Bin Tax minister to attend public meeting in UCD tonight

by f Wed Oct 29, 2003 13:02

BTW
The protest is open to anyone not just students in UCD.

by Mr Disko - SA Wed Oct 29, 2003 14:13

maybe it would be berrer to meet up at 6.30 in the blob , to plan exactly what do do with those going to protes. otherwise many people have many ideas on what will happen.

also, are you postering for it f it may be worth throwing a few up in some good locations?

/* im the antenna catching vibrations, youre the transmitter, give information */

by Press Release Wed Oct 29, 2003 16:49

Students and local residents will vent their anger at the policy of
non-collection and the unjust double taxation of the bin tax this evening,
when the Minister for the Environment comes to UCD. Martin Cullen TD is
responsible for legislation allowing rubbish of those who haven't paid the
bin tax to be left uncollected across Dublin. He is due to address a Fianna
Fail meeting in the John Henry Newman Building (Arts Block) at 7.15 this
evening, however, he will first have to face the anger and mounds of
uncollected rubbish of students and local residents.

UCD Students' Union Education Officer, Oisin Kelly commented that:
"A number of UCD students have now been taken to court for opposing this
vicious attack on ordinary people, we will be out in force tonight to show
our anger at Cullen's policy of non-collection and the unjust bin tax."

UCD student, Paul Murphy, one of the 11 arrested in Huntstown Glen in the
second week of the anti-bin tax campaign said:
"We are calling on all those with uncollected rubbish to bring it along this
evening and to dump it at the feet of the man responsible. We will make
sure that he knows that the majority of people in Dublin continue to boycott
this unjust charge, we will not be intimidated by the courts and that the
anti-bin tax campaign is going from strength to strength."

For more information contact:
Paul Murphy 086 1688050
Oisin Kelly (01) 7163111 0879967072

by PK Wed Oct 29, 2003 17:34

Any real news as to what happened there?
And any news to what has been happening on the ground in DLR to respond to non-collection?

by Joe Wed Oct 29, 2003 17:40

There was a succesful blockade of the Grangegorman depot last night involving 50 or so people, mostly from Cabra and Stoneybatter.

by Bobo the Clown Wed Oct 29, 2003 18:09

Start sticking out press releases on Education issues Mr. Education Officer.

Unless you're trying to be the last SP Education Officer UCD will see for a while.

Looking forward to a press release on indymedia about the UCD library from you.

by Sweet Caroline Wed Oct 29, 2003 18:25

the bin tax is a cost of living issue for students. I say fair play to any SU officer that gets stuck into a camapign against the high cost of living for students, if bin tax comes in it's an extra charge for students to pay. The bin tax issues is also about the right to protest. Today it's bin tax protesters getting injuncted and jailed, next it will be anti-fees protesters.

by Bobo the Clown Wed Oct 29, 2003 18:35

I've no problem SU's fighting the Bin Tax - I agree with you that it's an issue. My point is that it's not the only issue and it would probably be something the President rather than the education officer should be doing.

If this was one of several campaigns Oisin was doing I'd say fair play, but it seems like he's ignoring Education issues, and they're the priority.

by burn the trots - Anti Trot Action Wed Oct 29, 2003 18:50 treatatrotlikeyouwouldafascist at democraticcentralism dot com

I'm glad to see that the SP in UCD, after getting somebody elected to the union are now ready to lead the revolution via the bin tax issue. Let me make it very clear in P L A I N E N G L I S H do your job Oisin, the bin tax issue is not a student issue students do not pay the bin tax. Either their parents do or their landlords do. Most UCD students as we know are not working class so it begs the question how many students in UCD can the SP capture into their flock because they suffer middle class guilt, perhaps these students would have been better off excepting their middle class origins and joining the likes of the green party.
I know i'd like to see paul murphy and oisin hanging from a tree.

by Jim thomas Wed Oct 29, 2003 18:54

this is not a PUBLIC MEETING!!!
IT IS A PRIVATE MEMBER MEETing!!!
student are not eligble for bin tax so this is of no use to anyone in UCD!! maybe your members should consider a real party!!!!

by DIT student Wed Oct 29, 2003 19:03

Bin Tax is a student issue. Students ARE eligible for bin tax. I am a student and I am billed for it.

In any case if the bin tax campaign is successful in defeating the governments cuts it would be a viictory for students and all that are effected by government cuts.

Fair play to Oisín, at least we finally have some SUers willing to take a stand on real issues

by nager Wed Oct 29, 2003 19:10

The second last post might seem to eminate from a right winger in the SU. But if my suspisions are correct I would say it come from the being that resides in the neighbouring office to the President.

by Canteen Kevin Wed Oct 29, 2003 19:12

"It's not a Public meeting", well that's all right, we should let Cullen and his lickspittles come and go as they please without a peep. If there are people sad enough to want to spend an evening fawning over this gangster, they should be exposed for the reactionary little shits they are . Jim thomas-your input was so naive, it makes me believe you actually are a student. There are a lot of things of no direct impact to a lot of people and by your logic white Afrijkaaners had no right to protest apartheid. The same goes for you; "burn the trots" keyboard warrior little boy, i'm sure there are a lot more people you would like to see swinging from a tree but the nearest you'll ever come to seeing it is by pulling at your own little bit of wood.

by nager Wed Oct 29, 2003 19:15

Not only does he want them 'swinging from a tree' he also want to censor them from the Uni paper.

by Bobo the Clown Wed Oct 29, 2003 19:16

For an education officer at any rate.

The President should be spearheading this, not Oisin.

Having a shit library and crappy facilities is the main concern. If I saw press releases from Oisin on these issues I'd have no problem with what he's doing now, but it seems he is NEGLECTING them and prioriting SP campaigns.

Come on and defend yourself Oisin, I'm willing to be convinced I'm wrong, but only if you put a clear case forward that you're not neglecting education issues.

by burn the trots - Anti Trot Action Wed Oct 29, 2003 19:52 treatatrotlikeyouwouldafascist at democraticcentralism dot com

DIT student pays the bin tax. Well either you own a house and therfore are quite well off or you are renting a house and its your landlord who is liable for the charge, if the latter is the case then you really need to sort your self out i think the word to describe you then would be MUPPET go sort your landlord out. As for Canteen Kevin well i'm glad to see you call me little boy. I work for a living and have been involved in community activism for nearly a decade now. Campaigning on everything from Anti bin tax to Anti racism to heritage protection. I have been arrested for my activism more times then i care to remember, I've been harrassed by the Special Branch at home, in work and in college when i was a student several years ago. I am not a UCD student. I am a socialist who believes that we must fight for our beliefs everywhere we go including Students Unions. However Oisin by campaigning on the bin tax issue is neglecting his job as Education officer and is damaging any chance for another (probably better) socialist to be elected to that position.
I am all in favour of him and other students being in solidarity with the campaign but not at the expense of where their struggle should be battling against the college bureaucrats and the right wingers in the union.

By the way when you release a press release you should put your Socialist youth title after it try and be a little transparent with it your fooling nobody.

by UCDer Wed Oct 29, 2003 19:52

Quite right. The President -Paul Dillon- should be taking a stand on the bin tax issue. So instead of having a go at an SU officer like Kelly who is actually doing something on the issue, why not have a go at those officers who aren't?

by Bobo Wed Oct 29, 2003 20:03

...I wouldn't be criticising him.

I note that nobody has defended Oisin's work on Education issues - why not?

Repeat - I would have no problem with Oisin doing this if I didn't think he was neglecting his Education brief.

Convince me that he's not neglecting education issues in favour of the bin campaign and I will support him.

by UCDer Wed Oct 29, 2003 20:12

Almost everything that Oisin has been doing has been around "eduction issues", from the library to the extortionate bookshop issue. He hasn't been neglecting any of it.

You don't see press releases about it on Indymedia because despite the self-importance of student politics, very little of that kind of UCD specific stuff is of interest to the wider activist community.

This protest is, so a press release got sent here.

So I ask you again, why aren't you criticising SU officers who won't do anything on the bin tax?

by Statsfan Wed Oct 29, 2003 21:29

" We will make sure that he knows that the majority of people in Dublin continue to boycott this unjust charge"

Will they be using any figures to back this claim up, or are they planning on communicating purely through the medium of bin bags?

by pat c Thu Oct 30, 2003 11:02

Many students do pay the bin tax, its factored into their rent by the landlords. In other cases its their parents who have to pay. By opposing this inequitable tax, Oisin is showing leadership.

Next on the FF/PD agenda will be an increase in student services charge, but a defeat on the bin tax will make them think again.

by Mark Thu Oct 30, 2003 13:26

Does UCD student union have a policy of opposition to bin charges. Are grassroots members of the union demanding action on bin charges?

If so then the union officers should take a strong stance against bin charges.

If Bin tax opposition is not an issue been raised by students and class reps then it is entirely anti democratic for union officers to prioritise this issue over cutbacks in third level. But then again certain trots don't believe in democracy, do they?

by heard enough of this Thu Oct 30, 2003 14:31

Some right wing elements in UCD obviously have a pathetic hate campaign going against Oisin Kelly. For the record, Oisin Kelly has always played a full part in the anti fees campaign and his efforts to expose the campus book store rip off have been featured in the student newspaper. How absolutely PATHETIC to have a go at Oisin because of his support for the anti bin tax campaign. His anti bin stance is to his credit. Bobo the aptly named clown & co. Aside from whatever shitty right wing agenda you have (or if you are merely pissed off cos you or your cronies were not elected to the SU by students last time out)- I wouldnt trust ye as far as I'd throw up on ye to defend students' interests (or anybodys interests besides yer own for that matter.)

by Paul Murphy - Socialist Party Thu Oct 30, 2003 14:32

UCD SU does have an anti-bin tax policy.
Oisin has not prioritised this over anti-cutbacks action - this protest took place outside of his work hours, and his other anti-bin tax action has taken place either before his work hours, at the depots and bin trucks in the morning, or in the evening.
I wrote the press release while Oisin was doing his job as Education Officer, so apologies if the wrong impression was given.

by james redmond Thu Oct 30, 2003 16:31 antrophe at hotmail dot com

The proposal that the bin tax does not affect students is wholly ridiculous. If student activists are going to moan about threats to increase registration fees, inadequate grants and inequality of access to education without recognising the wider agenda which we face from the government, that is wholesale attempts to privatise sections of the public service. Education is just one aspect of this, and it should be obvious that it is not the sole target.

If we like to see ourselves as having a role in a genuine social movement then it is highly damaging that we cut ourselves off from other sections whicha r estruggling against essentially the same ideologically driven attacks on public serices. If as i've heard many people in UCD argue, we want to make links with unions, secondary students and communities, then we can not expect this to come about if we merely expect these sections to come on board our campaigns to our advantage, while we sit idly by as they struggle with out support from us. No struggle should be of an nature that means, we seek support from others but can't be arsed giving support when others need it.

Educational disadvantage is not something that emerges suddenly from no-where once the CAO applications hit secondary schools, but something that comes from a wider inequality in society and throughout the education system. If we, as a students want to force some change on the whole issue then we should not sit back and idly watch as an inequitable an unjust double tax is forced down the throat of communities in Dublin, a tax that can only contribute to further inequality. Never mind set a precedent for further privatisation throughout other public services, including education. If we are seriosu about fighting globalisation in education, then we'd want to wake up to the fact that it has to be opposed whereever it rears its spotty little head.

The union has a policy against the bin tax, and i say fair fucks to Oisin for acting on it, and fuck anybody who expects communities and unions to rush to the support of students everytime they decide they need support. Solidarity has to work both ways, or else its useless.

by SPer Thu Oct 30, 2003 16:44

Fair Play Pat!

by red - ucd Thu Oct 30, 2003 17:12

All Oisins work on stopping the re indroductuion of students fees (education issue Bobo?) has been forgotten already. Well I haven't keep up the good work oisin

by USI member Thu Oct 30, 2003 17:35

For the record, many SUs around the country have come out against the jailings and the bin tax. NUI Maynoot, UCD and Tallaght IT have all come out against bin tax and the jailings. At the Free Joe and Clare Demo I spotted many USI and SU officers. Those opposing the bin tax today gave support to the fight against fees last year- it's all from the same agenda of privatisation and commercialisation and is an assault on public services.

by USI member Thu Oct 30, 2003 17:37

Sorry I didn't mention this in my posting above, I was talking to some of the bin tax prisoners and they mentioned to me the large amount of support in the form of letters they got from students and SUs

by sarky Thu Oct 30, 2003 18:27

roll up , roll up, burn-the-trots knows a landlord who'll pay your bin charges and not add the cost onto your rent. I'll be his landlord suagardaddy will also pay your electricity bills and buy you pints on rent day.

find out who he is and get him evicted, there's poor people out there who need a service like that.

by Bobo Wed Nov 05, 2003 14:19

"All Oisins work on stopping the re indroductuion of students fees (education issue Bobo?) has been forgotten already. "

Ah yes, all on his own!
Dear pathetic hate campaign - if get a life. If you call asking a few awkward questions a hate campaign then that says more about you than me. As I said, I'm willing to be convinced Oisin has done some work - so convince me! Your silence speaks volumes!What exactly has Oisin done on the bookshop? A list of achievements and or incentives is all I'm looking for. So far his actions seem pretty tame. Has he occupied the bookshop in protest at their prices? Used any direct action at all?

by antrophe Wed Nov 05, 2003 16:49

Is a student union boycott of the book shop not a form of direct action, in that rather than a passive candle light vigil outside its an attempt to directly hit the shop financially, and force it to concede a price cut?

by Bobo Wed Nov 05, 2003 17:50

Antophe, just imagine that I'm a former UCD student now off doing a postgrad in another college. Now imagine that I'm still mildly interested in UCD student politics - partly because last year was a big success. Now give me a list of dates and events that Oisin has organised. Bravo for the boycott. Now what else did he do? Was it a one day token boycott, or has there been one every week since it started? Remember - if you convince me he's not neglecting Education i'll retract my negative comments.

by antrophe Wed Nov 05, 2003 20:09

Look, to be honest with you I really can't be arsed with this shite, it's a waste of my time and yours. The campus book shop boycott didn't really take off as a massive campaign, because there was a lack of student involvement, but whats new there in terms of UCD. Despite this, there was several days of pickets organised.

From a module on education held at class rep training there is a now a move to tackling the issue of cuts in library hours, a campaign on this will be starting very soon.

David Murphy, a UCD Student was jailed yesterday for hsi involvement in bin tax blockades in his community, a motion was passed at council supporting him and a campaign is now coming from this with mass leafletting of campus and a demonstration tomorrow.

Untill students begin to get involved in the union, youre expectations shouldnt be tooo high, we've had just two councils and it is only in the past week that class reps have begun to act since their elections as a co-herant part of the union structure.

by Bobo Wed Nov 05, 2003 21:22

Fair enough, he's not neglecting his job. I stand corrected.