News in brief

The launch of the new Johnstown cumann

Irish school funding

Comprehensive funding for early Irish medium education must be provided to fix the funding crisis that has arose over the last year, Sinn Féin MLA Francie Brolly said this week. Brolly made his statement following Peter Hain's announcement on 25 October that £25 million would be injected into early years education over the next two years.

Launch of green paper

At a well-attended meeting in Kilkenny on Thursday 27 October, Martina Anderson outlined Sinn Féin's proposed green paper on Irish unity, and the steps necessary to get this important discussion paper out to the wider community.

New cumann in Johnstown

The Michael Gaughan Sinn Féin Cumann was launched in Johnstown, County Kilkenny on Friday 28 October. A large attendance elected Seán O'Connor as Chairperson Michael Coady as Vice Chair, Aiden Guinlan as Secretary and S Pollard as PRO.

The meeting was attended by the Carlow/Kilkenny General Election candidate Kathleen Funchion.

Obscene Shell profits

Profits of $7.37 billion in the third quarter of this year for multinational oil company Shell, have been described as obscene by Sinn Féin Cllr David Cullinane.

Cullinane said the Dublin Government had seen fit to give away natural resources to the company and imprison men who stood against this, while Shell made $1.5 million an hour. He added that the argument that Shell couldn't afford to pay royalties and taxes on the Mayo gas development has now been shown up as ridiculous.

Orange Hall attacked

An attack on an Orange Hall is Whiterock has been criticised by West Belfast Sinn Féin Councillor Tom Hartley. Hartley said that despite the behaviour of the Whiterock Orange Lodge in trying to force an unwanted sectarian parade through the local nationalist community, and the subsequent violence and intimidation which resulted, there can be no justification for an attack of this kind.

Cautious welcome for LVF statement

Splinter Loyalist paramilitary group the LVF said last Sunday that it would be standing down, and that the feud between itself and its rival, the UVF, was over. NIO Secretary Peter Hain welcomed the move and called on other loyalist groups to follow suit. Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly issued a cautious welcome from the party, saying that the group's history of sectarian violence meant any move by it had to be watched carefully.

Greysteel killer must serve eight life sentences

Stephen Irwin, a member of the UDA gang responsible for the Greysteel massacre in 1993 is to serve out the remainder of eight life sentences after he was convicted of a vicious knife attack during crowd trouble at a soccer match in Belfast's Windsor Park.

Irwin was one of two UDA gunmen who opened fire on patrons of the packed Rising Sun bar in Greysteel, Co Derry village, killing eight people on Hallowe'en night 1993. Irwin shouted "trick or treat" before he and the second unionist gunman Torrens Knight opened fire on customers.

Taxis drivers call for gates closure as attacks surge.

Nationalist taxi drivers are calling for the night time closure of gates at the Suffolk Estate in West Belfast after stone throwing loyalists caused almost £1,200 worth of damage to three taxis operating out of a Poleglass depot on Saturday night 29 October.

McGuinness raises availability of breast cancer drug

Sinn Féin Mid-Ulster MP Martin McGuinness has questioned the contradictory position of the Health Service in the Six Counties regarding the provision of vital medication.

While the drug 'Herceptin' is potentially life saving to those suffering from breast cancer it is only available to patients in the early stages of the illness if they are capable of paying for it.

A recent study carried out in the USA has shown that Herceptin cuts the risk of tumors returning in women with early stage breast cancer by 50%.

In his ongoing campaign to have the drug made available McGuinness said;"I accept the Department is committed to improving access to medicines that offer the potential for significant improvement in patient care. But what I can't understand is the contradictions in its comments.

"On the one hand it claims it cannot prescribe Herceptin because it has not been approved by NICE then it goes on to state NICE guidance does not automatically apply here.

"Could this be the explanation for the confusing situation whereby all women diagnosed with breast cancer here are automatically tested for suitability for Herceptin thereby raising expectations but are then told that it is only available in the later stages of cancer or on the payment of £25 000."