household Charge campaign. The people voiced their anger against the 100 Euro household charge, the new septic tank inspection charge and the turf cutting ban. The large attendance included a considerable number of elderly people who acknowledged that they had never before considered non-payment of a tax or charge. An old-age pensioner received a round of applause when she told the meeting she is a pensioner “with no intention of paying this tax money; let them put me in jail.”
P. J. Earley of the Kildare Turf Cutters Association (KTCA) addressed the crowd and asked if the septic tank charges would also be opposed; it was agreed unanimously to reject all home taxes. After speaking from the floor, Independent Kildare councillor Paddy Kennedy stated that he will not pay the household charge. Kennedy added that this Read the rest of this entry
Organising against the household and water taxes – Ballyfermot
The Campaign Against the Household and Water Taxes in this area is made up of local residents, trade unionists and members of éirígí, the Workers Solidarity Movement, the Workers Party and the People Before Profit Alliance.
Over the last number of weeks éirígí Ballyfermot has been centrally involved in establishing the Campaign Against the Household and Water Taxes in Ballyfermot, Chapelizod and Inchicore.
Campaigning is ongoing on an almost daily basis and includes postering, leafleting, canvassing door to door, campaign stalls and local meetings.
Cllr. Louise Minihan of éirígí addressed several well-attended public meetings in Ballyfermot, Chapelizod, Drimnagh, Inchicore and Killinarden in Tallaght. These public meetings led to local campaign groups being Read the rest of this entry
Organising against the household and water taxes – Tallaght
Tallaght éirígí spokesperson Scott Masterson has said that the enthusiasm displayed at recent anti-Household Tax meetings in Fettercairn and Killinarden is deeply encouraging. The socialist republican party’s spokesperson was speaking after addressing the meetings in Fettercairn and Killinarden community centres.
Masterson said, “The campaign against this unjust and immoral tax is only beginning. From what I have seen at the meetings in Fettercairn, Killindarden and across Tallaght it is clear that a large amount of people are joining the boycott of the household tax.
“I want to congratulate those members of the local community in Tallaght who participated in the meetings. But this is only just part of the work we need to do if we are to beat this tax. We need to Read the rest of this entry
Top Ten – as at Thursday, Feb 23
10. What’s behind the attack on the Newbridge Credit Union?
9. A history of the Provisional Republican Movement – part one of three
8. A history of the Provos – part three
7. Saor Eire – Marxist and republican
6. The burning of the British embassy – 40 years on
5. Remembering Peter Graham, 1945-1971
4. Women’s rights and the national struggle, 1916-1922
Boycott the home tax!
From the éirígí site:
Budget 2012 saw the Dublin government confirm its intention to impose a poll tax on homes across the Twenty-Six Counties. And so with the stroke of a pen the Fine Gael/Labour coalition levied yet another ‘stealth’ tax on in excess of 1.5 million homes across the state.
From January 1st 2012 the flat fee of €100 has been imposed on all eligible homes regardless of the income, employment status, wealth, age or number of dependents of the homeowner. In other words a billionaire living in a mansion will pay the same as an unemployed person living in a flat. Regressive taxation of this sort places an unfair burden on poorer households, resulting in deeper inequality in an already deeply unequal society.
€100 is Just the Beginning
While the Dublin government have attempted to sell the new home tax on the basis of it costing ‘only €2 a week’, even they admit that that figure will rise steeply over the coming years. Current plans will see a ‘site evaluation based property tax’ and domestic water tax replace the €100 home tax in 2013/2014.
It has been estimated that the average household will face a combined property and water tax bill of somewhere in the region of €1000 to €1500 per year by 2014. It is also clear that very few households will be afforded a waiver from these new taxes when they come into full effect.
The €100 home tax is simply the thin end of a €1500 wedge which will be levied on virtually every household in the state. And for that reason it needs to be met with a widespread campaign of opposition and non-payment. The battle against the €100 home tax cannot be separated from Read the rest of this entry
Turf wars update
by Barry Healy
By the end of 2013 the southern Irish state and the EU will have closed 130 bogs across the 26 counties, designating these raised bogs as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). In effect they will prevent families and domestic turf cutters from cutting turf as they have done for hundreds of years.
The EU Habitats Directive was introduced fourteen years ago; yet the Dublin government’s inaction has been palpable with little or no consultation by the previous government with those affected. The belated action has been the introduction of a scheme for affected landowners and people with turbary rights, offering compensation of €1,000 a year for up to 15 years or, if possible, the transfer of their cutting to other bogs which are not SACs. The compensation seems grossly unfair considering it more than likely won’t cover the annual cost of another fuel, let alone the installation of a new central heating system, so fuel poverty is a reality.
Across the areas affected turf cutters have come together to Read the rest of this entry
What’s behind the attack on Newbridge Credit Union?
by Terry Moore
On Friday 15th January the High Court appointed Luke Charlton, Partner at Ernst & Young, as Special Manager to Newbridge Credit Union. At that hearing the board was silenced by the High Court under pain of a fine of €100,000 and/or a three-year jail term. They were not allowed to speak with the workers, the members, the media or the public. I cannot understand why the same rules did not apply to the Central Bank, the Regulator and Dept. of Finance, one of which broke the news to KFM as Luke and his 11 suits marched into the Credit Union. The Directors were given seven days to appeal this decision.
What is most interesting about the actions of the Central Bank is the law that was chosen to investigate this perceived problem in Newbridge. This is the first time that Commercial Company Law has been used in this manner. There are sections of the Credit Union Act which could have been used by the Regulator or the High Court to examine Newbridge Credit Unions books.
What is not being reported in the media is that the high wages being paid to the 15 “suits” are being paid Read the rest of this entry
the irish revolution 