In Brief

Ahern should use Finucane motion to press for inquiry

Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin TD welcomed last week's All-Party Dáil motion calling on the British government to fulfil commitments to hold a public inquiry into the murder of solicitor Pat Finucane.

The main obstacle is the British government's insistence that an inquiry be held under the Inquiries Act giving a British minister power of veto over evidence given, the duration of the inquiry and final report.

Ó Caoláin said: "The Taoiseach should now use this Dáil motion as part of an international effort to bring attention to this anti-human rights legislation and to press the case for an inquiry. The Finucane case and the issue of collusion in general should be raised in a systematic way by the Irish government at EU and UN level.

"As a follow-on to this motion, the Taoiseach should call a special summit meeting with Tony Blair devoted exclusively to the single issue of collusion between British state forces and loyalist gangs, collusion that led directly to many deaths throughout this island."

Fermanagh decalres for unity

Fermanagh District Council has declared for Irish unity after a motion proposed by Sinn Féin Councillors Bernice Swift and Poilín Ui Cathain was passed with nine Sinn Féin and five SDLP For Unity and nine Unionists against on Monday, 6 March.

Shameful record on women's equality

Speaking in the Dáil on International Women's Day Sinn Féin's spokesperson on Equality, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD condemned the Government's record on equality as shameful. Highlighting discrimination in pay and promotion, he said 30% of members of state boards, under 20% of members of regional and local authorities and just over 13% of TDs are women. Income for women is around two-thirds that of men.

Threats to arrest Basque leaders must be lifted

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP has voiced his concern at reports from the Basque Country that the courts are about to arrest key members of the Batasuna leadership. He called for the threats to be lifted and for the Spanish government to work with others to build a genuine peace process.

Sands book launched in Dublin, Belfast and Derry

The new biography of Bobby Sands- Bobby Sands, Nothing but an Unfinished Song, was launched at venues in Dublin, Belfast and Derry last week. There were large turnouts at each of the launches and extracts from the book were read by the author, Denis O'Hearn. Pictured above Derry Mayor Lynn Fleming with the author.

11 year old held by Special Branch

An eleven year old girl was one of four people held by Scottish Special Branch at Edinburgh airport as they disembarked from a flight from Belfast on Monday, 6 March.

Jim Slaven, national organiser of Cairde na hÉireann, an Irish soldarity organisation, and his 11-year old daughter were among eight people travelling from Ireland when they were stopped by Scottish Special Branch.

Slaven and his daughter were made to complete a card under the terms of the Terrorism Act 2000.

"The whole time my child was terrified. I have written to Scotland's Child Commissioner demanding she investigate the practice of detaining children in this way as it must be seen as an abuse of a child's basic human rights", said Slaven.

North's post strike may resume

Relations between workers and management at Belfast's Royal Mail are again on the brink after the sacking of a senior delivery worker on Friday, 10 March and a second strike is now on the agenda.

Communication Workers Union (CWU) members voted for a ballot to be held for official strike action over claims that Royal Mail management failed to keep promises following a recent dispute which saw strike action.

Education cuts opposition

Sinn Féin Education Spokesperson Michael Ferguson has said that plans to shed 200 jobs in the sector will exacerbate what is already a major crisis in the Belfast Education & Library Board. Calling on all political parties to join with Sinn Féin in opposition to cuts, he told the NASUWT teachers confrence that it is clear that civic society wants politicians to unite against the erosion of our education system and they want the Assembly back

Rogers and Martin commemoration

The third anniversary of the murder of IRA Volunteer Keith Rogers was marked on Sunday last in Sheelagh, North Louth. The commemoration ceremony was organised by the Rogers/Martin Cumann, Sinn Féin and was chaired by Sinn Féin County Councillor Tomás Sharkey. The main speaker was Sinn Féin Vice President and West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty. The commemoration also marked the 10th Anniversary of the death of IRA Volunteer Eugene Martin. Before the commemoration, a commemorative football match was held between Silverbridge and Naomh Malachi's for the Eugene Martin Memorial Cup. Silverbridge emerged as victors in the last few minutes of the game.

Sinn Féin support Robb/Mcllwaine families

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Policing and Justice Gerry Kelly said the families of Andrew Robb and David Mcllwaine deserve to know the truth about the circumstances surrounding the double murder. Kelly said Sinn Féin would be raising the case in a meeting with the Police Ombudsman. Unionist paramilitaries, the UVF have been linked to the double killings, carried out during a loyalist feud and there are familiar concerns about collusion

PSNI seek electric shock guns

PSNI plans to purchase hi-tech Taser guns that fire 50,000 electric volts, has been slammed by Derry Sinn Féin Councillor Paul Fleming.

At a meeting of the Policing Board on Wednesday 8 March, PSNI boss Hugh Orde informed the board that he plans to arm the PSNI with the Tasers which have the potential to kill.

Amnesty International reports that over 200 people have died following the use of Tasers. In at least 15 cases coroners have ruled that the Taser played a role in the death.

Councillor Paul Fleming warned that the PSNI could not be trusted to use such a deadly weapon responsibly, given it's history with plastic bullets and GS gas.

International Brigade commemoration

On Sunday, 12 March, republicans in Belfast commemorated the Irish volunteers who fought against fascism in the Spanish Civil War.

As part of a day of events a memorial stone was unveiled in the County Antrim republican plot in Milltown Cemetery by the National Graves Association.

Veteran republican, Brian Keenan, traced the story of the Irish internationalist fighters back to the 1913 Lockout and the Easter Rising.

He said many of the supporters of fascism at the time of the Spanish conflict - the Catholic church hieracrhy, right wing media and big business - remained the enemies of Irish republicanism today.

Forkhill Plans

Sinn Féin MP for Newry and Armagh Conor Murphy, has described a meeting with the six county Political Development Minister David Hanson on usage for former British Army site in Forkhill, as positive. Representatives from the local community presented a proposal to David Hanson for mixed usage of the site, including a space for social housing, open space playing fields and the possible relocation of the local primary school.

SDLP's commitment to unity questioned

A meeting of Limavady Council last week presented an opportunity for it to follow the example of Moyle Omagh, Strabane and Fermanagh District Councils in declaring for Irish unity. However, the SDLP joined unionists to ensure such a motion did not pass.

Sinn Féin Councillor, Cathal Ó hOisín, said it was clear the SDLP have no coherent policy on Irish unity. "In some councils they have voted against our proposals, in others they have abstained and last night we witnessed their refusal to declare in favour of Irish unity."

Migrant workers exploited

Sinn Féin's Arthur Morgan TD has described as "outrageous" news that migrant workers, refurbishing the ESB's Moneypoint power station, are being paid well below the minimum wage; saying it demonstrates the need to substantially increase the labour inspectorate. He added that it was a slap in the face for compliant companies when such employers are awarded public contracts.