16 September 2004 Edition
British bad faith on eve of talks
16 September 2004
A serious act of bad faith is how Gerry Adams has described the British bugging of Sinn Féin's Belfast headquarters, Connolly House. Adams said he will be returning the bugging device to Tony Blair this weekend. Free article
Talks team fly out
16 September 2004
"Sinn Féin has repeatedly said in our recent discussions with the governments that if Leeds Castle is to have any hope of success closure was needed on many of the key outstanding issues. In our view, as we prepare to fly to England, the work that needed to be done has not been done." Free article
RUC agent pleads guilty to Finucane murder:Family demands public inquiry
16 September 2004
The family of the murdered Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane has reiterated their demand for a fully independent judicial public inquiry following the conviction of Ken Barrett. Free article
£100,000 golden handshake for ex-RUC reservists: PSNI Reserve to stay in breach of Patten
16 September 2004
PSNI Chief Hugh Orde announced on 9 September that the force's full-time Reserve is to be retained, a decision that is in breach of the Patten Report recommendations. While the force will be cut by 55% its retention marks yet another dilution of the Good Friday Agreement. Free article
Sinn Féin stops Poolbeg incinerator
16 September 2004
There was a significant setback for the FF/PD government's strategy of imposing incinerators on communities throughout the country when on Tuesday night Sinn Féin's motion to keep the Poolbeg Peninsula incinerator-free won cross-party support. Free article
'Occupation of Iraq must end' - Sinn Féin MEPs
16 September 2004
Sinn Féin MEPs Bairbre de Brún (Six Counties) and Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin) have called on the EU to focus all its energies on securing an immediate end to the occupation of Iraq and for the UN to oversee a speedy return of sovereignty to the Iraqi people. Free article
Sinn Féin All-Ireland education team pledges opposition to fees
16 September 2004
Reports this week clearly indicate that Education Minister Noel Dempsey intends to introduce third-level student fees in the 26 Counties, mimicking the highly discriminatory loan scheme which the British have applied across the Six Counties. Free article
MEP launches waste strategy for Dublin
16 September 2004
"The campaign for a zero waste strategy, for an EU-wide ban on incinerators and against the privatisation of public services, are three of the most important issues for us in Europe," said Dublin Sinn Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald as she launched the party's waste strategy for the region. Free article
PSNI raid on SF member's home
16 September 2004
West Belfast Sinn Féin activist Kevin O'Leary has lodged a complaint to the Police Ombudsman's Office after members of the PSNI stormed into his house and demanded personal information from his 17 year old son on Thursday 9 September. Free article