Erik Eblana: "Tax-Free Payments to Councillors Should End Now"

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.

Related Links: Erik Eblana's Website | Erik Eblana on Indymedia.ie | Erik Eblana on Facebook | Erik Eblana on Twitter

These Are Not Toy Soldiers

It was inevitable that the economic catastrophe caused by Fianna Fáil’s economic policies would dominate, almost exclusively, the Euro Election Campaign so far. However, it is also vital that we focus on some vital issues pertaining to the future direction of the European Union.

It is quite deplorable that the guarantees that the Government says it will have from the EU with regard to the Lisbon Treaty have not been published so that they could be debated during the current campaign.

However when it comes to the thrust toward militarisation of the EU firmly implanted in the Lisbon Treaty, no guarantees can change what are very categorical dictates to Member States.

Related Links: Joe Higgins column on how Lisbon would lead to more militarisation of the EU | Joe Higgins' Euro election Website | Socialist Party Website

Kila sing it loud and clear: Shell to Sea

Shell to Sea Galway pulled off a great publicity stunt last Saturday on the first night of the Galway ocean races of which Topaz is a main sponsor. The aim was to inform people that Topaz is Shell and encourage people to boycott Topaz. They arranged for a Kila member to wear a Shell to Sea t-shirt while playing on the Topaz mainstage, handed out fliers in the crowd and had several anti-shell/anti-topaz banners in the area. One banner which read 'Let's Do It Galway, Send Shell to Hell, Corribsos.com' was unfurled at the foot of the stage while Kila was playing, and when security attempted to take the banner from Shell to Sea and Climate Camp activists in the crowd, a Kila member came down from the stage, retrieved the banner from the security guard, and put it up on stage for everyone to see!

Related Links from Indymedia.ie:
Prison van carrying Maura into Montjoy blockaded for 20 minutes by Dublin S2S
Tripod Action at Glengad United Community of Erris Remove Shell Nets.
Shell security attack Willie Corduff after illegal Glengad compound dismantled
Scuffles At Mountjoy As Maura Harrington Is Jailed
Shell in Mayo from the Indymedia.ie Archives

Related Links outside of Indymedia.ie
The website of Shell-to-Sea - CorribSOS.com
Keep the pressure up: Contact ALL TDs, Senators, and MEPs in Ireland and let them know how you feel about Shell in Rossport - Contact.ie

Joe Higgins: Not just on the streets,
but also on the information superhighway.

This Sunday (24th May), the Socialist Party candidate in the Dublin Euro Election Campaign, Joe Higgins, will be doing a live online video Q&A session, to give people throughout Dublin the chance to directly ask him questions. Starting at 5pm, he will be answering questions as they come in, live on video through his website . To watch the video, or ask a question people simply have to log on at 5pm.

The event, which his campaign believes to be the first of its kind for Ireland, will also reach out to those in the online blogging community, who the campaign are keen to engage with. As well as taking questions from the internet, a number of ‘bloggers’ will also be at the event, taking place in the IFI in Templebar, with plenty of time to interview Joe.

RELATED LINKS:

- More information about the bloggers side of the event: - "Open Invitation to Bloggers"
- "Joe Higgins Launches Online Euro Election Campaign": Click Here
- "Joe Higgins - Why I'm Standing": Click Here
- Information about all the candidates running in the Dublin European Elections, and a chance to ask them all questions by email: Click Here

Socialist Party of Ireland website
Joe Higgins website

Dr Horgan leaving court after the case
against him was dismissed

A case brought by the state against human rights activist Edward Horgan as a result of his requests to have a suspected CIA rendition plane searched at Shannon was dismissed in Ennis yesterday (20th May). Judge Mangan, presiding over Shannon District Court, dismissed the case on the basis of legal arguments made by Mr Horgan’s defence council.

Related Links:

For further details of the incident on 18 June Click Here.

For details of all CIA-linked rendition flights and US military use of Shannon airport Click Here.

For report of deaths caused by US interrogators Click Here.