A new survey carried out by AIMS Ireland (Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services, Ireland) found that 22% of women surveyed stated the care they received postnatally was “poor”, whilst a further 23% found the care to be only “average”. Furthermore, 23% of women rated the quality of information they received from their carer postpartum to be “poor”. By contrast, only 3% found their care during pregnancy to be “poor”. read full story / add a comment

The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) today expressed its shock and dismay at revelations unearthed by Limerick-based researcher Seán Clinton in his recent exposé on the role of Israel in the global diamond industry. Mr. Clinton’s article, published last night on the respected Electronic Intifada website (http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11170.shtml), highlights how the industry deceives the public by playing up benefits accruing to poorer countries through the Kimberly Process – the stated aim of which is to eliminate ‘blood diamonds’ - while simultaneously hiding the fact that Israel, a state that has militarily occupied Palestine for more than 40 years, is the world’s biggest beneficiary of the diamond industry. read full story / add a comment

GCFA has no fears of dealing with Louth County Council when it has already written to the EU in Brussels and been heard! read full story / add a comment

Our guest speaker this month is Graham Strowts, who will be speaking about the concept of the Food Forest and Perennials read full story / add a comment

People who used to get the Christmas payment include those on the blind pension, Invalidity pension, widows allowance, long term unemployed people, people on carer's allowance, state pension, and the families of those in prison. Contrast their treatment with the pensions paid every week to former government ministers like Ray Burke and Bertie Ahern, or the billions ploughed into the budgets of banks and developers.

This year, the Fianna Fáil/Green Party coalition, backed by various Independents, has axed the Christmas payment to pensioners and those on the dole. Yesterday Sinn Féin held a protest outside Leinster Houses demanding that the payment be restored.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh said: “Economic recovery will not be achieved by driving people into poverty. The recession will deepen if the government persists in taking money from those who spend it on everyday necessities. If these cuts are not resisted we face a prolonged recession with more and more people living in poverty.”
read full story / add a comment

The Department of Transport has issued a notice to mariners to steer clear of an area in Dublin Bay where an exploration vessel is to conduct tests to check the viability of a plan to convert under sea deposits of coal to gas which could be used to produce energy. The tests will be carried out on behalf of a company called VP Power in the Kish Basin, around thirteen miles east of Bray Head starting on December 7th.

VP Power is group of investors who have raised money to fund the testing of the experimental gas-from-coal prospect. Brian Geoghegan, husband of health minister Mary Harney, is one of the backers of the scheme.
read full story / add a comment

The McCarthy or “Bord Snip Nua” report on public spending outlined a range of proposed cuts in government expenditure. Of the €5.3b in possible savings, it can be safely said that at least €4b of this (and probably more) targets the working class. Indeed, a full third of the cuts are aimed at pensioners and unemployed. In the private sector, attacks on our class continue in the form of pay cuts, short time and lay-offs. read full story / add a comment

"We will set the standards for delivering health and social care services and we will continuously inspect to ensure that these standards are being met."

"We will help deliver value for your money by monitoring that the resources in our health and social services are used in a way which delivers the best outcome for the patient or service user."

The above lines taken from the front page of HIQA’s web site strike me as being rather gung-ho. It appears that HIQA is setting itself up like some martinet intent on squeezing performance out of unwilling minions. read full story / add a comment

I was never so glad as the day I quit drinking. Almost 20 years now. Alcohol is poison and destructive to the body. Worse, it lines the pockets of the rack renters. Come on Ireland. Awaken. The world fears that. Believe it. Marijuana is one of the most powerful expectorants known. It is a pain reliever, a euphoric, an appetite enhancer, and enhancer of certain other states of thinking and cognition familiar to its users, and very useful. Let us have some real Irish Green. read full story / add a comment

Fake Hannah Montana tickets! read full story / add a comment

Could Ireland, in its own way, become a beggar sitting in a bank of gold? read full story / add a comment

Although many people know that Topaz is a Shell licensee, that company has been quietly removing all mention of Shell from its websites and anywhere else that the public might see it.

However, as the brochure shows, Topaz is a Shell licensee.
read full story / add a comment

Last year, Minister Ryan indicated that he would soon bring legislation forward so as to stop the rip-off by "subscription services" Alas.nothing has happened read full story / add a comment

This is a copy of a letter that I sent a few days ago to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Mr. Eamon Ryan. This letter was copied to all TD's, Senators and MEP's. The response I received from Mr. Ryan's office was that "the Minister of State, Mr Seán Power, T.D., has responsibility for this area." read full story / add a comment

This is a recording of Stanley Aronowitz speaking on 'Popular Education in a Time of Struggle' to a Workers Solidarity Movement meeting in the Seomra Spraoi Social centre, Dublin the end of March 2009. Stanley Aronowitz is professor of sociology, cultural studies, and urban education at the CUNY Graduate Center. He is also a veteran political activist and cultural critic and an advocate for organized labor. read full story / add a comment

Details are becoming available on the depth of the severe cutbacks in our public transport service from Dublin Bus.

Some of the buses have posted up a list of the routes affected. This is a callout for people to take a snap of the list (with their camera phone) for their area and then to later add to the list here, so that the full picture or the entire Dublin area can become clear. read full story / add a comment

This evening (Wed 11th March), after the news of the 30 day sentence imposed on 55 year old Shell to Sea protester Maura Harrington filtered through, supporters converged on the gates of Mountjoy prison. By the time the van carrying Maura came into view over 30 supporters were waiting at the prison gates, matched by a similar number of Gardai. read full story / add a comment

Sentenced to one month in prison for protesting against Shell
Another Shell to Sea protester was imprisoned today when retired school teacher Maura Harrington was given a one month sentence for supposedly assaulting a garda on June 11th 2007. She received a round of applause from the people in the court as she was led off the the prison van, much to the judge's displeasure.

Harrington was also ordered to pay a one thousand euro fine and one thousand euro to the Garda benevolent fund (she refused to agree to the latter). She arrived in Dublin tonight to be held in Mountjoy Prison on the North Circular Road. There was the usual heavy police presence, and when supporters gathered around the van to let her know they were there, the gardaí responded in the only way they know how, with violence.
Since the protests against Shell started a large number of people have been injured by garda actions. Some have even been hospitalised, but not a single garda has been pros read full story / add a comment

There is no money left in Ireland. At least that’s what you might think after listening to Brian Cowen, Enda Kenny, IBEC and the parade of capitalist economists and pundits who parrot this nonsense. Yes, we are heading into a deep recession and guess who is expected to pay the cost? read full story / add a comment

AIMSI welcome the publication of the Independent Review of Maternity & Gynaecology Services in the Greater Dublin Area. In particular we welcome the recommendation for increased choice for women regarding models of care and the recognition that there is considerable evidence for the development of midwifery led units. We agree with the finding that the GDA is out of step in being able to offer a woman-centred service, providing choice and access to services .We share the belief that the GDA needs to place much more emphasis on community based maternity services, as 60% of women will experience a normal birth. read full story / add a comment