The Budget explained €1.9bn Fadmsiclsyd Icnscdocsmdec sSd upplement — Ccodsmcmdsucndsitcidess €1.3bn Your Rights feel the pain €1.1bn €700m Page xxxxxxxx Page xxxxxxxxx Page 16-17 Page 18 Page 19

Vol. 11 No.9 December 2012 ISSN 0791-458X Unions call Employers breach for Day of minimum Action wage rule

By Scott Millar Half of the workplaces in - spected by the National Em - Congress is planning a series of major ployment Rights Agency national demonstrations early in the new (NERA), between January and year in protest at the austerity October 2012, for compliance programme imposed on Ireland by the with the National Minimum European and IMF authorities. Wage were found to be pay - The proposed demonstrations, to be held in ing under the €8.65 hourly Dublin, Cork, Galway, Sligo, Limerick and rate. Waterford, will take place during Ireland’s EU During this period, NERA con - Presidency and in advance of the planned ducted 1,064 inspections for com - payment of €3.1 billion on the Anglo-Irish pliance with the National Promissory Note. Minimum Wage Act and in 530 it The Congress demonstrations are calling for found that employers were not an alleviation of the country’s debt burden, meeting their legal responsibili - which would ease the pressure on the Irish ties. Government to implement stringent austerity The inspections resulted in the measures. recovery of €264,835 in unpaid Congress General Secretary David Begg said: wages, along with 56 District Court “Perhaps the biggest single problem we face is convictions for non-compliance d the debt – the debt of private banks and spec- n a l with the minimum wage require - e r ulators that was foisted onto the citizens of I

l ment and other offences and 34 l this country. That debt is a millstone and it is a c prosecutions for breaches of o t difficult to see how we can extract ourselves o h Labour Court orders.

P from this crisis without action on this key : e Among the company’s con - r issue.” u t victed was the Kildare based con - c i Plans for the demonstrations follow the P tract cleaner, Barty O’Brien Ltd. At publication of Budget 2013 which saw a a hearing in Kilcock District Court further €3.5 billion taken out of the economy Over 20,000 marched in Dublin against austerity and for jobs and growth policies on Saturday 24th November on 9th November the company through measures that included cuts in child See page 8 pleaded guilty to one count of pro - benefit, the respite care grant and the aboli- duction of a false and misleading tion of the standard PRSI allowance. document and 13 counts of under - Despite some cutbacks being unavoidable payment relating to cleaners who due to the stringent conditions imposed on Play the Liberty received an hourly rate of just €7 the Irish Government by the EU/ECB/IMF Time to Care – while working on HSE contracts, troika, SIPTU believes the Budget measures crossword and among them the cleaning of Naas should be adjusted to alleviate their impact on Home Helps’ hospital. workers and vulnerable groups. win two nights Head of SIPTU’s Legal Rights In the wake of the budget, SIPTU General campaign in a Fair Hotel Unit, Tom O’Driscoll, said: “The President, Jack O’Connor, wrote directly to the fact that NERA have found in in - Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, calling on him to in- Page 20 Page 31 spections that there was only 50% tervene personally to bring forward the meas- compliance with the National Continued on page 2 Continued on page 2

O R G A N I S I N G F O R F A I R N E S S A T W O R K A N D J U S T I C E I N S O C I E T Y • W W W . S I P T U . I E • J O I N O N L I N E 2 Liberty In this month’sLiberty DECEMBER 2012

16 Liberty NOVEMBER 2012

Offshore millions traced to obscure locations Page 7

Workplace committee — BD shows how it’s done Page 9

Poignant message at Anti-Austerity protest in Dublin on Saturday 24th November (Picture: Derek Speirs) Taking on walk — away bosses Page 10 Full reversal of Home Help cuts needed Statements from the Tá - O’Connor, said: “These statements ings and demonstrations. naiste, Eamon Gilmore, and by Labour Ministers are a positive The most recent action by the Minister of State for Older development. However, the urgent campaign was a march to the con - People, Kathleen Lynch, indi - need of both clients and workers is stituency office of Minister for Liberty View Liberty cating a reversal of the cuts to a full reversal of the 1.1 million Health, James Reilly, in Swords, Co. Home Help services, have Home Help hours cut by the HSE in Dublin, on Saturday, 1st December. Page 15 been welcomed by SIPTU. 2012. We need immediate action At the centre of all these activi - In a post budget statement, on behalf of the elderly and vulner - ties has been the campaign’s mes - View Minister Lynch welcomed the com - able in our communities who have sage that cutting over one million mitment to restore Home Help already suffered too much.” hours of Home Help services to services while in a circular to The promised restoration comes elderly and vulnerable clients Labour Party members the Tánaiste after months of intense campaign - throughout the State is morally un - Know your rights – highlighted “the fact that the ing by Home Helps as part of the acceptable, will damage their well- returning to work budget for Home Help and home SIPTU ‘Time To Care’ campaign. Ac - being and will have an adverse after injury care packages has been restored for tions have included lobbying TDs, impact on the economy. 2013." securing support from county For more on the Time to Care Page 24 SIPTU Organiser, Darragh councils and holding public meet - Campaign see page 20

Continued from page 1 — Unions call for Day of Action Co-ops – ures curtailing pension tax relief no doubt that with a degree of po - this country that they wouldn't for top earners from January 2014 litical will and determination all have to pay a wealth tax and they a working future to July 2013. the technical arrangements to cur - wouldn’t pay a tax on top in - Page 29 This, he said, would generate an tail pension tax relief for top earn - comes”, he said. additional €125 million of tax rev - ers can be put in place from the 1st The refusal of Fine Gael to in - enue in 2013 which could be de - July 2013,” Jack O’Connor said. crease the Universal Social Charge ployed to off-set measures that “The inconvenient truth is that by 3% for those earning over impact on low income families. if you want a truly fair budget then €100,000 per annum illustrated “People will not accept the im - you have to elect a government of the difficulties in securing a fairer Playing on the position of measures detrimental Labour and the parties of the Left.” deal for working people from a to the most vulnerable at the flick “60% of the people who went Government dominated by a right Left: Livorno of a switch while those affecting out to vote in the last general elec - wing party, he argued. Page 30 the top earners proceed at such a tion voted for the parties or indi - leisurely stroll. I have absolutely viduals who guaranteed the rich in

Continued from page 1 — Employers breach minimum wage rule Minimum Wage from January to Centre (MISC) of SIPTU has recov - NERA subsumed into a new Work - October 2012 is a further manifes - ered €4.7 million for union mem - place Relations Commission and tation of a shocking trend whereby bers whose employers have the emphasis will change from one employers are deliberately targeting breached legislation. of inspection to compliance, accord - Liberty is dedicated to providing a platform for progressive news and views. labour standards and legislation. Among the recent MISC suc - ing to proposals from the Depart - If you have any ideas for articles or comments please contact: Many are using the crisis as an ex - cesses was the awarding by the Em - ment of Jobs, Enterprise and [email protected] cuse for blatant exploitation.” ployment Appeals Tribunal of Innovation.” Liberty is published by the Services, Industrial, Professional & Technical Union, In the year to September, NERA €48,000 to a Dublin based security He added: “The Inspectorate had Liberty Hall, Dublin 1 recovered €697,135 in arrears and guard for unfair dismissal. some clout but the planned intro - SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor • Vice President, Patricia King • unpaid wages for employees for Tom O’Driscoll added: “NERA duction of ‘compliance officers’ in - General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn breaches across the employments has performed well since its incep - stead of an ‘inspectors’ signifies an Production: SIPTU Communications Department, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1, rights spectrum. In the period from tion but it’s clear that more re - ideologically driven softer approach Tel: 01 8588217 • Email: [email protected] January to October 2012, the Mem - sources are necessary for effectual that can only lead to greater delin - bership and Information Services inspections. There are plans to have quency by errant employers.” SIPTU Head of Communications, Frank Connolly • Journalist: Scott Millar • Design: Sonia Slevin (SIPTU) & Joe Mitchell (Brazier Media) • Publications Assistant, Deirdre Price • Administrative Assistant, Karen Hackett Advertise in Liberty Produced, designed, edited and printed by trade union labour To advertise in Liberty, contact the Communications Department on 01 858 6372 or email communicationsdepart- Printed and distributed by The Irish Times, City West, Dublin. [email protected] • Liberty offers very competitive rates for advertisements which reach SIPTU members countrywide Liberty 3 News DECEMBER 2012

Teresa V the Troika Bagman is YouTube ratings hit

Full reversal of Home Help cuts needed By Scott Millar SHORT animation dred views which are not counted in outlining SIPTU’s YouTube statistics. New Course – a 10- SIPTU Campaigns and Equality Organiser, Ethel Buckley, told Lib - point plan to gener - A erty : “We are very happy with how Drawing support for ate jobs and growth – has this new way of communicating the been watched by more than union’s message has been received. 2,000 people on YouTube. “The video is the first of a number The animation, which was pro - of initiatives which the union will duced by Scarlet Productions for undertake during 2013 to connect SIPTU Campaigns, tells of an en - with young workers who are facing counter between IT worker Teresa the brunt of austerity.” SIPTU’s 10-point plan and the Troika Bagman. She added: “There is no quick fix After going live on 19th Novem - for the economic crisis, but the one- ber, the animation had nearly a sided austerity approach is not 1,000 recorded views on YouTube working. It’s time for us as a society within two weeks. The video is dis - to demand that the Government To view visit the SIPTU YouTube channel at played on the SIPTU website site takes a New Course for jobs, growth, where it has received several hun - hope and recovery.” www.youtube.com/SIPTUVideo or go to www.siptu.ie Students fined over alleged homophobic Facebook comments By Scott Millar FIVE students at a Dublin had been posting abusive comments kept informed of the process, and third level college have had directed at her for several weeks. she had no contect with the institu - fines of up to €1,000 and She said: “The postings made me tion’s Equality Officer on the issue feel sick.” It was, however, the fail - community service penalties from 25th May until 1st November. ure of university management to imposed on them following take appropriate action against the On 30th October the lecturer their alleged homophobic perpetrators of the abuse which received a letter indicating that a Dublin Fire Brigade abuse of a college lecturer on upset the lecturer most. financial and community service Facebook. She said: “The day after I received penalty, with fines up to €1,000, had The lecturer in the college had to Pipe Band & Friends the letter I contacted management. been imposed on five students. The struggle with her employer for ac - The Equality Officer informed me students were also to write a letter tion to be taken in response to ho - that the students responsible would mophobic abuse posted on a have to undertake a homophobic of apology. Facebook page associated with the project with me supervising it. SIPTU Education Sector Organiser, institution. “I, of course, told them this would Louise O’Reilly, told Liberty : The worker, who wishes to re - not be appropriate.” “Incidents such as this must be main anonymous, became aware of When the lecturer attempted to treated seriously and dealt with the abusive posts when she received transfer her correction responsibili - speedily. ONLY a letter from a student in May 2012. ties for papers submitted by the stu - In the letter the student expressed dents involved in the Facebook “The union is putting together an €10 concerns about comments appearing abuse, management let it be known information pack to inform mem - on a particular Facebook page. that she would be disciplined if she bers how to deal with internet The Facebook page – set up to dis - did not carry out the work. abuse. cuss matters of interest to a particu - She later contacted her SIPTU “We will also be putting pressure The Debut Album lar class of students – featured the organiser and eventually, in on the management of educational Available from; title of the third level institution. September, disciplinary action was The Music Outlet Chapel Lane, Swords (www.the musicoutlet.ie) The letter, which contained a taken against some of those behind establishments to publicly adopt a Tower Records, Wicklow Street screen grab of the Facebook page, the abusive Facebook comments. zero-tolerance approach to such in - outlined how a group of students However, the lecturer was not cidents.” 4 Liberty DECEMBER 2012 News

United call to enforce rights of domestic More action needed workers The Migrant Rights Cen - tre Ireland, the Domestic Workers Action Group, over non-compliant SIPTU and ICTU are jointly calling on the Government to commit to ratifying the UN International Labour Organisation (ILO) Con - vention on Domestic Work. construction firms The organisations are calling on Minister for Jobs, Enterprise HE Government Roscrea, county Tipperary, on Roscrea Leisure Centre and the level of non-compliance with em - and Innovation, Richard Bruton, must take greater ac - Thursday, 22nd November. Solex Housing Scheme, Temple - ployment rights in the construction to make good his commitment tion against non- The firm had failed to comply more, county Tipperary. industry. to ratify the UN International compliant with a Labour Court Order issued in SIPTU Organiser, Pat McCabe, “Clonakenny Construction was a T November 2011, directing it to pay who gave evidence at the District Labour Organisation (ILO) Con - construction companies sub-contractor to Construction In - vention 189 on Domestic Work, working on public-funded €85,677.28 to the Construction Court, told Liberty : “It is important dustry Federation firms that failed for which Ireland voted in projects. Workers Pension Scheme. to note that these workers were also to ensure compliance as they are The Court found that Clonakenny deprived of sick pay and death-in- favour in Geneva in 2011. It comes after a building firm was obliged to do.” Construction Ltd had failed to make service benefit due to the firm’s fail - Hilda Regaspi, MRCI Chair - fined €2,500 at Nenagh District McCabe added: “Construction the required pension contributions ure to register and pay pension person and former domestic Court last month under the Indus - workers that remain outside the worker said: “Too many domes - for 62 workers between 2007 and subscriptions. trial Relations Act 1946 for with - trade union movement sell them - tic workers are denied their holding workers pension 2010. “Such actions place compliant selves short. Employers will not rights. Excessive working hours, contributions. During this time the firm acted as firms paying the Registered Em - low pay and mistreatment are Justice Elizabeth McGrath sub-contractors on private and pub - ployment Agreement rates and pen - comply with the regulations with - widespread. Thousands of imposed the fine on Clonakenny licly funded projects, including sion contributions at a competitive out strong trade union organisation women are kept in domestic Construction Ltd, of Clonakenny, works at Waterford Institute of disadvantage. pressurising them to do so.” servitude across the globe, Ire - Technology, Waterford Civic Offices, “This case again highlights the land included. The Government should show leadership and pri - oritise ratifying the convention during our EU presidency next Shannon Airport to split from DAA year to demonstrate our com - mitment to protecting the most SIPTU has expressed concern bers by 50% within a short time vulnerable in our society”. over the Government an - scale. Wednesday, 12th December, nouncement on 3rd Decem - “This is against a backdrop of is the global day for action for ber that Shannon Airport is falling aviation numbers and a de - domestic workers rights. Events to split from the Dublin Air - clining GNP in Ireland and else - are taking place in 84 countries port Authority (DAA). where.” worldwide. Trade unionists and While welcoming job announce - He added: “Staff have genuine activists are urging governments ments for the Shannon region, concerns about their job security and to ratify the convention to pro - SIPTU Organiser, Tony Carroll, told quality of employment and other re - tect vulnerable workers in a sec - Liberty : “The business plan for the lated matters. The speed with which tor dominated by women, new Shannon entity is unrealisti - the implementation of this decision where reports of extreme ex - SIPTU has raised concerns over decision cally ambitious given that it is based is happening does not leave a lot of ploitation and child labour are to split Shannon Airport from DAA on a model which envisages increas - time for the necessary guarantees to Picture: © DAA plc high. ing Shannon Airport passenger num - be received." Among the findings of a sur - vey of domestic workers in Ire - land in 2010 were; 40% of domestic workers did not have an employment contract, 38% were paid under the minimum Heart of wage and 44% raised a com - plaint with their employer about their unfair treatment the City and long working hours but their concerns were ignored and – an exhibition of street nothing changed. SIPTU Sector Organiser, scenes by photographer Owen Reidy, said: “Our union Brendan Walsh in Dublin’s fully endorses and supports this campaign. It is essential that north inner city from 1972 the profile of domestic workers to 1982 is on display in The is raised so they can demand the same rights as all other workers Little Museum of Dublin at in Ireland. We believe domestic 15 St Stephens Green until workers must continue to organ - ise in order to demand fairness, late January 2013. justice and respect for their work.” Liberty 5 News DECEMBER 2012

40% of migrant care Jobless figures ‘chilling’ workers are‘victims ICTU economist, Paul Sweeney, is some three percentage points right, has described the under - above the national rate.” of discrimination’ lying unemployment figures as Sweeney also warned that total “quite chilling” and said they investment in the Irish economy is A RECENT study carried out queue. This leaves us with very lit - underlined the need for ur - now at the very bottom of the EU by Migrant Rights Centre Ire - tle choice but to put up with poor gent Government investment 27, below that of Greece. land (MRCI) has claimed 40% conditions of employment.” in jobs. “Ireland’s investment level no of migrant care workers expe - MRCI Director, Siobhan O’ - Donoghue, told Liberty : “There is He added that the latest figures, longer covers the replacement of rience discrimination in their contained in the Quarterly National workplace. a remarkable level of confusion capital. It is unheard of in any de - and ambiguity surrounding the Household Survey Quarter 3 2012, veloped economy – that investment A total of 120 care workers from 11 different national and ethnic provision of paid care work in Ire - highlighted the necessity to invest in would be allowed to fall to the ex - jobs. origins took part in the survey. land. traordinary low levels that now per - “The new figures show a tiny fall Types of discrimination identified “Experience points to very real tain in Ireland.” dangers and shortfalls in relation in the jobless rate, down from Paul Sweeney included racial abuse, unfair allo - to upholding the human rights and 14.9% to 14.8% and nobody could “Congress has called for a stimulus cation of tasks and jobs, and not dignity of both the recipients and possibly take comfort from that. In of an additional €3bn investment being allowed to join a trade ward trend has not altered, which providers of care.” addition, when you look beneath each year for the next three years. Con - union. makes it abundantly clear that offi - She added: “We need to be vigi - the headline data the picture that cial policy must change. gress has outlined where it should be Care worker Anele Jakiel said: “If you speak out as a migrant worker lant and pro-active to avoid a race emerges is quite chilling. “It is vital that investment is not invested and where the capital can be about poor conditions, you are to the bottom in what is one of the “Again, we see a further fall in cut further but increased. There are found in our detailed policy paper De - sometimes told to go back to your most important areas of work in employment and even less people also other worrying indicators, such livering Growth and Jobs ” he home country or join the dole our society.” at work in the economy. This down - as a male unemployment rate that said. Make all pension charges transparent WORKERS are still finding it members in Defined Benefit tion fees, and consultancy fees to and that it had proven impossible to eat into their funds. impossible to discover all the schemes are generally better off on charges for annual reports. obtain the details. He said accountants were not al - costs involved in funding every level. They tend to be in the “We have been calling for legisla - Pensions Ombudsman, Paul lowed to charge commission for their pensions because pen - larger companies and trustees have tion to make full disclosure of fees Kenny, told the conference that the their services but he had come sion providers are not legally more control. compulsory for years and, with the recent report by the Department of across a case where commission had obliged to disclose charges. “But every day I am dealing with mounting unease over abuse of Social Protection into the industry been awarded to a company run by Rachel Ryan, of SIPTU’s Legal De - members who send in statements to schemes, it is long past time for the had shown that costs had fallen the accountant’s wife. partment, made the claim at the me with no details of the charges. Government to act.” hardest on those in small Defined He described such behaviour as Technical Engineering and Electrical “These can account for as much as One TEEU member claimed a Contribution schemes. “immoral and disgraceful”. Union conference in Portlaoise last 52% of funds that range from invest - third of his father’s pension contri - If people left an employment, The basic lesson for people was to month. She told delegates: “Union ment fund charges, to administra - butions had been deducted in fees then the charges would continue to constantly review their policy. Attack on firefighters condemned SIPTU condemned an responding to the blaze when they assault on firefighters who came under attack at approxi - were dealing with a blaze in mately 8.00 p.m. The attack re - the Southill area of Limerick sulted in two firefighters being City on the evening of the injured. They were released from 14th November. hospital the following morning The incident, where firefighters after being treated, one for concus - attending to a fire in two houses sion and the other for a neck and came under attack from youths shoulder injury.” throwing stones and bottles, re - He added: “Such attacks on front - sulted in two firemen being hospi - line emergency workers are com - Heart of Members of the SIPTU Equality talised. pletely unacceptable. The attack Committee and the Belfast Dis - resulted in the fire crews having to trict Committee at the gravestone SIPTU Organiser, Con Casey, the City of veteran trade unionist and said: “Four units of the Limerick withdraw from the incident for a pe - feminist, Winnie Carney, in City Fire and Rescue Service were riod until the situation had calmed Belfast on Tuesday 4th December and gardaí arrived.”

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8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Monday - Friday 6 Liberty DECEMBER 2012 News

Tom Duffy, son of Tommy Duffy, who was killed in the Sackville Place bombing lays a wreath at the ‘Government must legislate sculpture he designed in memory of his father and other bomb vic - tims. Looking on is Rose Bradshaw sister of the late George Bradshaw. on X Case’ call by SIPTU NEC (Photo: Scott Millar) SIPTU’s National Executive Oireachtas to secure passage of the Council has expressed its sin - legislation. cere condolences with “We believe that this task is a Praveen Halappanavar on the great deal easier in the light of death of his wife, Savita, at public concern surrounding the Galway University Hospital tragic death of Savita Halap - in October. panavar than has been the case for And the NEC at its November the past 20 years. meeting unanimously called on “The second hurdle is to ensure the Government to legislate to give that the legislation is drafted in effect to the Supreme Court judge - such a way that it is sufficiently ro - ment in the X Case. bust to withstand any constitu - The meeting noted that the tional challenge – as such is likely Labour Party has always stood for given the depth of public feeling, such legislation and is the only po - one way or the other, on the issue litical party which included a com - of abortion.” mitment to legislate on the issue She added: “SIPTU calls on the in its pre-election manifesto. Government to commit to the ear - SIPTU National Campaigns and liest possible deadline for the pub - Equality Organiser, Ethel Buckley, lication of legislation to give effect said: “Two significant hurdles re - to the Supreme Court decision in main. The first is to secure the the X Case and to facilitate its early support of the majority of passage through the Oireachtas.” Deputies and Senators in the New report launched by the National Women’s Council and SIPTU Remembering the first Dublin car bombings

The 40th anniversary of the who is present with other relatives “Some weeks later on 20th January Sackville Place and Liberty of the d eceased men here today, was 1973, Tommy Douglas, aged 21, a bus Hall bombings in Dublin pregnant with their second child. conductor and a native of Stirling, were marked by a wreath- Many others were injured in the at - Scotland died when another bomb ex - laying ceremony by the tacks. Some 127 people were injured, ploded close to the CIE depot here in Justice for the Forgotten many seriously. Sackville Place.”He added: “The car organisation on Tuesday, bombs at Liberty Hall and Sackville 4th December. Place were detonated at a politically Two CIÉ workers were killed and sensitive moment in the history of several people injured when two car those troubled times. A controversial bombs exploded on December 1st, amendment to the Offences Against 1972. Less than two months later an - the State Act was being debated in the other CIE worker was killed at the Dáil when the bombs exploded. A same place by a second blast on Jan - huge swathe of public opinion, includ - uary 20th 1973. ing the ITGWU and the Labour Party, Present at the event were the was against the introduction of what Lord Mayor of Dublin, Naoise Ó was perceived as draconian legislation Muirí; the CEO of Dublin Bus, Paddy and an attack on civil liberties. Doherty and family members of the “As a direct consequence of the victims who laid wreaths at the site. bombings the legislation was passed The CIE male voice choir and Grace with members of Fine Gael, the Bradshaw preformed music at the main opposition party, abstaining event. Among the large crowd was that night in the Dáil vote and allow - Sinn Féin leader, Gerry Adams and ing the amendment to be passed. Fianna Fáil leader, Michael Martin. “Notwithstanding the selfless and In his oration SIPTU General Pres - tireless work of Justice for the For - At the launch of a new report “Careless to Careful Activation: Making gotten, the group of relatives and Activation Work For Women” by the National Women’s Council and ident, Jack O'Connor, said: “George Bradshaw, aged 30, a bus driver, and survivors of the awful atrocities com - SIPTU on Thursday 22nd November were Joan Burton TD, Minister for mitted in this jurisdiction during the a native of Fethard, Co. Tipperary “Liberty Hall, built in the mid Social Protection………Speaking at the launch, Ethel Buckley, National years of conflict, the identities of and bus conductor Tommy Duffy, 1960’s on the site from where James Campaigns and Equality Officer with SIPTU said; “The ultimate goal of those responsible for bombings re - aged 23, were killed by the bomb Connolly had led the Irish Citizens labour market activation is employment. The quality of employment Army to the GPO on Easter Monday main unknown. Dáil motions passed into which workers are activated is critical. The evidence is that low that exploded here in Sackville Place. in 2008 and 2011 called on the Both of them were married men. 1916 and where the Proclamation paid employment traps workers, particularly women, in precarious jobs was printed had all of its windows British authorities to release undis - driving them into poverty – the working poor. What we need to ensure George and his wife, Kathleen, had closed documents which Justice for two young children. Tommy and his blown out and suffered structural is that workers are activated into decent work: work that is productive, damage. the Forgotten believes can help to secure and delivers a reasonable standard of living.” wife had a daughter and Monica, throw light on those involved.” Liberty 7 News DECEMBER 2012

Suspended miners donate Offshore millions traced €5,000 to Navan hospital fund SIXTEEN Tara Mines staff to obscure locations who were suspended after leaving their shift early to attend a Save Navan Hos - By Frank Connolly pital rally two years ago presented a cheque for ESEARCH by the done in collaboration with the are often registered anonymously €5,000 to the Friends of Guardian newspaper in BBC’s Panorama and the Washing - offshore in the British Virgin Is - Our Lady's Hospital last RBritain has identified ton-based International Consor - lands (BVI), but also in Ireland, week. more than 21,500 companies tium of Investigative Journalists, New Zealand, Belize and the UK it - According to John Regan of who use a group of some 28 the nominee fronts hide the real self. SIPTU, the miners in question nominee directors to hide owners ranging from Russian oli - More than a score of UK agencies garchs to perfectly legal but dis - sell offshore companies, several of were suspended for one day their offshore activities from creet speculators in the British whom also help supply sham direc - and given written warnings fol - the revenue authorities. property market who wish to keep tors. lowing the incident in October The nominees, including some their business affairs confidential. The investigation found that one 2010 when they took part in based in Ireland, play a key role in T Capital, a company owned by British couple, Sarah and Edward the protest. keeping secret hundreds of thou - Evgeny Tikonov, a London-based Petre-Mears, who migrated from The company said they had sands of commercial transactions trader working for oil and gas giant Sark in the Channel Isles to the not been formally released in the UK and across the world. They do so by selling their Shell, was formed by Philip Donald Caribbean island of Nevis, have from work duties for the Burwell in Dublin acting for a Lat - sold their services to more than protest. The matter went to names for use on official company documents, while giving addresses vian affiliate, International Over - 2,000 entities with their name ap - the Rights Commissioner who Sean Quinn seas Services, with a nominee pearing on activities ranging from ruled that the written warning in obscure locations all over the world. director in its capital, Riga. Burwell Russian luxury property purchases should be removed and, as part is authorised by the Irish authori - to pornography and casino sites. of the settlement, Tara Mines The investigation is significant used the UK-based tax havens are for this country given the suspi - ties as a company services It also found that a number of agreed to pay €5,000 to cover the jailed former Irish billionaire provider. the nominee directors of the com - loss of pay when they were cion that many of the Celtic Tiger and businessman, Sean Quinn. He millionaires and billionaires are Such activities are not illegal in panies registered in the BVI have suspended. is alleged to have used offshore suspected of moving funds off - Ireland or the UK and nominee di - connections to military or intelli - The miners decided to give entities to hide commercial activi - shore before and since the bank - rectors can have a legitimate role gence activities, including some in - the money to the hospital and ties in Russia and other locations ing, property and economic but it is evident that they only pre - volved in sales of equipment to formally handed it over to the from Anglo-Irish Bank, now the collapse. tend to control the companies they repressive regimes across Asia, the Friends Of Our Lady's commit - Irish Bank Resolution Corporation. Among those alleged to have put their names to. The companies Middle East and Africa. tee last week. According to the investigation, Lagan Brick members donate €5,000 to charity

Irish Rail is December 2012 until Friday 7th December 2012 for all offering all SIPTU employees! members a 10% Members can simply use code discount off online STU1447 (input promotional web fares on code on payments page) from www.irishrail.ie the dates above to avail of the 10% OFF the on-line fare. If you are thinking of taking a weekend break, day trip Remember, tickets can be with the kids or going home purchased 28 days in advance for Christmas? why not book of travel on www.irishrail.ie the train! * Discount applies to all bookings, except special offers. Book up to 28 Irish Rail are offering a 10% Lagan Brick members donated €5,000 to charity in days in advance of travel. Terms, November 2012. €2,250 was donated to Kingscourt discount off on-line Intercity conditions, credit card and transac - Cancer Fund, €2,250 to St Johns Ward, Crumlin fares valid from Monday 3rd tion charges apply . Childrens Hospital, and a donation of €500 was given to Kingscourt parish fund. 8 Liberty DECEMBER 2012 Anti-Austerity March Dublin march calls for a New Course Over 20,000 people marched through Dublin city centre on Saturday, 24th November, to voice their opposition to auster - ity and call for a new course for the Irish economy. The demonstrators were led by ac - tivists from the Spectacle of Defiance and Hope, including a young woman wearing a white mask and riding a dark horse with a banner reading "No to Austerity" draped around it. The march was organised by the d

n

a Dublin Council of Trade Unions and l e r I supported by the ICTU, SIPTU and l l

a other trade unions, political parties, c o t

o the Irish National Organisation of the h

P

: Unemployed and groups and individu - e r

u als from around the country. t c i Michael O’Reilly, President of the P Dublin Council of Trade Unions (DCTU) said it was just one step in a long campaign to reverse cutbacks.

“The evidence is clear - you cannot d n

a l cut your way out of a recession,” he e r I

l told protesters gathered outside the l a c

o GPO on O’Connell Street. t o

h “On the contrary: with each cut in P

:

e public spending, and with each euro r u t c taken out of the pockets of low and i P average earners in new or increased taxes, we are digging ourselves further into a hole.”

Picture: Paula Geraghty

Picture: Photocall Ireland

Picture: Jim Weldon Picture: Jim Weldon Liberty 9 Workplace Committee DECEMBER 2012

An organised workforce without need for needle!

Photo from left to right: Ian Devlin, Pat Perry and Rose Finn

ECTON , Dickinson “I served on the committee for have union organisation. Although he added: “When and is now hiring again.” and Company (BD) many years then took a break and “The main advantage of the push comes to shove, people do The committee has expressed opened its manufac - came back on to it in 2009,” Rose union is the insurance it gives step forward to become involved general satisfaction with the sup - B turing facility in Dun said. workers, with people there to in the union.” port it receives from the wider Laoghaire, county Dublin, in “The role of secretary entails negotiate for you and make sure Participation by women is a par - union. keeping all the minutes for the you are not screwed over as can ticular problem and Rose pointed 1969. Pat commented: “We do use our It initially manufactured a vari - meetings and keeping the records happen in other businesses.” out that she was the first woman ety of syringes until 1996, when up to date. On this current com - He added: “Most people are wise on a committee in the last 12 union official a lot, purely for their the site began diversifying into mittee we can look back at every to what the union does, most of years. expertise in dealing with manage - pen needles, an insulin injection meeting since 2009 and every case the staff here have been working She said: “Many of women just ment. If we are doing any negotia - system for the treatment of dia - individually.” here for over 20 years, so many feel they have other commit - tion, we have them out. They are betes. always just a phone call away,” The last syringe was manufac - There is also support for the re - tured in January 2007 and produc - organisation of the union from a tion is now focused solely on branch to division structure supplying the global market for ‘When push comes to shove, Pat – a member of the Pharma - pen needles. ceutical Chemical and Medical De - The plant’s workforce is largely drawn from the local area and is people do step forward to vices Sector committee – said: over 70% unionised with employ - “The sector structure is much bet - ees being either members of SIPTU ter. We are now linked up with or the TEEU. become involved in the union’ people in the same sector as our - Pat Perry has been SIPTU chief selves across the country, so we shop steward for four years and on know what the pay and conditions the plant’s workplace committee are in similar plants to ours across for 13 years. She added: “If something arises have served time on the commit - ments.” the country. out of a case that you have dealt tee and understand how the union The nine-person committee cur - A BD veteran, he has worked for “It’s not like with the old branch 35 years as a Process Quality Setter with, I can just go to the minutes operates. The union is very re - rently has two woman members system where we would be dealing (PQS) – a job Pat describes as basi - and look at the case and how it spected down on the floor. drawn from a SIPTU membership cally a machine operator. was dealt with.” “When I go down, I get questions that is approximately one-third with workplaces not similar to He told Liberty : “There are 230 Ian Devlin admits he is not as ex - about what went on at the commit - women. Like all manufacturing ours.” SIPTU members in BD. The work - perienced in trade union activism, tee meeting. If there is something workplaces, Pat underlines that Members also stay in touch with place committee is elected once having only joining the BD work - major, Pat might come in and call the recession has had an impact on wider union developments as 50 every two years. Tenders are put force four-and-a-half years ago. a general meeting of the members BD. copies of Liberty are delivered to out for representatives to be Rose lightheartedly refers to Ian but generally people just talk “It has been tough in terms of the plant canteen every month. elected from the four shifts at the as “the future of the union” in BD. about what are the current issues pay freezes etc and that did place The SIPTU website is also used plant.” Ian said: “Before getting in - in the canteen and on the floor.” stresses on the committee, But we by members at BD to keep them - The current committee is com - volved in the committee, I knew Despite the high regard in which seem to have turned the corner to selves updated although Ian sug - prised of nine shop stewards. very little about how a union oper - the union is held in BD, Pat points some extent – things now seem to Committee secretary Rose Finn – ated. It was all very new to me. out that it is still difficult to get be improving. gested a SIPTU app would be who has been at the plant for 34 “Previously I had only worked in many people involved in its day- “The company has never imple - useful. years – also works as a PQS. small companies which didn’t to-day organisation. mented compulsory redundancies 10 Liberty DECEMBER 2012 Insolvency Payments Scheme ‘Youth Guarantee’ is a plan with potential By Loraine Mulligan The introduction of a ‘Youth from the labour market. The Gov - Guarantee’ across Europe is ernment has submitted a pilot gaining support and Minis - project for Ballymun which seeks to raise the prospects for local ter for Social Protection, young people, offering a suite of Joan Burton, has indicated options – from personal develop - the policy will be pursued ment, job search support, career under the Irish Presidency guidance, education and training of the European Union to work experience/internships. which starts in January 2013. For young men who did not The idea is to provide young progress in education beyond the people under 25 years of age with Leaving Certificate or who left education, training, work-place - even earlier to take up work in ment or other labour market acti - the construction industry, there vation opportunities, within four may be a strong case for retrain - months of becoming unem - ing or up-skilling. Equally, there ployed. may be an opportunity for young Systems of this nature already unemployed workers to under - exist in several member states, in - take conversion training to posi - cluding Austria, Finland and Swe - tion themselves within those den. But what would such a sectors that have skills shortages. The expansion of apprentice -

Loraine Mulligan (left) with Emer Costello, Labour Party MEP at a Protect employees seminar on the Youth Guarantee in Liberty Hall on Saturday 1st from walk-away bosses December By Rachel Ryan

HE Protection of Em - employee, the money that was owed same town! ployees (Employers by the employer to the employee is Insolvency) Act 1984 then owed to the Minister of Social Call for change provides certain pro - Protection. The Irish Congress of Trade Ttections to employees Unions and SIPTU have made sub - when their employer be - Dilemma – access denied missions and representations to the comes insolvent. The Insol - Therefore, in order to access this Department of Social Protection to vency Payments Scheme, scheme, two criteria have to be met: extend the definition of insolvency which is governed by this leg - the employee must be fully insur - to include instances where the em - islation, is operated by the able and their employer must be in - ployer does not comply with their Department of Social Protec - solvent. In theory, this should be obligations, based on the belief that relatively straightforward. Well, it’s tion. our members should not suffer as a not and here is the dilemma. The types of payments covered by result. the scheme include: arrears of pay, Some of our members have expe - scheme look like in Ireland? There are a number of ways to In crafting an appropriate re - ship/structured traineeships and holiday pay, pay in lieu of notice, rienced circumstances where their vocational education should be ex-employers have not put the com - remedy this unfairness. In fact, the sponse to youth unemployment, arrears due under an Employment existing legislation contains a sec - prioritised as part of the roll-out Regulation Order (ERO) or Regis - pany into insolvency as per the leg - it is important to look at the scale tion which technically allows the of the problem, the needs of of a ‘ Youth Guarantee’ in Ire - tered Employment Agreement islation but have simply “walked land, allowing young people to (REA), certain pension contributions away” from the company leaving our Minister by regulation to extend the those affected and the impor - definition of an insolvent employer. tance of protections at work. gain recognised industry-rele - not paid into the employee’s pen - members with wages and other pay - vant qualifications. sion scheme and payments due ments owed to them. This shows that the legislature en - Some 29% or 43,400 young visaged the law being extended to people aged 20 to 24 were unem - In order to ensure the success under employment legislation In these circumstances, even of the new Further Education and which are the subject of an award by though the employee is still due any cover other situations. ployed in the second quarter of 2012. Given that emigration has Training Authority, Solas, it is a third party, such as a Rights Com - one or more of the payments listed It is our view that where it is es - vital to include trade unions and missioner, the Employment Appeals above, they cannot access the Insol - tablished that our members have acted as a release valve, the real level may be underestimated. employers in the design and pro - Tribunal or the Labour Court and vency Payments Scheme. kept their side of the bargain – by vision of suitable courses and others. While the employee may tick the being fully insurable – they should The rate in Ireland is among the highest in the EU. However, work-based training to boost the Employees who are fully insurable right box by being fully insurable, be assured they will also receive pay - job prospects of participants. for social insurance purposes (pay - they are denied access to the scheme ment from the Insolvency Payment the rate of young people under 29 years who are “not in employ - Furthermore, effective moni - ing full PRSI) and whose employer is because of the inaction of their ex- Scheme. toring of work-placements, in - insolvent as per the legislation may employer. We continue to seek that this ment, education or training” (re - ferred to as “NEETs”) is elevated cluding the National Internship qualify for payment from the This experience has been felt measure is afforded to employees Programme, JobBridge, is a key re - scheme. at 18.4% in Ireland. In the main, across sectors – from hotels to con - who – through no fault of their quirement in order to prevent job Under the legislation an employer this category has a heightened struction – and across the country. own – have not only lost their jobs displacement and the misuse of is insolvent if their business is in liq - In even more extreme circum - risk of being disengaged or dis - but also have had wages and other young workers by employers as uidation or receivership or if the em - stances, some members have seen tant from the labour market. cheap labour. ployer is legally bankrupt or has died their employer walk away from the money due to them withheld from In the context of limited finan - and the company is insolvent. company they work for, leaving them. cial resources, it makes sense for Loraine Mulligan works at the When a payment is made from the them with monies owed before Rachel Ryan works in the SIPTU intensive interventions to focus SIPTU Policy Research Unit Insolvency Payments Scheme to an starting another business in the Legal Rights Unit. on young people who are furthest Liberty 11 Supporting Quality DECEMBER 2012 12 Liberty DECEMBER 2012 News New report’s 2020 vision of FFlynnlynn HotelsHotels continued pain for NI workers By Paul MacFlynn

Y 2020, low-income families den throughout the “boom years” mostly by in - from pps across the North will still be creased state-income support (e.g. tax credits) €169169 15% worse off than they were and to a lesser extent by the increase in the avail - in 2008 even if the economy ability of cheap credit. B There is only so much that can be achieved recovers and returns to growth. This startling statistic is just one of many con - through state support for incomes. We need to tained in the recently published Commission on move to a situation where employment and Living Standards , a survey of living standards of wages are the drivers of future prosperity for low and middle income families across the UK. households. Published in the UK by the independent think On low pay, the Commission found that the k absence of collective bargaining especially in the r tank, the Resolution Foundation, the report doc -

o uments an alarming imbalance in our economy large service sector has left an absence of upward

ImperialImperial HotelHotel C between economic growth and the living stan - pressure on wages and a gradual decline toward dards of those on low to middle incomes. the minimum wage. ‡ ThreeThree nights· accommodation This means that while a return to economic The Commission also found no evidence that growth is necessary and highly desirable, it will the introduction of the minimum wage de - ‡ DinnerDinner o onene evening not be enough to build the broad-based prosper - pressed employment. Yet rather than argue for a significant increase ‡ TourTour ofof Titan TitanicTitanic Experience ity to which we aspire. This imbalance long pre-dates the current crisis in the minimum wage, it proposes that compa - ‡ LunchLunch atat thethe famousfamous FarmFarm Gate and was in evidence throughout the good years. nies adopt an “affordable wage” or what has be - come fashionably known as the “living wage”. EnglishEnglish MarketMMarkarket For example, between 2003 and 2008, the UK economy grew by an average rate of 1.4% per year A living wage strategy is a good place to start ‡ ChocolatesChocolates onon arrival while the incomes of low to middle income but will not be enough to stem the decline in low households only grew by 0.3%. to middle incomes. There is a large skills gap that ‡ ManicureManicure oror p pedicureedicure This decline has been due, in part, to the in - is preventing a large section of the workforce creasing proportion of growth going to profits from getting higher paid jobs. rather than pay packets and also to the increasing The Commission identifies the current busi - proportion of any income growth going to those ness model as one which too often seeks profit at the very top. from underinvestment in people and pay. The cost of pensions and non-wage contribu - Employers and firms need to be encouraged to tions has also broadened the gap between work - recognise the growth potential in up-skilling ers’ compensation and take-home earnings. their workforce and investing in people. Paul MacFlynn is a researcher with the Nevin Economic t: 021 4274040 This alarming decline in wage packets was hid - Research Institute based in Belfast (www.NERInstitute.net) y n n

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www.flynnhotels.com Presentation by John McCamley of a photograph of the Newry trade union pioneer and one of the founders of the ITGWU James Fearon to General President Jack O'Connor and NEC “Let“Let ourour familyfamily looklook afterafteafter yours”yourrs”s” member Phelim Jennings. This photograph is displayed in the Belfast Office which is named in honour. James Fearon was born in 1874 and died in Glasgow in 1924 “worn out fighting the battles of his class" as James Larkin put it. Liberty 13 NEC DECEMBER 2012

NEC Notes November 2 01 2 NEC PROFILE David Connolly CROKE PARK AGREEMENT Invitation from Government to Public Service Committee of the ICTU to enter discussions on a “New Agenda on Reduction of the Cost of Delivery of Public Services” Coherent leadership is vital for us The Vice President outlined the details of a report on the meeting held with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Bren - and to campaign for collective bar - dan Howlin, which took place on Monday 19th November. At the IN recent years, SIPTU has gaining for workers in the sector. outset, the Minister outlined that the primary purpose of the seen the huge potential of or - “Community workers are under meeting was to extend an invitation to the Public Services Com - ganising in the Community more severe attack now than ever mittee of the ICTU to take part in discussions over the coming Sector and, as a result, thou - before. For this reason, direct rep - weeks on a new agenda regarding reductions in the cost of deliv - sands of workers have joined ery of public services. the union. resentation and participation on David Connolly, a community ac - the SIPTU NEC has proved impor - Following a very detailed discussion, the NEC authorised the Vice tivist and organiser for almost 40 tant.” President to proceed with the meeting subject to consultation years, represents the sector on the He added: “There is a wide range with the divisions involved. NEC as part of the Public Adminis - of interests and experience repre - tration and Community division. sented at the NEC and the level of He is proud of the fact that SIPTU debate and consideration is very AN BORD PLEANÁLA has taken the lead in campaigning impressive.” The NEC was made aware of the details relating to An Bord on behalf of those working in the David also believes the Commu - Pleanála’s decision to reject the Liberty Hall Project following an sector and for the disadvantaged nity Sector has much to offer the appeal of the planning permission granted by the Dublin City David Connolly: proud SIPTU has communities they serve. union in return through using the Council earlier this year. taken lead in Community Sector As part of that commitment, experience of building solidarity at SIPTU has set up, along with IM - community level and forging al - and has much to offer. X CASE PACT and UNITE, the Communities liances across a range of civil society “In terms of protecting our mem - The NEC at its meeting expressed its sincere condolences with Against Cuts campaign and helped organisations. bers’ interests, the only option is to Praveen Halappanaver on the death of his wife, Savita. The meet - form ICTU’s Community Sector And he points out that providing continue to build a strong organis - ing unanimously called on the Government to legislate to give ef - Committee. “coherent leadership” is vital if at - ing union, integrated with our local fect to the Supreme Court judgement in the X Case. The meeting David told Liberty : “The primary tacks on working people and those communities and with the capacity also noted that the Labour Party has always stood for such legis - objectives now are to protect com - who rely on public services are and strength to challenge the Gov - lation and is the only political party which included a commit - munity-based services and jobs going to be resisted. ernment, the employers and, in the ment to legislate to such effect in its pre-election manifesto. which have been disproportion - David said: “In this regard, SIPTU present dependent circumstances, ately targeted for cuts and closures has been prominent and outspoken the Troika.” Tell Us Your Story The 1913 Alternative Visions Oral History Group has been established as part of the programme of activities to celebrate the centenary of the 1913 NEC PROFILE Jack McGinley Lockout. It was formally set up in September this year to collect stories from peo - ple whose families, communities or unions have memories of the Dublin Equality Committee work vital for SIPTU Lockout and to consider its legacy. Stories passed from generation to generation can offer great insight into the way people and communities lived and the large, and small events, that Branch No 15. When SIPTU was Jack has also been a great advo - shaped their lives. Stories collected across several generations can be fas - formed, he joined the Education cate of international solidarity and cinating as the information is transformed by time and memory. Branch. has travelled to both Cuba and Under the guidance of leading oral historians, Dr. Mary Muldowney and Dublin-born, Jack went to school Colombia on trade union missions. Dr. Ida Milne, a number of trade union members, activists and others in the in Westland Row CBS. After leaving Recently elected as Chair of the labour movement and in communities across the city, have undertaken an school, he worked at booksellers M Dublin District Council of SIPTU, introductory course of training as interviewers to whom people can tell their H Gill & Son in Upper O’Connell Jack has called on past and present stories. The project is now underway and, at the end, interviews may be Street. members of the union to sign up to used as part of a book about the legacy of the Lockout. It is also planned to Now working in Trinity College, the work the Council is sketching open an archive of recordings on the subject for use by researchers inter - Jack has been involved in the union out for the next three to five years. ested in the Lockout and its impact. at section, branch, regional and di - He said: “We are reaching out to So, if you want to tell us your story or that of your family, visional level. try to deal with a perceived dis - community or union about 1913 or it's legacy then contact the project at:- At the moment he is involved at connect between the old branch section and sector levels, and works structure and the new sectoral/di - [email protected] OR Dr. Ida Milne 087 2207994 OR in the Dublin District Committee visional concept. Dr. Mary Muldowney 087 7988330 and the National Equality Commit - “Change is all around us and not By Michael Halpenny Jack McGinley: a proud Dubs tee as well as on the SIPTU Solidar - everything worked out as we fan and long-time union activist ity with Cuba Forum. planned it. We should be suffi - He views the work being done by ciently honest to modify some of JACK McGinley, an NEC the National Equality Committee as the things which did not work. member since late 2004, has key to the future of the union. “We are in transition but we are Oral History of the had a long history of Jack told Liberty : “We have moving forward confronting the involvement in trade 15,000 non-Irish nationals as mem - jobs crisis, demanding growth and 19131913 Dublin Lockout unions – and it runs in the bers and we have not yet seen their jobs not more austerity.” representatives come to the fore in When not reading articles on his - WouldWWouould yyouou llikeike yyourour ffamily’samily’s ststoryory EvenEven ifif youyou don’tdon’t havehave personalpersonal family. ooff the 11913913 LLockoutockout ttoo be iincludedncluded stories,stories, wouldwould be interestedinterested inin His father was a member of the our organisation yet. tory, crime fiction, biography and iinn a bbookook aaboutbout the llegacyegacy ooff ththisis talkingtalking aboutabout whatwhat the LockoutLockout “I must applaud the NEC on its sport, Jack is a keen football sup - kkeyey eeventvent iinn DubDublin’slin’s hhistory?istory? Print Branch of the ITGWU and yyouou mmeanseans to yyou?ou? decision to co-opt two of these porter. IfIf youyou wouldwould likelike toto knowknow moremore pleasepleassee ccontactontact MMaryary MuMuldowneyldowney or IIdada MMilneilne aatt took part in the printers’ strike and [email protected]@gmail.com oorr ccallall us aatt 087 7988330 (Ma(Mary)ry) oorr 087 2 2207994207994207994 ((Ida)Ida) lockout in 1965. members on to the Equality Com - A Dubs fan, Jack is also a former FindFind us on FacebookFacebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/1913committee/http://www.facebook.com/pages/1913committee/ Jack joined the WUI/FWUI in mittee where they are already mak - Youth Officer and Vice President of ing a difference.” the Dublin GAA County Board. wwww.1913committee.ieww.1913committee.ie 1975, initially as a member of WUI 14 Liberty DECEMBER 2012 Comment

By Vic Duggan

E saw the first ripples of the US sub-prime crisis in the summer of W2007. A ye ar later, the global economy was on the precipice of disaster. Only resolute action by world leaders, Gordon Brown not least among them, and co-ordinated fiscal and monetary stimulus prevented a re-run of the Great Depression. Cracks in the Eurozone edifice All smiles... but there may be trouble ahead: Enda Kenny and Eamon which had been papered over during Gilmore give a warm welcome to Euro- the good times were soon brutally pean Parliament President Martin Schulz exposed. As the crisis enters its sev - enth calendar year, we are more than half way through a lost decade. The question, particularly on Eu - downside risks further undermine rope’s periphery, is whether one lost the viability of Ireland’s export-led decade will turn into two. recovery strategy. 2013 promises to be yet another One year from now, the Eurozone momentous year in Irish economic will still be in crisis; the Middle East history; the year Ireland hopes to will be as volatile as ever; China’s cease being a ward of the Troika; a emergence as a world power will still year plagued with potential banana be ruffling feathers; and the Irish skins. economy will not look much Without doubt, the fallout from stronger than presently. yet another hair-shirt budget will One year from now, however, after dominate the early months of the the presentation of the 2014 budget, year. Ireland is expected to return to ‘pri - It follows that we will face into a mary surplus’, meaning income cov - similarly challenging budget cycle as ers all expenditure bar the servicing 2013 draws to a close. Like peeling of debts, so long as growth doesn’t ...set to be another greatly disappoint. an apple, the closer you get to the 2013 core, the more the pips squeak. A country with a primary surplus Budgets will only get harder. is in a far stronger bargaining posi - Ireland will assume the Presi - tion, not needing access to financial dency of the European Council for markets in order to make ends meet. the first six months of 2013. Where year of living dangerously Default hardly becomes cost-free, past Irish Presidencies have been but certainly less costly. Knowing both successful and eagerly antici - this, creditors may become more pli - pated, times have changed. implementation of a banking union, the verge of social implosion, with bailouts even as Cyprus, and possi - able. As the financial crisis has pro - and a reduction in its own bank debt fascists on the march. bly Slovenia, will be negotiating In Ireland’s case, following the re - gressed, the European Council – and burden, all while trying to remain an Germany faces Bundestag elec - their own. That’s just Europe. Politi - cent Greek example, relief of the its Eurozone offshoot – has re-as - honest broker. tions. Italy too faces national elec - cal risks to economic growth abound bank debt burden – if and when it serted its primacy over the Commis - Ireland is the first bailout nation tions as its economy continues to globally. Negotiations on the so- comes – may be made contingent on sion and Parliament as the crucible to hold the Presidency, possibly the contract and Berlusconi dances the called ‘fiscal cliff’ in the US may run continuing to meet lenders’ targets. of European decision-making. harbinger for a six-month ‘Farmleigh hokey-pokey on a possible return. into early 2013. With a helping hand from the ECB In early 2013, the Irish Presidency standoff’ with regular protests. Spain will continue its own little Geo-political tensions remain ele - and a bit of luck, Ireland can exit the will attempt to secure agreement on Irish leaders will not be the only dance around applying for a bailout. vated between China and Japan, bailout in 2013. With risks aplenty, the EU’s new seven-year budget, the European leaders facing the wrath of Ireland and Portugal will hope to se - while Iran and Syria could both give however, it is sure to be a year of liv - their electors in 2013: Greece is on cure help in emerging from their rise to further oil price spikes. These ing dangerously. Disappointment after new Liberty Hall plan rejected IPTU General Secretary, height of the proposed new building that this decision has now been over - Joe O’Flynn, has expressed which, it claimed, would visually in - turned by An Bord Pleanála,” Joe his deep disappointment trude on the nearby Custom House and O’Flynn said. at An Bord Pleanála’s deci - other city locations. The Board also said it did not agree S “The union, our architects and pro - with its planning inspector that the case sion to refuse planning permis - sion for the redevelopment of fessional advisors have put five years for the demolition of Liberty Hall had Liberty Hall. hard work into this project including an been “justified”. The union had been granted plan - enormous amount of consultation with The new Liberty Hall, designed by ning permission by Dublin City Council Dublin City Council, our members and Gilroy McMahon, would have included to demolish the 17-storey, 60 metre other key stakeholders. Extensive dis - offices, a public heritage centre, café, building and replace it with a 22-storey cussions also took place with the local theatre and a “skydeck” viewing facility building of more than 93 metres creat - community and their public represen - providing a unique attraction for the cit - ing in excess of 200 badly needed con - tatives. izens of Dublin for tourists and creating struction jobs for the duration of the “Given that the City Council saw fit significant employment during its con - project earlier this year to grant us planning struction. In its ruling, the appeals board said permission for the redevelopment of Joe O’Flynn said that the union the site was of “national historic and so - Liberty Hall and that the Council mem - would consult with its professional ad - cial significance”, and that it was a pro - bers voted across party lines to adjust visers on other options, including the tected structure of “primary the city plan the facilitate the develop - possible refurbishment of the building Proposed new Liberty Hall importance”. It also objected to the ment we are extremely disappointed which was built in the mid-1960s. Liberty 15 Comment DECEMBER 2012

Liberty

By JACK O’CONNOR SIPTU General President View Demonstrate for a deal on bank debt

Budget 2013 reflects the Any Government would still have to note and then on the recapitalisa - fact that 60% of those who stick with the outline of the tion costs of the other institutions. EU/ECB/IMF ‘Troika’ Programme, be - voted in the last General cause it could not borrow the Election voted for the parties money needed to run the country at Unless we can get which guaranteed the rich that sustainable rates of interest. This is an agreement on the there would be no wealth tax or because the money lenders of the world are not prepared to risk back - restructuring of the no higher rate of tax for those ing a country with a national debt banking debt we will on top incomes. In the end equivalent to 122% of its total out - almost certainly have Labour, the minority party in put in a year. If they do lend to us to apply for another the Government, had to fight a they will insist on an exorbitant rate of interest to justify the risk that “bailout” when the desperate rear guard action to they might not get their money current one expires. preserve the basic weekly rates back. of social welfare payments and other key elements of the social About one-third of our national debt The last Government’s blanket guar - is directly attributable to the bank - antee to the banks in September infrastructure. ing debacle. If it were not for this it 2008 was rash in the extreme and it would still be high at about 80% of has cost the people of Ireland very Nevertheless, the ratio of spending national output, but it would be sus - dearly. However, it probably headed cuts to taxes ended up at a ratio of tainable. Accordingly, the Govern - off a banking collapse in Europe. We 57:43 instead of 75:25 as envisaged ment would be able to borrow on must insist on a restructuring deal in the Fine Gael election manifesto the money markets. While things in return. It is not good enough to last year. Many people say that the would still be difficult, we would simply leave it to the Government Labour Party should have walked not have to comply with this dra - to negotiate it. We must all demon - out of Government. However, based conian Troika Programme. strate our insistence on it. Ireland’s on present opinion polls this would presidency of the EU which com - result in the most right-wing Gov - Unless we can get an agreement on mences on 1st January presents the ernment in the history of the State. the restructuring of the banking opportunity to do so. debt we will almost certainly have A government of the Left would to apply for another “bailout” when Accordingly, Congress will have produced a fairer budget. The the current one expires. This would be calling for mass demonstra - better-off would have contributed come with a price attached – more more and working people and the endless austerity. Even though we tions across the country to less well-off would have received would have narrowed the gap be - press the demand. It is better treatment. However, the out - tween tax revenue and spending by critically important that come would have been difficult then, the Troika would insist on dic - everyone who can do so turns nonetheless because of the underly - tating the pace at which we would ing problem – the overwhelming reduce our debt mountain. out. Details of arrangements burden of the banking debt. This Therefore, it is absolutely essential for marches and rallies will be will go on dictating the agenda for that we get a deal on restructuring widely publicised. decades, no matter whoever is in the banking debt, first in respect of power, unless we obtain a restruc - the Anglo Irish (IBRC) promissory turing deal. 16 Liberty DECEMBER 2012 UDGET Budget of two halves and two parties B By Marie Sherlock

BUDGET 2013 set down a Yet all this is cold comfort to number of major changes low and middle-income fami - for how wealth and lies facing reductions of more higher earners will be than €750 next year. taxed in Ireland in future Inevitably, the positive wealth years. measures are overshadowed by the brutal combined effect of Until now, just under 25% of Budget Adjustment 2013 the property tax, the increase in all tax measures introduced PRSI of a flat €264 for all and since 2009 have targeted the the loss of at least €120 per better-off and the stock of Cuts in Spending €2bn child in child benefit, alongside wealth in this country. the large increase in motor tax. Savings in Medical consultants who pre - There is no easy way to take viously paid no PRSI on income the cost of €3.5bn out of the economy but Tax Rises €1.5bn from their private patients, Fine Gael’s reluctance to raise drugs PAYE workers who previously the USC to 10% for all workers paid no PRSI on their rental or 57:43 ratio of cuts to tax rises earning more than €100,000 is investment income and people bewildering. €160m aged over 66 with income of Its concerns about the disin - more than €60,000, who only centive effect for high earners had to pay a reduced USC rate, from increasing the marginal will be now treated like all rate of tax amounts is total non - other workers. But it will be sense since the 10% rate for 2014 before the most signifi - those earning more than cant of these changes takes ef - €100,000 is already in place for fect; the siphoning of large the self-employed. amounts of income into large The €71m raised from such a tax efficient pension pots. move may not have prevented From 2014, the State will no many of the other cuts, but it longer subsidise contributions does place the cutting of the Property towards a pension income in respite carers grant to save excess of €60,000. We already €26m in perspective. know that 80% of pension tax Where the tax relief goes to the top 20% of earners. Government will get its €250m No boost for jobs largest revenues AFTER eight years into of these measures will mean the in 2013 the crisis, Ireland’s unem - creation of just 3,000 net new ployment rate is not ex - jobs in 2013 as opposed to zero pected to fall below 13% employment growth as was orig - by 2015. inally forecast for next year. Removal Finland suffered a financial Hardly ambitious, but it may be and economic catastrophe of a worryingly realistic. of PRSI similar scale during the 1990s The early release of pension - where unemployment shot up ers’ AVCs may make some – al - to 17%. beit very small – contribution to allowance It took that country eight domestic demand but the need years to get its unemployment for additional stimulus meas - level below 10% and a long 19 ures is very clear – it’s our only years to reach its pre-crisis em - hope of reviving the domestic Budget Adjustment 2014 - 2015 €265m ployment levels. economy and getting people With 357,200 or 17% of all jobs back to work. On the same day Current expenditure lost in the Irish economy over as our Budget, the UK Chancellor the past four-and-a-half years, was forced to slash growth fore - Ireland has a long road of recov - casts for 2013 to just over 1% Tax ery to travel. and, on the day after, the ECB Budget 2013 was billed as the confirmed what we have been budget to support SMEs. There expecting for months – that the Reduction in were a number of initiatives to prospect of recession in the Eu - alleviate cash flow problems for rozone next year is an ever-in - €1.9bn firms, extend the R&D tax credit creasing certainty. health job and deduction in foreign earn - Irish government estimates on ings while the end date for the the deflationary impact of the €1.3bn Employment and Investment in - €3.5bn budget depend on our numbers centive scheme was extended largest trading partner, the Euro - from 2013 to 2020. zone, growing and not contract - But are these sufficient to ing next year. €1.1bn make any dent on the Live Reg - The forecast of a mere 3,000 €700m €308m ister, where more than 40% are net new jobs could well prove currently signing on for six optimistic if these growth months or longer? The Govern - prospects turn out worse than 2014 2015 ment estimates that the impact expected. Liberty 17 UDGET DECEMBER 2012 B ‘Mansion tax’ welcome - but not enough Motor tax UNTIL now Ireland stood farcical with no advance bills Instead, there should be a revenues due to higher property €100m unique among advanced posted out and the restrictive number of rates of property tax. values – notably Dublin and industrialised countries methods of payment acted as a This would more effectively Cork – should in theory be able in having no effective tax disincentive to pay. capture the distinction between to reduce the rate. on the stock of wealth lo - But is the new regime any modest homes and trophy It follows that locations with cated both inside and out better? Political legitimacy for a houses. Secondly, a politically higher property tax values will Child benefit of this country. new property tax in Ireland acceptable property tax liability end up with lower property tax It had one of the most gen - rests on two main factors. has to factor in a household’s rates and vice versa. Yet the ex - erous property tax regimes, Firstly, it must target in a pro - ability to pay. perience for all Local Authori - €136m particularly for high value res - gressive and fair manner the Introduction of a deferral ties to date has been a idences. Has Budget 2013 varying degrees of housing scheme in part addresses con - substantial reduction in fund - changed this? wealth that exist across this cerns for older persons, those ing with a knock-on impact on Savings in After the shambolic experi - country. The so called Mansion solely dependent on welfare services. the cost of ence with the household charge Tax which is levied at 0.25% on and a number of low income Local property tax revenues drugs introduced at the start of this the portion of a house worth households with large mortgage may well fill some of this gap year, the introduction of the more than €1m is a welcome interest payments. but it will be a long time before two rate property tax, payable development, but is of little sol - But it does little to counteract revenues will exceed expendi - €160m through a range of options has ace to everyone else paying a real fears about this property ture and thus provide scope to to be commended as a better flat rated tax of 0.18%. tax becoming a Dublin or Cork allow a cut in the rate. A neces - Alcohol start. Better-off households will tax. sary tax? Perhaps. Fair? Cer - The flat fee was highly crude spend a smaller proportion of By 2014, Local Authorities tainly not. A missed Products tax and disproportionately affected their income paying a residen - will have the power to amend opportunity. lower income households, the tial property tax compared to upwards or downwards the tax Marie Sherlock communication of the tax was lower and middle income rate by 0.15% so those local au - €180m households. thorities with high property tax Property tax Easing the squeeze on state supports Pension reliefs depends on employment and growth for high earners By Loraine Mulligan THE income of working implement and expand the sion for people retiring at 65 is ment (CE), is a step in the right scrapped from 2014 families has come under scheme in order to make it due to be abolished from 1st direction. It is vital to ensure further pressure as a result more feasible for women, in January 2014 and the only state the opportunities provide ac - of reductions in welfare particular, to take up employ - income-bridge currently envis - ceptable pay and working con - €250m supports announced in ment where available. aged by Government until pen - ditions and include a training Budget 2013. Furthermore, maternity ben - sion age at 66 is unemployment component where relevant. Removal Although senior citizens will efit, currently paid at a weekly benefit. Greater investment is needed take some comfort about the rate from €217.80 to €262, is This difference between the across a range of measures, in - fact that the state pension has to be taxed from July 2013, pension and unemployment volving, for example, further of PRSI been protected, other elements which will hurt low-to-middle benefit already represents a education and apprenticeships. of income have been affected. earners who do not get an em - harsh cut of up to €42.30 per It is regrettable that recipients allowance The situation could have ployer top-up. week. It is imperative to seek of Back to Education Allowance been even more difficult under In addition, the reduction in assurances that retired people will lose the €300 one-off pay - the original plan for savings of Back to the School Clothing and will not be placed in hardship ment while the weekly pay - €540 million in the Social Pro - Footware allowance by be - owing to a gap in support from ment may also be reduced for tection spend but the budget tween €50- €250 for each child the State. In addition, it is dis - some new entrants. instead provides for a cut in up to age 17 will hit low-paid appointing that the Budget did It is imperative to ensure suf - spending of €390 million. workers who rely on Family In - not deliver on SIPTU’s cam - ficient incentives remain in Nonetheless, a number of im - come Supplement (FIS). paign for a timetable to back - place. It is of considerable re - portant payments have been The telephone allowance for date the Homemakers Scheme. lief to social welfare recipients targeted. people over 70 is to be cut from This measure which would that the basic rates, including From January 2013, monthly a monthly rate of €22.60 to make it easier for older women, for carers, have been main - child benefit will be cut by €10 €9.50 and the changes to the in particular, with an inter - tained. However, the Respite Reduction in to €130 for the first three chil - electricity/gas allowance may rupted career history (linked to Care Grant has fallen foul of dren and by €20 to €140 for also diminish the existing sub - childcare/caring responsibili - the search for savings with a re - fourth and subsequent children vention. ties) to qualify for an adequate duction from €1,700 to health job until 2014 when the rate will Of particular concern to older state pension. €1,375. be €130. people is the potential knock- In the context of a shorter Ultimately, one-sided auster - The “Children Plus Initiative” on impact of reducing entitle - duration of Jobseekers Benefit, ity cannot deliver recovery and numbers which has been introduced in - ment to Jobseekers Benefit the provision of job-search as - must be counterbalanced by a cludes the provision of sub - from 12 months to nine sistance and other activation substantial investment pro - sidised after school places for months for those with a full so - supports, including for up- gramme for jobs and growth as 6,000 young children in low-in - cial security contribution skilling, is crucial. proposed by ICTU. This is key €308m come households but the bur - record or to six months for The announcement of 10,000 if there is any chance of emerg - den of childcare costs remains claimants who fall below this new places on employment ing from the current vicious for the bulk of parents. level. programmes, particularly the cycle of painful budgetary cuts. There is an urgent need to The State (Transition) Pen - 2,500 for Community Employ - 18 Liberty DECEMBER 2012 Family Income Supplement PRSI and FIS – your questions answered Cut to PRSI allowance – so who suffers? patients. But this is not enough to How much can I get? pension income, but capital is • Everyone earning above €352 in plug the gap. • It depends on the number of not normally assessed as any working week. children. income. I earn a modest income and have children • You will get 60% of the difference • For new applicants and renewals What has to be paid? to support. This and the other budget between your income and the since 2012, one third of the • An additional €264 in PRSI changes are really going to hit me. threshold per number of Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s payments per week. children. Benefit has been assessed and • This is the same amount regard Is there any support available for me? • There is a minimum weekly • Working families with at least this will increase to two thirds in less of whether you earn €18,300 payment of €20. one child who are struggling 2013 and the full amount from or €40,000 or €100,000. • The duration of support is for may be entitled to additional 2014. Child benefit is not one year and can be renewed. included in income calculation. Why? assistance through the Family Income Supplement (FIS). • Families eligible for FIS may also • The Social Insurance Fund has a (Household take home pay – FIS • This payment is not subject to be entitled to the Back to School deficit of over €1.5bn. This is threshold per number of children) X tax and supports employees in Clothing and Footware the fund from which jobseekers 60% = Family Income Supplement) low-pay jobs. Allowance. benefits, state pension and the other welfare benefits that a APPLY worker gets in exchange for their Who is eligible for Family Other important details for eligibility: HOW TO PRSI contributions is paid. Income Supplement? • It is not possible to retain certain The application form • There is a massive hole in the • You must be working 19 or more welfare benefits such as hours per week (or 38 plus per for FIS can be found at fund to be filled, but it needs to Jobseekers Benefit if claiming http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Forms/ be done in a fair and fortnight), either on your own or FIS, although a spouse/partner proportionate manner. Taking in combination with a spouse or may continue to do so excluding Documents/fis1.pdf or at local €264 more off each worker is not partner. any Qualified Adult (QA) Social Welfare offices. There the way to go. payment. Single parents may is a section which the em - • If household income of you as ployer must be complete. • Others previously exempt are the only earner in the house or be eligible for both FIS and the One-Parent Family Payment. now been made pay PRSI on their you and your spouse/partner if More information is investment and rental income, both of you are working falls • If living as a couple, the below the limits in the table, available on including medical consultants spouse/partner’s income is also www.citizensinformation.ie who must now pay PRSI on the you are eligible for FIS. taken into account, including earnings from their private overtime, bonuses, rental and

Security Guard (39 hour week) Hospital Porter & Contract Cleaner (30 hour week) with 2 children with 3 children

2012 2013 Changes 2012 2013 Changes 2012/2013 2012/2013

Combined gross €36,621 €36,621 Combined gross €30,525 €30,525 salary salary

Take home pay €32,814 €32,550 Take home pay €26,958 €26,693

Take home pay €655.54 €648.85 -€6.69 Take home pay €518.42 €513.34 -€5.08 per week before per week before FIS is granted FIS is granted

Take home pay €684.01 €681.34 -€2.67 Take home pay €568.57 €567.13 -€1.44 per week after per week after FIS is granted FIS is granted Liberty 19 Comment DECEMBER 2012 Community sector cuts damage democracy and sense of well-being By Niall Crowley Y 2013 it is predicted enablers of resilience and survival that the community within many communities that are sector will have been being thrust to the margins by aus - reduced in scale and terity. rBesou rces by 35%. This in - The building blocks for a resist - volves diminished work pro - ance to these austerity policies are grammes, organisational being compromised. The drivers for downsizing and even closure for many community organi - imagining a different future of sations. equality and sustainability for Ire - It is an extraordinary reduction land are being lost. and it is hugely disproportionate. In SIPTU has done valuable work in ex - the same period, Government posing the disproportionate nature of spending on current services has these cuts and in campaigning to re - been reduced by 2.82%. These fig - verse them. This is a valuable recogni - ures come from Brian Harvey in a tion of employees in the sector and of publication commissioned by the the need for a strong and united civil Community Sector Committee in society. Congress. This is hopefully part of a wider in - We are losing the core of a sector vestment in new relationships be - that is critical to democracy, innova - tween two different but deeply tion and well-being in our society. Communities march in recent Anti-Austerity protest in Dublin (Picture: Photocall) interlinked parts of civil society. Community sector organisations We also need to work together to give voice to groups that are other - enable the community sector to make wise marginalised in our democracy. issues. They ensure these responses The State has always sought to use ity in a context of austerity that gen - its mark in the current context as part They provide a space where individ - are innovative, flexible and relevant and control this sector. Funding cri - erates huge inequalities. of a wider civil society. All of civil soci - ual concerns become collective inter - to those communities. teria have been used to silence its New controls on the sector are also ety is challenged to go beyond ‘doing ests. They offer a platform from Community organisations serve as critical voice. being put in place as local community less of the same’ in constra ined cir - which disadvantaged communities a channel for external resources to Funding mechanisms have been organisations are to be put under the cumstances. can articulate, negotiate and protest flow into these communities. In this used to turn it from being self-deter - aegis of local authorities – often the We need to imagine new ways of to improve their situation. way, they enable and build well- mining into being a sub-contractor. very local authorities with which they challenging, organising and respond - Community organisations enable being, access and even survival. Now it appears to be deemed ex - are in significant conflict. ing to the current situation and to some level of self-determination to We cannot afford to lose this sec - pendable. It seems to be seen as an The future for the community sec - create spaces where we can explore disadvantaged communities. They tor or stand by while it is dimin - irritant that must be put in its place. tor is apparently to be a part of our dis - the challenge of ‘doing different’. allow communities to build commu - ished in the scale currently being Boundaries are being put on those empowered local governance system. nity owned responses to community pursued by Government. who would be champions for equal - In a context of crisis we are losing Resistance to curbs on corporate culture fueled crisis By Michael Halpenny

N A recent article that could have significantly improved another committee of experts called als, the CLRG ruled against them, ar - hero of To Kill a Mocking Bird as per - appeared in the Irish Times, corporate culture – and still could. the Company Law Review Group guing, among other things, that haps the most admired lawyer in columnist Fintan O’Toole The first refers to the proposals of (CLRG) in 2004. there was no evidence of the need film or literature. I was rightly critical of the then-Review Group on Auditing ICTU, corporate watchdog Direc - for its introduction and that it could Yet in an article published in New in 2000 for tougher rules for com - tor of Corporate Enforcement and affect Ireland’s reputation. aspects of company law and Statesman magazine earlier this the rules covering company pany directors in the backwash of the Revenue Commissioners all sup - ICTU has continued to lobby sep - directors in Ireland. the DIRT enquiry in the late 1990s. ported and argued for the full intro - arately for the full introduction of year, its legal correspondent re - Elsewhere in the same paper and These called for annual Directors duction of new tougher rules. these significant measures. In 2009 minded us that Atticus Finch was ul - in other journals, commentators Compliance Statements (DCS) to be Despite the views of such major it repeated its representations di - timately a failure and his innocent have also raised questions about the made by directors to confirm that players, most of the committee re - rectly with the department and the client condemned because the jus - rules governing auditors and their they had fulfilled their legal obliga - grettably voted for a very signifi - minister, and is doing so currently tice system itself was dysfunctional. tions in company, tax and other laws cantly watered-down version. in the context of calling for a full re - role, particularly in banks and finan - If the legal architecture of com - affecting a company and its activi - Nevertheless, these three organi - view of the proposed new Compa - cial services, in contributing to the pany law is deficient or dysfunc - current crisis. ties. sations insisted that their strong op - nies Bill . Some of the latter criticism arose This proposed new rule was for - position be attached to the ensuing If tougher rules for company di - tional, then there is a limit to what in the wake of the collapse of Blox - mulated in order to emphasise the report to the minister. rectors had been implemented as corporate enforcers and others can ham Stockbrokers during the sum - responsibilities of directors and it The second initiative covered by originally intended and if the protec - do to police and protect the public mer, but also referred back to the was planned to be given legal effect Fintan O’Toole was one proposed by tion for whistle-blowers in company interest. banking collapse in general, ques - in Section 45 of the Companies Act the ICTU in 2007 for the protection law had been legislated for, there is To repeat the words of the New 2003 . for whistle-blowers within compa - a possibility that they could have tioning the role of some of the big Statesman contributor – and to echo accountancy firms. In the course of However, as a result of lobbying, nies. Yet again, despite the willing - helped to blunt some of the corpo - the concerns of Fintan O’Toole and his piece, O’Toole drew attention to by some corporate interests ness of others, such as the Director rate misbehaviour and excesses that two initiatives, which, if acted upon, concerned about its implementa - of Corporate Enforcement, to at led to the crash. Many people would others – “Atticus Finch is not tion, the question was referred to least consider the Congress propos - regard, Atticus Finch, the fictional enough”. 20 Liberty DECEMBER 2012 Home Helps

only was her husband making the dinner but he would make enough for herself to bring to one of her "clients” later. They spoke of their clients. One blind, all frail, all living alone and all unable to get through the day Keeping the home fires without help. The half hour given to one is only enough time to get him dressed, they said. No time to make beds or cook dinner or sweep the floor. burning... And now, they asked, with this By Brian Farrell was heavy and flags were flying. It ‘Of course they was as if there was a match on in Y parents were McHale Park, I thought. This is going will all slip back wartime lovers. to be some demo, I thought. Fair They met in Birm - play to the women, I thought. up in the evening M ingham while As it turned out, there was a and light the fires working on the buses when match on in McHale Park and just they were in their early 20s. over 100 people turned out to sup - themselves... in They fell in love, married and port the Home Helps. planned their life together as But they marched on nonetheless. their own time, Hitler blitzed Britain. Held their banners high. The organ - For that reason I'm sure, the song isers had to slow down the enthusi - unpaid and on Keep The Home Fires Burning , even astic vanguard, reminding them that the quiet’ though it was a WW1 song, was they were being followed by the often on their lips. blind and infirm. Before they both passed away, at I took my pictures and then took different times they availed of price - to the comfort of a cafe and a warm week promising cold and frost, less Home Help services – that army mince pie. who is going to light their fires? of carers who bring ease to the lives After some time, three ladies, in Someone will be found dead, of the elderly and infirm, making their early 60s, came in out of the they said, if the cold comes, as fore - cold and sat at a table beside me. beds, making dinner, making the cast. Of course, they all admitted, day. They took tea, shared scones and they will slip back up in the I went to Castlebar, co Mayo on talked about their march. Sunday, 25th November, to cover a One of them had never in her life evening, driven by the husbands if demonstration opposed to the cut - marched or protested before. They the roads are bad, and light the backs in Home Help hours. asked each other; who is making the fires themselves... in their own The time allotted to the needy has Sunday dinner at home while they time – unpaid and on the quiet. been severely curtailed, making it are marching? On the march: Home Helps and their Carers who keep the fabric of our They were giddy, imagining the impossible to carry out all the tasks supporters at protest in Castlebar on stretched society together, will husbands in the kitchen wreaking 25th November (Picture: Brian Farrell) required. Keep The Home Fires Burning. As I approached Castlebar, traffic havoc. One said proudly that not Home Helps in Navan rally Tullamore protest SEVERAL thousand people at - tended a lunchtime rally on Sat - HOME Helps and their supporters from urday, 17th November, to across the Midlands marched on Wednes - protest against cuts to services day, 21st November, in Tullamore, co. Of - at Our Lady’s Hospital in Navan. faly to protest against cuts to Home Help The Health Service Executive wants services. to move emergency services from the The workers marched to the HSE Offices and Navan hospital to Our Lady of Lourdes handed in a petition containing more than 10,000 Hospital in Drogheda, county Louth. signatures, calling on the agency to reverse its deci - However, objectors say the emergency sion to implement massive cutbacks in Home Help department in Drogheda is already over - hours. stretched, and would not be able to SIPTU Organiser, Dimma van Dulmen, told Liberty : cope with an increase in patient num - “Home Help workers throughout the Midlands coun - bers. ties of Laois, Longford, Westmeath and Offaly, their Addressing the protest, SIPTU Organ - families and clients who were able, joined the march and sent a clear message to the HSE that these cuts iser, Sean Nolan, said: “This community must be reversed. There was great support from the deserves a properly-resourced hospital general public.” so that it can provide much needed The march received the backing of Tullamore Town services for the people of Meath. SIPTU Council which unanimously voted in favour of a mo - fully supports this on-going campaign tion supporting the SIPTU ‘Time to Care’ Home Helps for the retention of services within campaign. A number of county councillors have also Navan Hospital.” expressed solidarity with the SIPTU Home Helps and He added that a cut of more than joined the march. €2.7 billion to the health budget since Tullamore Home Help, Carmel Bannon, said: “This 2007 and the departure of 9,000 work - was an important day in our battle to reverse these ers from the service over the same pe - cuts. We have received huge support from the general riod meant any transfer of work from public, and growing support from politicians of all Home Helps protest in Tullamore Navan to another hospital would only on 21st November parties. Now we are bringing our message directly (Picture: Darragh O’Connor) mean a further overstretching of work - to the HSE.” loads. Liberty 21 Health DECEMBER 2012 SIPTU organiser acts FAST to save wife’s life E HAVE all seen the ads encourag - ing us to act W FAST when we suspect someone is having a stroke. SIPTU Organiser Graham Macken from Athy, Co. Kildare, did just that, ensuring his wife was rushed to hospital when she went numb down one side just two weeks after giving birth to their first baby. Two years after the incident Gra - ham was awarded the Fast Award at the ‘Life After Stroke’ awards for his quick thinking that may have saved Aisling’s life. Graham explained what hap - pened on the fateful day of Sunday, 31st October, 2010. handed after 10 minutes. “Our son Karl had been born on “As she walked towards me I knew 16th October and Aisling hadn’t there was something very wrong. It been feeling too well over the fol - was exactly like in the advert. Her lowing two weeks. However we put face had dropped on one side. Then it down to the fact that Karl was de - SIPTU organiser Graham Macken’s prompt she dropped a glove and couldn’t action when his wife Aisling had a stroke livered by C-section. saved her life. Inset: Irish Heart Foundation’s “I had to go to a work-related pick it up because she was losing FAST campaign to alert public to danger signs meeting in Dublin that day. Aisling power in her arm. wasn’t feeling well so she stayed in “Then when she tried to speak she bed. When I came home at about was saying random numbers out of ling into a car and go straight to Port - “In the immediate aftermath of age, including children, can get a 3.30 p.m. we decided to go for a the blue and making no sense so her laoise Hospital. the stroke she had to learn every - stroke.” walk. On our way back we were speech was affected. Aisling was 30 when she had her thing again. She had speech and oc - Graham added that he was very lucky that his employers, SIPTU, al - passing a shop and Aisling decided “All I could think of was the advert stroke and, two years on, she has cupational therapy for several and I knew I had to make a call to get lowed him to take three months to go in to buy sweets for trick or made a great recovery, according to months after the stroke and – thank - paid leave to care for his wife and treaters.” medical help immediately.” Graham. fully – she is doing well now. baby Karl after the stroke. Graham noticed that there was Graham phoned his local medical “The remaining long-term side ef - “What people don’t realise is that (This story orginally appeared in something wrong when Aisling centre but they advised him not to fect is that she has extreme fatigue. a stroke isn’t just something that just the Kildare Nationalist on 27th came out of the shop empty wait for an ambulance and to get Ais - Apparently, this is quite common. affects older people. People of any November).

Graduates of the ICTU/SIPTU Certificate in Business Studies (Trade Union Studies) (left to right – standing) Mags O’Brien, Course Co-ordinator, Jim Fuery (SIPTU), Austin Kenny (SIPTU), Eimear Ging (IMPACT) & Barbara Anderson (Mandate). (Front row) Elizabeth Cunningham (SIPTU), Joe O’Flynn (General Secretary, SIPTU) Bernadette McInerney (SIPTU) & Sylvester Cronin (Acting Head of SIPTU College). (Picture: Tommy Clancy) 22 Liberty DECEMBER 2012 Health and Safety Driving for work now seen as major safety issue By Sylvester Cronin

DRIVING for work is an issue occupational safety issue. It is re - as part of their job, are phones is unsafe while driving that needs to be taken very freshing to hear the HSA finally ac - managed within the and, ideally, mobile phones should seriously indeed. knowledge the seriousness of this framework which they never be used – hands-free kits in - Recently, the Health and Safety issue. already should have in cluded. Authority (HSA), An Garda SIPTU has been making this place, for managing all A driver is four times more likely Síochána and the Road Safety Au - point for years, particularly flag - other aspects of safety, to be involved in a vehicle collision thority (RSA) came together to con - ging up the high number of fatali - health and welfare at when using a mobile phone while duct a number of seminars across ties that do not feature in official work”. driving. Using a mobile phone has the country on the issue. OSH statistics. It has also been the same effect on driving as hav - Those who are classified as driv - The union made representations pointed out that there ing alcohol in your system. ing for work does not simply de - to Government as far back as 2005 is an equal onus on A driver’s handbook, titled Safe scribe those who drive vans and over its concerns about the num - employees and drivers Driving for Work, has also been trucks for a living – and who are ber of work-related fatalities on to ensure that their ve - produced in tandem with the sem - considered to professional driv - our roads. hicles are roadworthy. inars. ers – it also includes anyone sup - Statistics reveal that over a 15- And employees must The publication is full of advice plied with a company car as well as year period (1996-2010) work-re - also ensure they them - and tips on how to drive safely and those who use private cars but re - lated collisions resulted in 4,413 selves are fit to drive. ceive a mileage allowance. fatalities for cars, 511 for vans and This covers a num - includes information on pre-jour - The HSA has stated that driving 846 for trucks. ber of factors includ - ney checks, distractions (mobile for work is a work activity and It was also pointed out at a re - ing fatigue, medical phone, sat navs, etc), weather con - should be treated like any other cent seminar that one-third of all ditions, etc...It is a very useful on employers to ensure that “the conditions, eyesight, work-activity and, as such, has to road collisions involve a vehicle alcohol, drugs, stress, lifestyle, use guide in helping to develop a safe be risked assessed. risks which employees face and used for work. of mobile phone, etc. driving policy. In fact, the HSA reckons that create for the mselves and others The HSA has been very forceful Published research has shown Sylvester Cronin is Acting Head of driving for work is Ireland’s biggest while on the road driving or working, in pointing out the duties placed that even hands-free use of mobile SIPTU College Liberty 23 Health DECEMBER 2012

CONSTIPATION When it’s tough going

ONSTIPATION may In severe constipation, children seem like a very may present with diarrhoea. This is simple, if embarrass - known as ‘overflow diarrhoea’ and ing, problem. Yet it develops when faeces begins to over - D C flow due to severe blockage of the MIN accounts for one of the com - monest reasons for children rectum. presenting to their doctor This often creates confusion for YOUR and is also a common prob - parents who cannot understand why lem in adults, especially the doctor is telling them their child women. has constipation when they have HEALTH There is no perfect bowel habit and symptoms of diarrhoea. ‘normal’ may vary from passing a In early childhood, constipation is bowel motion (stool, faeces) two to more common in bottle-fed babies three times a day to one motion than those that are breast fed. every second day. As children get older, diet plays a Constipation can be defined as; larger role and similar to adults, fluids ¥ less than three motions per and adequate fibre are vital. week, If constipation is associated with ¥ difficulty and pain on passing failure to grow, distended abdomen, motions, and vomiting, leg weakness or presenta - ¥ hard, large or pellet-like tion within the first few weeks of life, motions there is a higher suspicion that there may be a worrying underlying cause. Adults Typically, patients will present Treatment By ILLONA DUFFY complaining of reduced frequency of Diet is the first issue to be looked defecation with difficulty passing the at in adults and children. As previ - motions either because of pain due ously discussed, a high-fibre diet with to large motions or the feeling of in - fruit, vegetables and bulking fibre complete clearance and small pellet- such as in brown bread, porridge and like motions. brown rice is important. Patients may be passing motions Maintaining a good intake of fluids daily but because they are consti - is also important especially in chil - pated they may only be passing small dren who, because of increased activ - amounts and therefore not clearing ity, may lose more through sweating their bowel fully. Patients will often etc. complain of crampy abdominal pain Fibre can be taken in the form of and bloating. sachets or powder by adults. Large hard stools may cause bleed - Bowel stimulants are used but only More recently we have become contact their doctor so that tests – in - ing from the back passage (anus) due in the short-term. They promote gut aware that coeliac disease, which is cluding bloods and a possible to overstretching, leading to tears or movement but overuse can mean the associated with gluten intolerance, colonoscopy – can be performed. the development of piles. Typically, bowel loses its natural ability to may present in adults with bloating they will describe fresh blood on the move. and irregular bowel motions. toilet paper after cleaning them - Children Stool softeners such as liquid paraf - Certain medications will also in - selves. Constipation is one of the top 10 fin are commonly used in children crease the likelihood of constipation. Common causes of constipation in reasons for children to be referred to but taste vile and so can be hard to ad - Painkillers containing codeine or adults include inadequate fibre and a paediatrician. Apart from the dis - minister. morphine-like constituents all cause fluid intake. comfort it means for the child, child - The final group of laxatives work constipation. All patients on mor - In general our diets have become hood constipation creates huge levels by making the stools more moist and phine, especially cancer suffers, more reliant on processed pre-pre - of anxiety in parents. soft. Examples include lactulose and, should be given medication to pre - pared foods with fewer fruit, vegeta - Similar to adults, constipation may more recently, movicol. The latter is vent the constipation. bles and bulky fibre. Fruit, present as irregular bowel motions available in adult and children’s sa - Usually, no investigations are re - vegetables, cereals and wholemeal that are large, hard and painful to chets. It is easy to take and becoming quired unless there are other worry - bread add bulk to our diets and keep pass. more popular with doctors as it is ing symptoms including weight loss, them regular. Children may also try to protect safe for long-term use. ongoing rectal bleeding or failure to As food is digested and passed themselves from the pain of defeca - The most important issue in treat - respond with basic treatments. through our bowels fluid is absorbed. tion by ‘holding’ and refusing to pass ing constipation, especially in chil - However, at all times, patients If we are not drinking enough fluids the stool, thus making the problem dren, is to continue the treatment for should be aware that if their symp - the stools become dry and hard. worse. Often they will have staining an adequate time. toms are not resolving they should Certain illnesses can also lead to of their underwear. All too often, the treatment is constipation. Hypothyroidism (under stopped once the bowel motions re - active thyroid) is a common cause as turn to normal and the constipation it causes a slowing of the gut move - ‘Our diets have become more recurs within weeks. ment. It is vital, especially in children, Many pregnant women will also reliant on processed foods that the treatment be continued for complain of constipation due to a weeks to months after the bowel has slowing of gut movements, the pres - with fewer fruits, vegetables returned to normal. sure of the baby and the iron supple - This is to allow the bowel to be re- ments they may be taking. and bulky fibre’ trained and the muscle tone of the gut to be restored. Illona Duffy is a GP and member of the Irish Medical Organisation 24 Liberty DECEMBER 2012 Know Your Rights

Return to work after back injury – but her boss has another idea

By Tom O’Driscoll JUNE is a shop worker who The company doctor examined lead to substantial increased costs, then sented in any potential case by an suffered an injury to a disc June but the employer did not share the case may prove difficult for June. advocate from the Membership in her back while playing the phyisician’s conclusions with Therefore there is no ultimate right – Information and Support Centre June nor did the employer recom - for example, to return to light duties. (MISC). basketball. She had to take mend proposals for a return to work, The determining factors will be A claim is made to the Equality prolonged sick leave be - if any. cost and the reasonableness of the Tribunal within six months of the cause the injury required employer’s behaviour. last discriminatory act in the case of surgery. WHAT CAN JUNE DO? The cost issue seems an easy cop- a claim of discriminatory treatment. She wrote to her employer 12 There may be a claim for discrimi - out for the employer – he could, for If the action of the employer example, argue that he might have to months later with a letter from her natory treatment and possible dis - resulted in the termination of June’s employ, or relocate someone else, to consultant orthopaedic surgeon criminatory dismissal, depending on employment, then the claim would which outlined her medical situation the circumstances, under the Em - do heavy lifting. ployment Equality Acts . be lodged from the date of what to date. would be termed “discriminatory The letter stated: "She (June) is HAS JUNE ANY FURTHER ARGUMENTS SHE COULD dismissal”. Mediation without prej - now fit to resume her work on a part WHAT GROUNDS UNDER THE EQUALITY ACT ARE USE? udice is now offered by the Tribunal. time-basis initially. She would be fit WE TALKING ABOUT? Yes she has. Inherent in the above This is presently optional and if for her normal work practice except Disability is one of the nine is the requirement that reasonable there is no resolution at this stage, for lifting heavy bags." appropriate measures are taken by grounds referred to under the Em - the claim is forwarded to an Equality The employer replied that he was the employer. ployment Equality Acts . Officer for a formal hearing. "not in a position” to take her back He should have consulted with Disability is given a wide defini - A SIPTU advocate can provide “if there is a risk of exacerbation of tion and is different from temporary June and sought to refer her to a spe - your condition while in my employ - sickness in that disability must refer cialist, particularly when the GP's re - further advice on this. ment". to physical, mental or psychological port lacked clarity regarding the impairments which hinder an em - duration of her condition and it WHAT MIGHT JUNE EXPECT BY WAY OF AWARD? ployee from carrying out his/her failed to match June’s. If June was found to be successful, work for a long period of time. The employer needed to seek clar - the Tribunal may require that a We are focusing here on a specific ity because the report of the com - particular course of action be taken provision of the Act where an em - pany doctor, on the face of it, seems by the employer, and/or make an ployer is obliged to reasonably ac - to be at odds with June's medical award. opinion. commodate June to carry out her The limit is two years’ pay, or up to duties. The lack of communication from the employer on the findings of its a maximum of €40,000, whichever Section 16 provides that an em - is the greater. ployee with a disability must be con - medical report infringed the core Awards of two years’ pay are not sidered fully competent and capable principle of the need for strong com - of performing the duties attached to munication and transparency be - commonly made but awards can a particular post providing that the tween the employer and June. take into account the distress suf - person could do so with the provi - fered, unlike Unfair Dismissal which sion of special treatment or facilities, HOW DOES JUNE GO ABOUT MAKING A CLAIM? awards compensation based on providing the provision of such did Equality is the most complex area monetary loss alone. not give rise to more than a nominal of employment law so therefore it is Cases can be appealed to the cost to the employer. essential to get specialist advice. Labour Court within six weeks of re - If the employer can show that the If June was a member of SIPTU, ceiving the decision from the Equal - cost of accommodating June would then she could be advised and repre - ity Officer.

The Cr redit Union JimJim LLarkinarkin CCreditredit UnionUnion fo r all SIPTU me If youyou areare interestedinterested iinn jjoiningoining thethe JimJim LLarkinarkin CreditCredit UnionUnion mbers and their Tel:TeTel: 01-872115501-8721155 oorr eemail:mail: [email protected]@eircom.net r families in the Dublin OOpeningpening Hours:Hours: Region TThursdayhursday 7 p.m.p.m. - 8.158.15 p.m.p.m. SaturdaySaturday 9.309.30 a.m.a.m. - 12.0012.00 noonnoon TheThhee Jim Larkin CrCreditedit Union is rregulatedegulated bbyy the Irish Financial SServiceservices RRegulatoryegulatory AAuthorityuthority (IF(IFSRA)SRA) Liberty 25 Culture DECEMBER 2012

‘I want to stand tall like the towers, with all their Return to work after back injury – strength and power’ but her boss has another idea Ballymun Lullaby – A New Day Proud Ballymun shows its in fine voice at the NCH

By Michael Halpenny Band, The Trinity Comprehensive School Band and the BYR Music THEY stood tall and proud on Club. the stage of the National And if there was evident pride on Concert Hall where many the stage, it was more than stars of the music world had matched in the audience – living stood before them. proof that community generation and re-generation is about more Five choirs from Dublin and Cork, than bricks and mortar. It is about under the baton of RTE’s principal that community itself and its hopes conductor, David Brophy, sang their for the future. hearts out telling the world of the story of their lives and of their com - The programme is also about reaching out and connecting with munities. the world beyond and that is why At the heart of the performance the concert in the NCH was the sec - stood the Ballymun Choir made up ond organised as part of the Inter- of pupils from three local National City Music Project, involving Music Schools. Generation Cork City and choirs They, along with another five local from Ballyphehane, Cork. Ballagh’s limited edition bands, are the product of an inspira - tional community music programme for young people in the area. Their anthem is the Ballymun Lullaby – a composition by Daragh O’Toole of four songs for choir and orchestra. print honours 1916 dead And if you haven’t heard it yet, put it on your “to do” list now. ORMING part of the The inscription on that memorial Better still, buy the CD download preparations to mark erected by the NGA represents the from iTunes or by contacting the the centenary of the continuing work of the committee, website – www.ballymunlullaby.com. 1916 Rising, the Na - It reads: "TO PERPETUATE THE The Ballymun Music Programme F MEMORY OF MEMBERS OF THE tional Graves Association was set up more than a decade ago (NGA) has made a commit - IRISH VOLUNTEERS AND IRISH CIT - under the leadership of Music Direc - ment to refurbish the 1916 IZENS ARMY WHO FELL FIGHTING tor, Ron Cooney, and as part of the monument at the St. Paul’s sec - FOR THE FREEDOM OF IRELAND DIT Community Links Initiative. tion of Glasnevin Cemetery. EASTER 1916 WHOSE REMAINS ARE The approach of such pro - It works in partnership with seven But the revamp comes at a cost and INTERRED IN THIS PLOT" grammes is not just to cater for the local schools and offers a structure the NGA has appealed to the Irish The names of volunteers whose musical development of the indi - to provide entry into the world of in - public to dig deep to help pay for the names are listed on the monument vidual, but to promote it within the strumental and choral music for refurbishment. are: Seán Hurley, Michael Mulvihill, community as a means of social in - school children and young people. An NGA spokesperson told Liberty : Patrick O’Connor, Charles Carrigan, clusion and to bring a community The initiative encourages and de - “We need to raise in excess of Gerald Keogh, Francis Macken, James together. €100,000 to complete this project be - velops young local musicians at all Quinn, Patrick Shortis, Patrick So, when the choir raises its voice fore 2016.” levels – from beginners to third O’Flanagan, Patrick Farrell, Charles for The World is Your Oyster or A Renowned Irish artist Robert Bal - level – and the success of this com - Darcy, Louis Byrne, George Geoghe - New Day or, especially what they lagh, enthusiastically agreed to help Limited edition prints: gan, James McCormack, Fred Ryan munity-rooted programme is re - hope will be a Christmas hit, The with the fund-raising effort by pro - Artist Robert Ballagh and Eamonn Walsh. flected in the up to 650 participants, Toys Waltz – they are not just per - ducing an appropriate work of art. The prints will be limited to 300 aged from six to 18 years of age, who forming for an audience. They are He decided to rework the iconic leader Thomas J. Clarke. take part each year. standing shoulder to shoulder with image Birth of the Irish Republic by Other committee members were copies only, signed and numbered by Their work was there to be seen Ballymun as its hope and its future. Walter Paget in his own style and pro - veterans of the Fenian movement Robert Ballagh. Each print will cost €350 plus €10 p&p within Ireland, on the stage of the NCH in the per - Whether you fall or wake duce limited edition prints. and of the 1916 Rising. The NGA was formed in 1926 and The first memorial at St. Paul’s – To order a copy. please contact formances of the Ballymun Choir, St From a good or bad dream Joseph’s School Recorders, The Bal - the first meeting of the association erected to honour the rank and file Aidan Lambert at 087 6202680, dona - lymun Primary School Band, The A new day comes along was presided over by Mrs Kathleen volunteers of 1916 – was unveiled by [email protected] or Matt Doyle at 087 Senior Band, The Ballymun Big Blues – lyrics from A New Day Clarke, widow of executed 1916 Frank Ryan on the 31st March 1929. 2282033, [email protected]. 26 Liberty DECEMBER 2012 Letters

Liberty welcomes readers to contribute to current topical debates. Please keep SIPTUSIPTU your letter as brief as possible. MEMBERSHIPMEMBERSHIP LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SERVICESSERVICES Labour’s government record HHighlyighly CCompetitiveompetitive is put under the spotlight... HHomeome Insurance!Insurance! Dear Sir, is not acting on behalf of workers. terioration of the public health sys - EExclusivexclusivvee DDiscountsiscounts forfor SSIPTUIPTU MembersMembers Siptu President Jack O’Connor The reality is they are behaving as tem. Education cuts generally affect has repeatedly declared his sup - social democratic parties do all poorest areas disproportionately Includes accidental damage cover port for Labour participation in over the world. They compete with because of inability to fundraise. aass standastandard,rd,d, plus many moremore government with Fine Gael. I be - conservative parties in co-operat - Last year’s budget specifically tar - ggreatreat benefits! lieve this stand is a seriously mis - ing with capitalist bosses to seek geted the most disadvantaged taken one. Siptu and the Irish positions, perks and power for schools robbing many children of IVE H TIT OM Congress of Trade Unions have put themselves. James Connolly, by a future. Budget 2013 again im - E E P I forward alternatives to the govern - any stretch of the imagination, pacts on young working class stu - M N S O ment’s austerity programme. cannot be used to justify these ac - dents with cuts to VECs. What is

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H gramme for job creation, ensuring A look at Labour in government recovered.

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G G G G G

I I I I I E E

H H H H H the wealthy pay their share of tax - bears this out. This government In the light of their record it is ation, greater efforts to tackle in - has imposed the most vicious cuts impossible to believe that Labour equality including a reversal of on the most vulnerable. A large is discharging its ‘historic obliga - cuts on disability and opposition percentage of our children live in tion to defend working people.’ to privatisation of major indige - poverty. Yet they are subjected to Siptu’s President’s support of nous enterprises which should ‘be - further reductions. With cuts such Labour - a stark contrast to Con - come an engine of the recovery.’ as that to child benefit, back to nolly’s revolutionary politics - de - This without a doubt is one that school allowance, continued target - prives those who suffer the brunt calls for union action. ing of single parents and taxation of the austerity programme of lead - At a time of unprecedented suf - of maternity benefit it is reason - ership. In order to fulfil their role fering because of job losses work - able to state that this is a most it is vital that unions distance ers are crying out for leadership. anti-child and anti-woman govern - themselves from a government They know they are paying for a ment. What is the difference be - promising nothing but misery. The crisis not of their making and are tween this and a Fianna Fail/Green choice is between demanding an aware of increasing inequality coalition? end to austerity and emergency ac - where those at the top of society Indeed, it can be argued that not tion on the unemployment and are getting richer despite reces - only has Labour reneged on equal - emigration crisis or support for a sion. Unions have a duty to pro - ity but it has sold out on the future party clearly not representing ToTo availavail ofof thisthis SpecialSpecial OfferOffer CallCall usus nownow onon mote the interests of workers and of our children. The sale of state workers. In the words of Pat Rab - 11890890 300300 745745 oror vvisitisit siptu.jltonline.iesiptu.jltonline.ie fight for their demands. Union pol - assets and the abandonment of our bitte in the 1980’s, ‘the only thing icy should not be put on hold be - natural resources to multinationals Labour gets out of government is a cause Labour is in government. is a further betrayal future genera - seat in a Mercedes and a fat pen - SubjectSubbjject ttoo uunderwritingnderwriting andand aacceptancecceptance ccriteria.riteria. TermsTerms aandnd cconditionsonditions apply.apply. The Independent - Denis tions will suffer. Our exchequer sion.’ Nothing has changed. JLTJLT InsuranceInsurance BBrokersrokers IIrelandreland LimitedLimited ttradingrading asas JLTJLT Ireland,Ireland, JLTJLT FFinancialinancial Services,Services, GISGIS IIreland,reland, CCharityharity IInsurance,Teacherwise,nsurance,Teacherwise, CChildcarehildcare Insurance,Insurance, JJLTLT Online,Online, O’Brien’s and previously Tony will not even benefit from taxation JLTJLT TradeTrade CreditCredit InsuranceInsurance isis regulatedregulated byby tthehe CentralCentral BankBank ofof Ireland.Ireland. O’Reilly’s newspaper – may criti - arising from profits. Yours faithfully, cise Labour for their own reasons Labour’s commitment to equal - Michael Finnegan, but they should not set the agenda ity in health and education is ques - President, for workers’ movements – even tionable. Health continues to be The Workers’ Party perversely. Labour in government severely cut resulting in further de - Abuse of Fixed Term Contract workers

IN THIS day and age Fixed Term tain additions to the Fixed Term Term employee finds other em - Contracts appear to be getting Work Act 2003, such as the follow - ployment within 26 weeks, the more and more popular with em - ing: employer’s contribution ceases. ployers. • Companies that have a his - •The Fixed-Term Contract I am aware of the old arguments: tory of Contracts of Indefinite Du - worker cannot be replaced for 26 “Such workers know when they ration should have to apply to the weeks. sign the contract it contains a spe - Minister for a licence to employ a • The employer should only be cific start and end date. They know Fixed-Term worker and the licence allowed to employ two Fixed-Term that they have very few 'REAL' em - should be for a defined duration. Contract workers for every 100 ployment rights,” and • If the employer wishes to re- members of permanent staff to “It's fine to quote the Protection new the Fixed-Term contract, then prevent abuses to the Act. of Employees (Fixed-Term) Work the renewal date is just added to These provisions should be reg - Act 2003 , such workers know that the original application. ulated by a State agency and em - if they complain their contracts • If the employer wishes to let ployers that abuse the system WILL NOT be renewed.” the Fixed-Term worker go, then the should be fined and barred from To remedy this, I think we as a employer should be responsible employing Fixed-Term Contract union should do more for these for the first 26 weeks of unemploy - workers. workers. We should put pressure ment benefit. (This will ease the on the Minister of Enterprise, burden of unemployment pay - Bill Blair Trade and Innovation to make cer - ments for the State). If the Fixed- Kostal Ireland GmbH Liberty 27 Book Reviews DECEMBER 2012

A City in Turmoil Sir Maurice was MP for Rath - By Padraig Yeates mines (not surprisingly some may Published by Gill & MacMillan say). However, his influence was not all that pervasive, as the list of THE casual visitor to a book - internees in Frongoch after 1916 shop or browsing for books show, with more than 30 activists online could be forgiven for from his constituency and sur - thinking that the forbidding A City Life in Harder Times rounds locked up for rebellion (Re - title of historian Padraig viewers figures). Yeates latest work was actu - Even more telling was the grad - ally about contemporary ual drift of middle-class areas to Dublin such is the state of the rebel cause so that, as it is re - “chassis” that the city finds lated in the book’s final chapter, itself in. back) and, in the haunting so many impover - “In the evening the Tricolour was Not only are the blinds drawn – words of the author, ished working class families everywhere… not in the mean as Captain Boyle famously re - its objective is to “tell in the city. streets only but on proud houses marked in Sean O’Casey’s play – the history of the city The role and suffering of in professional quarters.” but they are in serious danger of and its people as a women and children in their This book complements rather being robbed by the Troika. whole”. daily lives is told, as is the pi - than conflicts with other work that However, this book is about the The military strug - oneering work of women ac - concentrate on the more military city and the life and experiences of gle was carried out by tivists such as Kathleen Lynn, and political aspects of that brief its citizens and visitors (unwel - a relatively small num - Easter Week Citizen Army vet - period of less than 600 days. come uniformed ones and others!) ber of activists and eran and medical doctor, who As with much historical study, it from the end of the Great War to supporters, although along with others founded St is not necessary to agree with all the Truce of 1921. as Yeates notes, in pur - Ultan’s Hospital for Infants in the analysis contained in the book In effect, it is a tale of life as it suit of an agenda Charlemont Street. to appreciate the illuminating which now had a pop - The privations visited upon was lived by many ordinary people quality of work such as this. of all classes in those 80 or so ular mandate. domestic life in the course of It’s a book that adds signifi - weeks that comprised the period Around and within struggle are often inade - cantly to our understanding of life of the War of Independence from that confrontation quately dealt with, if at all, November 1919 to July 1921. with the Crown and no account of the period as a whole during the struggle for And what a varied tale it is. Forces, life struggled can be in anyway comprehen - self-determination and the hope Many are familiar with a still grow - on. sive without covering this as - of a better life. Indeed, it renders ing library of books on the military Here are tales of pect. that struggle and those few who struggle from Easter Week on workers’ strikes – such The other end of the social carried it out all the more remark - (some reviewed in this paper). as the 10-week bar - and political spectrum is dealt able. There are also works such as men’s and grocery as - with as well, with discussion As we enter the coming period Dublin’s Fighting Story – Told by sistants’ strike and of the political and economic of commemorations we need to the Men Who Made It (1948, also the gravediggers role of Dublin’s leading open our minds to a wider appre - reprinted by Mercier Press 2009) strike of 1921. unionists in the life of the city ciation of the story of all our peo - and others. This action was sus - and, indeed, the country. ple. Yeates’s work looks at the pic - pended only for the Men such as Sir Maurice The author’s expressed hope is ture from a different configuration funeral of Archbishop Dockrell were not just leaders to influence “how the revolution - of the kaleidoscope. Walsh, not because of Life on the margins is also cov - in the business community ary decade is understood and re - It takes us from his seminal vol - the religious fervour of the strikers ered with discussion of the role of but also politically active as the membered”. but in acknowledgement of voice of Southern Unionism, in - ume on the Lockout of 1913 and the Dublin Union – not the trade This is yet another valuable con - his sequel, A City in Wartime: Walsh’s support for the rights of creasingly at odds with their union movement, but the Work - tribution to that hope, and for this Dublin 1914-18 (now in paper - workers. Northern Unionist counterparts. house which was the spectre he should be thanked. Michael Halpenny Come Here to Me: Dublin’s Other History By Sam McGrath, Donal Fallon, Ciaran Murray Published by New Island Books €19.99

This book mainly com - young historian writers’ interest in But the book also finds Dublin’s Me: Dublin’s Other History is a de - prises entries, exploring radical social history and the often social history hidden everywhere, velopment of the internet age and Dublin’s subculture and his - submerged story of the left wing from the design of its shop fronts ensures that even those with the torical underbelly, trans - politics of the city shines through. to the graffiti scribbled on the shortest attention span will be able ferred to the printed page Beginning with a quotation from walls of its pubs. Beautifully illus - to enjoy dropping in and out of its from the highly successful Connolly (sandwiched between trated by Luke Fallon, an artist not contents. Come Here to Me blog. lyrics from The Radiators From yet out of his teens, in 69 short Come Here to Me is a tour de Running for the last three years Space and Damien Dempsey) the chapters this history succeeds in force of a new genre of history Come Here to Me has covered top - book covers key events and per - bringing a fresh, new perspective writing which steps beyond the te - ics as diverse as punk music and sonalities in the history of the to the story of the capital and its dium of a retelling of the doings of stand-up comedy venues to pirate city’s left including the siege of the people. It also contains a healthy the establishment to bring people radio stations and drug use in communist party headquarters in dose of the bizarre, from a recount - into tune with street level stories. Dublin city. Not to mention fire 1933 by a clerically charged mob, to ing of the adventures of Buck Wha - Come Here to Me is the first suc - fighters, newspaper boys, street the life of Dominic Behan and ley and his fellow 18th century cessful instalment, a work which gangs, gay bars and footballers, as more exotically, how Vladimir Hellfire Club regulars to the his - continues with every new Come well as our changing attitudes to Lenin acquired a ‘Rathmines Ac - tory of Dublin’s sex shops. Here to Me blog entry, of creating feminism and sex. cent’ from his Dubliner English The short instalments in which a peoples’ history of Dublin. Throughout the book its three language tutor. history is distilled in Come Here to Scott Millar 28 Liberty DECEMBER 2012 International

Rights defenders More uncertainty in a face death threats troubled Middle East from terror group By John O’Brien ACING into a New Year tion and to turn the aspiration con - and predictions about tained in the UN vote into a real - RIGHT-wing paramiliaries in The negotiating teams of both the what the future holds ity – real Palestinian statehood – Colombia have issued a death Colombian government and the in the Middle East is will most likely have to come from threat against 10 human FARC jointly announced a mecha - F rights defenders, including nism for civil society participation apparently more complex outside. than ever. One man emerged emboldened Congressman Ivan Cepeda. in discussions on the first issue on the agenda for peace talks –“inte - In Gaza, a community continues from the recent attacks on Gaza. Cepeda, a leading member of gral agrarian reform”. to grieve after more than 170 Pales - By David Egyptian President Mohamed Colombians for Peace and national This was one of the key objectives tinians died and hundreds were in - Morsi earned wide praise for help - spokesperson for MOVICE (the Lynch of the Colombians for Peace move - jured in Israeli bombings last month. ing to cobble together a ceasefire. Colombian National Movement of ment and news that it was to top Yet days after the violence ceased, However days later, he was facing Victims of State Crimes) visited the agenda was very well received. Palestinians were on the streets of massive protests in Tahrir Square Dublin and Belfast last May as part ian UN vote, the Israeli cabinet an - Participation will take place the West Bank celebrating the and outside his presidential palace of a Colombians for Peace delega - nounced plans to illegally build through a forum on agrarian devel - United Nation’s de facto recognition in Cairo. His Muslim Brotherhood tion. more than 3,000 homes in the occu - opment policy to be carried out in of Palestinian statehood. supporters have clashed with the During their stay, the delegation pied West Bank and East Jerusalem, Bogotá on 17th,18th and 19th De - President Mahmoud Abbas’s opposition on the streets, who be - met with Government ministers a move that was widely condemned, cember. diplomatic move was predictably op - lieve that Mursi has made a power and officials from both sides of the including in many European capi - It will be hosted jointly by the UN posed by the United States and Is - grab. border. tals. in Colombia and the Colombian Na - rael. Morsi, who is Egypt’s first elected An extract from the Anti-restitu - The Israeli government has re - tional University. The conclusions Abbas promised cheering crowds jected claims from some who say the leader, is already under fierce pres - in Ramallah: “The recognition of recent attack on Gaza and the settle - sure just six months into his job. Palestine as a state changes a lot of ment announcement has much to Massive economic problems remain, facts, and aims to establish new and labour disputes, which had in - Death threat: Ivan Cepeda do with internal Israeli politics and during Irish visit last year ones.” the upcoming election. creased in the period before the fall The coming year will make clear Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition of Mubarak, continue across the whether the future position of the will most likely be strengthened at country. Palestinian nation is reflected more the polls. The Labour Party opposi - Morsi’s controversial decree in in the rubble and funerals of Gaza or tion led by former journalist, Shelly late November handed himself in the confident diplomatic strides Yachimovich, has attracted high-pro - wide powers and many believe he at the UN, file candidates to its list. is trying to force through a more Is - Across the Green Line and Israel Some of these are young activists lamist constitution. faces into a January general election from the huge social protests that The move led to a wave of with a bullish Prime Minister Ben - swept Israel in 2011 over house protests and strikes, including an jamin Netanyahu hopeful prices and economic in - impressive action organised by of victory. equality. media workers across both the The recent war However, the Labour newspaper and TV sector. An up - with Gaza proved party’s electoral focus coming referendum on the consti - broadly popular in on real inequality in Is - tution and another vote for the Israel. Six Israelis rael is not matched by parliament will lead to further ten - died, but the US-sup - sion as different political forces bat - a focus on the contin - and proposals from the forum will ported Iron Dome tle over the contested legacy of the tion paramilitary group’s commu - uing occupation or any be delivered to the negotiating table Missile Defense Sys - Egyptian revolution. niqué, naming Congressman realistic plan for by the host organisations on 8th tem proved success - Cepeda, stated: “After months of re - peace. David Lynch, author of ‘A Divided Par - January. ful at intercepting search we have decided to begin Thus, it remains adise- – An Irishman in the Holy Land’ Successful input by civil society most Hamas rockets (New Island), has recently returned from cleansing the Montes de Maria area the case that real into the process requires the partic - fired from Gaza. living in Cairo. of the FARC’s attempts to take it pressure to end a www.davidlynchwriter.com ipation of representatives such as After the Palestin - decades-long occupa - back. We will begin with the helpers of these groups, who disguise them - Congressman Cepeda. selves as human rights defenders The international community must maintain pressure on the Crowds gather in Tahrir Square during last year’s and are no more than defenders of revolution. Inset: satirical Morsi as Obama poster guerrillas disguised as victims and Colombian government to deal Pictures: Ramy Raoof (CC BY 2.0); Khalid Albalh (CC BY 2.0) displaced campesinos.” with paramilitary organisations that News came the following week are still operating with apparent im - that a surviving member of the Pa - punity. triotic Union – the opposition polit - There have been many failed peace processes in the last 20 years ical party that was almost entirely in Colombia, and to ensure a suc - wiped out in the 1980s and 1990s – cessful outcome this time, it is es - was shot dead on 26th November. sential that external pressure from Onías Rodríguez had been a coun - the international community, in - cillor for the Patriotic Union in Cur - cluding the Irish Government, is rillo, and was forced to flee the maintained and that meaningful ac - region after the assassination of his tion by Colombian authorities son, to safeguard the lives of his re - against paramilitary groups is maining three sons and wife. taken. Meanwhile, against the backdrop of ongoing violence, the peace John O’Brien is secretary of Justice for Colombia (Ireland,) a campaign committee process continues and a significant for the ICTU Global Solidarity Committee. breakthrough was announced on Email [email protected] Saturday 24th November. Liberty 29 Co-ops DECEMBER 2012 CO-OPS socially responsible sustainable and democratic... By Stephen Nolan Belfast cleaners co-op were thrilled to get Tennent’s gig VENEZUELA CROSS the world 100 million people are In Venezuela the govern - A co-operative employed in demo - ment has sought to expand cratically-controlled non-private forms of owner - world... A ship and control through co- organisations – membership of these organisations is over managed firms, an extended a billion but they are not public sector and co-opera - traded on the stock market tives. and so never make the busi - In 1998, there were 800 co-oper - ness news. atives operating in Venezuela. In They are socially responsible, sus - 2006 there were 100,000 involving tainable and are democratically con - 1.5 million citizens where planning trolled by their members. They are, is participatory and which can op - erate under either state, co-opera - of course, co-operatives. Interface Worker Co-operatives in Most people work in places where tive or mixed ownership and which Belfast in an attempt to both create must fulfil a list of requirements capital (people with money) look for employment and resist and chal - labour (people with none), and cap - which “privilege the values of soli - lenge sectarianism by bringing work - darity, co-operation and sustain - ital will always go where labour is ers together daily to work cheapest, where conditions of ex - ability ahead of the value of democratically for joint benefit. profitability.” ploitation are more favourable, or it At the 2011 MTV showcase in will create the circumstances where Belfast where Lady Gaga and Justin labour can be got more cheaply, Beiber took the headlines, a perhaps ITALY whether through mass immigration more significant event was taking or direct attacks on unions. place back stage as a group of Co-operatives are fundamentally worker-owners from the Falls and When the anti-Fascist resist - different as they are labour looking Shankill quietly and doggedly set ance came down from the for capital. In a very real sense they about establishing Belfast’s first In - hills after WWII and took are people before profit, they look terface Worker Co-operative, The power, Bologna and the sur - for capital to put their labour power rounding Emilia-Romagna Belfast Cleaning Society – A Workers’ Co-operative university: Polo Garaia to work in order to sustain them - Co-operative. region was transformed into building on the Mondragon campus selves and their communities. Since then it has won other con - a co-operative based social Picture: Mondragon (CC BY 2.0) Crucially, the democratic nature of tracts, including this year’s Tennents economy. co-operatives can change values. Co- Vital gig with the Foo Fighters and After 60 years of Communist society seemed natural. Today Mon- operatives offer opportunities for Stone Roses, it cleans the offices of Party rule it is a region of small and Anadalucia following the dragón political engagement and expose the ICTU in Belfast and other union medium companies, relatively high is one of the largest corpora- election in 1979 of a left - workers to what real democracy organisations and is on the procure - incomes, lower crime rates and tions in Spain and comprises more wing council (United Left feels like. ment list for Belfast City Council. higher levels of women’s participa - than 120 co-operatives, as well as and Socialist), local people Co-operatives of course also offer The Belfast Cleaning Society - A tion in workforce. more than 100 subsidiaries that expropriated a 3,000-acre es - genuine economic benefits – they Workers’ Co-operative is an anti-sec - The scale of the co-operative MCC has purchased and hopes to tate from the Duke of Infan - are more stable than privately- tarian workers’ co-operative, is economy is impressive. In the convert to co-operatives. tado. owned businesses and they develop unionised, worker-controlled, dem - town of Imola, near Bologna, 60% Altogether, Mondragon compa- It now comprises eight agricul - sustainable modes of production ocratic and the workers pay them - of the economy is in the co-opera - nies employ more than 80,000 tural co-operatives employing local and consumption. They are often selves above the industry average tive sector and in the wider region worker/owners and in 2007 gener- people on equal wages with little or community-based enterprises that while re-investing profits in their fu - the co-operative sector accounts for ated revenues of more than $24 bil- no unemployment in a town of build up local assets and keep ture. around 30% of the entire economy. lion. 2,700 in a region of 34% unemploy - wealth in the community by return - In June of this year, with the help The largest co-operative in Italy Mondragon co-operatives allocate ment. ing dividends to members and work - of well-established workers’ co-op - is situated in the region operating each worker one vote. Profits and Marinaleda also has a unique ers. eratives in Britain, Trademark along - nearly 1,800 ‘red’ shops and em - losses are distributed among all the form of housing provision which Co-operatives are rarely suscepti - side a number of other coops ploying almost 56,000 people with members equitably because their ef- assists in providing land and build - ble to pull-out or take-over since established the all-island Worker Co- an annual revenue of €12 billion. forts together determine the success ing materials for a €15 a month they are guided by the interests of operative Network (www.workerco - of the company. mortgage on the condition that lo - members and local stakeholders, not operativenetwork.com). It has its own bank with a thou- cals can own them and live in parasitic venture capitalists. Earlier this year the WCN made a BASQUE COUNTRY sand worker owners and more than them, but not use them for specu - If we want a balanced, stable and presentation to the Oireachtas Com - a 100 branches, an entrepreneurial lation. sustainable island economy with mittee on Jobs and Innovation ask - The Mondragón Co-opera - division, insurance and social secu- In Marinaleda, houses are homes strong public and private sectors, it ing for changes to be made to the tive Corporation (MCC) is rity institutions, schools, a univer- not assets. Participative democracy is perhaps time to recognise the con - Industrial and Provident Societies the largest consortium of sity, a health maintenance system is practiced through general assem - tribution to be made from a strong Bill to allow an environment where worker-owned companies in and a health insurance cooperative. blies twice a month where "partici - and innovative co-operative private worker co-operatives can operate the world. patory budgets" are set and sector. and compete with their capitalist Founded in 1943, amid the rub - ANDALUCIA decisions on the council's proposed Over the last two years Trademark equivalents. ble of the Basque country, collec - investments are made. Once a and the ICTU anti-sectarian unit (it - Trademark is a social justice co-operative tive approaches to re-building In southern Spain in the month on "Red Sundays", local peo - self a social justice co-operative) has established in 2001 and dedicated to tack - ple do voluntary work. ling sectarianism and inequality. Stephen small town of Marinaleda in been involved in the development of Nolan is a co-director of Trademark 30 Liberty DECEMBER 2012 Sport

Progressive clubs PLAYING N THE LEFT in world football

Workers’ playtime: A.S. Livorno Calcio, above left, take to the pitch at the start of a game last season

Picture: Rick Sabbadini (CC BY-SA 2.0) Livorno, Tuscany A case of Tuscan red By Tom O’Driscoll O far, we have visited after the founding of the football ian football for the highest goal tally. Halpoel Tel Aviv (Is - club. Lucarelli brought his politics out rael), St. Pauli (Ger - Livorno's supporters are well of the dressing room and on to the many) and Rayo known for their left-wing politics pitch by celebrating each one of his SVallecayo (Spain). What they unlike the avowedly right-wing fans many goals with a double clenched all have in common is that of Lazio, Inter and Verona. fist, the distinct salute of the Italian they are not exactly setting The right-wing Lazio striker Communist party. Blackballed the world alight in foot - Paolo di Canio, late of by the national team, re - balling terms. Livorno, from Celtic and West Ham portedly for revealing a Tuscany, will not buck this and currently manag - Che Guevara T-shirt trend. ing Swindon Town, after scoring a goal What Livorno does have in com - once made a fascist against Moldova, mon with the other clubs listed is a salute to his own he was recalled by left-wing, anti-racist and anti-fascist fans during a Marcello Lippi for culture that lights up a footballing match against a friendly in 2005. world presently tainted by maraud - Livorno. In that same year ing capitalists, press barons, Russian Livorno played in he declared that one oligarchs and consumerist fans who the Serie A between of the greatest mo - think they own clubs when they are 2004 and 2006, finishing ments of his life was in fact misguided customers of glori - 9th and 6th respectively, but meeting Aleida Guevara, fied T-shirt factories. this era has a more important reso - daughter of his hero. (Aleida Gue - Guevara to a T: Lucarelli shows his colours after scoring yet another goal for Livorno... Livorno currently play in Italian nance in that it saw their local lad vara was a recent visitor to Liberty the Italian Serie B. The team's and cult footballing hero, Cristiano Hall). Lucarelli is presently coach colours are maroon (not unlike the Lucarelli, hit the heights he de - with Parma under-17s. its own way. Italy during World War Two, sung Tribesmen!) and their left-wing tra - served. Liverpool sing You’ll Never Walk But if it’s bite that you want then with gusto by every Livorno fan, dition comes from the Italian Com - Lucarelli beat off the likes of An - Alone before matches, West Ham none can compare with the passion - young and old before home matches munist Party, who were formed in dreii Shevchenko and Adriano for sing I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles . ate strains of Bandiera Rossa – the – and, coincidentally, the ring tone the same town in 1922, seven years the coveted Golden Boot title in Ital - Harmless stuff really but pleasant in hymn of anti-fascist resistance in on Mr Lucarelli’s phone. ‘Lucarelli brought his politics out of the dressing room and on to the pitch’ Liberty 31 Taking Liberties DECEMBER 2012

Stumped: UK Culture Secretary Maria Miller Picture: DCMS (CC BY-NC 2.0) The problem with Maria THERE’S nothing quite like Paul Drury, former Managing Editor chained themselves to the house of the British media establish - of Associated Newspapers (publish - the Taoiseach? ment united in a fit of right - ers of the Mail ), currently sits on the “The Culture Secretary says that eous indignation. Irish model which is recognised in any press law in Britain would un - The sound and fury which greeted legislation, a proposition which has dermine freedom – and, indeed, publication of Lord Leveson’s report left Maria reaching for the smelling democracy – around the world, so last month terrified David Cameron salts. why has he not summoned the Irish and his loyal Culture Secretary Maria The Labour spokesperson pulled ambassador for a dressing down? Miller, who was especially worried the rug from under Miller. Why is she not telling our press to about the parallels between what “If that really posed a threat, boycott the Irish system?” Leveson suggests for Britain and the where were the protests in Ireland?” Given that the PCI has no powers current Irish model. asked Harmon. to impose financial sanctions, Miller Miller was stumped by Labour “Why have those newspapers has clearly got the wrong end of the spokesperson, Harriet Harman, who signed up? The UK editors say that stick and her pals in the Telegraph pointed out that UK papers in Ire - any press law would end freedom of might yet be glad of the Irish solu - land support the Press Council of speech, so why have they not tion. Ireland (PCI) – and actually helped to set it up. Indeed, the Irish editor of the Sun served on the first PCI while Oh yes we will The Pope, the donkey THE re-publication of the Martin Murphy, owner of the Irish 1912 Christmas edition of Independent and Dublin United the Irish Worker by the Irish Tramway Company and a leading and the kangaroo Labour History Society gives light behind the Dublin Employers’ a glimpse into the many tal - Federation, founded in 1911. ents of Jim Larkin and his All characters spoke in doggerel I suppose you all know by Last Supper, instead of the custom - verse throughout and Ali leaves his ary 12. But what really ticked him appreciation of the power of now that the Pope has in - audience in no doubt as to his in - voked the doctrine of infalli - off was the inclusion of a kangaroo propaganda in all forms. at the table. tentions: “As you know I’m a ruf - bility to decree that the poor Since SIPTU and the NUJ are fian bold / Who’ll do anything to Well, oblivious to any threat of supporting the venture, one won - ‘aul donkey wasn’t in the Papal edict, Bull or encyclical, the get gold: / No matter how shady the ders if the unions will draw inspi - Manger in Bethlehem after INTO’s Teachers Club has struck a means / Or how desperate may be all! blow for freedom. There, in one of ration from the scripts featured in the schemes.” Of course, this wouldn’t be the the nicest Christmas cribs to be the publication. He also declares: “I’ve sunk lots LookLeft — progressive news, first time a Pontiff, real or imagi - seen, containing beautiful knitted Some of the plays reproduced in of money in rails, / In America, Ire - nary, had laid down the law about figures (crafted by a retired mem - the Irish Worker were performed in land and Wales. / Hotels, too, and views and solutions. animals in the New Testament. ber) representing the usual sus - Liberty Hall including Ali Martin shops I have tried / and trams for On sale in Easons stores Those of you old enough or mad pects, is a backdrop of cattle, Baba and His Forty Thieves . the people supplied.” and selected newsagents enough may recall the famous camels (both types) and yes – Monty Python sketch in which the Ali Martin Baba, “an independ - Perhaps we need a centenary throughout Ireland, only you’ve guessed it, Santa and his Pope ate the face off Michelangelo reindeer! ent ruffian” is aimed at William version. €2/£1.50 for painting 28 Apostles into the

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