FEAR and loathing were mobilised by DUP Culture Minister Edwin Poots this week as he moved to scupper the proposed Irish Language Act. Financial scare-mongering and the promotion of an anti-Irish campaign underpinned the minister's position. Announcing his decision on Tuesday to recommend scrapping the act, Poots cited cost and the current political climate. Free article

THE North's Social Develoment Minister, Margaret Ritchie, announced in Stormont on Tuesday (16 October) that she is blocking £1.2m Conflict Resolution Initiative (CTI) money from going to the UDA. While promising to direct the money into other projects in loyalist areas, Ritchie nonetheless stuck to her position that the money promised to the UDA by Peter Hain in March of this year would not go through the loyalist paramilitary goup. Free article

SINN FÉIN Justice Spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, speaking at the launch of his party's proposals for 'Creating Safer Communities' last Tuesday, has said statutory agencies, local councils, the gardaí and the communities themselves including private landlords each have a role to play in creating safe communities. Free article

Sinn Féin Dáil leader and Health & Children spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin has said that the Government is presiding over the collapse of services to public patients in the health system. Free article

DUP Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Nigel Dodds has been accused by Sinn Féin of allowing his politics to blur his vision on an all-Ireland economy. Free article

Tháinig an tAire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta, Máire Ní hAinifín T.D. agus Aire Oideachais na sé chontae, Caitríona Ruane C.T, le chéile iar na maillaibh chun scéim Fhoras na Gaeilge, 'GLEO' a sheoladh i gColáiste Phádraig, Droim Conrach. Is í príomhaidhm na scéime aitheantas a thabhairt do na cleachtais is fearr maidir le cur chun cinn na Gaeilge labhartha ar bhealaí cruaitheacha, nuálacha i mbunscoileanna agus in iarbhunscoileanna ar fud Oileán na hÉireann a fheidhmíonn trí mheán an Bhéarla. Free article

There were protests around the country last Friday 12 October in support of the Shell to Sea campaign. Many Shell and Statoil sites were picketed, with a protest on the Newry Road Shell Station in Armagh for the first time. Free article

For the second weekend in a row the PSNI is being accused of doing nothing as loyalist thugs attacked a young Catholic man. A young man was set upon by a gang of loyalists outside a night spot in Banbridge, County Down last Sunday 14 October and according to Sinn Féin councillor Dessie Ward a PSNI patrol vehicle was just yards from the incident yet refused to intervene. Free article