9 March 2006 Edition

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News in Brief

Albert Fullerton

Albert Fullerton

Adams expresses sorrow at death of Albert Fullerton

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has expressed his "deep sorrow" at the death on Wednesday of Albert Fullerton, son of assassinated Donegal Sinn Féin Councillor Eddie Fullerton.

Albert Fullerton died at Letterkenny Hospital. He was seriously injured in a traffic accident near Letterkenny on Monday.

Human rights group contradicts IMC over Alderdice

The North's Human Rights Commission (HRC) officially advised the IMC two years ago that John Alderdice's party political background could lead to questions about the groups supposed independence.

This directly conflicts with claims by the IMC that questions about its independence, which prompted Alderdice's resignation from the Alliance Party were raised for the first time just weeks ago by the Daily Ireland newspaper.

Blair snubs McBrides

British Prime Minister Tony Blair's refusal to meet with the family of Peter McBride - shot dead by the British army in 1992 - has been described as, "a snub to the family", by Sinn Féin councillor Danny Lavery.

The family had written to 10 Downing Street asking for the meeting, however, in a letter received by the McBrides on Wednesday March 1, Blair said he saw no value in a meeting.

The news came after it emerged that 50 Mps signed a Commons early day motion calling for convicted murderers to be thrown out of the British army.

Ógra member harrassed

Sinn Féin West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty has said that the harassment and intimidation of an Ógra Shinn Féin member, as he travelled from Omagh to Belfast, is totally unacceptable and evidence of the routine and targeted nature of political policing.

Ógra member Barra Mac an Failli was confronted by PSNI members who boarded the bus he was travelling on and ordered him off. When searching his bag they threw items, including election literature, onto the roadside.

Bus attack could have killed

Sinn Féin Councillor Jarlath Mc Nulty says that a large boulder, fired though the back window of a packed school bus bringing children from Milltown Secondary School, could have killed. He said the mentality involved is beyond comprehension. There had been a number of similar incidents in the community recently and he appealed to young people to realise that, once any missile leaves your hand, you have no control over where it is going.

Omagh Vigil

Members of Ógra Shinn Fein in West Tyrone held a vigil in Omagh Town Centre on Wednesday March 1 to mark the date on which Bobby Sands commenced his Hunger Strike in 1981. 2,000 students, leaving three schools in Omagh Town, passed the vigil and many were asking for more information on Bobby Sands. Barry McNally of Ógra Shinn Féin condemned PSNI harassment of the vigil, saying PSNI/RUC have seen from many times before that their intimidation doesn't work, and it will fail once again.

Ógra in Corsica

Barry McColgan and Grace Vaughey of Ógra Shinn Féin are in Corsica this week for a major conference which is hosting different international delegations such as the Basques, Catalans and the Corsicans. We will be using this occasion to spread the message of Irish Republicanism.

Crowe welcomes Jacobs factory development

Tallaght based Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe has welcomed the workers support of the survival package which will save upwards of 500 jobs. He said Wages from this plant contribute €22million annually to the local economy. Both the workers and the union representatives have shown leadership he said.

Dáil motion on Finucane Inquiry

Sinn Féin has welcomed an All-Party Dáil motion calling on the British government to fulfil its commitment to hold a full public inquiry into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.

"All-party motions of any kind are a rarity in the Oireachtas and today's motion is highly significant and shows the strength of support for the Finucane family in their demand for a full inquiry, as required by Judge Peter Cory. By refusing to hold such an inquiry, the British government is in breach of its own commitments given at the Weston Park talks" said Sinn Féin's Caoimhghín O Caoláin TD.

He added that the Taoiseach should call a special summit meeting with Tony Blair, devoted exclusively to the single issue of collusion between British state forces and unionist paramilitaries.

Browne for Tipperary South

Cashel Sinn Féin representative, Liam Browne, has been selected to represent Sinn Féin in the South Tipperary constituency at the upcoming General election in the South Tipperary consituency, at a selection convention in Cahir on Sunday 26 February.

In what was a well attended convention, reflecting the growth of Sinn Féin in the county, Liam won out over former Sinn Féin candidate, Muiris O'Súilleab-háin.

Sectarian attacker walks free

A loyalist involved in sectarian attacks on homes and businesses, during last year's Marching Season, has walked free from Ballymena Court.

Mark Fry, who served three months on remand for attacking two nationalist owned pubs, Mullaghan's and Sé Óg's in Rasharkin, a house in Rasharkin and a house between Rasharkin and Portglenone in County Antrim, walked out of Ballymena Magistrates Court on Friday 3 March with a four month suspended sentence.

Accusing the judiciary of giving Fry, "a slap on the wrist", Rasharkin Sinn Féin councillor Daithí McKay said it was another failure of the courts system, to deliver justice for nationalists."

Asbestos plan dropped

Plans for an asbestos storage facility planned for West Belfast have been scrapped. Grove Services Group (GSG, announced last week that it would not be going ahead with the plan.

Welcoming the news Sinn Féin councillor Paul Maskey hailed the announcement as, "a victory for people power".

Sinn Féin spearheaded the campaign against the proposed dump which saw a mass picket on GSG's Blackstaff Way headquarters two weeks ago and Maskey held a series of meetings with GSG's managing director over the past two months.

After schools clubs under threat

Up to 78 after schools clubs, across the North, are threatened with closure after they failed to secure funding from the EU's Peace 2 programme, highlighting the British government's lack of funding for the North's 224 voluntary after schools projects, which between them cater for 6,000 children.

Meanwhile Sinn Féin spokesperson on Education Michael Ferguson, vowed to oppose moves by the Belfast Education and Library Board to make further cutbacks in it's budget to the tune of £4m. The money targeted was to provide for special needs education.

North Antrim declares for unity

Moyle District Council is the latest council in the North to pass a motion calling on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to pursue policies promoting a united Ireland.

The motion was adopted by Moyle Council, County Antrim on Tuesday 27 February with the support of two SDLP councillors. The SDLP's Catherine McCambridge abstained on the vote.

DUP's economic mismanagement

Ballymoney Sinn Féin councillor Anita Cavlan is accusing the DUP of, "economic mismanagement of ratepayers money". Cavlan was speaking last week, after the DUP dominated council set a deliberately low rate.

"While we may have lower rates, the council will have great difficulty in meeting it's landfill diversion targets which in turn could see massive fines being imposed on the council", said Cavlan.

As well as the council not meeting recycling targets, street cleaning and much needed bus shelters in rural areas will not be funded, Cavlan said.

Dún Laoghaire Council's 1916 snub

Dún Laoghaire Sinn Féin representative, Michael Nolan, has described as "farcical" Dún Laoghaire/ Rathdown County Council's prohibition of the display of the 1916 proclamation. He pointed out that this had come from the same council that only two years ago gave the go ahead for a monument to Queen Victoria. Yet, in this the 90th Anniversary year of the Easter Rising, they refuse to display the proclamation.

Ulster Canal call

Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew has called for the Ulster Canal to be reopened to 'unlock the massive tourist potential for border Counties. I would call upon Minister O'Cuiv and Direct Rule Minister Hanson to move quickly on this important initiative. We only have to look at the success of the Shannon - Erne network to realise the potential.

Historic first for New Lodge

In an historic first, young people involved with the Tar Isteach youth group, from the New Lodge area of North Belfast, are to be awarded, by An t-Uachtaran Mary McAleese, with a Young Citizenship Award.

The youth group, which is part of the New Lodge Tar Isteach ex-POWs Association, became the first group attached to the many ex-prisoners groups across the North to be recognised by the organisers of the Young Citizenship Awards.

On Tuesday 14 March, 16 year old Ciara Stanton and youth leader Tierna Cunningham, will travel to Áras an Uachtaraín, to receive the award from President McAleese.

New Cumann in West Belfast

To Commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 1981 Hunger Strike, Local republicans have come together to form a new Sinn Féin Cumann to cover the areas of Dermott Hill, New Barnsley, Moyard and Springfield Park in West Belfast.

Cumann Shinn Féin, an tSléibhe Dhuibh, was launched on 26 Febuary with local councillors Marie Cush and Janice Austin going door to door along with the Chair of the Cumann Mickey Russell distrubing leaflets and inviting people to join the cumann.

The Cumann will meet every second Monday at 7.30pm at 2a Monagh Cresent, Turf Lodge. People are welcome to apply to join the cumann.


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