Once again we are being asked to vote on yet another EU treaty. This time it is the Fiscal Treaty otherwise known as the permanent austerity treaty. Most of the people of Europe are against this treaty and they are once again relying on us although as usual most of the governments of Europe are for the treaty because well they represent the people in power -the large banks, corporations and financial elite in general. As we know they call the shots these days in every country and it has got to the stage where "investors" will lend money to governments and charge a nice rate of interest too and in this way they get to decide how much they will allow governments to spend on luxuries for the middle class and poor like health, education, social welfare, pensions, water and sewage etc. And since the financial crisis they have come to the realization that none of this is neccesary. In fact the only arms of government really required are the police, army, courts and prisons. Anyhow in this feature the folks from People's Association Watchdog have done a really good job in going through the Fiscal Treaty line by line and doing alot of other research and analysis to discover and explains what it really means. And don't forget if enough of us vote No, the government will be back to give us plenty of more chances to vote Yes, just like they did with the Nice Treaty and the Lisbon Treaty. read full story / add a comment

In the run up to our 21st birthday celebrations, Anti-Fascist Action Ireland are undertaking a major historical survey of the Irish Far-Right from 1945 – 1991. read full story / add a comment

The European Stability Mechanism is a crisis fund that comes at the price of €11 billion for Ireland, that EU countries will be able to gain access to should they ratify the Fiscal Treaty. But will it be a handy insurance policy for Ireland - or an economic straitjacket? read full story / add a comment

The arrest and imprisonment of seven republican activists within the past few days heralds a new era for British oppression in Ireland.

Following intense debate amongst government ministers, the military and its legal establishment since 2006, it would appear that the British state has now decided to use so-called ‘intercept evidence’ as viable evidence to imprison Irish republicans. read full story / add a comment

Republican Sinn Féin, are calling on people to vote NO in the referendum on the Fiscal Treaty on May 31. The treaty, if passed, will perpetuate austerity for decades to come.
The referendum is an opportunity to send out a clear statement of intent that people are not prepared to cede any more power to the undemocratic and un-elected bureaucratic elite that is the EU. A NO vote will be a positive step towards regaining control of our future and that of the generations to come.
Austerity has been rejected by the French and Greek people and now it is the turn of the citizens of this state to reject them also. read full story / add a comment

Standing with one foot in Ireland and the other foot in Greece and having an interest and a natural curiosity for all "things", I listen, watch and follow events that take place in both countries regarding all aspects of human life, social-political-economical and not only. read full story / add a comment

As a simple fisherman I was forced to leave England because our fishing industry was destroyed by the European Union and to come to your lovely country to find work. I am hoping to help out on a campaign to save Ireland's Fish and to point out the hard lessons your English brothers learned and which may be of some small assistance to Irish fishermen. read full story / add a comment

Deprived of signs and art materials, the good people of Occupy Galway came into possession of some chalk. Chalk of every colour is used by children in towns and villages across the country every day to draw the likes of hopscotch boards, noughts and crosses or just idly scribble away a sunny afternoon. It is also used by buskers in cities around the world, who draw fabulous pictures for passers-by to enjoy. One of the joys of chalk that is appreciated by Occupiers is that it causes no damage and is efficiently removed by mother nature in our frequent downpours.

It was in this spirit that we began to decorate the grey stone substation that was the back wall of our office before the destruction of the camp. Familiar slogans like “No To Austerity” and “IMF OUT” as well as more pertinent messages like “Constitutional Rights and Due Process R.I.P. Oct. 15-May 16”, began to appear. The grey and featureless substation soon became a monument to freedom of expression, as the many participants joined in the decoration. read full story / add a comment

The People’s Movement launched their campaign for a No Vote in the upcoming Fiscal Treaty at a press conference today in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin. read full story / add a comment

This evening, The People’s Movement organised a protest outside IBEC’s conference in The Westin Hotel, Westmoreland Street.

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Republican Network for Unity (RNU) notes with increasing concern, the growing practice of what can only be described as extortionism, being carried out by private landlords within working class nationalist areas and beyond.

When observing average rents, it is clear that private landlords here are exploiting historical housing shortages in order to demand amounts well above what is provided by housing benefit. read full story / add a comment

“I pay tribute to the ‘Farmers For No’ for coming together and calling for a No Vote…

…Contrary to popular belief and what the government is spouting, the sky won’t fall on our heads if we vote no on May 31st.

We will retain some flexibility and some ability to retain the control over our National finances and to be able to use those finances for the good of all the citizens of the country and not for the good of saving the financial institutions of Europe.”

- Thomas Pringle, TD (Member of Irish parliament) read full story / add a comment

A press conference was held today launching the Socialist Party's http://www.austeritytreaty.ie website and the pamphlet “Austerity Treaty explained: how it undermines democracy & institutionalises austerity” (http://www.austeritytreaty.ie/the-pamphlet#) read full story / add a comment

Formal objection to the governments 'information' leaflet which we believe contravenes the mcKenna judgement. The introduction clearly shows a bias towards a Yes vote and contains many disputable claims which are not facts. read full story / add a comment

The suspension of the German government’s ratification of the permanent austerity treaty and the ESM treaty must send a strong warning signal to the Irish people that these two treaties pose a serious threat to their livelihood and to what little remains of their democracy and sovereignty. read full story / add a comment

Few days ago Finnish National Broadcasting Corporation send a TV -program of few cases were refugee claim someone spying them. This is not a really news to anyone living in Finland, specially knowing Finnish Political Machinery and government Construct. For example a week ago there was an interesting program in radio explaining how CIA financed Finnish Socialist Party (SDP) were as Soviet Union financed communist party. read full story / add a comment

The Press Conference will officially launch our campaign for a No Vote in the forthcoming referendum on the EU Fiscal Compact / Stability Treaty and will be attended by Independent TD’s Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan and Thomas Pringle who will be our guest speakers.

Also Professor Anthony Coughlan, (Associate Professor Emeritus in Social Policy, TCD, and Director of the National Platform EU Research and Information Centre, 24 Crawford Avenue, Dublin 9), will attend as a guest speaker in his capacity as an expert on European Treaty Law. read full story / add a comment

The People’s Movement has opened an office in central Dublin for the duration of the referendum campaign on the Permanent Austerity Treaty. The office is at 5 Cavendish Row, directly opposite the Gate Theatre. read full story / add a comment

“The Member States whose currency is the euro may establish a stability mechanism to be activated if indispensable to safeguard the stability of the euro area as a whole. The granting of any required financial assistance under the mechanism will be made subject to strict conditionality.”
- Proposed amendment to Article 136 TFEU of the EU Treaties by which the 27 EU Member States authorize the 17 Member States of the euro currency area to establish a Stability Mechanism read full story / add a comment

A History of Felon-Setting:

Felon-Setting has a long and not very honorable place in Irish history. British imperialists have used various tactics to impose their rule in Ireland for centuries. Demonisation, Criminalisation and Felon-Setting has played a massive role in attempting to isolate Republicans from their communities. read full story / add a comment