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Belfast City Council plan a minimum of 376 redundancies. Last night IRSP Press Officer Paul little warned of “Local government employers using the economic crisis to frighten workers into accepting greater levels of poverty.” Local Government Employers in pay cuts and job losses scare tactics. The I.R.S.P. has discovered that all 26 local authorities in the North of Ireland have drawn up plans to cut jobs and services. It is thought that the wage cuts will mean in real terms a cut of £10 to £40 a week. Mr Little said, “Such cuts in wages will only apply to those employees earning under recognised poverty levels.” The IRSP representative continued, “it was significant that there are no plans to reduce the income of those earning £1000+ per week” The IRSP believe that there is no need for cuts in any public services pay or pensions, but that the collection of £100bn worth of tax evasion by the very wealthy and big business should pay for the crises that is not of our making. The IRSP stand shoulder to shoulder with all under paid and under valued workers who stand against the Local Government employers, they have stated that they do not intend to make a pay offer for 2010 nor, do they intend to keep the promise of £250 made to those workers already living below the poverty line. This is in direct contradiction of the Government who announced that staff earning less than £21,000 per annum would receive an increase of £250. STATEMENT ENDS Posted in: Information , Statements | Comments Off On BBC Newsline on BBC1 20/8/10 they issued a statement on behalf of C.A.R.A (Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association) denying that they were affiliated to Sinn Fein. Whilst it is undoubtedly true that they are not officially affiliated to SF, we are unaware of any community group anywhere that is officially affiliated to any political party. The C.A.R.A. denial does however beg the question why would anyone claim that they are? FACT- THE ORIGINAL PROTESTS IN THE MID 1990’S AGAINST LOYAL ORDER PARADES ON THE CRUMLIN ROAD WERE NOT RESIDENTS PROTESTS BUT THEY WERE ORGANISED BY FORMER SINN FEIN COUNCILLOR EOIN DE BRUIN UNDER THE GUISE OF OGRA SINN FEIN. THEY ONLY BECAME RESIDENTS PROTESTS WHEN IT WAS POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT FOR SINN FEIN TO SAY SO. C.A.R.A was set up a couple of years ago at a meeting in Ardoyne Hall, this meeting was called by Joe Marley (Prominent Stormont republican) and addressed by Stormont Junior minister Gerry Kelly in the wake of the break up of the APDG ( Ardoyne Parades Dialogue Group). The APDG broke up following SF’s failure to get consensus on its strategy of NO TALK-NO WALK approach to unwanted sectarian marches through the area, most Ardoyne residents totally oppose the loyal order marches passing Ardoyne and rightly view any dialogue with the loyal orders as futile. Republican Socialists, through our ex prisoners group Teach Na Failte were actively involved in the APDG, we worked tirelessly to find a solution to this problem, It was Republican Socialists that investigated and located an alternative route away from Ardoyne and in to Glencairn where undoubtedly all loyal order parades would be welcomed with open arms. At the initial meeting to set up CARA in Ardoyne hall attended by the IRSP and SDLP as well as Stormont republicans (SF), SF produced an already written constitution and proceeded to attempt to form CARA even though there was no consensus to do so at the meeting. It was clear that SF were going to form a group that was sympathetic to its strategy of consenting to loyal order parades passing Ardoyne in the morning but not on the return in the evening, regardless of the overall rejection of that strategy by the vast majority of Ardoyne residents. The 12th demonstration 2010 and the trouble that accompanied this triumphalist parade have been well covered in a SF compliant media. CARA were the good fenians (Identified by yellow bibs with Ardoyne Steward printed on the back) and GARC (Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective) were the bad fenians, the Orange Order and the PSNI were blameless, so the media told the world. This is utter rubbish! The GARC protest was both legitimate and peaceful and whilst GARC called for support from other areas and political groupings to join their protest, they were entitled to do so, the same tactic worked on the Garvaghy Road and Ormeau Road. What went unreported is that many of the yellow bib brigade supporting CARA, do not come from Ardoyne but are bussed in from other parts of Belfast, they are paid Sinn Fein apparatchiks, who masquerade as Ardoyne residents. The job of the yellow bibs, led by Sinn Fein’s Bobby Storey, is to suppress the genuine residents of Ardoyne. The IRSP neither support CARA or GARC, we view this division of the residents of Ardoyne as entirely the work of Stormont Republicans. Republican Socialists refuse to get drawn into this false division, however, we do support all the residents of Ardoyne who quite clearly oppose sectarian marches passing their homes, and we support their right to organise free from political interference. In regards to CARA assertions that it is not affiliated to Sinn Fein it needs to look at why people might think they are? If they are not bringing the paid, state vigilantes into Ardoyne to decide who is allowed to protest and who is not, then who is? Posted in: Information , Statements | Comments Off The State response to Ardoyne community objection to loyalist coat trailing parades passing their homes is nothing less than political policing at its worst states the north Belfast IRSP. The IRSP in north Belfast have strongly critisised the Stormont regime for once again forcing a loyalist parade through Ardoyne/Mountainview. We witnessed on Saturday morning the P.S.N.I., Stormont ministers and a rag taggle of misfits bussed in from other parts of Belfast to masquerade as Ardoyne residents in an effort to enable the Apprentice Boys to march through the area. This triumvirate of the Stormont state attempted to dictate who could protest and who couldn’t on Saturday morning. Many genuine residents of Ardoyne were prevented from having a peaceful protest, as is their right, amongst those whose freedom of movement was restricted were IRSP members who were there to observe that residents were not abused by the forces of the state. The IRSP reject the attempt by Sinn Fein/PSNI and paid vigilantes to not only police the Ardoyne community and enable a loyalist parade, but also to tell the community what to do and think! We support the residents of Ardoyne who know how to act and what to think themselves, without political interference. We condemn in the strongest terms the capitulation of elected representatives whose role is to protect the rights of the Ardoyne residents not fritter them away on a wave of political expediency. Statement Ends Posted in: Statements | Comments Off The Irish Republican Socialist Party welcome the resolution of the current protest by the republican political prisoners in Roe House, Maghaberry Gaol. IRSP Press officer Paul Little said that the prisoners demands had been conceded and that there would be a phasing out of controlled movement and that random strip searching has been abolished. At this time we would pay tribute to the republican prisoners who have been steadfast in their determination to see that they achieve their basic human rights, we also pay tribute to the families friends and ex prisoners support group who have campaigned ceaselessly since the protest began at Easter. Finally, the IRSP commend the facilitators/mediators for their sterling efforts in bringing about this resolution. Statement ends. Posted in: Political Prisoners , Statements | Comments Off IRSP Spokesperson Michael McLaughlin attended today’s protest in Letterkenny opposing cuts in the health service in the Donegal town. Speaking afterwards Mr McLaughlin said: “In a recruitment drive and show of solidarity the Irish Republican Socialist Party joined the people of Donegal today to protest against proposed cuts to services at Letterkenny General Hospital. It is with great dismay that the IRSP learned of plans by the Health Service Executive [HSE] to drastically cut health services for people in the West and North-West of Ireland. “In a document delivered to the HSE by consultants Mott McDonald, we see a blueprint for drastic cutbacks to health services across the North-West. The proposed measures range from redundancies and the non-renewal of contracts for up to 1,000 staff members, to the closing of hundreds of beds and even the possibility of complete hospital closures. Ironically, the report also acknowledges that government policy thus far, designed to save money in aspects of the health service, has actually had the opposite effect, something that is quite indicative of the level of incompetence of our political elites. “But to put these proposed cuts down to sheer incompetence alone is entirely missing the point. What we have here is a conscious policy on the governments behalf to attack the living standards of the people of the North-West, something which must be set in its proper context. When we consider these cuts in the context of billions worth of tax incentives for developers during the boom, low corporation tax, the wholesale giveaway of our natural resources to a transnational corporation, the recapitalisation of private financial institutions with our money, it is clear there is a right-wing agenda at play here. What we have, in effect, is socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor. “We in the IRSP encourage the working class people of Ireland to take to the streets to fight back against these proposed cuts. However, it is also important to remember that any reversal of these cuts amounts to little more than a stop-gap measure. While Irish society continues to be underlined by capitalist economics and the unsustainable profit motive, we will always be faced with a political administration determined to reflect this in the political sphere. This means, on a practical level, that whenever the economy inevitably contracts it will be the working class and vulnerable who suffer the most, as the elites in our society enact all possible measures to save the system that directly serves their interests. The people of the North-West know this all too well and this latest attack on our health services is just another example of this fact. “Let it be made clear, these cutbacks cannot be considered in isolation, they are not just a health issue but a political and economic issue as well. What is needed is a fundamental uprooting of the current status quo, one characterised by an elite class in Irish society controlling this nation and its affairs in their interests alone, to the detriment of the lives of the majority. We need an all-encompassing re-evaluation of what democracy means, and what the results of it may be. Who better to administer society in working people’s interests than them themselves? The only long-term and sustainable solution is a Workers’ Republic, where the Irish people as a whole are in control of their resources, their services and the whole political, economic and social affairs of our country. Mr Mc Laughlin concluded, “We urge people to take to the streets, and to begin the fight back. If our political elites and their system won’t give us what we need, and what are entitled to, then we must cast them aside and take it for ourselves.” ENDS Posted in: Events , Statements | Comments Off Strabane Irish Republican Socialist Party spokesperson Michael McLaughlin has condemned death threats made against a member of the Republican Socialist Youth Movement, the youth wing of the IRSP. On 16th July, members of the PSNI informed a member of the RSYM that his life was under threat. “Over the last number of weeks and months, the IRSP has sought to highlight the futile and dangerous nature of the actions of an anti social element within Strabane. The IRSP believe that the PSNI, the current judicial system and indeed the mainstream political parties in the North have little interest in tackling the drug problems in working class communities. But the simple fact is, as this problem is structural and deeply-rooted in the inequality that capitalism creates, any attempt to solve it through the use of violence is not going to work, and in engaging in such activities those responsible have only served to exacerbate the problem and further endanger communities.” “This death threat should be condemned outright by all quarters. The RSYM member in question is a tireless worker in his local area and offers a fine example to young people in Strabane through his anti-drug activism. We view this threat as extremely cowardly and it certainly is a worrying development. The IRSP believes that in dealing with the scourge of drugs we must empower our communities. That is the only method that is accountable, democratic and in the end, the only way we can effectively challenge the current political order of things, the same system that creates fertile ground for the continued spread of drug dealing and abuse. In working toward this goal, the IRSP and the RSYM are not going to be intimidated by anybody. We have to question what is the agenda of these people in threatening a young anti-drugs activist, because it certainly is not in the interests of the people of Strabane.” ENDS Posted in: RSYM , Statements | Comments Off The Irish Republican Socialist Party has since its foundation been among the most revolutionary and progressive forces in Ireland. We have always sought to spread the message of Republican Socialism to as many as possible and in the process used many means to achieve this. In 1995 the IRSP were one of the first political organisations in Ireland to make its presence known on the world wide web. The party’s website has gone through a number of changes over the years, and as we attempt to build our party on a solid political foundation, we have decided to launch a brand new website: www.irsp.ie. This site will be the central clearing point for news and information about the IRSP, as well as that the new site contains many features and is a wealth of information about the politics and background of the party. It also features an improved news section which will feature all the latest statements from the party and details of upcoming events. We would like the thank everyone who has contributed to our web presence over the years, especially Eric Hayes Patkowski, the IRSM’s first webmaster whose foresight brought republican socialism onto the web 15 years ago. We would also like to thank the Derry IRSP and IRSCNA for their tireless work to revamp the IRSP website. IRSP Webmaster Posted in: Statements | Comments Off The Irish Republican Socialist Party wish to extend our sincere congratulations to the families of the Bloody Sunday dead and wounded, to all those who supported them and to the people of Derry for their unmovable dedication to clearing the names of those who were killed and wounded on 30th January 1972. Today they have finally been vindicated. Today’s verdict is also a damning indictment on British military involvement in Ireland. Their involvement is one of persecution, brutalisation and oppression and this fact has been laid bare, through the Saville Report, for the entire world to see. No longer can Britain claim to have been a neutral party intent on keeping two warring factions at bay, no longer can Britain claim that their involvement in Ireland is a peaceful involvement. From the very beginning their involvement on the streets of Ireland was to keep a population of civilians in their place. Many of those who were prominent in the Civil Rights campaign went on to become founding members of the Republican Socialist Movement and carried on their fight for justice within the IRSP and INLA. They had first hand experience of the events of Bloody Sunday and the events of that day obviously helped steer them in a certain political direction. Both Patsy O’Hara and Michael Devine, the Derry INLA hungerstrikers, cited the events of Bloody Sunday as having influenced their decisions to become involved in the military struggle for freedom in Ireland such was the huge impact of what they had experienced on that day. Patsy O’Hara was recuperating from a previous bullet wound inflicted by the British army and on the day of Bloody Sunday watched the march pass the Brandywell. Micky Devine later wrote about attending Creggan Chapel and seeing all the coffins laid out in front of him and from that moment on resolving to help rid Ireland of the British army once and for all. It took 38 years for the truth to come out but finally, after much campaigning by many people, the British establishment have finally admitted that all those that they shot on Bloody Sunday were totally innocent. Today is a wonderful day for the families and they deserve every credit for the way in which they have conducted themselves since 1972. Their dignity has always been tempered with a silent determination to get the British establishment to admit the truth of what happened on that fateful day. There has been a lot of early speculation as to whether there should be prosecutions following the publication of this report. Our position is clear. We will take the lead of the families and if the families want to further pursue this we will continue to support their efforts. Posted in: Statements | Comments Off The Irish Republican Socialist Party [IRSP] wishes to put on record our opposition to the slashing of Sligo Borough Council’s housing budget. Currently, the situation in Sligo in relation to housing is at breaking point, with over 1200 people on the Borough and County Council waiting lists. To deal with this growing problem the government has instructed local authorities to lease derelict houses belonging to property developers on a long-term basis. The IRSP sees this ‘strategy’ for what it is. It is a further attempt by this government to come to the aid of their friends and cronies. Under the initiative, local authorities are responsible for the upkeep of the property during the leasing period. This is obviously a very beneficial arrangement for the owner. It is plain to see that the inspiration behind the leasing scheme was not a concern for those in desperate need of housing, but rather to help Fianna Fáil’s supporters through the recession until the market recovers. Stating his opposition to this recent government proposal, Sligo IRSP representative Ross Gildea said: “This situation will undoubtedly get worse as more and more families struggle to meet inflated mortgage payments. It is totally unfair to put people in a situation where they must take up the leasing offer or be bumped down to the bottom of the waiting list. The leasing initiative offers no security for tenants, little opportunity for those who aspire to own their homes and only serves to destroy community spirit. This must be seen in the wider context of government policy, like the bank bail-outs. Why is it that funding for housing is being slashed, with no money seemingly being available for the homeless and vulnerable in society, yet when failed institutions like Anglo-Irish Bank get into trouble there is no limit to the amount which can be spent? This contradiction is made all the more contemptible by the fact that it is Fianna Fáil who encouraged people to get onto the property ladder during the boom and to pay these massive mortgages. It was their policies that have led to mass unemployment and to more and more people feeling the full effects of this recession and applying for social housing.” Gildea continued: “There is no excuse, with an estimated 300,000 properties lying vacant in Ireland, for the state not to acquire these empty properties and provide secure and suitable housing for people. The leasing scheme is designed to come to the rescue of Fianna Fáil’s developer friends, while simultaneously acting to disrupt communities and pressurise families into an arrangement that is not right for them, one that offers no stability or prospect of purchase. We in the IRSP have been active on the housing issue with our ‘House the Homeless’ campaign and will continue to work until a satisfactory resolution is found. It is now time for these properties to be acquired by the state and for stable housing arrangements to be made for those in need. People should not be bullied and threatened into this scheme through fear of losing their position on the waiting list. This proposal has nothing to do with meeting housing needs, the current crisis is being used as a flag of convenience for Fianna Fáil to bail-out their loyal supporters .” Posted in: Statements | Comments Off Since 1775 Lifford has had medical facilities for the people of East Donegal, a long tradition of care for the community exists in the town. Over 200 years of service and help is to be cast aside in the planned HSE cuts, a blatant attack by the 26 county establishment on the working class of the North West. These cuts to essential services all over Ireland are a product of the greed and mismanagement of the nation’s economy by the Irish ruling class vast sums of the people’s money was squandered during the last few decades to pay fat salaries and bonuses to the nations ruling elite while the rest of the population scrambled to get a tiny piece of the cake that was the “Celtic Tiger”. When the inevitable happened and the capitalist economy crashed the rich who caused the recession through NAMA paid themselves a figure that some now think may exceed 100 Billion. NAMAs bailout of the fat cats will come from the Irish peoples pockets for a generation to come, yet the Irish people through the Proclamation of the Republic have claim to over 400 Billion Euros worth of natural resources of the west coast, why did we not use that 400 Billion Euros to build our economy? Because Shell has laid claim to the peoples natural resources the Irish economy will see but a tiny fraction of that 400 Billion Euro with the vast majority in the hands of a greedy multinational corporation. So while the 26 county establishment pushes through essential services cuts social welfare cuts education cuts infrastructure cuts the Irish people will suffer while the rich get richer. The IRSP stands shoulder to shoulder with the staff and patients of Lifford hospital and indeed the people of North West in opposition to these cuts, let the fat cats know that the working class people of Donegal will not be walked over Posted in: Statements | Comments Off |
