What Scandal Next?

The Ryan report into the abuse that occurred in the industrial and reformatory schools – which were run by the religious orders and supposedly under the supervision of the state – has recently been released. At this system’s height there were 7,998 children in the care of the state. Since the release of the report we have heard politicians rushing to condemn this system and saying how shocking it was. I find it incredible to hear the politicians pandering to the press in their condemnation of the old industrial school system when they know that children under their care in 2009 are being neglected still.

Related Links:
Closing the Book on Institutional Abuse | Time To End Church Control of Schools, Hospitals and Social Services | Child Abuse Commission | Residential Institutions Redress Board |

Considering the gravity of the Ryan Report it would be natural to assume that the government is now doing everything in its power to prevent the abuse of children in state care. You would like to think that considering how wrong the government got it in the past, they would be doing their utmost to protect the children in their care. However that is not the case.

EU Flag modified for the No to Lisbon Treaty campaign

The Lisbon Treaty will result in: A big-state power grab; copperfastening Laval; permitting direct EU taxes; exclusive power regarding foreign direct investment, & Court power to harmonise; abolishing right to propose Commissioner; establishing an EU Federal State; requiring citizen loyalty; power to decide our rights; abolishing veto, binding us in 32 new policy areas; reducing National Parliament power; a self-amending treaty; enabling politicians over voters and militarizing EU. Thats all we know about so far, there may well be even more.

Other Anti-Lisbon Groups:
Say NO | Socialist Party of Ireland | Vote NO | Lisbon Vote | No 2 Lisbon | Vote No to Lisbon | People.ie | National Platform | Peace and Neutrality Alliance - pana | People before Profit | Republica Sinn Féin - RSF | Communist Party of Ireland | Socialist Party | Socialist Workers Party - SWP | Workers' Party Ireland | Sinn Fein | 32 County Sovereignty Committee - 32CSM | Ógra Shinn Féin - OSF | Éirígi | Le Chéile Saor |

Letting the Politicians know how YOU feel - closing the democratic deficit
Contact.ie - Contact ALLTDs, Senators, and MEPs and let them know YOUR feelings about being asked to vote for a second time on the Lisbon Treaty.

Messages of Support for those struggling against Lisbon 2
"Best wishes to you and the movement in Ireland." - Prof. Howard Zinn
"All power to you." - John Pilger
"Sounds as though you've got a good collection of people." - Prof. Noam Chomsky
"Best wishes." - Milan Rai
"I really appreciate the request – but I just don’t know enough about the situation to write on it, I am afraid. But I look forward to reading your piece, and learning more that way." - Michael Albert
"Best wishes." - Prof. Edward Herman
"Keep up the great work, Indymedia's so crucial, and we have lots to learn from your fightback in Ireland!" - Prof. Patrick Bond
"Thank you very much for inviting [me] to take part in an article for Indymedia Ireland. [I] very much appreciate this invitation." - Naomi Klein
"The establishment lies about Lisbon must be combated through a vigorous campaign. We have to explain the pro-big business and anti-worker nature of the Treaty." - Joe Higgins MEP

Postmodernism: Oil Refineries in Scenic Areas

I arrived in occupied Erris on Friday evening having travelled down to take part in a national meeting of Shell to Sea groups. It had been a busy week for the campaign as the state had reacted to the ongoing resistance to Shell in Erris by seizing fishing boats, sending 7 people to jail without trial and banning two more from Co. Mayo. Not only had hundreds of state forces including the police, navy, air force and possibly the army been deployed to suppress protest in Erris but those of us doing solidarity work elsewhere had found from time to time that we were being followed by the secret police.

Related Links from Indymedia.ie:
Shell's Lackey's in the Media Out in Force Again | Message to an Bord Snip Nua. Resolve the Recession. Tax Shell! | Reports that Pat the Chief's boat was sunk last night | Massacre of Indigineous Amazonians in Peru - 25 dead and counting | The Pirates of Broadhaven Defeat Shell’s Armada | Prison van carrying Maura into Montjoy blockaded for 20 minutes by Dublin S2S | Shell security attack Willie Corduff after illegal Glengad compound dismantled | Scuffles At Mountjoy As Maura Harrington Is Jailed |

Related Links outside of Indymedia.ie
The website of Shell-to-Sea - CorribSOS.com
Keep the pressure up: Contact ALL TDs, Senators, and MEPs in Ireland and let them know how you feel about Shell in Rossport - Contact.ie

Event Notice: 'Power Struggle' -the Niger Delta and Corrib Gas Film Screening and Panel Discussion
Galway, Town Hall Theatre, Thursday 9th July, 2:00 PM

Joe Higgins making his point to Gardaí in Rossport

The sinking of fisherman Pat O Donnel’s boat and the arrival of Shell Oil’s pipe laying ship, The Solitaire, in Broadhaven Bay, Mayo, has brought the Corrib Gas field very much back into the news.

Some media are once again highlighting the high costs of the Garda operation to protect the Shell operation. Occasional articles appear denigrating those who are opposing the Shell operation in its current form. There are frequent dark hints about ‘subversive’ forces driving the opposition.

It was always thus when mere peasants or proletarians dared to oppose the powerful vested interests of the economic and political establishment . One hundred years ago when Big Jim Larkin arrived from Liverpool to organise the downtrodden manual labourers of Belfast and Dublin, his message of hope to them was demonised as a subversive plot to destroy society.

Related Links from Indymedia.ie:
Message to an Bord Snip Nua. Resolve the Recession. Tax Shell! | Reports that Pat the Chief's boat was sunk last night | Massacre of Indigineous Amazonians in Peru - 25 dead and counting | The Pirates of Broadhaven Defeat Shell’s Armada | Prison van carrying Maura into Montjoy blockaded for 20 minutes by Dublin S2S | Shell security attack Willie Corduff after illegal Glengad compound dismantled | Scuffles At Mountjoy As Maura Harrington Is Jailed |

Related Links outside of Indymedia.ie
The website of Shell-to-Sea - CorribSOS.com
Keep the pressure up: Contact ALL TDs, Senators, and MEPs in Ireland and let them know how you feel about Shell in Rossport - Contact.ie

Event Notice: 'Power Struggle' -the Niger Delta and Corrib Gas Film Screening and Panel Discussion
Galway, Town Hall Theatre, Thursday 9th July, 2:00 PM

Unite to Fight

New licences are about to be issued for the Oil and Gas fields off Donegal without resolving the terrible situation in Rossport. Demand a freeze on the Corrib Gas refinery project until the people of Ireland are consulted about whether we want to continue giving our gas and oil away to Shell.

Related Links from Indymedia.ie:
Reports that Pat the Chief's boat was sunk last night
Massacre of Indigineous Amazonians in Peru - 25 dead and counting
The Pirates of Broadhaven Defeat Shell’s Armada
Prison van carrying Maura into Montjoy blockaded for 20 minutes by Dublin S2S
Shell security attack Willie Corduff after illegal Glengad compound dismantled
Scuffles At Mountjoy As Maura Harrington Is Jailed
Shell in Mayo from the Indymedia.ie Archives

Related Links outside of Indymedia.ie
The website of Shell-to-Sea - CorribSOS.com
Keep the pressure up: Contact ALL TDs, Senators, and MEPs in Ireland and let them know how you feel about Shell in Rossport - Contact.ie

Event Notice: 'Power Struggle' -the Niger Delta and Corrib Gas Film Screening and Panel Discussion
Galway, Town Hall Theatre, Thursday 9th July, 2:00 PM