The Plough #33
2 April 2004

E-Mail Newsletter of the Irish Republican Socialist Party

1) The Cory Report
2) Updating Capitalist Rule 
3) Civil Service Dispute - 16 Weeks and Still Solid
4) Anti-Bush Protest Planned 
5) Under New Labour, Under Old Tories 
6) Bush Haiku
7) Letters
8) What's On?

*******

The Cory Report

There are a number of key points to note about both the Cory Report 
and the reactions to it. Cory's definition of collusion stretches 
credibility. To collude means that there are at least two parties in 
agreement to do something. The failure of the British government, the 
Northern Ireland Office and the prison service to act despite 
warnings from the IRSP that placing LVF prisoners beside INLA 
prisoners would led to trouble can be described as neglect but 
certainly not collusion. The INLA can hardly be accused of collusion 
if they simply took advantage of failures on the part of the 
authorities. 

It is clear that the Billy Wright killing was only thrown into the 
mix on order of the British government to appear even handed. The 
failure of the Brits to order an inquiry into the Pat Finucane 
killing, the reaction of David Trimble in practically accusing both 
Pat Finucane and Rosemary Nelson of IRA membership and the bleating 
from the DUP should show clearly to those who refuse to see that 
despite the Good Friday Agreement neither the Brits nor the political 
leadership of unionism has changed. 

We said at the start of the whole peace process that republicans 
should not thrust the Brits. Judge Cory was forced to insert into his 
report that it was not his task to make final determination of fact 
or attribution of responsibility. Ironically the Brit overlord in the 
North then described the Cory findings "as provisional".

In the light of the Cory findings, which shone a small veil of light 
on the murky underworld of the security needed to keep the six 
counties under British rule, is it not time for republicans to 
abandon the attempts to jointly rule an inherently sectarian statlet 
on behalf of the British overlords?

*******

Updating Capitalist Rule
By Liam Ó Ruairc

In an article published almost a year ago 
(http://lark.phoblacht.net/cveto.html), this author gathered data to 
show how people with money have a disproportionate influence on the 
political life of the twenty six counties. New facts and figures 
recently published in Sunday newspapers make it possible to update 
this article. 

An article in the Sunday Independent revealed that the one hundred 
wealthiest Irish people's combined fortune is worth 23 billion Euros. 
This is equivalent to one fifth of the 26 counties' GDP. By contrast, 
the one hundred richest US citizens are valued at one twentieth of 
all US economic activity. "The ten richest people in Ireland are each 
sitting on an average fortune of 800 million Euros. The average 
industrial worker would have to bank his or her entire 27 000 Euros 
salary every year for 30 000 years to amass the same wealth." (Sunday 
Independent 14 March 2004) Among those super rich are Sir Tony 
O'Reilly (fortune estimated at 1.3 billion Euros), J. P. McManus (790 
million Euros), Margaret Heffernan (490 million Euros), Michael 
O'Leary (470 million Euros), Larry Goodman, Tony Ryan and Dermot 
Desmond. In global terms, Ireland may have the reputation of the 
Celtic Tiger, but only two people with links to Ireland are included 
in Forbes most recent list of the world's richest people. (Forbes 15 
March 2004).

Last year's article noted that of the top 100 richest people in 
Ireland, 27 came from the construction and property sectors, 12 from 
distribution, 8 from hotel and pubs, 7 from the food industry, and 6 
from sport and entertainment. Only 11 came from a manufacturing 
background, 5 technology and 5 from finance. This trend hasn't 
changed. Among the top 50 private companies in the 26 counties, the 
most featured industry is still the property and construction sector 
(18 companies), retail (7), builders' providers and services (6) and 
car distribution (5). Thirty-one of those companies are either owned 
by a family or a couple. (Sunday Business Post 28 March 2004) Is the 
Leinster House still "nothing but a committee for managing the common 
affairs of the whole bourgeoisie" as Marx wrote of the modern state?

The rich may not govern, but they still reign. Through what 
mechanisms? Anthony Sampson noted in the Observer that the rich in 
Great Britain "can feel politically more secure": "New Labour has 
proved more sympathetic to big business than any post war government 
except Margaret Thatcher's. Tony Blair is careful not to mention 
inequality, enjoys the company of business leaders and holidays in 
the houses of rich friends. Gordon Brown is never publicly critical 
of the rich. Wealthy individuals and corporations no longer need 
representatives in parliament or governments to safeguard their 
interests and swing votes. A few rich men sit in the Commons. Yet 
most can rely on lobbyists and pressure groups to push their cases 
for reduced taxation, regulation or planning restrictions, while 
multinational firms hardly need to make the point that if they are 
not granted special terms they can take their money out of Britain. 
New Labour is especially mindful of the need to oblige rich 
individuals as donors. The explosion of personal fortunes has made 
all parties more dependent on a handful of individuals than on 
company donations." (The Observer 28 March 2004) 

All this could also apply to political life in Ireland, as the Flood 
and Moriarty Tribunals have shown. Not a week passes without some new 
revelation about the corrupting influence of money in Irish political 
life. For example, between 1994 and the end of 2000, tycoon Denis O 
Brien gave political parties almost £300 000. Just in 1999/2000,
he gave Fine Gael over £55 000. Few would doubt that the award of
mobile telephone licence to his company Esat Digifone has nothing to 
do with this. (Sunday Business Post 28 March 2004) Last week Senator 
Martin Mansergh lambasted what he called "unpatriotic" tax exiles, 
Irish business people who flee the country rather than paying taxes. 
Mr Mansergh should have known better. The capitalist class owes its 
allegiance only to its money and self-interest. 

*******

Civil Service Dispute - 16 Weeks and Still Solid

After 16 weeks of industrial action there is no weakening of the 
resolve of low paid NIPSA members to secure a fair pay increase for 
2003. The support from the members for all aspects of the industrial 
action has been excellent, demonstrating clearly their determination 
to see the dispute through to a successful conclusion. Selective 
action over the past week has included members at MOT centres, Larne 
Port and the Child Support Agency. The response amongst the selected 
groups has been over 80%. The NIPSA Civil Service Executive meets 
again on Monday 5 April with a view to escalating the action.

VICTIMISATION

A number of NIPSA members who went sick with stress because of 
threats from management over the work to rule have had their pay 
docked. All of these members had certificates from their GPs and yet 
management have decided to treat their sick leave as industrial 
action. This unbelievable action is illegal, and stands, as a further 
indication of how far Department for Social Development (DSD) 
management will stoop to intimidate and harass union members. It is 
understood that DSD Personnel Branch were about to process the pay of 
the members involved in the normal way, until the personal 
intervention of department director Thomas O'Reilly and personnel 
officer Pat Magee imposed the illegal sanction on ill NIPSA members. 
(Some readers of The Plough may have cause to recall O'Reilly, as he 
was previously employed by one the state's more unsavoury 
departments).

SUSPENDED NEWTOWNABBEY WORKERS

Two of the six NIPSA members who were suspended from duty for one 
week, and then took selective action for one week, were removed from 
the payroll by pay branch. However, when they returned to work, 
someone "forgot' to put them back on the payroll. As a result they 
received only one week's wages for the last month.

STRABANE NIPSA REPRESENTATIVE ATTACKED, AGAIN!

As reported in a few weeks ago a leading NIPSA activist in Strabane 
was deliberately driven into by a scab in Derry. Two weeks ago the 
same activist was attacked outside a Strabane bar by the brother of 
scab Peter Mayse. The attacker was well known local thug Patrick 
Mayse. Unfortunately for Mayse, the NIPSA representative got the 
better of him in the attack. As a result Mayse, unsurprisingly, ran 
off to the shelter of the PSNI and lodged a complaint. It will be 
interesting to see of the PSNI lay charges against a man who was 
simply defending himself against an assault, when in the previous 
incident they found nothing untoward in a scab deliberately driving 
his car into the same man on a picket line!

(By T.U)

*******

National Conference and Anti-Bush Protest Planned 

A new national network and alliance of independent anti-war groups 
and activists was initiated at a meeting held in Limerick on 
Saturday, March 27th.

The gathering was well attended and included members of the following 
groups: Mid-West Alliance Against Militarism and Aggression, Cork 
Anti-War Campaign, Fairview Against the War, Grassroots Network 
Against War (Galway), Tralee Anti-War Group, Clonakilty Against the 
War, Geeks Against War, Peace and Neutrality Alliance, Global Women's 
Strike, Gluaiseacht, and the Kilkenny Anti-War Group. Following a 
wide-ranging discussion, the following decisions were taken:

1. That we build for a large anti-war conference to be held on May 
15th in order to formalise and launch this initiative. All 
appointments and structures are provisional, in the sense that it is 
this conference that will mark the real beginning of the new 
movement, and the focus, direction and structures will be decided 
then. The conference will be organised on a democratic and inclusive 
basis, respecting the diversity of the movement and seeking to 
involve as many people as possible. Venue to be decided.

2. That the network/alliance be known as Anti-War Ireland, but again 
this is provisional and open to change at the conference.

3. That two websites be established. The newly formed group Geeks 
Against War have agreed to get these up and running ASAP. Anybody 
interested in getting involved with GAW can contact them at 
geeksagainstwar-owner@yahoogroups.com

4. That Anti-War Ireland organise and build for a large demonstration 
at Shannon airport on Friday evening, June 25th, to 'welcome' George 
W. Bush as he arrives in Ireland and to simultaneously highlight the 
Irish government's complicity with the US war machine.

5. That a convenor be appointed.

6. That two PROs be appointed. These can act as spokespersons, but a 
system of deferral will operate whereby the PROs may refer the media 
to other individuals in Anti-War Ireland who might possess a 
particular knowledge relevant to the inquiry. 

7. That Anti-War Ireland hold one more meeting prior to the 
conference to discuss practical issues, and other matters, pertaining 
to the conference and the new initiative. This meeting will be held 
in Limerick on Saturday, April 24th.

A number of issues arose during the general discussion, and among the 
most important points made were that this new movement must be 
genuinely democratic and inclusive, and explicitly anti-racist and 
anti-sexist. The following appointments were made (again, these last 
only until the conference):

Convenor: Fintan Lane (phone: 087 1258325).
PROs/spokespersons: Caoimhe Butterly (masasa73@hotmail.com/mobile 
phone number later), and Tim Hourigan (phone: 087 9777703).

Anti-War Ireland is initiated and national conference planned by 
Fintan Lane - Convenor, Anti-War Ireland
corkantiwar@hotmail.com phone: 087 1258325

*******

Britian Under New Labour, Under Old Tories

Gordon Brown introducing his budget in late March said that he had 
presided over, "the longest period of sustained economic growth for 
200 years". The UK is the strongest of any of the top economies and 
contrasts in economic terms favourable with its EU rivals.

Tories:

Part of the reason for this may be as a result of the deregulation 
first introduced under the Tories during the 1980s. This led to mass 
redundancies in the 1980s pushed unemployment into the millions and 
trade unionism disappeared from whole areas of the economy. Wages 
were pushed down while profits were restored to levels at which 
international capital was happy to re-invest. The right of the Bosses 
to hire and fire at will was established giving the kind 
of "flexibility" that capitalism strives for. These defeats, 
inflicted on the working class by Thatcher, saw a period of dramatic 
retreat by the workers' movement.

Labour:

But New Labour added something to the Tory recipe for growth.

A) There was a reduction in social security spending. The "welfare to 
work" agenda was central, aiming to cut the numbers of claimants. ­
1) first the unemployed,
2) then lone parents, and 
3) later those on sickness and disability benefits. 
4) Considerable subsidies were given to employers and, via the tax 
system, 
5) Less subsidies to those moving into work -working families tax 
credits.

B) New Labour stuck to Tory public spending limits.
1) They piled up surpluses from tax revenues, paying off debt. 
2) When the world economy started to falter and recession loomed, 
Brown opened the taps of public spending.These policies have proved 
remarkably successful: unemployment has fallen to 4.9 per cent, while 
employment has risen by 1.7 million.

C). Public spending has grown by 5 per cent above the rate of 
inflation since 2000. This massive extra spending by government has 
helped sustain the economy through a period of stagnant world growth, 
which has seen demand for British goods abroad falter. It has also 
fed into wages. While inflation has been running at between 2 and 2.5 
per cent since 1997, wage increases have been running at between 3 
and 3.5 per cent. Public sector earnings growth has been even higher 
at between 4 and 4.5 per cent.

D) These apparently positive figures, of declining unemployment and 
rising wages, disguise enormous disparities in income and wealth. 
1) The gap between the rich and poor is growing, not diminishing.
2) The government has presided over the most explosive growth of 
directors' and executive pay, much of it taxed at minimal levels 
thanks to low rates and tax avoidance.
3) It is also a growing polarisation in wages between the skilled and 
technical jobs and the unskilled ones.
4) A significant proportion of the working class is condemned to 
extremely low-paid and insecure jobs in catering, shops, cleaning, 
caring, call centres etc. 
5) Mostly non-unionised, often staffed by migrant workers, women and 
young people, millions of workers have missed out on the gains of the 
last decade.
6) This highly "flexible" and sackable workforce is the basis of huge 
profits.

(Adapted from an article by Workers Power)

*******

Bush Haiku

This is a short poem made up entirely of actual quotations from 
George W. Bush. These have been arranged for aesthetic purposes only 
by Washington Post writer Richard Thompson.

MAKE THE PIE HIGHER!

I think we all agree, the past is over.
This is still a dangerous world.
It's a world of madmen and uncertainty
And potential mental losses.

Rarely is the question asked
Is  our children learning?
Will the highways of the Internet
Become more few?
How many hands have I shaked?

They misunderestimate me.
I am a pitbull on the pantleg of opportunity.
I know that the human being
And the fish can coexist.

Families is where our nation finds hope,
Where our wings take dream.
Put food on your family!
Knock down the tollbooth!
Vulcanize society!
Make the pie higher!
Make the pie higher!

*******

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Besides the 'Stalinist Romp', the Particionsit (sic) Eamonn, the 
Communists, Greens and other elements which you will certainly have 
appropriate labels for, there are a lot of actual people who live in 
the real world, have real problems and have noticed that the SEA is 
trying to bring together these who want a more real, a more sane and 
in the long run a more socialist world in support of the standing of 
Eamonn McCann for the European Elections. 

Yours etc,
Hermann, Communist, SEA member and full of other badnesses but not 
prepared to get lectured by people who beat up14 year olds.

Editor's reply.

Dear Hermann, 

Delighted to receive your letter. It is the second such letter from 
yourself. Unfortunately you did not answer the questions I posed in 
response to your last letter. (See The Plough #29)

I draw the conclusion from that and the failure of any of the 
elements that make up the Socialist Environment Alliance to respond 
to the questions posed about the SEA (See The Plough #28) and in a 
letter directly to those parties (See The Plough #27) that the SEA 
are not interested in dialogue but abuse.

You used the term "Stalinist romp" as if I had used such a term. I 
did not and try extremely hard to refrain from using abusive terms 
about fellow socialists that I regard as comrades. However we in the 
IRSP will not allow abuse of our comrades to go un-challenged. Hence 
the sharp response to McCann's despicable "guttersnipes with guns" 
remark. Moreover it is clear from the tone of the statements from 
Eamon McCann, Hermann, Barbara Muldoon and Colm Bryce that they and 
the SEA are not interested in dialogue or in building a genuine broad 
front of radical and socialist forces in Ireland. That is a pity but 
it will not stop those of us who are genuinely anti-imperialist and 
socialist from trying to do so.

The days of name-calling should be long gone. Can we not have serious 
debate about the issues involved? The IRSP are prepared to debate 
with the SEA in public or in private the issues arising from these 
exchanges. I take it that Hermann is saying that the editor of The 
Plough beats up 14 year olds? A serious accusation, Hermann! Maybe 
you should reconsider your choice of language and withdraw such a 
statement as soon as possible as it is totally untrue, is slanderous 
and beyond the pale. It was a despicable comment to make. For the 
record on Friday 16th January the IRSP issued a statement saying 
among other things,

"The IRSP, having looked into the circumstances pertaining to the 
shooting of a 14th year old in North Belfast, wish to place on record 
its disapproval and condemnation of this action. However experience 
of such punishments over the years has indicated that they are 
counterproductive. We have been working to persuade people that there 
has to be alternative approaches to major anti-social and criminal 
activities in working class areas. We will redouble our efforts to 
move people away from the use of rough justice. Statement on behalf 
of the Ard-Chomhairle, Irish Republican Socialist Party, John Martin -
 Political Secretary, IRSP.

*******

What's On?

*

Independent Workers Union (IWU) 

1st annual conference, 9:00 am-5:00pm, 3rd April 2004, Victoria 
Hotel, Patrick St. Cork City
 
Guest of honour...Mick O'Reilly AT&GWU 

The newly formed Independent Workers Union (IWU) will be publicly 
launched at its first conference in the Victoria Hotel, Cork City on 
Saturday 3rd April. 

The IWU will not seek affiliation to the Irish Congress of Trade 
Unions believing that the so-called Partnership is detrimental to the 
interests of Irish Workers and that meaningful partnership with this 
Government, IBEC and the ISME is a delusion and no beneficial results 
have emerged or will emerge for working people. 

This government is: 

Pressing ahead with privatisation. 
Not implementing a fair and equitable tax system. 
Jailing workers for opposing service charges.
Refusing to introduce pro worker legislation. 
Tolerating and/or encouraging dismally low wages in many sectors. 

And while the current government does this: 
Workers are being policed by their own trade unions and the ICTU. 
Democratic decisions of trade union members are overturned by the 
union leadership and workers are prevented from leaving one Congress 
Union to join another. 

*

May Day - Dublin

Sat April 3rd, Open meeting to discuss the organising of events for 
May Day

Teachers' Club, 36 Parnell Square (West), Dublin, 2 p.m. 

*

National Protest at Belmarsh Prison - Sunday, 4th April, 12 noon

Irish Friends and Comrades, please help us to mobilise for this 
demonstration at Belmarsh! We want you to participate with your 
banners, flags, bring your friends and supporters! TÁL    

Sunday 4th April 2004 12pm

With speakers, live performance & signing of expressions of 
solidarity with the detainees being held without trial. 14 men are 
currently held in Belmarsh - Britain's very own Guantanamo Bay. These 
men are detained under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 
2001, which allows police to arrest people who are not suspected of 
actually committing any offences or contravening any laws, on the 
basis of secret evidence neither they nor their lawyers are allowed 
to see. They are being held indefinitely on the basis that they are 
'terrorist suspects' who threaten national security. They were
never questioned by the police and they will not go to trial! Amnesty 
International has expressed serious concerns about the conditions in 
which the men are being detained.

Come and Protest: let the detainees know they have not been forgotten!
Visit our website at http://www.safp.org.uk/ or contact SAfP for more 
information: PO Box 241, Brighton BN1 3UQ or mail@safp.org.uk or 
07815 983022 or 07961579728

NO JUSTICE: The Home Secretary has publicly pledged to fight for 
a 'fair deal' for those British citizens still held by the US at 
Guantanamo Bay. Yet Britain has been complicit in those ongoing 
detentions and it continues to hold 14 foreign nationals who have 
never been convicted of, or even charged, with any offence. Most of 
them are being held in high security at HMP Belmarsh, in cells 
described as 'concrete coffins' and in conditions that are tantamount 
to torture. It is cruel and inhuman treatment to keep people locked 
up in isolation, without any prospect of release or trial, and 
without telling them why they are detained or when they might be 
released. The psychological pressure they are suffering is immense 
(one detainee is now in Broadmoor).

CAMPACC demands the immediate release of anyone detained under this 
anti-terrorism legislation especially those interned without trial. 
We demand repeal of all such anti-terrorism laws.

Sussex Action for Peace supports the aims of CAPACC and this Protest. 
We are urging people from Sussex to attend the Protest. Members of 
SAFP will be meeting at Hove Station 9.40 am to travel to the protest 
together.

Speakers include: Gareth Pierce, human rights lawyer; Jean Lambert 
MEP; Dr G.Siddiqui, Leader of the Muslim Parliament; Baroness Sarah 
Ludford, MEP; Helen John, a Vice-Chair of CND; representatives from 
Liberty, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, Peace & Justice in 
East London; Paul Donovan, journalist; Gareth Evans, Voices 
UK.Performances from: Clear Air Turbulence theatre and Double 
Negative music. We will also be writing messages to the detainees, 
which will be passed on to them by their lawyers.

Directions & trains: Belmarsh prison is on Western Way, London, SE28, 
just north of Plumstead station. Trains leave every half-hour (e.g. 
11.01am, 11.31am) from Charing Cross to Plumstead station, arriving a 
half-hour later. Trains stop on the way at London Bridge and 
Greenwich. From East London, you can connect via the DLR going from 
Stratford to Greenwich stations. 

Map of Belmarsh can be found by clicking:  
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=545250&y=179250&z=1&sv=545250,179250&st=4&ar=N&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf

Contact: CAMPACC, http://www.cacc.org.uk/ , Estella on 020 7250 1315 
or Fahim on 07818 442526.

*

International Workers Memorial Day on Wednesday 28th April 2004

Calling on all Trade Union Health and Safety Reps all over to promote 
the Workers Memorial Day.

163 workers died in 2003.

To show our solidarity and have at least a minute's silence or the 
planting of a tree, even the unveiling of a plaque in the work place. 
Memorial day usually meets a total Press black out everywhere, so it 
is up to the workers to get this point across. Recent reports of a 
Chinese immigrant worker dying after stamping the word Samsung on 
microwave ovens continuously for 24 hours has brought home the 
horrors of overwork.

Working time was one of the key issues in which the unions were first 
organised. We are now working longer and harder and the 1998 working 
time regulations have had little or no impact.

Now the European Commission is consulting unions in a review of the 
working time Directive. We must amend the Directives it offers 
workers real protection.

Campaign for the Living
Remember the Dead

*

Mayday No Borders 

Dublin Grassroots Network - Mayday No Borders weekend line-up of 
events
 
For more information, downloadable flyers, and contact details please 
visit the website at http://www.geocities.com/eufortress/

Friday April 30th  

CRITICAL MASS began in San Francisco in 1992 and has since spread 
around the world. Join us for this celebration of non-motorised 
transport, as we take a leisurely tour of the city streets, on bikes, 
skateboards, pogo sticks, or just on foot. 

Saturday May 1st (daytime) 

BORDER CONTROLS STREET THEATRE: Welcome to the official day of the 
new Fortress Europe. Warning: You may be subject to stops by one of 
the Dublin Grassroots Police Network who will be patrolling the city 
in the morning. Experience the full reality of Fortress Europe with 
ID & background checks, verbal harassment, intimidation, and possible 
imprisonment without trial if you do not measure up to the strict 
criteria. 

BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS: During the war on Iraq, many private and state 
businesses supported the transport of murderous arms and US troops 
through Shannon Airport in Ireland. This action will make the public 
aware of who they are by painting the streets and footpaths around 
their premises in blood red colour. No war should ever be supported 
for profit. 

WELCOME THE BOAT PEOPLE: Many asylum seekers and refugees attempting 
to breach the Fortress Europe barrier do so in boats and ships. Upon 
detection, they are often sent back to their country of origin. This 
time however, the people arriving by boat will be welcomed. No human 
being is illegal - everyone should be free to travel and live where 
they want without fear of persecution. 

HOMES NOT JAILS: Dublin expands, swallowing up the countryside. Rents 
skyrocket and house prices are beyond the reach of many with average 
incomes. The number of homeless people sleeping on the streets rises 
every year without any action by the State. Yet all around the city 
are derelict buildings, crumbling into the ground. This action aims 
to highlight this appalling situation by occupying one of these 
buildings and transforming it into a living space. 

PUBLIC BEATINGS STREET THEATRE: Europe is reverting to old-style 
policing and jailing policies. Rather than look at what causes crime 
and dealing with problems in society, the State increasingly utilises 
prisons (often in terrible unsanitary condition) as a way of sweeping 
the issues under the carpet. How long before the stocks and gallows 
make a return? Today's the day. Come along and watch true medieval 
punishment methods. 

THE POLLUTER PAYS: The message during the recent anti bin tax 
campaign was to tax the polluter. Is the public responsible for waste 
when companies release their products in layers of unnecessary 
packaging? How much waste is produced by heavy industry that is not 
recycled? These actions will be encouraging everyone to bring their 
recyclable packaging back to the businesses that produce it. 

RECLAIM THE CITY: The idea of the "common or public space is rapidly 
disappearing from the city, as rich and powerful individuals claim it 
for private personal use. This action will temporarily reclaim a part 
of private land, and open it to the public for a picnic and games in 
the May sunshine. 

Saturday May 1st (evening) 

BRING THE NOISE! The EU Ministers dine in the opulence of Farmleigh 
House on Saturday evening at the expense of the Irish taxpayer. We 
intend to march to their doorstep and disrupt their dinner, to show 
them that we do not agree with their vision of Fortress Europe! Bring 
pots and pans, bells and whistles, horns and drums to generate the 
biggest noise possible. May 1st is historically a day for the 
ordinary people's wishes to be heard. They have chosen to ignore us 
but they cannot keep it up if we scream and shout. 

Sunday May 2nd 

NO BORDERS, NO NATIONS - NO BORDER CAMP: Join us as we set up a No 
Border camp on the 2nd day of the new Fortress Europe. We are not 
against the new ascension states citizens coming to Ireland - we 
think all refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants should be allowed 
to travel here, regardless of origin, ethnicity, or background. The 
No Border camp will be open to everyone. Activities will include 
workshops, discussions, teach-ins, planning for the future, as well 
as music and food. 

Monday May 3rd 

NO BORDERS RECLAIM THE STREETS: The only party worth joining in town! 
Reclaim The Streets happens again on the May bank holiday to wind 
down the weekend. Unlike the State's street party, everyone from 
around the world is welcome to come to Dublin for this, not just 
those that satisfy the demands of Fortress Europe. Expect music and 
dancing, drinking and face painting, a day for all to come and enjoy 
a vision of the Europe that we really want. 

*******

The Wall Must Fall

Please sign petition and send to others: 
http://www.thewallpetition.com/

*******

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Teach Na Failte Memorial Committees - A new 2004 full colour glossy 
calendar is available now on the RSM online shop. It celebrates the 
brilliant work undertaken by the Teach Na Failte Memorial Committees 
this past year throughout the six counties with full colour 
photographs on each page. This calendar can be viewed online by 
clicking the link below. 
http://www.cafeshops.com/rsmshop.8844526

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Standing Order Form

To the Manager First Trust Bank, Andersonstown.

Please pay First Trust Bank Andersonstown Branch, Belfast, and credit 
to Irish Republican Socialist Party, A/C Number 70490021, Branch Code 
93-84-75

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Commencing date:       and thereafter every month till further notice.

And debiting A/C number: 

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