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.
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Ahern should use Finucane motion to press for inquiry
Fermanagh decalres for unity
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.
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.
On Sunday, 12 March, republicans in Belfast commemorated the Irish
volunteers who fought against fascism in the Spanish Civil War.