4 March 1999 Edition

Belfast City Council votes through new power-sharing scheme

4 March 1999

The days of unionist domination on the Belfast City Council may at last be numbered after the council on Monday voted through an historic scheme for sharing power in line with party strength. Free article

Co-op effort to help tackle Dublin's housing problem

4 March 1999

As the housing crisis continues in Dublin, Sinn Féin representative for the South East Inner City Daithí Doolin has welcomed an innovative effort to help alleviate the problem. The National Association of Building Cooperatives (NABCO), has built another batch of rental co-ops in the city. This time Townsend Street was the area targeted. Free article

Sinn Fein initiates joy-riding task force

4 March 1999

A proposal by Larry O'Toole, Sinn Féin representative for Dublin North East, for the establishment of a community-led task force to deal with the problem of joyriding which has beset many Dublin communities has met with progress. Free article

Social Welfare checkpoints slammed

4 March 1999

New powers for social welfare inspectors to mount joint vehicle checkpoints with the gardai were strongly criticised in the Dáil this week by Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin. The powers are contained in the Social Welfare Bill which also implements the social welfare changes announced in the Budget. Free article

Mother of Peter Ward to unveil plaque

4 March 1999

Mary Ward, the widowed mother of Peter Ward who was shot dead by the UVF in 1966 in what is regarded as the first death of the present conflict told AP/RN of her disquiet at seeing Gusty Spence interviewed on the BBC programme Loyalists. Free article

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Violence against women a major issue

4 March 1999

Ahead of International Women's Day on 8 March, Sinn Fein Assembly member Michelle Gildernew, spokesperson on Women's Issues, told AP/RN there are five issues central to women today - Domestic violence and rape; education, training and employment; Childcare; Health; and Poverty. Free article

The People's Tribunal

4 March 1999

Opening the Belfast session of the People's Tribunal on Friday February 26 human rights activist Fr Des Wilson said it's aim was, ``to start a process by which the exact truth of what happened to our people will be recorded, gathered together and open to scrutiny and the people who were responsible for the damage to our people will have to be named.'' Free article

Travellers' way of life under attack

4 March 1999

A Co. Mayo Fine Gael councillor, John Flannery, came before the court in Galway this week in the first case to be brought under the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act, of 1989, where the councillor was charged on the basis of abusive remarks he reportedly made about travelling people at a Western Health Board meeting. The meeting was discussing the reluctance of some travellers to join FAS courses. Judge Thomas Fitzpatrick dismissed the case. Free article

Lawyers Alliance for Justice in Ireland visit the Six Counties

4 March 1999

Following a session in Derry where the Lawyers Alliance took submissions on the RUC on Thursday, Martin Finucane of the Pat Finucane Centre told to AP/RN: ``This fact-finding mission for the Lawyers Alliance who will be preparing a report for Ben Gilman's US congressional hearing on the RUC in April was very informative and constructive. People submitted old and new cases and painted a picture that nothing has changed.'' Free article


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