tonight there was a small but very effective blockade
of a statoil garage on the way out of cork .
at five oclock the start of rush hour ,
also alot of horns ,smiles and raised fist ,from motorists all showing there support.
we are encouraging a boycott of statoil as the are partners with shell in the gas mayo pipeline,that should never be built. read full story / add a comment

From the UCC Student's Union debate board:
http://bb.ucc.ie/viewtopic.php?t=6102&postdays=0&postor...art=0

I'm not going to vote for a president who doesn't mention equality issues in their manifesto and I'm sure I'm not the only one - Paul McAndrew"

From Richie (one of three candidates): Quote:
"Sorry paul, what do you mean by equality issues?"

From me: Quote:
"tackling barriers faced by students with disabilities, LGBT students, Muslim students etc"

From Richie: Quote:
"Well of course That's important, however i believe that it is not as important ascatering, printing or the library. If you want equality prioritised over these issues then perhaps you should vote for mariel. They are part of my goals but they are not my number one priority" read full story / add a comment

The first Dublin anarchist bookfair is being held in St Nicholas of Myra Hall in the heart of the Liberties, just off Francis Street on March 3rd and 4th. We interviewed Dermot, one of the organisers of the bookfair. read full story / add a comment

Private hospitals and private medical insurance would be abolished and replaced by a "free-to-all" health service under Sinn Féin health proposals published yesterday. read full story / add a comment

A very short reminder that Italy celebrates a general election later this year.
& for all intensive purposes its a very simple contest.
In the right wing reconstructed popularist fascist corner :- Berlusconi.
in the left wing reforming newly democratically legitimate centre pitching corner :- Prodi.

Berlusconi is more than a politician. He is a billionaire who has exploited weaknesses in the post war Italian constitution to extend unwarrented power in all directions. Put very simply he is a "product".
Regardless of what socio-economic class an italian comes from the "product" is still deftly targetted.
Regardless of whether or not the targetted consumer likes or dislikes Berlusconi, the brand name has been completely absorbed. On the shelves of Italian newsagents one can buy a book of anti-Berlusconi insults, compiled by his office published by his press. His emergence has been one of the most serious challenges against XXI century democracy in Europe yet. & fighting him thus meant the development of new and interesting tactics.

For the first time an opinion poll has placed Berlusconi slightly ahead of Prodi the same day that Berlusconi announces a fresh electoral pact with Alessandra Mussolini the direct descendent of the dictator. It is a sign of how he plays the "fascist" tradition in Italian culture. So I'd like to inform the readers whats going on & maybe encourage "italian interest" contributors to indymedia ireland to expand and clarify the themes touched -
______________________________________________________________________________ read full story / add a comment

For all they laugh, they are wrong. It is possible to see, during the past 25 years in at least this country, a movement towards a new settlement in politics. This movement has continued regardless of who has occupied which office, and regardless of what party has won which election. It is clear that the ruling class - or that loose coalition of politicians, bureaucrats, lawyers, educators, and media and business people who derive wealth and power and status from an enlarged and active state - wants an end of liberal democracy. The desired new settlement is one in which those at the top or with the right connections can enjoy the most fabulous wealth and status, and in which their enjoyment of these can never again be challenged from below. We, the ordinary people, are to be stripped of our constitutional rights - no freedom of speech, no personal or financial privacy, no procedural safeguards in the criminal law. We are to be taxed and regulated to what counts in our own culture as the edge of the breadline. This is on the one hand to provide incomes for clients of the ruling class, and on the other to deprive us of the leisure that might allow us to understand our situation, and of the confidence that might allow us to challenge it. In any event, every organ of the ruling class is at work on promoting ideologies of boundless submission to the new settlement. read full story / add a comment

Having attended three talks given by Micheal O’ Seghin of the Rossport 5, it has been remarkable that he has scarcely repeated himself in presenting the facts about what is happening in Mayo – and throughout Ireland – where the Shell to Sea campaign is concerned. Despite having recently posted a report from his discussion with Eamonn Dunphy at Trinity College in Dublin last week, it was clear at his most recent talk that it warranted a further report - presented here in Micheal's own words. The venue was O' Donovan’s Hotel, Clonakilty, 15 February 2006.
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About twenty people last night gathered outside Dunnes Stores in Patrick Street Cok to protest in support of Joanne Delaney who was sacked for wearing a union badge. Members of Labour Youth together with local activists, Labour Councillors and Kathleen Lynch T.D. and members of the ICTU Youth Committee supported the protest. Several members of the public and passers by also joined in the protest. read full story / add a comment

The DVD containing the material includes a June 6, 2004, CID investigation report written by Special Agent James E. Seigmund. That report includes the following summary of the material included: "A review of all the computer media submitted to this office revealed a total of 1,325 images of suspected detainee abuse, 93 video files of suspected detainee abuse, 660 images of adult pornography, 546 images of suspected dead Iraqi detainees, 29 images of soldiers in simulated sexual acts, 20 images of a soldier with a Swastika drawn between his eyes, 37 images of Military Working dogs being used in abuse of detainees and 125 images of questionable acts." read full story / add a comment

On the first anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol coming into force Friends of the Earth has criticised the government for inaction in the face of the growing threat of climate change.

"The year since the Kyoto Protocol came into effect has seen no progress in Ireland on tackling climate change. The increase in Ireland's greenhouse gas pollution is running at twice the level allowed under Kyoto while government plans are running on empty", said Friends of the Earth Director, Oisin Coghlan.

Friends of the Earth is asking people to email Minister Roche at http://www.climatepledge.ie as Ireland is currently participating in the preparation of the EU's negotiating position for the next round of emissions cuts. read full story / add a comment

The prosecutor (lawyer of state) is demanding that the two policemen be acquitted. He is clearly trying to turn the situation upside down and make the accused (aggressors) into the victims of the police intervention...

The verdict will be announces Friday, 17th of February at 11.45 am. We call for everyone to come to the court for the verdict.

A more detailed briefing & best quotes of today, Wesdnesday can be read below.

Before that you can have a look at this Report of the Swiss television where Martin is making a point (click at video streaming) read full story / add a comment

This weekend will see Sinn Féin's largest ever Ard Fheis take place in the RDS in Dublin.

This conference is just one of the many opportunities for party members to debate and establish policy.

Sinn Féin's refining and developing of policy across a vast range of issues will be is reflected in the debates on Saturday and Sunday

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This is an important story, and needs attention. Any readers with blogs, and websites, please post about this, apparently some newspapers will be running with this story, according to the author we need to get more people to post and talk about this read full story / add a comment

Cuirfear an chéad Chath na mBannaí de chuid Feachtas ar siúl Dé Céadaoin seo chugainn, 22 Feabhra 2006 i CLG Naomh Fhionnbharr i gCabrach i mBaile Átha Cliath. Tiocfaidh grúpaí ceoil le chéile ó scoileanna lánGhaelacha éagsúla, ina measc Coláiste Mhuire i gCabrach, agus Coláiste Eoin i Stigh Lorgan. read full story / add a comment

Illegal dumping in County Wicklow read full story / add a comment

Brace yourself for a big new war. And start workig now to prevent it. read full story / add a comment

Hundreds took to the streets Wednesday afternoon to protest at the jailing of three brickies last Friday. read full story / add a comment

Approximately 150 people attended a talk by writer Tariq Ali in the ATGWU Hall on Middle Abbey Street earlier this evening. Des Bonass introduced the discussion. MP3 recording of the talk for you to download. read full story / add a comment

Perhaps, yes!

However, if Ireland is to establish a press council we should look elsewhere to see what lessons could be learned from such an endeavour. The British press introduced this form of self-regulation in 1953, but Commissions set up to examine the effectiveness of the council were critical.
In their book Power without Responsibility, Curran and Seaton, argue that the council should “embody and promote a professional culture among journalists.” This would be the ideal, but the reality has proved somewhat different. The press council has been criticised by a number of Commissions, which threatened “government legislation,” and brought much needed “reforms”. In 1977, the Commission imposed sweeping changes, which led to further reforms from 1989 to 1990. A new “code of conduct for journalists” was proposed, but the Calcutt Committee recommended that the press council be disbanded and replaced with a more effective body.
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When Ireland introduced the Freedom of Information Act in 1998, it was envisaged that a period of greater transparency would ensue.
Revelations of corruption arising from the Beef Tribunal, and the subsequent Flood, McCracken and Moriarty tribunals, helped push Freedom of Information on to a political agenda that seemed to promise more openness, but which has failed to materialise.
Today it is widely recognised that Ireland has some of the more draconian rules on releasing documents into the public domain, and that Freedom of Information is tied up in mindless bureaucracy and red-tape. Information sought may in some cases cost the recipient up to 400 Euros.
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