Joe Higgins’ stunning victory in the Dublin Euro Constituency, getting 12.5% of the first preference vote, out polling Sinn Fein and defeating two sitting MEPs, was the final part in a weekend of drama and great election results for the Socialist Party in Ireland. read full story / add a comment

Anyone able to get tally figures,etc read full story / add a comment

The controversial ex-prime minister of the Czech Republic and rotating leader of the EU for most of this year, Mirek Topolanek has responded to the publication of five images taken by a Sardinian journalist's collection of many hundreds at the holiday villa of Italian billionaire, media mogul and prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

The publication of the photographs have provoked legal action from both Berlusconi and Topolanek despite their unprecendent sucess. "El Pais" has issued both English and Italian language editorials and garnered the complete support of the spanish union of journalists. read full story / add a comment

Today Emma Bonino vice-president of the Italian Senate (since May 8th), former European Union commissioner for humanitarian affairs & currently leader of the "Italian radical party" went on hunger and thirst strike last night in the main offices of the state TV RAI to protest
(1) the unfair allottment of state media time to the electoral parties
(2) the utter farce which has been the EU elections in Italy. read full story / add a comment

The Evening Herald today joined the political establishment in a desperate bid to dig FiannaFail out of an electoral hole in Dublin by publishing a pathetic 'Red Scare' smear against me as the Socialist Party Euro Candidate by Fianna Fail Minister of Defence, Willie O'Dea. Resorting to the most illiterate of political abuse, O'Dea pathetically tries to associate me with the ghost of the monster Stalin to scare Dublin voters, thereby insulting their intelligence.

The Herald is guilty of sharp practice and contemptible and partisan pro Fianna Fail propaganda by publishing lies from both O'Dea and Eoin Ryan without, quite deliberately, having afforded me any opportunity to respond. read full story / add a comment

This is the final election broadcast of Joe Higgins, who is standing for the Euro elections in Dublin, with a chance of beating Fianna Fail's Eoin Ryan, and winning a seat.

In the video Joe summarizes why he wants people to vote for the Socialist Party in the Euro & Local elections. read full story / add a comment

Ahead of Friday's poll, two election candidates have been facing quite different problems getting their message out through campaign posters. read full story / add a comment

Edward Horgan Resigns from Green Party
Veteran UN peacekeeper and human rights activist Dr. Edward Horgan was a prominent Green Party member until he resigned and gave his support for the EU elections to independent candidate Patricia McKenna.

Mr Horgan who was a prominent member of the Greens for many years tore up his Green Party membership card during a Green Party press conference saying that the party had not only let their voters down but also members of their own party.

Patricia McKenna stated; “I welcome Edward’s support, he has a great track record on highlighting human rights abuses and I am honoured that he is supporting my campaign.” read full story / add a comment

Anarchist organisation, Workers Solidarity Movement (WSM), has claimed that voting in Friday’s local, European and by-elections is a waste of time. read full story / add a comment

Dr Edward Horgan (Comdt. retd.), former UN peacekeeper and anti-war/human rights activist today resigned his membership of the Green Party.
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PBPA says Vote for Real Change and Give the Government a Bloody Nose
Alliance Predicts Gains For Left Independents
Attacks On Joe Higgins Show The Establishment Is Running Scared read full story / add a comment

Euro Candidate For Sinn Féin Kathleen Funchion, Visits Newbridge read full story / add a comment

Independent Euro candidate and former MEP Patricia McKenna is calling for the Green Party to withdraw from Government. Her call is being backed by former Green Party Councillors Chris O'Leary and Betty Doran.

They are appealing to the Green Party to do what is needed for Ireland by pulling out of government, thus causing a general election. If the Greens stand behind what Fianna Fáil is currently trying to do, they will be participating in economic treason. If they allow NAMA - which has the taxpayers riding to the rescue of banks that were bankrupted with the help of Fianna Fáil leaders and their cronies - to be voted through, there will be no going back and the people of this nation will be footing the bill for generations to come. The Government has no mandate to go ahead with NAMA. The only democratic action would be to ask the people what options they prefer to take to help address the current crisis. read full story / add a comment

Just when Fianna Fail's Dublin Euro Candidate Eoin Ryan thought it couldn't get much worse, it did. Mary Harney publicly endorsed him!

The hapless Eoin must have felt his political lifeblood chill as Harney's cold kiss of political support sealed his fate.Already spurned by many categories of workers from airport staff to teachers - all victims of Fianna Fail's slash and burn response to the Fianna Fail induced crash - now every nurse, doctor, hospital attendant and taxi driver whom Harney has alienated in her day will join the revolt. read full story / add a comment

It has been an extremely busy campaign for Sean Downey, local election hopeful for Sinn Féin in recent months but took a brief rest bight to convey the overwhelming anger and discontent he has witnessed toward the government and many present councillors during his election campaign, and the key issues as he will try and tackle.
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Independent candidate Erik Eblana, has called for a complete overhaul of the system of payments to councillors. Mr Eblana, from the Pembroke-Rathmines ward, also stated that any review must be done by an independent body, not including councillors or the council itself.

‘Appearances and transparency are critical when it comes to spending public money and getting best value for all expenditure incurred including over €400,000 on expenses alone for the 52 councillors on Dublin City Council, ’ Mr Eblana said.

‘In my view, as an outsider to the current political consensus, I would abolish the attendance payments to councillors for example. This is a tax free payment of €8406 paid for attending city council meetings in addition to the €17,604 salary and other expenses.

‘This is just wrong. As a councillor you are supposed to attend meetings. It’s your job! And if you can’t attend them or need a lure to get you there well then I’d question why you would go for the job of councillor in the first place.
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The latest opinion polls continue to reveal a decline in support for Fianna Fáil, traditionally Ireland’s most successful political party. Disapproval of the coalition FF/Green Government’s performance is at 84%, a staggering indicator of dissent. Yet FF – the Soldiers of Destiny - retain support from some 20% of the electorate. Apparently not all who are dissatisfied will vote against the party. read full story / add a comment

The European election campaign is now in it's final push. The main leaflet for Joe Higgins' campaign has been produced, with the hope of getting it into 200,000 homes in the next week. We have produced 2,000 new full colour posters which we need to get up. In order to do that we are launching an appeal for volunteers to help out - take a bundle of leaflets for your estate or one nearby, spare an hour to put up some posters, hand out leaflets with Joe in town or donate towards the cost of the campaign.
Simply log on to the link below to help out. read full story / add a comment

Joe Higgins, Socialist Party Euro Election Candidate, has today signed a pledge from Bird Watch Ireland, promising to fight for the environment.

As well well as defending the rights of workers, young people and the unemployed, Joe is also a fighter for real action to halt climate change and defend our natural environment. Joe Higgins argues that people and the planet must come before the profits of big business and the rich. read full story / add a comment

10,000 leaflets to be delivered in Cork attacking the Green party sellout read full story / add a comment