ON 31 JANUARY 2012, the Fine Gael/Labour Government signed up to the Eurozone austerity treaty. Here are 10 things you need to know about the new agreement.

1. The reason we have this treaty is because ‘core’ EU member states (like Germany and France) want to impose stricter fiscal discipline on ‘peripheral’ EU economies like Ireland, Portugal and Greece. The aim of the treaty is... Free article

IN a major article in the current edition of An Phoblacht, Sinn Féin National Chairperson Declan Kearney urges republicans to be “courageous” and “prepared to go the extra mile” in reaching out to the unionist and Protestant community.

“Reconciliation means being willing to have uncomfortable conversations,” the senior Sinn Féin figure warns, adding:

“A deep suspicion remains... Free article

FERMANAGH & SOUTH TYRONE Sinn Féin MLA Phil Flanagan has told Assembly Minister Arlene Foster that ‘Ireland is not Qatar’ after the DUP MLA justified imposing fracking here on the grounds that gas exploration has not damaged tourism in the Middle East kingdom.

“Arlene’s statement is ridiculous,” the Sinn Féin MLA said after the Enterprise, Trade & Investment Minister cited... Free article

ÓIGE PHOBLACHT COMHDHÁIL / SINN FÉIN REPUBLICAN YOUTH CONGRESS

Ballybough Community Centre, Ballybough Road, Dublin 3 (Close to Croke Park)

Friday 2nd March (registration 4:30pm) and Saturday 3rd March (Start 10am).

Craic, ceoil, debate, discussion and keynote speakers! Full catering and accommodation provided.

For further details please contact:

Donnchadh 086 881 9653 or Free article

CAMPAIGN AGAINST AUSTERITY TREATY LAUNCHED | PEOPLE MUST BE GIVEN THEIR SAY

SINN FÉIN is part of a new broad front campaign recently launched to demand a referendum on the proposed EU austerity treaty otherwise known as the fiscal compact treaty.
Announced on 24 January, the Campaign Against Austerity Treaty (CAAT) includes Sinn Féin, the United Left Alliance parties and the... Free article

DERRY UNITING IRELAND RALLY | MILLENNIUM FORUM PACKED TO RAFTERS

BY PEADAR WHELAN

A massive crowd packs into Derry’s Millennium Forum for the Uniting Ireland conference

“WELCOME to Londonderry, Basil”, replied Martin McGuinness to Ulster Unionist MLA Basil McCrea’s challenge as the latest in Sinn Féin’s series of Uniting Ireland conferences got underway in Derry on... Free article

OCCUPATION SPOKESPERSON TALKS TO AN PHOBLACHT | SOLIDARITY AND STRENGTH FROM SO MANY PEOPLE

Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald talks to La Senza staff members Tara Keane

ON MONDAY 9 JANUARY 2011, a group of women workers from the La Senza lingerie chain occupied the company’s store in Liffey Valley, Clondalkin, west Dublin, after the company had sacked them and withheld their... Free article

LOYALIST MOB CHASES TEEN THROUGH HOUSE AFTER FILM CREW CAR SMASHED UP

18-year-old James Turley was working as an extra on the film ‘The Good Man’ when he was attacked

» BY PEADAR WHELAN

JAMES TURLEY thought he would die at the hands of the sectarian gang that attacked him as he worked as a film extra in the loyalist Village area of South Belfast.

The 18-year-old... Free article

TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY insists that he is not afraid to hold a referendum on the EU austerity treaty, what Brussels calls the fiscal compact.
If Enda Kenny is truly not afraid then he should allow a referendum, whether the Attorney General thinks it is necessary or not.
Pearse Doherty has reminded people that the Attorney General told the last government it did not have to hold the... Free article