Funding for the Community Workers Co-Operative (CWC) has been withdrawn. In a brazen and cynical move by Ministers Eamonmn O Cuiv and Noel Ahern, the coalition government have moved into an even more extreme right wing position by silencing this alternative voice which has distinguished itself with its honest and direct analysis of Irish social and economic issues, from a community development perspective.

The Community Workers Co-Operative was founded in the early 1980s by a group of community activists supported by academics who were committed to social change, and who saw little evidence of government commitment to tackle poverty and inequality. This writer joined the organisation at a time when Ireland's action against poverty and inequality had been marked by the first Combat Poverty Programme. Older readers will remember how these projects were dotted around Ireland, and how they challenged local and national structures and practices which perpetuated powerlessness.

The Law Society of Northern Ireland are in the process of closing down the law practice of Pádraigín Drinan. She can no longer represent her clients and they are asking the High Court in Belfast to freeze her assets immediately.

The reasons given by Ms Bryson of the Law Society of Northern Ireland for these actions depends on who is asking. She has told Pádraigín that it is because she failed to respond to letters from the society (Pádraigín maintains that she answered the questions fully in other correspondence). She has told others it is because Pádraigín had not amalgamated her practice with that of another solicitor. One person even got a call today saying, 'Watch what you're getting into, this is about financial irregularities". This is nonsense, as you need to be making money to be irregular with it, and a huge portion of Pádraigín's work is done 'pro bono' (for free).

Spearheading the appeal to defend Ms Drinan, one friend and colleague told this Indymedia reporter "Pádraigín has a long history of defending the dispossessed. She's a champion of the poor. She fights for those in society who have no voice. Immigrants, the residents groups, Dominic McGlinchey (raising his sons after their father's death), and above all she does what's right and speaks out against injustice no matter who is perpetrating that injustice".

She went on "What is needed at this moment is to get the word out to as many people as possible, unions, politicians and activist groups, and to ask them to contact Ms. Bryson of the Law Society of Northern Ireland and ask her why Pádraigín is being persecuted. To ask her which of the three reasons given is the real reason Pádraigín's ability to practice has been taken away. Indeed what people should be asking is "is this not in fact punishment for the political orientation of her clientele? Is it not about the fact that she is trying to keep loyalists from again invading nationalist communities in the coming marching season?"

It would be fair to say that left libertarian politics has experienced something of a renaissance in Ireland in recent years. However there are many arenas of struggle where its theory and practise is relatively undeveloped. This conference focuses on two such areas: the environment and women.

Ideas for Change is being organised by the NUI Galway Ecology Society. Taking place on Saturday January 29th it will feature discussions, both practical and theoretical, on the environment and popular ecological struggles, and on feminism and the struggle for reproductive rights.

The Sixth Grassroots Gathering was an earlier and more ambitious conference which the Ecology Society was involved in organising. This is our 'end of year report' for 2002/2003.