Sinn Féin candidate to fight Bin Tax summons

by Jim C Fri Apr 23, 2004 14:42

Keep up the good work

by SFwatch Fri Apr 23, 2004 15:27

Fair play to Wexford SF is they are indeed choosing to tackle the bin tax in the county. However considering the fact that SF councillor in South Dublin, Mark Daly in fact pays the bin tax and calls on all residents in Dubli to do likewise at the time there is a mass campaign of non payment makes me a bit sceptical about SF in Wexford's real opposition to the bin tax. I wouls also be very surprised in SF in Wexford would be prepared to see their members go to prison. In Dublin SF reps continually apologised in front of the court upon direction of SF head office at a time when residents were staring at jail sentences. I understand that some people for personal reasons had to apologise but in the case of most SF reps it was simply because they lacked the backbone.

by SPwatch Fri Apr 23, 2004 15:39

I seem to remember that leading SP members also signed documents swearing that they would not obstruct collection of bins. The SP might try and find time in their schedule to answer the points raised by Dermot Connolly.

by Curious Fri Apr 23, 2004 15:43

Which Sinn Fein reps apologies in Court? This is the first time I heard of that happening. I know a couple of their people went to prison, but I didn't hear about any representatives apologising in Court. Were they councillors or elected reps?

Daly is old news and a fucking disgrace who will be chucked out by the people of Tallaght in June, but simply because Daly did it, doesn't mean all of them did the same.

by activist Fri Apr 23, 2004 15:49

The tactics put forward by Connolly and others such as the SWP during the bin tax battle were for not to extend the battle into the City, South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire while the campaign was underway in Fingal. These tactics were rejected by the vast majority of activists at the time.

by SFwatch Fri Apr 23, 2004 15:54

Of course the actions of a few of the SF reps such as Daly doesn't tar all of SF with the same brush. As you pointed out, a couple of their members went to prison (although this was against the advice of the SF leadership at the time). What it proves is that SF are not fully behind the campaign against the bin tax, they have a very patchy record, in some areas they support the tax (Mark Daly and Sligo) in others they campaigned against it.

The rep I was refering to was Joe Comerford, a SF candidate in the DLR Co Co elections. He aplogised in court while other residents faced prison.

by SPwatch Fri Apr 23, 2004 15:58

Did the SP fulltimers Stephen Boyd and Kevin McLoughlin sign Council documents swearing not to obstuct bin collections?

by Chruncer- Fri Apr 23, 2004 16:04

Actually Mark Daly looks set to retain his seat in Tallaght South according to most opinion in the area and probably bring in his running mate Sean O'Cadhala along with him. The issue of the bins is there, but its not huge, people except our argument that its about how to overturn the governments decision to remove the councils democratic rights and give them over to the county manager, that’s the crux.
One should remember that Sinn Fein have almost 2280 votes (last general election agreed tally) in that area, that is about 2.20 quotas. The Sinn Fein vote is holding up and if anything growing. They have knocked on about a thousand houses in the area so far and have had out around 30,000 pieces of literature in the last two months including a twelve-page newspaper in the last week.
Also, I would like to ask what has happened to the money collected in order to pay the legal costs of residents who cannot afford to pay. As I contributed I would like to know. I am very concerned that the funds will be used to pay for political campaigns, which is obtaining money under false pretenses in my opinion. I am currently drawing up a request this information from the different groups, however, given that it was the people’s money I feel we have a right to know and it would probably be best if the campaign voluntarily gave this information.

by Echoing Serge Fri Apr 23, 2004 18:34

"The tactics put forward by Connolly and others such as the SWP during the bin tax battle were for not to extend the battle into the City, South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire while the campaign was underway in Fingal. These tactics were rejected by the vast majority of activists at the time."

It just won't work you know, this is a wider audience - not puppy land. Just because you put Dermot Connolly and the SWP in the same sentence does not mean we will see the two as one and the same. While the campaign was under way in Fingal Dermot was busy organising blockades - ever heard of Mount Tallant and Ringsend in your Fingal-centric world. From what I can remember Dermot Connolly went to jail for two weeks - guess what he didn't sign any waiver from the council. He never complied with the wishes of the council. Which of course is more than you can say for Kevin, Boyd or O'Brien.
Cease the re-writing of history.

To paraphrase what I once heard -
The SP might not think they are the centre of the universe but they are certainly the centre of their universe.

by Tony O'Reilly Fri Apr 23, 2004 20:08

"...also be very surprised in SF in Wexford would be prepared to see their members go to prison"

- I think you'll find that the SP/SWP foray into Mountjoy does not compare with the mammoth political sacrifice of many republicans who endured inhumane and degrading treatment while on lengthy sojourns to Her Majesty's jails.

As for Mark Daly. Bad politics, I agree, but see how long he lasts in SF.

As for the rest of the candidates - where was Joe Higgins when Chrsity Burke (SF) went to jail for the street traders?

by ? Sat Apr 24, 2004 00:07

Boyd and McLoughlin might have written something but they immediately went out and disrupted the Councils bin collection service afterwards. Dermot Connolly argued against blockades and tried to sabotage them. Boyd and McLoughlin were on blockades on a daily basis for months. They were at the heart of the struggle not sitting on the sidelines like Dermot Connolly and Brid Smith.

by Disgusted Sat Apr 24, 2004 00:21

I am totally disgusted by the comment attacking Joe Higgins. He is the only real politician who has stood up for us in decades and you have the nerve to come on here and slag him off. There are 5 or is it 6 Sinn Fein TDs in the Dail and collectively they haven't even got near to matching Joe Higgins and his impact as one individual in the way he has hassled the government. In his principled stand on everything, on the way he even stood out and opposed the war. The real question is how many SF TDs or councillors even did anything during the bin tax campaign that meant their names were taken under the injunctions? None. Joe is a workers leaders. He never compromises. He never backs down. He always puts working class people first. He is a hero to workers. Not like Martin McGuinness who implemented privatisation in the education system in the North. Or Bairbre De Bruin who closed hospitals. You have some fucking cheek attacking Joe Higgins.

by DOD Sat Apr 24, 2004 01:03

I don't know the specifics of the Mark Daly case. Maybe he is for the bin charges I don't know. However, I don't think there is necessarily much wrong with people paying their bin taxes even if they disagree with it. This issue can be fought more effectively with elected chambers. Bin charges were brought in in many parts of Ireland years ago. I am a student in Limerick. As bad as the bin charges themselves may be, in Limerick they are collected by a private company. I may not like this, but I am not going to say, I want to see my rent itemised, so that I don't pay for the bins. I pay what I'm asked, get it out of the way. At home in Cork, where I'm from, my mother pays the bins, I do not harp on at her about it, and I would probably pay them myself if I owned my own house, it would depend on what support I would get. In my area, I expect I would get none. I think we should increase general taxation and abolish taxes such as the bin charges. However I would also personally be against TV licenses, yet people don't protest over that. It's equally as stupid as the bins, but people pay them. I don't think there is anything wrong with just paying the bloody thing while it's there.

by observer Sat Apr 24, 2004 02:25

Stephen Boyd and Mc Laughlin are not fit to lick the boots of any republican activist. Neither of them have ever worked a fucking day in their lives nor had a hard day. And it's a shame that little wasters like them should be in a position to do the dirt on someone like Dermot Connolly, who whatever about his politics was the fucking real deal. A genuine working class socialist.

by Bobby Sat Apr 24, 2004 13:09

What does SF do to their 'dissidents'??

Remember Bobby Tohill??

by Tallaght man Sat Apr 24, 2004 13:23

SF have some fucking cheek saying that the SP have been using bin tax campaign money for SP campaigns. The bin tax money is completely seperate, each campaign has bank accounts and proper details of all transactions. Anyone who is interested can find out the details of where all the money went. So could SF please stop spreading these lies.

I really find it extra ironic when it is SF that are getting money from big business in America. this does effect their politics, look at the massive donations from Coke for example. Surprise surprise who was it that lead the campaign against the boycott in UCD? SF members in the Coke plant and Ann Speed.

On bin tax, Mark Daly pays his and wrote a letter into the Echo encouraging others to do likewise. OK, this may disgust the vast majority of SF members, so why is he still a SF candidate? Surely if a candidate goes against the party's position on an important issue like this questions have to be asked about that persons candidacy. No matter what you mite like to think, he has lost support over this. People don't have the same respect for Crowe as they do for Daly, Daly is seen more to be a sell out. He wont poll as well as Crowe.

I believe that the running mate of Daly was a USI officer last year? Why did USI do nothing when a USI memeber was jailed for protesting against the bin tax?

by PDwatch Sat Apr 24, 2004 13:34

For your information, Bobby Tohill was arrested last week entering Divis Flats with a handgun, in an attempt to assassinate a local republican.

It's not the first time that these dissidents, who have been taking in gun shipments from drug cartels and who are despised in most republican areas, have attempted to derail the peace process by targeting fellow republicans.

For this reason, Bobby Tohill is nobody's hero.

As regards Joe Higgins, I think my friend's overzealous lionising above is a little twee. However, I agree Joe is a good guy, a great worker and a committed socialist. I was merely making a rhetorical point: if socialists choose to criticise SF, we could easily start going down the same road. It's all counterproductive. Joe, like Baribre De Brún, least of all needs the vitriol of fellow socialists. There's enough of that from the PDs.

it's just a pity Joe is a partitionist and believes that the North (which, if left alone, has been shown to turn into mayhem) should be left to its own devices. While he viciously opposes nationalism, he seems to associate it too readily with civic republicanism (a philosophy cognate to anarchism). this is by no means a condemnation. I like Joe. I'd just like if he wasn't so blinkered about inequality once it stretches past Dundalk.

by Daly Daily Sat Apr 24, 2004 13:43

Agreeance on Daly, but are we to attack everyone that joins organisations like the USI in a bid to change them?

Rory Hearne was TCD student president: is he a sellout?

Joe Higgins sits in a conservative assembly, is he a sellout?

Friedrich Engels owned a factory (the "big business" funding Marx): I suppose he's a sellout as well.

The reality is it's all shit: capitalism, that is. We can't avoid it until we can muster enough support for revolutionary change, and that will take money and time (hence the yankee dollar).

the difference with SF funding from US is that the funders have no vested interest in SF soci-economic policy: they have no land over here they want rezoned etc. So it comes without strings attached and, despite the lies peddled by mainstream media, the vast bulk of that money comes from Joe Soap Irish Americans who work all day like the rest of us and have a few subversive funds to spare.

PS; As regards Colombia - which party do the three people currently held hostage by the US-Colombian puppet government? Are you supporting the campaign for their release?

by Tallaght man Sat Apr 24, 2004 13:54

American multi nationals do have an interest in Ireland. The vast majority of Irelands industry is owned and controlled by multi nationals. Do you not think that the issues around SF and Coke boycotts raise serious questions? You can try to justify it all you like in your own mind but SF taking money off big business while claiming to be a left wing working class party is contradictatory.

On USI, I am not critisising yourman for being a USI officer last year. I think it is commendable that someone would attempt to reclaim USI and the conservative trade unions into proper fighting bodies. This is what Rory Hearne attempted to do, but where is the evidence of SF members doing this? For example what did SFmembers in USI do to fight for the jailed USI member who went to prison over bin tax? USI did nothing while a member of theirs was in prison for participating in a protest.

Of course I'd support the release of anyone that is being held unjustly by the puppet Colombian regime.

by National question Sat Apr 24, 2004 13:58

'PDwatch' I think you are mistaken about the SP's position on the North. The SP do not have a 'two states' solution, the SP are not 'partitionists as you might think. Have a look at the SP site for the actual position on the North

by Pol Kinsella Mon Apr 26, 2004 12:59

Firstly, Mark Daly's running mate was not a member of USI last year. His running mate is Sean O’Cadhala, a lecturer in Irish at DIT. The candidate in the Tallaght South ward, Mr. Brendan Ferron was an officer last year. Those who knew him in USI last year would know that he was a the forefront at national council when it came to attacking Colm Jordan et al. on policy which would not be consistent with his own beliefs and also if the direction of the organization did not support ending disadvantaged access. He has been consistent in his beliefs throughout his political involvement. I know that he, like Sean Crowe has refused to pay his bin charges and has no intention of doing so.

I don't think he can be blamed for the lack of support for Mr. Murphy from USI when he went to jail as he is no longer a student or has any involvement what so ever with USI.

Next, the issue of Mr. Daly. Firstly, Mark Daly never wrote to The Echo calling on people to pay the charges. He was asked, as where all councilors in the chamber, if he had paid and he said yes, I paid it as I would pay any other bill I receive, but I still will be voting against them in the Council Chamber. I don’t want to make excuses for Clr. Daly, however he did not actually pay the charge himself. I believe that after quite a heated debate between him and his wife, she paid the charge. Mark recently has had a newborn son and his wife took the decision based on the believe that it would be impossible to go without waste collections for any great time. Mark’s wife took the decision, she is not a politician,, Mark is the politician, not her. I respect Marks wifes decision to pay, as I respected the rights of all others in SDCC who have paid. I wish this hadn’t happened as it sends the wrong message to the people. However, politics is not always the be all and end all and I can forgive the decision that his wife made after having been made aware of all the facts.

The reason why Mark Daly will be elected in Tallaght is this however; He is a very popular councilor because he works for people on the ground. They know that if he is contacted with an issue he will deal with it in a prompt manner. He has done an amazing amount of work in the area. Because of his hard work the Sinn Fein vote increased in the ward by 120% during the period of his office. People may want to believe that the bin tax will be the predominant issue of the Local elections, but it will not. People in Tallaght are more concerned about anti-social behavior, health and education than they are about Bin Taxes. Actually in the area that Mark is running in the biggest issue is Shamrock Rovers unfinished ground. All politics are local folks and that is probably even more evident in Old Bawn and Dominick's. The Sinn Fein canvass of the core votes sees it increasing. People may be involved in wishful thinking and hoping for the demise of Mark Daly, it aint going to happen.