LOOK BACK IN ANGER THIS SUNDAY AND REMEMBER ALL THE DEAD OF WORLD WAR 1
Supported by:
Sinead Cusack Actor, Felim Egan Artist, Frank Mc Donald Journalist & Writer, Raymond Deane Composer, Stuart Dunne Actor & Artist, Sean Harrington Architect, Rev. Patrick Comerford President CND, Patricia Mc Kenna former MEP, Richard Boyd Barrett TD, Clare Daly TD, Aengus O Snodaigh TD, Brid Smith TD, Joan Collins TD, Eamonn McCann former MLA for PBP, Councillor Tina Mc Veigh, former Councillor Enda Fanning, Goretti Horgan Ulster University, Marcin Wojcik Lecturer DIT, Ms. Deirdre Judge and more.

The Irish Anti-War Movement will hold a dignified vigil at the entrance to the Irish National War Memorial in Island Bridge, Dublin on this Sunday morning 11 November from 10am to 11am.

This is to coincide with the World War 1 Armistice People’s Remembrance organised by the Royal British Legion that is taking place in the Memorial Garden from 10.45am.

Our vigil will remember all the dead of WW1 – Irish, British, German, Turkish, soldiers from the colonies etc. and the millions of civilians that died – and we will ask one simple question - What did they die for? This is the title of our pamphlet published four years ago at the centenary of the beginning of the war along with a statement signed by many prominent Irish people. We encourage people who attend to wear white poppies as a symbol of peace. read full story / add a comment

Ireland has just been identified as one of the most unequal countries in the EU regarding access to healthcare according to a joint report by TASC, FEPS and Trinity College.

“Without health and social measures that compensate for poor health, individuals are not able to fully participate in political and social life. The great importance of health is related to its value to all other life spheres. Not only do individuals have a right to health and well-being, but they also have manifold individual rights that are constrained in the case of poor health. From this perspective, health inequalities represent a particularly serious social injustice in modern societies” (‘Health Inequalities in Europe’) read full story / add a comment

So far, due to a variety of ignoble reasons, not least public healthcare being farmed out to private laboratories, at least 221 Irish women have now been identified whose smear tests had been read incorrectly with tragic consequences read full story / add a comment

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

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

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

Andy Irvine, Mick Hanley, Donal Lunny, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh and other special guests will headline this memorable event. read full story / add a comment

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

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

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

What, in God’s name, can any President of Ireland achieve in a second term that could have been achieved in a single seven years term?

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Climate denial group the Irish Climate Science Forum (ICSF) has significantly escalated its lobbying campaign to prevent climate action.

The group’s main function until now has been to hold behind-closed-doors meetings with infamous climate science deniers as guest speakers. But it has now submitted a document to the Irish Parliament insisting climate change simply isn’t as bad as scientists make out, DeSmog UK has learned.

The group, which has no publicly accessible membership or officer list, has run a series of ‘invitation-only’ events in Dublin over the last 18 months allowing familiar faces from the world of climate denial, such as Richard Lindzen, William Happer, Henrik Svensmark and Nicola Scafetta to showcase their debunked arguments against taking action on climate change. read full story / add a comment

Peat permitted as animal bedding due to ‘exceptional circumstances. Ban on use on organic farms also lifted

The Department of Agriculture has responded to objections about Teagasc’s recommended use of peat for animal bedding by stating that the authorisation has only been made in the ‘exceptional circumstances of the current fodder and bedding shortage’.

riends of the Irish Environment [FIE] had written to the Minister objecting to a recent Teagasc Factsheet entitled ‘Alternatives to straw bedding’ which recommended peat as an alternative to straw for animal bedding. The environmental charity’s submission provided evidence that Bord na Mona and independent operators are aggressively marketing peat for animal bedding this autumn. read full story / add a comment

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

Leaked memo shows business tactics to undermine climate change targets

BusinessEurope, the largest group of business interests in Europe – which includes Google and Facebook as well as IBEC– has advised its members to oppose the ‘new increases of ambition’ as the European Commission is considering whether to set more ambitious climate goals. The issue will be determined in December at the COP24 conference in Poland.

The memo, obtained by Greenpeace Europe, comes as a UN draft report due for publication in October is known to be calling for ‘rapid and far reaching’ changes. read full story / add a comment

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

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

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

European Commission issues Court proceedings against Ireland over water quality
More than 1 million Irish drinking water consumers affected by chemical exceedences

The European Commission has opened an infringement case against Ireland in the EU Court of Justice about the exceedances of the permitted level of the chemical trihalomethanes [THMs] in Irish drinking water. The proceedings, resulting from a complaint by Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE), cover not only the failure to meet the WHO and EU standards in water supplied to over 1 million consumers , but also the failure to comply with the obligation to ‘inform consumers promptly and give the necessary advice’. [1] read full story / add a comment

Imposing a President read full story / add a comment

This recently updated video shows animal exploitation in Ireland in a variety of settings, including slaughterhouses, farms, laboratories, hare coursing fields, and dairy parlours. read full story / add a comment

The Vegan Information Project are saying a sad farewell to Temple Bar Square in the heart of Dublin after featuring its "Vegan Information Day" events there since 2013. read full story / add a comment

Council planner ‘unable to do any enforcement files’
Blames 40% reduction in staff

A west Cork County Council’s planner was ‘unable’ to investigate an enforcement complaint ‘due to workload commitments’ as his ‘planning applications have to take priority’. [1]

Publication of internal mails detailing a ‘significant matter’ comes a week after Dr Áine Ryall of UCC called the lack of enforcement of environmental laws ‘a national scandal’ at a recent EU Law Conference. [2] read full story / add a comment