Upcoming Events

no events match your query!

New Events

no events posted in last week

Blog Feeds

Public Inquiry
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005

offsite link RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony

offsite link Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony

offsite link Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony

offsite link RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony

offsite link Waiting for SIPO Anthony

Public Inquiry >>

Human Rights in Ireland
Promoting Human Rights in Ireland

Human Rights in Ireland >>

Lockdown Skeptics

The Daily Sceptic

offsite link Was the Washington Plane Crash Caused by a Diversity Hire? Sat Feb 01, 2025 07:00 | James Leary
Retired passenger jet pilot James Leary, a regular contributor to the Daily Sceptic, is dubious about Trump's theory that the recent plane crash in Washington was caused by a diversity hire.
The post Was the Washington Plane Crash Caused by a Diversity Hire? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link News Round-Up Sat Feb 01, 2025 01:01 | Toby Young
A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link The Death of Diversity Kitsch Fri Jan 31, 2025 18:01 | Dr David McGrogan
Diversity kitsch is all around us. But as the grim fact forcefully confronts us that some immigrants hate their hosts so much they want to murder and rape them, David McGrogan senses that it is at last falling from favour.
The post The Death of Diversity Kitsch appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Transgender Emilia P?rez Star Under Fire for Anti-Islam and Anti-BLM Social Media Posts Fri Jan 31, 2025 15:10 | Will Jones
The transgender?star of Emilia P?rez, Karla Sof?a Gasc?n, has come under fire over anti-Islam and anti-BLM social media posts. Another diverse person who missed the intersectional memo ? always one for the popcorn.
The post Transgender Emilia P?rez Star Under Fire for Anti-Islam and Anti-BLM Social Media Posts appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link The Reeves CV ? More Questions Fri Jan 31, 2025 13:00 | David Craig
David Craig has some more CV questions for Rachel Reeves. Including: was her meteoric rise to Chancellor via the HBOS complaints department due to getting an undisclosed leg-up or two from her Labour connections?
The post The Reeves CV ? More Questions appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

Lockdown Skeptics >>

Voltaire Network
Voltaire, international edition

offsite link Misinterpretations of US trends (1/2), by Thierry Meyssan Tue Jan 28, 2025 06:59 | en

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter #117 Fri Jan 24, 2025 19:54 | en

offsite link The United States bets its hegemony on the Fourth Industrial Revolution Fri Jan 24, 2025 19:26 | en

offsite link For Thierry Meyssan, the Sarkozy trial for illegal financing of the 2007 preside... Fri Jan 24, 2025 19:23 | en

offsite link Should we condemn or not the glorification of Nazism?, by Thierry Meyssan Wed Jan 22, 2025 14:05 | en

Voltaire Network >>

international / eu Thursday February 19, 2004 21:44 by dapse(r)

From the Newswire: 'This Friday a little-known body of the European Union will make a low-profile visit to Dublin Castle. There will be no media spotlight, no fanfare, and the anonymous civil servants who work in it will come and go unnoticed. Their work however, could have profound implications for the lives of millions of people – both within the EU and beyond. The name of this secretive body is the Article 133 Committee.

The Article 133 Committee is the body of the EU where member states discuss trade deals. The 133 Committee is currently formulating the EU’s policy for the controversial GATS negotiations at the WTO. These negotiations aim to bring about the “liberalisation” of trade in all services, including health and education services.

Ireland and other EU states are deciding what services they want to see “liberalised” and open to commercial competition - both within Europe and in the developing world. But neither the Irish Government nor the EU will tell us what they are planning to do – information on trade deals is not published until after the deals are concluded.

This is why a cross-party group of twenty one TDs have called on the Government for full transparency in the operation of the Article 133 Committee. In a letter delivered to Minister Mary Harney on Wednesday 19th February, the TDs stated:

“We, as concerned citizens and elected public representatives are disturbed that matters of public interest – including the EU and Irish government’s proposals on the opening of international trade in public services like health and education, and on trade in goods and services with developing countries – are being discussed in secret at the EU Article 133 Committee meeting in Dublin on Feb 20”

They went on to make the following request:

“In the spirit of openness, transparency and accountability, we request the right to observe at this Article 133 Committee meeting; and to have access to documents being presented by the Irish government to the meeting.”

So far, there has been no information forthcoming in response to this request.'

Further Information and Background
Details of 'Another Europe' Dublin Castle Protest - 20th Feb - 1pm
'Of particular concern is that the deliberations of the Article 133 Committee are not made public.'
Why Does Article 133 Matter?
Health and Education as a Business Opportunity: DAPSE Information
The EU Constitution, Gats and Education
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the GATS
Background From Article 133 Info Group

national / rights, freedoms and repression Tuesday February 17, 2004 19:37 by Indymedia Ireland Editorial Group

Protect Irish Emigration but Keep the 'Illegal' Immigrants Out?
"I graduated from UCD in 1989 in a class of forty. Thirty- seven of us left Ireland before that Summer was out. We went to Berlin. We went to Boston. And we went all over the World to where there was work at a time when in Ireland there was very little work. We received a welcome in those countries - we were accepted as equals. [....] It must be the ultimate irony that at the same time [Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, TD] is sending people away from Ireland other members of his cabinet are still making appeals to the US government and to the Australian government to let the Irish stay. Surely, this is the ultimate two-faced policy of this government.
- Ciaran Cuffe, TD speaks to Residents Against Racism Deportation Protest...

[download mp3]
In the largest raid on illegal immigrants in the history of the Republic of Ireland, Gardai swept up 65 people from Counties Dublin, Wicklow, Meath and Westmeath and escorted them by a chartered aircraft to Romania and Moldova. The deported included small children that may have been born in Ireland.

Rosanna Flynn of Residents Against Racism remarked "We are having great difficulty in getting any information about who these people were. We know that some of them had children, whether there were Irish born children we do not know. We just don't know."

According to Joe Costello, TD (Labour) three of the families may not have been served with deportation orders previously. "That would be a breach of the procedures, they would have had 15 days to respond on humanitarian grounds." Costello added, "It's going to be very hard to deal with that now because they are outside the Country and are now banned from returning to Ireland"

Commenting further at the Friday the 13th Residents Against Racism protest in front of Dáil Éireann, Costello said "The way [Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell (Progressive Democrat)] acted is unacceptable, it's just unacceptable. This is effectively a mass deportation. Gardai came along - stood over people while they packed their bags and then took them away - a clandestine dawn raid on people's homes and lives."

Ciaran Cuffe, TD (Green) put the morning raids in a broader European context. Many of the deportees were from Romania, an accession country due to join the European Union in 2007. "Today, you saw pictures of Silvio Berlusconi embraced by Bertie Ahern, that's a fair reflection of the kind of agenda that has been pursured by the Irish Presidency." Rather than welcoming future EU citizens, "It looks as though McDowell is more interested in running a charter airline to get people out of Ireland than in putting human rights on to the agenda." Cuffe also tabled questions in the Dail this week requesting information about the deported children in an effort to establish whether or not they were Irish-born.

Finian McGrath, TD (Independent) notes the irony that Ireland needs migrant workers more than ever just as it is deporting them: "People have always moved away from areas where there was less economic growth to areas where there is more wealth and more resources ... there are many hospitals tonight in Dublin that would not be able to operate without the support of immigrant workers."

"Its sad." said Costello, "Its almost like going back to the time of Jim Larkin. So many of these workers have no right to join a trade union, virtually no rights at all ... Ireland is a country that brought in 50,000 migrants to work last year - we want to get cheap labor but we want it under such restrictive conditions that they effectively have no rights. They are bonded servants of the employers."

Also at the protest to express her support for the deported was Mary Kelly, known for putting an axe into a US Navy plane parked at Shannon a year ago. Kelly linked the issues of war and civil liberties: "It is sad but understandable why so few non-EU nationals came to this protest. It is fear. The Irish State currently has Eoin Rice in Limerick Prison for speaking his mind. There is fear in the anti-war community, too. The Irish State's racist policies and support for war have affected the civil liberties of us all."

In the weeks ahead, Rosanna Flynn of Residents Against Racism expects more mass-deportations and hopes to see renewed street activism to bring attention to this issue. "They now say that this will be the first of many such operations. We have to make our voices heard and really take to the streets and get more people out. I dont think Irish people want this to happen. This is like having a secret police force in Ireland - shades of the KGB."


More News & Links:
Michael McDowell 'Monstered' in UCD - Indymedia Account
Protesters jostle McDowell at University College Dublin - Irish Examiner
Hypocritical McDowell unfit to guide immigration policies - Politics.ie
Irish Refugee Council
The National Network of Refugee, Asylum & Immigrant Support Groups
KnowRacism.ie
No Border Network
Another Europe Is Possible
No To Fortress Europe
'No Borders, No Nations' - street theatre against Fortress Europe: Thursday March 4th
national / politics / elections Monday February 16, 2004 02:58 by 1 of IMC IRL / Des Derwin

With 250,000 members or 1 in 6 workers in ireland SIPTU is by far the largest irish trade union. SIPTU is currently electing it's vice president through a ballot of all members. It can be easily argued that as the official who sanctions strike action by the largest union in the state the new vice president will be one of the most powerful men in the country.

There are two candidates in the election, Brendan Hayes, a paid senior official of the union, and Des Derwin who is a factory worker and union activist. Hayes would support union policy on partnership while Derwin states: 'The unions should not be in partnership with the rich and powerful.' in an interview with 1 of IMC IRL conducted by email.

Des is a regular contributor to Indymedia
Siptu - The home page
Indymedia mentions

national / anti-war / imperialism Saturday February 14, 2004 19:55 by Indymedia Ireland Editorial Group

"It is great that so many people took the time to express their opposition to the proposed escalation of the killing of Iraqi people.

But I worry.

I worry that a large number of people will feel that they have "done their bit". They've done a hell of a lot more than the other people that didn't even bother to turn out for the march. They've expressed their opinion, the leaders should listen and do what the people want, shouldn't they?

I worry that if/when the assault on Iraq continues and the corrupt fools in government do nothing, then a lot of people will feel betrayed and will never vote for Bertie or other representatives again. Instead they'll vote for some other representative, someone "anti-war" from Fianna Fail, or Labour, or the Greens. Then when the next crisis comes they'll be betrayed again.

And again.

On the other hand, maybe most of those people were so pissed off with the government that they realise that they have to show the way and that appealing to or reasoning with or threatening any government is a waste of time and that they, the people that care and that are moral, will have to shut down Shannon to US troops.

That can be done."

Author: 'Worried'
IMC IRL Comment: Feb 17th 2003

Links:
Iraq Body Count
IMC IRL Archive: Ireland Says No To War As Over 130,000 Protest
Bush Pimps For Bertie
Coalition Military Deaths
Government Abandoned Neutrality - Greens

national / anti-war / imperialism Friday February 13, 2004 01:26 by Fintan Lane: PRO of Irish Anti-War Movement

From The Newswire: "A Dublin-based anti-war activist, Eoin Rice (35), has this afternoon (12th Feb) been sent to Limerick Prison for refusing to accept a ban from the entire county of Clare as part of his bail conditions.

At a sitting of Shannon District Court, Judge Joseph Mangan told Mr Rice, who was arrested in the aftermath of the December 6th Irish Anti-War Movememt (IAWM) blockade at Shannon airport, that he was adding a ban from County Clare to his bail conditions, which had previously involved a payment of just E5.00. Mr Rice is charged with alleged motoring offences.

Eoin Rice was then taken into custody following his refusal to accept such a ban. His solicitor has been instructed to challenge the ban in the High Court tomorrow, but if that fails Mr Rice will remain in prison until his next hearing, which is on March 18th.

Refusing to accept the new condition, Mr Rice said, as he was being brought away to Limerick Prison: "Judge Mangan sought to augment my bail, previously with no conditions, by banning me from Clare. He would offer no reason or argument for this action. I refused to accept this ridiculous imposition and stated frankly that it was illegal and beyond all law."

Commenting on the jailing of Mr Rice, Dr Fintan Lane, spokesperson for the Irish Anti-War Movement, said: "This particular judge has fallen into the habit of banning all anti-war activists from County Clare, no matter how minor the offence. I suspect the man thinks he's presiding in Stalinist Russia where internal exile was regularly deployed against political dissidents. The attempt to ban Eoin Rice, while on bail for a minor motoring offence, is ludicrous. Mr Rice has our full support and we believe that the course of action that he has taken is an honourable one. The banning of peaceful anti-war protesters from Shannon must stop - it is not Judge Mangan's role to protect the US war machine from peace activists."

Dr Lane, who was himself banned from County Clare for two years by Judge Mangan last April, concluded: "We applaud the stance taken by Eoin Rice and demand his immediate and unconditional release from Limerick Prison. His jailing is an outrage."


RELATED LINKS
Court report
Eoin Has Quite a Recent History With the Gardai
His Appearances in Judge Mangan's Court Have Never Gone Smoothly
Maybe Heckling Bertie, Willie and Biffo Can Get You Into Trouble
Maybe Going To The Press Rather Than The Garda Complaints Board Can Get You Into Trouble
Maybe A Determination To Protest At Shannon Airport Can Get You Locked Up
Context 1
Context 2

This page can be viewed in
English Gaeilge

Sat 01 Feb, 07:59

browse text browse image browse video browse audio

b1.jpg imageBelfast Anti Water Charges March - Pictures. 21:13 Sat 31 Mar by J.Carax 13 comments

puting manners on republicans - with Sinn Feins help imageDerry prisoner activist arrested as Sinn Fein and PSNI disrupt IRPWA 19:44 Sat 31 Mar by Barry 22 comments

imageCatholic Workers Busted at Notre Dame Demanding Military Be Removed from Campus 14:40 Sat 31 Mar by Brian Terrell 4 comments

irg_logo_1.jpg imageéirígí Becomes Active in South Derry 07:15 Sat 31 Mar by Cormac Ryan PRO éirígí 7 comments

nom3_2_1.jpg imageCampaign to Save Tara welcomes An Taisce court case on Tara 23:56 Fri 30 Mar by Muireann Ni Bhrolchain 3 comments

imageCeltic Sewage ,,,,,,, 20:44 Fri 30 Mar by Kevin T. Walsh 5 comments

ig1.jpg imageGalway, Shell to Sea : Further protest today against Iggy Madden's denudation and rape of Bellanaboy 20:40 Fri 30 Mar by TD 6 comments

Campaigners walk onto the site at Bellanaboy Bridge. imageOn site inspection at Bellanaboy 19:20 Fri 30 Mar by EC 7 comments

Getting into gear for the action imageCork Shell to Sea occupy Marathon Oil's Irish HQ 15:45 Fri 30 Mar by Ray, Gráinne et al. 8 comments

irg_logo.jpg image35,000 ‘Bord Gáis’ Natural Resource Leaflets Distributed 03:55 Fri 30 Mar by Cormac Ryan PRO éirígí 4 comments

more >>

textLissadell and closed roads Mar 31 by B Scanlon 34 comments

imageAosdána: Resolution on Israel Mar 31 by Margaretta D'Arcy 65 comments

textIraq atrocity-Sanctions, Invasion, Occupation Mar 31 by johnfitz 0 comments

audioAudio: Early Irish communist - William Thompson Mar 29 by Joe 1 comments

textThe power of the few Mar 29 by Johnny Finn 4 comments

more >>

imageUN to Investigate McKevitt Case Mar 30 Michael McKevitt Justice Campaign 6 comments

textFormer Black Panthers to Speak in Galway Mar 28 1 comments

imageLonny party announces election candiate Mar 28 irish monster raving loony party 20 comments

image‘Alarming’ increase in Suicide rate - McColgan Mar 27 Ógra Shinn Féin 7 comments

imageÓgra activist elected to Queen's Student's Union Executive Mar 27 Ógra Shinn Féin 1 comments

more >>

IMC network

© 2001-2025 Independent Media Centre Ireland. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by Independent Media Centre Ireland. Disclaimer | Privacy