MARTIN McGUINNESS putting a strong challenge to Tory Secretary of State Owen Patterson on the question of the scale of cuts threatened.

At the 'Ulster fry' breakfast at Tory conference in Birmingham he  argued that to renege on former Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s promise that spending levels to the Six Counties over 10 years would be hugely damaging

Martin McGuinness also said... Free article

WHAT next for Bartholmew Ahern? He has moonlighted as a TV soccer pundit, a chat-show host and has held the part-time positions of a city councillor and Dublin’s Lord Mayor in 1986.

The ‘official day job’ was then as a TD, then Minister for Labour, Minister for Finance, and finally Taoiseach. So now he has the pension waiting but enjoys the taxpayer-funded driver, limo and office.... Free article

THE TAOISEACH’S PERK paid for by taxpayers which provides two salaried secretaries to former taoisigh, including Bertie Ahern, should be ended Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh said after the former Taoiseach’s TV ad for his News of the World column.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh added that Mr Ahern is still a TD, takes advantage of an author's tax breaks and gets a state car and driver.

The... Free article

THE British Government has to honour its commitment to a ten-year capital programme for the North of Ireland, deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MP said before he headed to a Conservative Party Conference fringe meeting in Birmingham on Tuesday.

Martin McGuinness reaffirmed Sinn Féin’s commitment to opposing the “unfair and unjust cuts” proposed by the British... Free article

WEEKEND media reports that the Fianna Fáil-led Government is planning a flat-rate water tax on families show Brian Cowen’s and Brian Lenihan’s “determination to keeping tapping the pockets of low-income and middle-income earners”, Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh said.

This tax has nothing to do with water conservation.

The Government needs to shore up revenue from somewhere... Free article

TODAY marks the first anniversary of the passing of the Lisbon Treaty by the Irish people. Leading 'No' campaigner Mary Lou McDonald today said:

One year on from the passing of the Lisbon Treaty, the Government, Fine Gael and Labour’s promise that a 'Yes' vote would deliver ‘jobs and investment’ have been exposed for the sham that they were.

These parties joined forces... Free article

BY DÓNAL ÓG CUSACK

At the 1st An Phoblacht Autumn School

FIRSTLY, Id like to thank those who invited me here today. I’m honoured to be asked to share my thoughts and views with you.

Over the years I have been used to many challenges, principally those posed by my chosen sport of hurling. I believe I have been privileged to be part of something very special with the Cork hurling... Free article

THE likely impact of the British Government’s public spending cuts on the North’s economy, the need for a united campaign of resistance against these cuts, and the need for control of the economy to be devolved to the Assembly have been outlined to An Phoblacht’s EMMA CLANCY by Sinn Féin Economy spokesperson Mitchel McLaughlin.

THE BRITISH Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition... Free article

SERIOUS congratulations to the inspired Sinn Féin legend who coined the term “Trucky Ár Lá” (and taken up by one of the red-top tabloids the following day).

But am I the only person nonplussed by the massive media coverage the event soaked up this week? Maybe it is a case of 'Bah, humbug' but these are serious times, with grave problems that need complex discussion about how... Free article

BY SORCHA BERRY

PAMELA KANE comes from a republican family. Growing up in Baldoyle, in north Dublin, her mother is from Ringsend in south inner city Dublin; her father, Albert, is from Tyrone. Her republican roots come from her father’s side of the family. His mother was in Cumann na mBan. Pamela’s own role in the republican struggle began with the 1980 Hunger Strike.

It was... Free article