There was a victory of sorts in the Supreme Court this week with the decision that the Dublin Government's planning bill proposals to make developers devote 20% of their land to social and affordable low cost housing is constitutional. Free article

President Mary McAleese came under strong criticism at the Desmond Greaves Summer School in Dublin last weekend for her active support for EU propaganda campaigns in Eastern Europe. Speaking at the Twelfth Desmond Greaves Summer School in the Irish Labour History Museum in Beggars Bush, Green MEP Patricia McKenna said that she was extremely disappointed at the President's support for the crude and unchallenged EU propaganda campaigns taking place in Eastern Europe at EU taxpayers' expense. Free article

Hundreds of voters in Newry/South Armagh could be struck off the electoral register after it emerged that voter registration forms have not been received or were being delivered too late. Free article

Those fighting to uphold the human rights of asylum seekers in the 26 Counties suffered a major setback this week with the Supreme Court's decision on the constitutionality of the `Illegal Immigrants (Trafficking) Bill. Monday's interpretation of the constitution enshrines the very racist, discriminatory attitudes that Gerry Adams condemned so forcefully in a statement the previous week. Free article

The silence and sheer hypocrisy of Belfast Mayor Sammy Wilson about the destruction of Catholic-owned property has been slammed by an Upper Falls Sinn Féin councillor. Free article

Sligo Sinn Féin Councillor Arthur Gibbons has accused the 26-County government of bowing to pressure from the powerful landlord lobby in refusing to ``take the logical and long overdue step of introducing strict rent control within the private rented accommodation sector as a step to prevent exploitation by slum landlords''. Free article

The experience of the Irish community in Britain is often overlooked in explorations of the relationship between Britain and Ireland, particularly the huge numbers of men and women who, forced by economic hardship, left Ireland to seek work in England in the years after the Second World War. In order to give voice to this huge well of experiences, the Wolfe Tone Society has organised ``Thousands are Sailing'', a day of commemoration of post-war emigration to England to be held in Camden Irish Centre on 9 September. The day will include a series of lectures, exhibitions, music and dancing and a showing of Philip Donnellan's banned documentary, The Irishman. Free article

The Dublin government's National Development Plan (NDP) is failing to tackle the growing gap in economic growth between the East and West of Ireland, according to a new report compiled by a senior civil servant. Free article

George Gilhooley agus Frank McCaughey Free article