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

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?

13/8/2010

OVERVIEW

On Easter Sunday 2010 the Republican and Republican Socialist political prisoners, being held in Roe House, Maghaberry Gaol, barricaded themselves in the canteen in protest against the punitive regime in which they where forced to endure. The Republican wing at Roe House is made up of prisoners from different organisations including the INLA, CIRA, RIRA and other independent Republicans. It includes convicted and non-convicted political prisoners ranging in age from their early twenties to one prisoner in his sixties.

Over recent years the IRSP, 32CSM, RSF, Eirigi and RNU have been organising protests both individually and collectively on the outside to highlight the ongoing plight of the Republican prisoners in Roe House. When the prisoners barricaded themselves into the canteen on Easter Sunday it was quite clear that they had reached the end of their tether and that their protest was going to be intensified. The prisoners believed that an intensified campaign was necessary which would put the prisoners plight in the public domain and which would bring a focus to seeking a satisfactory resolution.

At the beginning of May 2010 following an IRSP white line picket on the Falls Rd the IRSP were approached by a former republican prisoner with a view to forming a prisoners support group in Belfast that would campaign on behalf of all the republican political prisoners. This led the IRSP, 32CSM, eirigi and RNU as well as a number of non-aligned republican political ex-prisoners, to hold a meeting in West Belfast. (RSF could not take part, as their constitution does not allow them to take part in broad front campaigns but who nevertheless organised their own pickets and protests.)

Out of this meeting a prisoners support group, ‘Families, Friends and Ex-prisoners’, was formed. It was immediately decided to hold a demonstration at Maghaberry prison to highlight the plight of the prisoners. Hundreds attended this demonstration which put added pressure on the establishment. Also a large, well attended, public meeting was also organised, in Conway Mill in support of the prisoners, by the support group. Further demonstrations at Maghaberry were also organised during this period-all of them being well attended which further added more pressure on the establishment as well as successfully highlighting the plight of the prisoners. Protests were also held at the Prison Ombudsman’s Office, Alliance Party Office in South Belfast. White line pickets were held on the Falls Rd, Andersonstown, Short Strand, Antrim Road, Carrickhill lower and Upper Springfield Road. A successful protest march was also held in Lurgan, County Armagh.

After the protest at the Ombudsman’s Office contact was made with the Families support group through Jim Auld (CRJ). He had been involved in the resolution of a hunger strike by Liam Hannaway in an unconnected protest in the isolation block in Maghaberry. Jim Auld related to the group that the prison service wished to seek a resolution to the protest. More in hope than expectation, the Families group requested that a delegation from the group be allowed into Maghaberry to speak to the protesting republican prisoners to ascertain exactly what would be required to bring a resolution to the protest. Jim Auld related this to the prison service who surprisingly granted the delegation visit for the 19th of June 2010.

The delegation arrived at Maghaberry at the arranged time and quite quickly it became clear that the prison service and/or the POA were not prepared to let this delegation visit take place. Whilst the Delegation got through as far as the visiting area there was an attempt to strip search one of the protesting prisoners on their way to meet the delegation. The prisoner rightfully refused and the rest of the prisoners were returned to Roe House. The families delegation was informed that the meeting would not now take place.

Jim Auld was then contacted and came and met the group. He reported that the cancellation of the delegation visit was a cock-up and assured the families group that the prison service were serious about seeking a resolution to the situation and that a further delegation visit would be permitted to visit the prisoners on Monday 21st of June. Though the Families group had its reservations it agreed to accept the visit with the proviso that no republican prisoner would be strip-searched. This delegation visit was unilaterally cancelled by the prison service on Saturday the 19th June-no reason was given. Following this fiasco the IRSP released the following statement;

IRSP condemn Prison service Jun 19, 2010, 6:08pm

The IRSP have reacted strongly to the decision taken by the Prison service to cancel a planned delegation visit by the families and friends of prisoners committee to the protesting Republican prisoners in Maghaberry.
IRSP representative Paul Little who was due to be on the delegation visit this Monday slammed the Prison Service decision as short sighted and small minded. This delegation visit to the protesting Republican prisoners had the potential to begin the process of achieving a fair and equitable resolution to the prisoner’s grievances. The fact that the first delegation visit was frustrated and thwarted by the POA and the second abruptly cancelled demonstrates that the Prison service is not serious about finding a resolution to the situation in Roe house. Maghaberry Prison is in a crisis, no number one governor and this week the head of the prison service resigns, this is a prison with no one in charge! The situation where republican prisoners are being targeted by bigoted Prison Officers cannot be allowed to continue, that in 2010 protesting Republican prisoners are reacting to this provocation by a dirty protest cannot be allowed to continue.
SUPPORT OUR POWS
Statement ends

The families group then decided to dispense with the services of Jim Auld as a facilitator. Whilst it was accepted that though Jim Auld was acting in good faith it was quite clear that he was viewed by the prison service as expendable and that he did not enjoy the confidence of anyone involved.

The IRSP whilst supporting the families campaign reserved the right to explore and initiate other strategies that potentially would support the prisoners and assist them in finding a satisfactory resolution to their protest. It was evident to the IRSP that outside protests alone would not bring a satisfactory resolution to the deepening crisis in Maghaberry.

The IRSP had, from the outset of the protest, began lobbying political contacts which included a meeting with the NIO. We made it clear, as did the other participants from the prisoners support group, that the prisoners and the prisoners only would have the final say in any settlement. Our ex-prisoners group, Teach na Failte, also lobbied their contacts including meeting Sinn Fein whom we felt, given their senior position and responsibility in the Stormont Executive, had a role to play in seeking a resolution. At the same time, given the collapse of the ‘Auld Initiative’, the IRSP began to search for possible facilitators/mediators that we believed would be acceptable to the Prisoners.

After talks with trade union officials and Creggan Enterprises members of the IRSM leadership flew to Amsterdam to talk with the Dialogue Advisory Group who had already been lobbying their political contacts at the request of the IRSP. We explored the possibility of them becoming involved in the dispute as facilitators if this was acceptable to the prisoners. They agreed and along with Rath Mor Creggan Enterprises and the ICTU, a four person team of joint facilitators/mediators was put in place. An IRSP delegate met with two of the four Facilitators/ mediators in the Belfast Centre for the Unemployed and presented them with the following briefing document.

Irish Republican Socialist Party
Briefing Paper on current situation in Maghaberry
21/6/10

Currently, thirty+ Republican prisoners are being held at Roe House in Maghaberry Prison. Roe House is a separated wing housing only Republican Prisoners over two landings. Since Easter 2010 Republican prisoners have been on protest against the conditions in which they are being held, this protest has escalated to a limited dirty protest beginning a fortnight ago.

The protest by Republican prisoners arose following a deterioration of the conditions in which they are being held following industrial action by the P.O.A. which essentially was a ‘go slow’ action, the result of this action being a denial of republican prisoners basic human rights.
On Easter Sunday 2010 Republican prisoners barricaded themselves in the canteen of Roe house as a protest to highlight their plight. The prisoners were being punished for:

• Wearing Easter Lilies by a 23hr lock up, confined to their cells, which have been stripped of their personal belongings.

• The regime is only allowing one prisoner at a time get a shower thus insuring some prisoners do not have the opportunity to wash.

• Legal visits, family visits and association have been interfered with.

• Controlled Movement, (Three Prison Officers to move one prisoner or Five to move two prisoners), has to cease immediately.

• Prisoners have been assaulted and singled out for strip-searching.

• Prisoners are currently on a limited dirty protest

• Republican prisoners, their families and representatives have indicated a willingness to enter dialogue with the Prison Service to bring a resolution to the protest.

• The Prison Service and the P.O.A. so far have frustrated any dialogue, which could see a resolution of the crisis within Maghaberry.

• The Republican prisoners have two basic demands. 1- End to controlled movement/ Free Association, 2- End to strip-searches.

• It is imperative that prisoner’s human rights, which were compromised by the industrial action by the P.O.A., do not become the normal way of treating republican prisoners.

• To that end the I.R.S.P. caution the P.O.A., British government and indeed the Stormont regime against continuing down this road that can only result in continued confrontation.

Following this briefing a meeting was organised between the potential Facilitators/Mediators and the ‘Families, Friends and Ex-prisoners’ support group, The Families listened to and questioned the Joint Facilitation Group and agreed, to explore further the possibility of finding a negotiated resolution, subject to the agreement of the protesting prisoners. Key to their proposal was that there would be face-to-face negotiations between the protesting prisoners and the prison Service. To this end we requested another delegation visit to the republican prisoners in Maghaberry through the Joint Facilitation Group. The aim of this delegation was to inform the protesting prisoners of this possible initiative and to gauge whether they would support this as a possible resolution process. This was granted and after some discussion within the prison with the prisoners they agreed to give this initiative the go ahead.

There was not much movement in the first two weeks of July due to the 12th holidays. It was difficult for the Joint Facilitation Group to pull together the people necessary to find a resolution due to holidays etc. However, the JFG spent time lobbying various groups and interested bodies to use their influence to support a negotiated dialogue that could bring a lasting resolution in Maghaberry. Some of this lobbying included;

ROE HOUSE
ACTIONS TAKEN SINCE THURSDAY 15 JULY 2010

Friday 16 July 2010

Notified Northern Ireland Office Prison Service (Colin McConnell) that prisoners seeking a facilitated meeting between Prison Administration and themselves to seek resolution to the issues that gave raise to the current protest in Roe House.

Meeting with Mark Durkan to discuss how best to secure the need for independent chair and observers for any face-to-face discussion between the prisoners and the prison regime.

Notified Department of Foreign Affairs (Dublin) on the need for the use of independent facilitators to be engaged to resolve the current impasse at Roe House.

Meeting with International Committee of the Red Cross (Geoff Loane) on thee issues of concern. Geoff Loane who is the Head of Mission based in London agreed to raise the issue with David Ford, Department of Justice and the NIO.

Discussed the prisoners’ concerns that their human rights were being violated with Monica McWilliams who indicated that the Human Rights Commission have alerted the prison authorities of their concerns and requested a visit to the prison.

Monday 19 July 2010

Informed by both Alan Craig and Colin McConnell that the Prison Service were keen securing “a win-win” for the prisoners and the prison service but required clarity on who was speaking for whom. Both raised concerns that confusing messages could undermine any potential for a resolution.

Tuesday 20 July 2010

Meeting with representatives of the Pat Finucane Centre (Maggie O’Conner and Paul O’Conner) re: feedback with their meeting with David Ford yesterday. PFC reps said they were informed that if NIPS can’t resolve this matter internally it would consider moving to some form of mediation and was aware of need to act on the issues quickly.

Requested by CAJ (Mike Ritchie) for update on current position and how could they further assist the process towards a resolution based on the rights of the prisoners being protected.

Discussed current position with Richard Good, Special Advisor to David Ford who indicated he would encourage a local resolution involving the prison service and the prisoners with support from an independent chair and observers in the event of any face-to-face dialogue.

Held meeting with Jim Roddy and Seamus Heaney and welcomed their support to help resolve matters in Roe House and would be grateful for any endorsement of our approach to resolve in Roe House (to the Justice Minister, the Prison Service or – most importantly – the prisoners and their representatives).

*(During this time the 32CSM in Derry moved their weekly picket in support of the prisoners from the Bogside to Bishop St. in Derry city centre. This caused concern within the Business community in Derry especially with the annual Apprentice Boys of Derry commemoration of the Siege of Derry which was due to be held on Saturday 14th of August. This meant that if the Republican prisoners were still protesting on this date that both Republicans and Loyalists would be demonstrating in Derry city centre at the same time on the same day. Jim Roddy and Seamus Heaney contacted the 32CSM in Derry to see what it would take to resolve the protest. They both met the prisoners and the Families group and agreed to support and lobby for the ongoing initiative.)

The ‘JFG’ over the course of almost a month literally spent days behind bars with both the prisoners and the establishment facilitating and chairing joint meetings between both as well as separate meetings inside Maghaberry with both of the delegation parties. The JFG also had a series of meetings with other parties/individuals over that period including a number with Ford’s office. After long, protracted, negotiations, which at one point seemed on the verge of collapse the JFG successfully brought the talks to the following conclusion/agreement:

TEXT OF AGREEMENT ENDING ROE HOUSE PROTEST
Date Created – Thursday 12 August 10 @ 19:08
Maghaberry, 12 August 2010

A. Agreement Reached on Dispute at Roe House in Maghaberry Prison Following a protest by Republican prisoners in Roe House, the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) and the prisoners agreed to engage in a facilitation process. A Joint Facilitation Group (Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Creggan Enterprises and Dialogue Advisory Group) met both parties on a number of occasions over the past several weeks. The discussions were underpinned at all times by the following principles:

B. Fundamental Principles
1. Arrangements are predicated on mutual respect;
2. Prisoner and staff safety must not be put at risk;
3. Arrangements should comply with human rights and equality requirements;
4. Revised arrangements and procedures should be achievable and sustainable;
5. Staff should be able to carry out their work professionally, free from harm, intimidation or threat;
6. The security of the establishment should not be diluted; and
7. The arrangements must strengthen public confidence in NIPS.

C. Prisoner Forum An effective Prisoners’ Forum will be established, in addition to existing processes for complaints and requests. This should provide a meaningful mechanism to address issues of mutual concern and is designed to build trust. D. Full body searching
1. No random full body searching will take place on the way to domestic and legal visits and the videolink or from the SSU.
2. No “rubdown” searching internally, within Roe 3 and 4.
3. NIPS will introduce a new search facility and revised search policy for separated prisoners. The new facility will be located within the Bush and Roe complex and subject to CCTV and audio coverage. It will incorporate a combination of the latest technologies, which will remove the requirement for routine full-body searching of separated prisoners within the prison. The search process for all separated prisoners entering the separated complex will be:
• outer clothing, metal objects, belts and shoes removed and passed through scanner;
• all prisoners undergo scanning by hand held metal detector;
• all prisoners undergo thorough rub-down search; and
• prisoners required to sit on BOSS chair (where outer clothing contains metal, prisoners may be required to remove this).

4. NIPS reserves the right, in exceptional cases, to require any prisoner to undergo a full-body search – under existing arrangements – if:
• there is a positive indication by the technology and the cause cannot be identified; or
• there is reason through intelligence or suspicion that a prisoner may be concealing prohibited items on their person.

5. In such cases the full-body search must be authorised and observed by a supervisor and carried out in a manner, which is both sensitive and dignified. The process of searching will be audited and monitored to ensure it complies with human rights standards.

E. Movement / association 1. The Prisoner Ombudsman’s report of June 11 2010 recommended that a review of the separated regime should be included in the current independent Prison Review and that the review team should examine the evidence considered by the CJINI/HMCIP when it concluded in 2006 and 2009 that the arrangements for the movement of separated prisoners “were unnecessarily restrictive”. (The HMCIP finding states that “there was severely restricted prisoner movement… this was particularly noticeable on the separated units where, even within the unit itself, the system of controlled movement meant that only three prisoners were allowed out an any one time, with no less than five staff present”). NIPS have fully accepted the Prisoner Ombudsman’s recommendation.
2. Subject to the fundamental principles set out at section B above, NIPS’s aim is to move from the existing arrangements towards a more progressive, supervised free-flow movement system within Roe House, on a phased basis, as follows: Phase 1 – commencing August 2010 NIPS will take steps to implement as quickly as possible from the date of this agreement:
• Association within the recreation room, yard and – when it is completed – the astro-turf pitch from 0830 until fifteen minutes before lock-up; and
• Considering the wing – for the purposes of movement –as one unit, rather than two landings. This will permit a maximum of 6 prisoners on the landing at any one time, while other prisoners will have access to kitchen, laundry room, classrooms, showers, ironing and haircutting room.
Phase 2 – commencing December 2010 The independent Prison Review Team is expected to report on the Maghaberry regime by December 2010 and, in the light of paragraph E1 above, it is expected that their report will include recommendations on less restrictive movement arrangements within Roe House. In addition to implementing the recommendations of the Prisoner Ombudsman’s report and this agreement, NIPS will take steps to implement agreed recommendations from the independent Review as quickly as possible.
Phase 3 Beyond Phase 2 NIPS will continue to review and assess ways to further progress supervised free flow movement of prisoners. This will include implementing agreed recommendations – if any – contained in the final independent Prison Review Report of early 2011.
3. NIPS’s ability to progress, implement and maintain phased changes to movement procedures towards a lasting solution will be determined by adherence to the fundamental principles set out in section B above. Throughout this entire phased process independent assessments will be conducted by NIPS, JFG and the Minister’s representatives.

F. Next Steps
1. The protest in Roe House will cease immediately;
2. The prisoners commit to refrain from intimidating, threatening, or harming prison staff in carrying out their duties.
3. Continuous monitoring and evidencing of this agreement commences.
4. NIPS will begin infrastructural change linking the exercise yard with the astro-turf pitch.
5. NIPS will commence work to design and build an enhanced search facility for separated prisoners, in line with the proposals at section D.
6. An initial prisoners’ forum will be convened to address areas of mutual concern and to resolve grievances through dialogue within this Forum.
7. The “Separated Compact” will be revised to reflect changes from this agreement and the Prisoner Ombudsman’s report and also, in due course, to reflect changes arising from the recommendations in the independent Prison Review’s report.
8. Review of “full body searching” will report by end of September 2010 and agreed recommendations implemented as soon as possible.
9. Independent Prison Review’s report on the Maghaberry regime by December 2010.
10. Full compliance of all parties with this agreement is imperative to building confidence and achieving a lasting solution – one that delivers a safe, secure and humane prison regime.

The Republican Prisoners in Roe House called of their protest on Friday 13th August 2010.

The IRSP issued the following statement;

IRSP WELCOME MAGHABERRY PROTEST RESOLUTION 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 prisoner’s 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.

The role of the IRSP in assisting the resolution of Maghaberry Protest
It would perhaps be unfair to point out any particular individual/party/group, as being key to the resolution as many across a wide spectrum contributed greatly, which, as a whole, was the key factor in this unprecedented achievement. It was a great team effort by all
The IRSP did play a crucial role in the resolution of the protest, which was done very much under the radar. Many others contributed greatly too but the IRSP believe that if there had have been no intervention by the ‘Joint Facilitation Group’ then the protest would still be on-going with no end in sight. In our opinion, the success was down to the delegation of prisoners (who represented all shades of republicanism in Maghaberry)who, from all accounts, conducted themselves in a “professional, determined, disciplined, confident and very articulate” manner and also down to the hard work, determination, negotiating skills and political contacts of the JFG.

The process, which resulted in this resolution, was undoubtedly unprecedented in the context of prison struggle. Never before in the history of prison struggle/protests was there direct face-to-face negotiations between political prisoners and the establishment with an outside 3rd party known as ‘The Joint Facilitation Group.’ A 3rd party of the prisoner’s and the ‘Family and Friends Committee’s’ choosing facilitating and chairing the talks. The establishment delegation who had negotiated with the prisoners during this period made it clear that they were unhappy with the presence of the JFG.

Furthermore, the JFG are now recognised by both the prisoners and establishment as being the custodians of the agreement that was accepted by all and who will be regularly monitoring the agreement. What was also clear, long before the agreement was concluded, was the fact that the establishment conceded, by the very nature of the process itself, that these prisoners were indeed political prisoners.

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

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.

“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

“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

The IRSP stands for the establishment of a 32 county republic in which the working people are in charge of their own destinies, a republic which is representative of all the people and one which will cherish all the children of the nation equally.

This development in North Antrim is part of the continuing expansion of the IRSP throughout Ireland and reflects the desire among working class people for an alternative political voice to represent their views. For too long the people of North Antrim have had very little choice in terms of political representation, it was either of the main two nationalist parties, the SDLP or Sinn Fein. We see very little political difference between these parties in terms of their positions on many fundamental political issues.

We intend to offer the people of North Antrim an energetic and vibrant voice that can and will challenge the current political situation. We will offer the people of this area the chance for real positive change. We will be exposing the hypocrisy within the established political parties and showing their contradictions for what they are.

In these days of cut backs brought about by the banking crisis we intend to hold the parties of Stormont to account and to prevent them from punishing the poor and marginalised, we will be at the forefront in the battle against the cuts and we will be standing shoulder to shoulder with the poorest and most deprived sections of our society. Why should the working class suffer for the actions of the rich bankers?

If you would like more information on the IRSP and are looking for real positive change the you can contact us on 028 71 353090 (Derry Office) or email northantrimirsp@gmail.com

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
webmaster@irsp.ie
http://www.irsp.ie