To mark European Disability Week in the South-East, Sinn Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald travelled to Enniscorthy in County Wexford on Monday to take part in a lunchtime talk at the invitation of the Wexford network of People With Disabilities in Ireland (PWDI) in the Riverside Hotel on the banks of the Slaney. Mary Lou was accompanied by Wexford Sinn Féin councillors Noirin Sheridan, Maurice Roche and John Dwyer. Free article

Sinn FÉin representatives in Belfast and Antrim have once again been the target of threats by micro groups claiming to be republicans. Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly has branded those behind the latest bomb threat to councillor Briege Meehan as, "a disgrace". The North Belfast MLA was speaking after bomb warnings and threats were made against a number of republicans across Belfast over the course of last weekend. Free article

Changes to policing across the 26 Counties are in the pipeline for 2008. These changes include further opportunities for critical engagement by Sinn Féin representatives. Opening a consultation seminar on Thursday, 29 November, evaluating the existing 29 pilot Joint Policing Committees (JPCs), Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan announced his intention to establish a committee in each local authority as early as possible in 2008, thereby increasing the number of JPCs to a total of 114. Lenihan also endorsed the Garda Commissioner's proposals to change Garda boundaries to achieve a closer alignment between the functional areas of local authorities and Garda Divisional Boundaries (provision for changes outside of Dublin will be made in the Garda Policing Plan 2008). Free article

CLAIMS made at the weekend by a man who says he is a former British soldier involved in covert spying operations against republicans for Military Intelligence after the Good Friday Agreement must be investigated, Sinn Féin Minister Conor Murphy has said. Murphy was speaking after the unidentified man met with Mark Thompson of Relatives for Justice in their West Belfast offices. He also spoke to journalists from two Belfast-based newspapers. He told them that, despite public declarations from the British Government that it was pulling its soldiers out of the North, it continued to mount covert surveillance operations on republicans in West Belfast and South Armagh. Free article

Dublin City Sinn Féin Councillors tabled an emergency motion to the December meeting of Dublin City Council last Monday to mark the international 16 Days of Action Against Violence Against Women. The motion, which called for the use of unsuitable private B&Bs to be phased out and a sufficient quantity of emergency refuge accommodation to be brought online, was passed unanimously with all-party support. Free article

SINN FÉIN'S spokesperson on Economic Affairs, Arthur Morgan TD, said that the '2008 Estimates of Receipts and Expenditure' in the 26 Counties shows that the party was right to oppose unviable tax-cutting promises made by Fianna Fáil and other parties in advance of the general election. "The 2008 Estimates of Receipts and Expenditure states that tax receipts are now forecast to be €1.75 billion below the 2007 Budget day target," Arthur Morgan said. Free article

AUSTRALIA'S 11 years of conservative rule under the right-wing John Howard officially ended on Monday when the centre-left Australian Labour Party leader Kevin Rudd was sworn in as the country's new prime minister, nine days after a landslide election victory. Plus Poll setback for Chavez, Chad rebels attack army and US admits Iran halted nuclear moves in 2003 Free article

THE Abbott Laboratories factory in Galway is to close next year with the loss of all 500 jobs. A company spokesperson blamed excess manufacturing capacity in its vascular division sites in Galway, Tipperary and Temecula, California. These sites manufacture stents which are used to improve blood flow. Free article

Sinn Féin Health Spokesperson Carál Ní Chuilín MLA hosted a World Aids Day conference in conjunction with the HIV support centre in Stormont on Saturday, 1 December. Speaking before the event and before a symbolic 'balloon launch' with Sinn Féin Junior Minister Gerry Kelly on Friday, 30 November, at Belfast City Hall, Sinn Féin Health spokesperson Ní Chuilín said: Free article

Is dócha gur oiriúnach an t-am anois é comhrá a thosú faoi stad na gnáth oibrithe sa tír seo. Tá dhá buiséad idir lámha ar an oileán beag seo againne faoi láthair, agus ceachtar acu ag déanamh mórán maitheasa do lucht oibre na tíre seo, in aineoin go bhfuilimid féin sa rialtas ó thuaidh. An rud is náirí áfach ná go bhfuil na polaiteoirí go léir (muid féin san áireamh arís) á rá go bhfuil an réiteach is fearr faighte sna coinníollacha atá ann faoi láthair. Níl le déanamh againn anois, a deirtear linn, más rud é go bhfuilimid gann fós, ach an crios a theannú beagainín níos mó. Free article