THIS MONTH marks 25 years since the advent of the MacBride Principles for Fair Employment. An Phoblacht looks back at the past history and present significance of the MacBride Principles in the battle to tackle job discrimination and promote socio-economic equality in the North. Free article

THE European election results delivered a severe reality check to the DUP. It's time that Peter Robinson accepted the message that the electorate sent to him - prevarication and weak leadership does not build confidence nor does it convince rejectionists that their agenda is unattainable. But unless Mr Robinson begins to implement the commitments entered into in negotiations with the two governments and the other parties he will become more and more indistinguishable from the rejectionist Jim Allister and his Traditional Unionist Voice and find himself leading another minority unionist party. Free article

FINANCE MINISTER Brian Lenihan keeps telling us that high-earners pay enough tax. In their November pre-Budget outlook, the Government told us that 4% of earners could pay up to 48% of the total income tax take in 2009. What more proof do we need that the country's super rich are paying their fair share? Well, as it happens, a lot more. Free article

MEMBERS of the Basque pro-independence youth organisation, Segi, visited Belfast from 13 to 15 November for the Ógra Shinn Féin National Congress. One of the Segi representatives spoke to An Phoblacht about the criminalisation of the pro-independence movement by the Spanish Government, the recent Batasuna call for a democratic resolution to the Basque conflict, and the need to build solidarity between the Basque and Irish movements for independence. Segi has been banned by the Spanish Government so the interviewee has to remain anonymous. Free article

Caithfidh mé a admháil nach mbím ró eolach faoi chúrsaí 'celeb' ná ceiliúráin: ní hé go bhfuil mé ardnósach faoi seo, tuigim go maith an ról atá ag cultúr an phobail seachas cultúr ag leibhéal eile agus aontaím le mana Rosa Luxembourg, 'Mura bhfuil mé in ann rince, nílim mé ag iarraidh a bheith páirteach i do Réabhlóid'. Tá spás ann inár saolta go léir don chorr rud seafóid, éadrom, folamh ó am go ham. Ach fós féin, bíonn deacracht agam an craic seo ar fad faoi na ceiliúráin a ghlacadh dáiríre. Murach na páistí a bheith ag caint faoi sa bhaile ní bheadh a fhios agam aon rud faoi Jedwards nó Jordans na laethanta seo. Ní hionadh é, mar sin, nár aithin mé Katie Price ar I'm a Celebrity oíche Domhnaigh agus mé i stát veidíteach os comhair an bhosca, ar iarratas na ngasúr nach bhfaca mé le seachtain. Bhí siad ag iarraidh cuid quality time a chaitheamh liom - ag féachaint ar I'm a Celebrity. Free article

WHAT does the average Sinn Féin member and Lucinda Creighton - the blonde Blueshirt, mini-Thatcher of Dublin south-east - have in common? Neither of them, as Lucinda revealed in an exclusive interview with the Star on Sunday, would have a drink with Enda Kenny. "I wouldn't go for drinks with him," she said. "I suppose it's the whole boss thing." Oh really? Is that it? Free article

THE 125th anniversary of the founding of the GAA has been marked by a combination of historical commemoration and debate over what the association has meant not only in sporting terms but as a central part of Irish life over more than a century. Many clubs have used the occasion to mark key events in their own history. Last Saturday, St Joseph's/O'Connell Boys held a dinner to honour members of the team that won the 1959 Junior Football Championship. Looking at them in their 70s it was still possible to imagine what they must have been like all those years ago when it was probably safe to say that other teams did not relish the prospect of having to play them. In fact, they looked sprightly enough and sharp enough to still give a good account of themselves (on the dance floor, at any rate). Free article

IN 1984, the British Tory Government of Margaret Thatcher and the 26-County Fine Gael/Labour Government, led by Garret FitzGerald, were trying to cope with resurgent Irish republicanism as the IRA continued its armed campaign and Sinn Féin increased its electoral rise in the Six Counties. To help prop up the SDLP, FitzGerald had established the New Ireland Forum in Dublin, a conference of nationalist parties from which Sinn Féin was excluded. In May, the Forum issued its report, describing a united Ireland as the desire of nationalists but also posing a federal/confederal state and joint authority with Britain as possible solutions. Fianna Fáil leader Charles Haughey, then playing the green card in opposition, stressed Irish unity more than the others and the forum fizzled out with no strategy on offer from the parties represented. Free article