Over 30 years of anarchist writing from Ireland listed under hundreds of topics
Government to Cut Rent Allowance but NAMA has 90,000 empty units
Date: Thu, 2011-10-13 09:54
1 billion euro in welfare cuts are being hinted at by the government for Decembers budget. One of the areas identified for potential savings is rent allowance. Rent allowance payments total 500 million per year, they are subsidies to help pay the rent of people who qualify due to low incomes, mostly people on the dole or other welfare payments. There are 95,000 recipients. The money goes to private landlords and is paid on half the housing rental property in the state.
Politics averted: thoughts on the 'Occupy X' movement
Date: Wed, 2011-10-12 14:38
What are we to make of the global 'Occupy X' movement which has exploded onto the streets of cities across the world, turning public spaces into campsites of opposition? Certain things are obvious: Firstly, the fact that there are thousands of people across the world taking over public spaces to express their anger at the financial system is undeniably a good thing. Having camped out outside the Central Bank on Dame Street on Saturday night, I can also say that these protests exude a positivity and hopefulness that is so often lacking from the ritualistic parades of anger that make up most protest marches. But there are also, in my view, serious political problems that prevent the movement from moving beyond a 'radical sleepover' and becoming a genuine anti-austerity grassroots resistance movement.
Occupy 'x' arrives in Ireland with Occupy Dame street
Date: Tue, 2011-10-11 11:10
The 'Occupy X' movement arrived in Ireland over the weekend when a core group of around 50 people set up camp at the Central Bank Plaza on Dame street. Numbers grew to a few hundred at times over the next days and nights as supporters came down to join in for a while and the curious stopped to see what was going on. Issues highlighted by participants included the bank bail out, IMF intervention & the ongoing Great Oil & Gas Giveaway.
Health & Education workers strike across the north
Date: Thu, 2011-10-06 10:04
Thousands of health and education workers took strike actionyesterday across the North in protest against Budget cuts in the public service. The 24 hour strike action, the first in over 30 years involves all health workers except doctors, and some school staff.
Youth Defense march - Balloons and Bigotry
Date: Wed, 2011-10-05 14:58
After spending tens of thousands of euro in promotion, Youth Defence’s anti-choice march finally took place in Dublin on July 2nd last. Despite the free coaches and months of preparation only about 3000 took part, making it a tiny fraction of the Pride Parade of the previous Saturday. In the week before the anti-choice march, three or four people met to initiate a pro-choice counter demonstration. This proved somewhat controversial as many pro-choice activists feel that it is better to simply ignore those who would seek to jail women to prevent them controlling their own bodes. But despite having no resources, and advertising only though a Facebook event, somewhere over 300 people turned up on Saturday to provide a counter point to the bigots parade.
The Freedom Flotilla Movement
Date: Tue, 2011-10-04 15:57
The attempts to break the siege of Gaza have become an internationally important movement in the years since 2008. They are a model of the use of non-violence as a tactic for building resistance to imperialism. The Gaza Strip has been blockaded by Israel and Egypt since 2007 and, despite some recent improvements, the blockade still prevents the people of Gaza from obtaining many of the basic necessities of a decent life and effectively creates the world’s largest prison camp
Dub: Conversations about Anarchism - No 1 The basics
Date: Tue, 2011-10-04 10:28
Join us for a relaxed conversation about anarchism over some tea & coffee. Twice a month we are going to be having an open discussion about anarchism in the form of a conversation around a set of questions. The idea is to create a space where people interested in finding out about anarchism can have a relaxed conversation with each other. As each sessions we will be working through a set of questions taken from the Anarchist FAQ.
Catering JLC wages & conditions cut by courts - Finger Lickin' Good?
Date: Tue, 2011-10-04 10:11
When John Grace of Famous Fried Chicken fame is counting his money, he occasionally has to wet his finger with his tongue in order to facilitate the separation of individual notes and ensure an accurate count. Since 7th July last he has to apply spittle more often, he has received a pay-rise of over 7% thanks to a ruling by Judge Feeney of the High Court that the “Joint Labour Committee (JLC)” rates of pay for the catering industry, which are set by the Labour Court, were unconstitutional. (See table inside for more details)
Keep the PSNI recruiters away from the schools
Date: Mon, 2011-10-03 22:04
Plans by the PSNI to visit catholic schools as part of a recruitment drive is a cynical cosmetic exercise designed to a camouflage a paramilitary police that has abandoned working class communities and continues to aggressively intimidate and criminalise any dissenters from the status-quo.
Work in capitalism & anarchism - Thinking About Anarchism - I Hate Mondays
Date: Mon, 2011-10-03 15:51
Unemployment is at alarming levels. There are hundreds of thousands of workers who would take any job. At least it is better than being on the dole. But of course that is what unemployment is all about. It is a tool the bosses use to discipline those in work and help them keep wages low. Also, as workers are let go those remaining are expected to take on more work. Few workers are resisting this. Most just want to hang on to what they have.