An Anti-war rally will take place at the National Monument Grand Parade Cork at 11 am on Sunday 11th November 2018 ... read full story / add a comment

Thousands of children are in danger of huge disruption to their education because of the school building scandal. About 40 schools are due to be inspected because of concerns about serious structural defects.

Defects have already been found in a number of schools built by Western Building Systems. This company won a large amount of contracts from the Department of Education and was responsible for building many schools. ... read full story / add a comment

A Workers’ Party councillor has called on the OPW to reverse its decision to sell two residential sites which it owns in Dublin city. The sites are due to be auctioned by Lambert Smith Hampton on November 6th. ... read full story / add a comment

Over half a million households in rural Ireland are missing out on broadband because of a disastrous privatisation policy.

Up to 1999, the telephone network was run by a state company, Telecom Eireann. But the Fianna Fail government decided to copy Margaret Thatcher and sell it off. Ever since then, disaster has piled on disaster.

Instead of providing long term investment to install broad band, a series of private owners simply asset stripped the company, which had been re-named Eircom. ... read full story / add a comment

The new scheme to improve the Dublin Bus network called Bus Connects on close inspection is nothing of the sort. It is more akin to Bus Disconnects. The reports and PR from Bus Connects maintains it will be better and while the theoretical basis for it may be correct, it doesn't deliver because they plan to do it with the same number of buses. For some routes there will be a reduction in capacity by 25%. For example they claim a bus every 4 minutes on the main backbone A-Route but this figure is misleading because it is for the 4 A-routes. Since you are only likely to be on one of these, then that means the real peak frequency is every 15 or so minutes which is no different to the present. ... read full story / add a comment

A Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown area branch of the Dublin Cycling Campaign is to be trialed under the name DLR Cycling.

We have decided to develop a DLR Cycling Advocacy Group to help form a better level of engagement between the cycling community and the councillors and officials of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

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GLOBAL INVITATION -First International Conference Against US/NATO Military Bases November 16-18, 2018, Dublin, Ireland Add Your Support and Join Us Dear Friends of Peace Around the World, We are deeply concerned, and frightened, by the threat of war that permeates the present Global atmosphere. The increasingly aggressive and expansionist actions of US/NATO forces in violation of international law and the sovereign rights of all nations, the raging wars in the Middle East, the burgeoning arms race devastating the national treasuries, the bellicose language replacing diplomatic negotiations, the economic difficulties facing country after country, and the destruction of global environment through war and unfettered exploitation, and their impact on public health, have all created crises that, unless checked by popular opposition, can lead to unimaginable catastrophe and war. ... read full story / add a comment

Masked Garda threatening people with batons in the aftermath of the violent eviction carried out by thugs in Dublin last night. Pepper spray, dogs and batons were deployed, there were 5 or 6 arrests and four housing campaigners required hosptial visits from injuries received in the course of the eviction of the Frederick St occupation. Video at https://youtu.be/BaBTdaWv3Ro ... read full story / add a comment

The 12th Dublin Anarchist Bookfair takes place on the 15th September 2018 at the Teachers Club 35 Parnell square and on the evening ofthe 14th at Wynns hotel. Every year hundreds of people attend the Dublin Anarchist Bookfair for a day of inspiring discussions and the opportunity of meeting lots of other radicals, browsing books and meeting campaigns.

With two weeks to go we are finalsing the details join the Facebook event to let us know you are coming so we can plan for expected numbers and when you do so ask 10 of your friends who you reckon should go. If you are on Twitter than RT our promotional thead ... read full story / add a comment

This September sees the much-anticipated return of The 6th Wexford Documentary Film Festival, a jam-packed 3-day festival of International, National, and Local films. The Festival takes place in the working fishing village of Kilmore Quay, County Wexford from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd September 2018. In keeping with the festival ethos, this year’s festival returns with a curated program of films that powerfully explore social, political, and environmental concerns. The Wexford Documentary Film Festival is gaining strength and popularity, by providing the public with the opportunity to see award winning National and International documentary films and 2018 is no exception!

The Festival program engages with some of the critical issues facing society at present both globally and locally. These include films that explore the threat to democracy, the role and responsibility of the media, the ways in which we can create an inclusive society and films that portray the positive role women are playing in challenging and shaping society. ... read full story / add a comment

Indirect support to burning peat through a Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy to support electricity generation from three peat powered plants when co-fired with biomass has been challenged as it is leading to significant increases in greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the price of biomass to home users, forcing them to use more fossil fuels. ... read full story / add a comment

There have been numerous attempts to frame the Assad regime with launching and carrying out chemical attacks in Syria. All of them so far have either been fake or carried out by the so called 'Rebels' and terrorists largely backed by Washington, London and Paris through their proxies in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey before it turned away from the US after it organised an attempted coup against Erdogan.

In all cases the chemical attacks and talk of them has been used by the US and it's allies as an excuse to bomb Syria. There is absolute no reason and motive for Assad to use chemical weapons either now or in the past. At this stage he has won the war in Syria and expelled most of the terrorists or done deals with them and arranged for them to be bused out. From a logical and motive point of view it would be insane for him to do this. He would gain zero. On the other hand it makes perfect sense not so much for the terrorists who are just pawns in a bigger game, but perfect sense for the US because Syria has been on their target since at least 2001 and they have wanted regime change from the start. They have also been humiliated that their terrorists have been defeated and their regional plans thwarted. This turn-around happened largely happened after Syria invited Russia into Syria to help in the war effort and it represents the fist time since the breakup of the Soviet Union that Russia has been able to get up of it's knee and challenge the destructive insanity of the US. And so this gives some background to the report below that appeared on RT.

“Foreign specialists” have arrived in Syria and may stage a chemical attack using chlorine in “the next two days,” the Russian Defense Ministry said. This will be filmed for international media to frame Damascus forces.

Defense Ministry Spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said the operation is planned to unfold in the village of Kafr Zita in Syria’s northwestern Hama Province in “the next two days.”

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The National Transport Agency (NTA) wants to redesign all Dublin Bus routes. They promise a faster, more efficient bus service with more buses and better frequency for Dubliners. They also promise a more environmentally friendly transport system for the capital. If this was delivered it would mark a major step forward for life in the city. But the reality is not that simple. The plan hinges on 16 new radial bus corridors on the busiest routes – primarily linking outer suburbs with the city centre. At a future (non-defined) date, they also promise orbital routes to link the outer parts of the city together. ... read full story / add a comment

Justin and Anne Morahan have started a petition to Pope Francis asking him to intervene in the case of Julian Assange. There have been recent reports of Julian's health deteriorating due to lack of light, fresh air, isolation (no visitors allowed). There are also rumours afloat that he may be removed from the Ecuadorian embassy in London and extradited to Mr Trump's United States where capital punishment is still in vogue. ... read full story / add a comment

BAOITE, is a new play by Darach Mac Con Iomaire, premiering this week at the Galway International Arts Festival.

A fishing family leads a desperate fight to defend their coastal community from the
imminent threat of offshore fracking ? but as the constant pressure of campaigning
mounts, hidden fractures appear in the once-solid clan... ... read full story / add a comment

Eva and Markus Heizmann will be at Connolly Books, 43 East Essex Street, Dublin, Ireland on Saturday 21st July 2018 when they will present a full spoken and documentary film account of their amazing journeys to Syria in 2016 , 2017 and 2018. 2.30pm start. Free entry. All welcome. ... read full story / add a comment

The European Commission has today outlined new plans to cut down on single-use plastics and reduce marine plastic pollution. The new EU-wide rules proposed by the Commission target the 10 single-use plastic products most often found on Europe’s beaches and seas, as well as lost and abandoned fishing gear. This will include an outright ban on the likes of plastic cotton buds, cutlery, plates, straws, drink stirrers and sticks for balloons where alternatives are readily available and affordable. ... read full story / add a comment

This is story is being reposted as it is considered to be of noteworthy interest to the issue of Brexit since it will probably have a significant impact on Ireland

Remainers claim that Brexit will be an economic apocalypse. But it provides the opportunity for a radical break with neoliberalism.

Nothing better reflects the muddled thinking of the mainstream European left than its stance on Brexit. Each week seems to produce a new chapter for the Brexit scare story: withdrawing from the EU will be an economic disaster for the UK; tens of thousands of jobs will be lost; human rights will be eviscerated; the principles of fair trials, free speech, and decent labour standards will all be compromised. In short, Brexit will transform Britain into a dystopia, a failed state ? or worse, an international pariah ? cut off from the civilized world. Against this backdrop it?s easy to see why Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is often criticized for his unwillingness to adopt a pro-Remain agenda. ... read full story / add a comment

On May 25th we in Ireland finally get to vote to Repeal the hated 8th amendment. Here we present the 8 reasons WSM members are voting Yes to Repeal along with many of the articles we have published on the issue in recent months. ... read full story / add a comment

n response to Israel’s horrific massacre of some 60 unarmed Palestinians, and wounding of thousands, yesterday in Gaza, the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) has organised a series of protests around Ireland to take place today. Protests are expected to continue in Gaza, and casualties are expected to mount. ... read full story / add a comment