Other News

Carol singers at Leinster House demand restoration of Christmas Bonus

SIN FÉIN spokesperson on social and family affairs Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD joined campaigners for the restoration of the Christmas bonus who gathered at the gates of Leinster House on Tuesday to raise their voices to demand the reversal of what is in effect a cut in the income of those in receipt of long term social welfare payments. Campaigners sang a reworking of Jingle bells demanding the restoration of the bonus.

Photo: Protest for the restoration of the Christmas bonus at Leinster House on Tuesday

EU must seek legally binding deal in Copenhagen - de Brún

SINN FÉIN MEP Bairbre de Brún has said that the EU must seek a legally binding deal at the UN Climate Change summit in Copenhagen. Speaking on Wednesday, 25 November de Brún said: "The European Parliament clearly stated today that EU negotiators must seek a legally binding deal in Copenhagen.

Photo: Bairbre de Brún

Bill must contain strengthened socio-economic rights for all - Anderson

ANY new Bill of Rights for the Six Counties must contain economic and social rights protections, Sinn Féin's equality and human rights spokesperson Martin Anderson MLA has declared. Speaking after the British Government published its consultation paper on a Bill of Rights, Anderson said: "It must be remembered that the promise of a new Bill of Rights is one of the British government's key unfulfilled commitments arising from the Good Friday Agreement eleven years ago.

Photo: Martina Anderson

Poppy loyalists lay siege to pub

THE PSNI facilitated a large crowd of loyalists who besieged a pub in Portadown in the early hours of last Sunday morning. The Protestant-owned bar became the focus of the mob's anger following an incident during which a number of loyalists were refused entry. Loyalists later claimed they had been refused because they were wearing British Remembrance Day poppies. But bar staff say the men were barred from entering the premises because they were already drunk.

Kelly family withdraws from Historical Enquiries Team

THE family of murdered Tyrone Councillor Patrick Kelly have withdrawn their co-operation from a probe by the Historical Enquiries Team into the 35-year-old killing. The body of Patrick Kelly, an Independent nationalist councillor, was found in Lough Eyes, near Tempo, in August 1994. The Catholic father of three went missing on his way home from a pub he managed in Trillick.

Loyalists attack Ógra Basque demo... and then chat to the PSNI

AN Ógra Shinn Féin protest in Dungannon was the target of fascist thugs at the weekend. South and East Tyrone Ógra Shinn Féin had organised a protest in solidarity with the 34 youth activists arrested in the Basque Country recently. The protest had been going for about 15 minutes when a number of men approached the protest. Shouting sectarian abuse and clearly drunk, they hurled sectarian abuse at the Ógra members.

Second 24-hour public sector stoppage suspended as talks continue

ALMOST at the 11th hour, the Fianna Fáil/Green Party Government averted a second one-day strike in two weeks by 250,000 public sector workers across the 26 Counties today (Thursday 3 December) when they were reportedly reaching agreement with the trade union movement on cost-cutting measures in the face of the recession. After intensive discussions over several days, union sources said there were "a few loose ends" to be tied up but the Government had conceded there were other ways of addressing the financial crisis other than simply enforcing wage cuts.

Photo: IMPACT General Secretary Peter McLoone speaking to reporters at Government Buildings

Pickets say Central Bank defaulted on agreements

PICKETS were placed all day on the Central Bank on Dame Street in Dublin and at the Office of the Financial Regulator on College Green and the Currency Centre in Sandyford last Friday, 27 November. The picket by 600 members of UNITE the Union is being placed in frustration at management's withdrawal from negotiations over employment contracts. UNITE said this is in breach of existing agreements and is a rebuke to the Labour Relations Commission who had initiated the discussions.

Doherty re-selected in West Tyrone

SINN FÉIN MP MLA Pat Doherty has been re-selected to contest the West Tyrone Constituency at the Westminster Election scheduled for next May. Delegates from Cumainn throughout Omagh and Strabane Comhairle Ceantair areas gathered for the constituency selection convention at the Mellon Country Inn last night at which Pat Doherty secured the party nomination unopposed.

Photo: Pat Doherty

Ferris calls for focus on economic aspects of Corrib project

SINN FÉIN Spokesperson on Natural Resources Martin Ferris TD has called on the Government to focus on the economic aspects of the Corrib gas project. Ferris has asked Minister Eamon Ryan to state the Government's position following the decision of An Bord Pleanala to order Shell to re-route the pipeline away from homes in the Rossport community with particular emphasis on the benefits or otherwise for the Irish people.

Photo: Martin Ferris

Munster Sinn Féin holds successful pre-Budget conference

MORE than 60 Sinn Féin activists and elected representatives from across Munster attended a regional pre-budget conference in Charleville last Saturday to discuss the economic crisis and Sinn Féin's alternative. Opening the conference, Chairperson of Sinn Féin's Munster Cuige Ken O'Connell said the fact members from across the region were coming together to discuss economic policy showed how far the party had come.

Photo: Toiréasa Ferris addresses the Munster conference

Deputy First Minister and MP on fact-finding visit to Fermanagh flood victims

DEPUTY First Minister, Martin McGuinness visited the worst-affected areas of County Fermanagh last Friday and saw for himself the damage caused by the serious floods. Martin took time out to call with some of the rural dwellers caught up in the floods. He met with families who live and work in the lough shore townlands of Inisroosk, Rossmacole and Kinmore outside Lisnaskea.

Homes built in areas with flooding history - Ferris

Speaking in the Dáil on Tuesday Sinn Féin Environment Spokesperson Martin Ferris TD called for adequate funding to be made available for areas affected by flooding throughout the country. Deputy Ferris said planning authorities had given permission for housing developments in areas with a history of flooding.

Nuacht na nOibrithe

Drinks importer wound up, Permanent TSB jobs no longer permanent, 30 Gweedore hotel jobs at risk and Building pickets stonewalled by judge

Four martyrs remembered in Andersonstown

FOUR IRA Volunteers executed by Free State troops on 8 December 1922 were remembered in a pageant of song and readings organised by the Andersonstown Historical and Cultural Society last Saturday 28 November. In reprisal for the IRA's killing of leading Free State TD Seán Hales, Volunteers Joe McKelvey, Liam Mellows, Dick Barrett and Rory O'Connor were taken out and shot.

Photo: Annie Cahill at Four Martyrs commemoration

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