Congratulations on Maidstone series

A Chairde,


I am writing to say I enjoyed the story you ran in An Phoblacht about the escape from the Maidstone. To me it showed what republicanism is about, the comradeship that was shown by the men on the escape and those involved in the planning.

This is what struggle for self-determination is about, which we as republicans need, especially in my own area South Down. All our ships have to sail in the one direction; we should work together, that way we will win.

Before I finish, I would like to say I enjoyed the article on the escape, and would like to see more stories from the past struggle. Maybe big Bobby Storey could tell us one? I know Bobby from the Blocks and he told a good story then.


Ex Prisoner,
Ballynahinch,
Co. Down.

More please

A Chairde,


Congratulations on your great story about the Maidstone escape. It is stories like this your paper should print every week.

There are a vast majority of our youth who know nothing about the great men of that era. It would be very beneficial to our youth to learn of their exploits, the hardships they endured, the brains they had, and the great unity and bond between them.

There are many great stories you could publish, such as, The 19 from Portlaoise, The escape from Mountjoy by chopper, The Crumlin Road escape, The breakout of the 38 POWs from the Maze in '83, and many more.

There is a wealth of great stories out there, and through the sadness fear and anger there is always wit.

Keep up the good work.


Mae Uí Aogháin,
Gaillimh

No welcome for Para Prince

A Chairde,


The protest by Sinn Féin members blew a breath of fresh air through the cloying obsequiousness that marked the recent visit of Charles Windsor. Well done.


Niall Ryan,
Dublin 5

No haven for tax cheats

A Chairde,


There seems to be very little discussion on the fact that companies coming into Ireland pay about half the company tax that they would in any other country in the EU. All the big parties seem to see this as a good thing because it 'attracts' large multinational companies here.

The fact that some countries in the EU, in particular the smaller countries such as Belgium and Holland, complain, and rightly in my opinion, about this cheap businessman's tax reinforces the more knee-jerk anti-Europeans in this country that it must be a 'good' thing. After all, they say, setting our own taxes is key part of our sovereignty, which the European Union would like to erode.

We in Sinn Féin with our correct policy of 'Critical Engagement', should knock this form of thinking on the head straight away, wherever we meet it. It is narrow Maggie Thatcher-type Little Englander nationalism and not the direction in which Ireland should be moving.

The facts of the matter are that most of these large multinationals use Ireland's low tax for corporate money laundering. Some of these companies, in particular the American ones, are under investigation in their own countries because they are declaring profit increases of 400% or more in their Irish operations.

Cheap taxes, poor wages, non-union jobs and corporate money laundering are what these companies are about. We in Sinn Féin should be totally opposed to this policy of short-term gain for the few at the top.


Martin McGovern,
Dublin 8

Ógra activists invite

A Chairde


This weekend, Ógra Shinn Féin holds its annual national congress. Young people from Donegal to Kerry and from Belfast to Dublin will gather in NUI, Galway City, to set out their stall for the coming year.

Following a successful year of work ranging from Hunger Strike commemorations through student funding campaigns to demilitarisation protests and much more, activists will take part in a weekend of reflection and discussion on the coming year.

This letter is to invite all republican activists to attend the conference. Young activists played a vital role in the Nice Treaty referendum and the elections in the Six Counties and would be very grateful if older activists were able to attend our conference.


Damian Lawlor


Seminar speakers

Friday 7pm - Eoin O'Broin, Basque, Kurdish, Palestinian Ambassador

Saturday 11am (a)- Anthony Coughlan, (b)- Rose Dugdale

Saturday 12noon - Refugee speaker, Lucilita Breathnach, Ciaran O'Pronnaigh

Saturday 2pm - Eoghan Harris, Gearoid Ó hEara

Public service pensions

A Chairde,


Up to 1996, public service pensions were based on parity. Pensions were linked to pay. The 1996 Programme for Competitiveness in Work breached this principle. Just before the 1997 General Election, Mr Ahern and Ms Harney promised "to restore public service pension parity". Attempts have been made to rewrite this promise in vaguer, less binding language.

The Pensions Commission, which had no pensioner on it, has reported. One of its recommendations is that pension parity be replaced by a complex system of indexation in which there would be "winners and losers".

It is significant that politicians and senior civil servants reject benchmarking and indexation, for themselves, though they want it for others.

This issue of public service pension parity concerns all public service employees and pensioners. Raise this matter with all the election candidates in your area, write to them, call to their clinics. Be active in your own interests. Be like all the other interest groups, lobby your politicians.


Sean Lydon,
Bishopstown,
Cork