Joe Higgins.eu | Dublin Euro Election '09

GUE/NGL Press Release – Colombia’s human rights record demands investigation of GSP+ status

2010-03-11T14:58:50Z

GUE/NGL MEPs Joe Higgins and Helmut Scholz welcomed yesterday’s passing of a resolution on the GSP+ (General System of Preferences plus) trade scheme in the European Parliament. The ongoing violation of human rights in Colombia and in particular the murder of trade unionists, indigenous people and other civilians requires increased attention from the international community. Furthermore...

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Press Release – Survey of primary care in Tallaght exposes HSE’s ‘perverted method’ of financing hospital

2010-03-11T14:39:13Z

Following on from the recent news of X rays going unchecked by radiologists and written GP referrals being unattended to for up to two years a survey carried out by the Dublin South West branch of the Socialist Party a week before these scandals came to light reveal that the poor level of GP [...]

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Bring the resources of the Hedge Funds into public ownership!

2010-03-10T15:05:28Z

Joe Higgins MEP explains his abstention on today’s vote on the Financial Transactions Tax resolution and calls instead for the hedge funds to be taken into public ownership and their resources invested into society for the benefit of all. He criticises the Commission for conspiring with the speculators in their attacks on the Euro and [...]

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Three members of Socialist Resistance (Socialist Party in Kazakhstan) beaten and arrested – send protest letters

2010-03-10T12:47:46Z

On 7 March, in Taraz, southern Kazakhstan, three activists from Socialist Resistance (CWI), Dmitri Tikhonv, Vladimir Lomaev and comrade Mikhail were arrested by police. They were held outside a culture centre where a rock festival was taking place. A police patrol approached and asked the three to ‘accompany them’. A scuffle ensued, in which Dima was [...]

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Joe Higgins MEP condemns the use of preferential trade agreements to dominate developing countries

2010-03-10T12:21:18Z

At a plenary session, Joe Higgins MEP questions Karl de Gucht, EU Trade Commissioner, on the impact that preferential trade agreements have on the economies of the developing countries around the world as well as the awarding of preferential agreements to countries involved in serious human rights abuses and attacks on minorities and working people. [...]

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Solidarity with action by taxi drivers

2010-03-09T18:08:20Z

It is absolutely despicable that once again, taxi drivers have been forced to take action to highlight the plight that workers in the industry face. I support the actions of the taxi drivers in occupying the Regulator’s office and those taxi drivers who have withdrawn their service in solidarity. As a result of deregulation, we have [...]

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Removal of trees from M50 is an act of wanton vandalism

2010-03-09T17:52:19Z

Residents are now being subjected to increased levels of noise that are excessive and above the maximum level recommended. The Dublin Area Noise Plan recommends a maximum of 60dB (decibels) during daytime and 50dB at night for frequency range. Incredibly, some residents are experiencing noise levels of over 95dB! Even where noise barriers have been [...]

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Iceland rejections rejects repayment plan – where is the mandate for NAMA?

2010-03-08T13:23:26Z

The rejection by the Icelandic people, by such a decisive margin, of the proposed repayment package to major UK and Dutch depositors to the Landsbanki is to be welcomed by working people and the unemployed throughout the world. Had the terms “negotiated” by the Icelandic government amounting to €3.9 billion of repayments in a nation of [...]

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Free Mumia Abu-Jamal – Report from meeting organised by the GUE/NGL

2010-03-08T11:38:36Z

“Mumia Abu-Jamal has been on Death Row for almost 30 years in Pennsylvania. He’s currently sitting in a very small dark cell on Death Row. He is in solitary confinement as are all on Death Row. Mumia only gets to bathe three times a week. He is allowed outside five days a week for a [...]

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GUE/NGL Press Release – Relentless EU dismantling of postal services will hit both workers and customers

2010-03-05T15:11:53Z

Opening today’s GUE/NGL group conference on the liberalisation of postal services, Irish MEP Joe Higgins said citizens were being hit hard by the Commission’s ongoing drive to privatise Europe’s postal services. “This relentless process of liberalisation totally ignores the impact on workers and customers as well as the social functions of public postal services. The EU...

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Greek workers’ resistance to attacks is an example to be followed in Ireland

2010-03-05T15:08:46Z

It is a privilege to be invited to join other public representatives from the European revolutionary left this weekend to address Greek workers and activists at forums in Athens and Salonika. I will bring the experience of Irish working people into the forums that I will be addressing and which I expect are fundamentally similar experiences [...]

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Workers must resist attempts to increase retirement age

2010-03-04T10:50:40Z

There is a growing clamour to force upwards the retirement age for workers. Today the Government is scheduled to publish new proposals for future pension arrangements in Ireland. Minister for Social and Family Affairs Hanafin has already hinted that the age at which people first receive the State pension should be raised. Bank of Ireland is [...]

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Report from the “Women and the Economic Crisis” meeting in the European Parliament

2010-03-01T18:23:32Z

A meeting was held in the European Parliament last week titled ‘Women and the Economic Crisis’. The event brought together many activists, left wing parties and women’s’ groups and was hosted by the United Left group (GUE/NGL). The meeting discussed the effects of the economic crisis on women and what solutions the left had. There [...]

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Release Pat O’Donnell and bring the Corrib gas field back into public control

2010-03-01T15:20:50Z

Having travelled from Dublin on Friday to visit Pat O’Donnell in Castlerea Prison, I was encouraged by Pat stating that he was well treated and well respected by prison staff. However, it is an outrage that Pat O’Donnell finds himself in prison at all. He is a victim of the criminalisation of decent people involved [...]

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Joe Higgins MEP interviewed at the protest in solidarity with Green Isle workers

2010-03-03T23:02:49Z

Joe Higgins MEP interviewed at a demonstration called in solidarity with striking workers at Green Isle foods in Naas, Co. Kildare. Two of the strikers are currently on hunger strike.

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EU Commission exposes its true colours with support for NAMA

2010-02-28T17:13:50Z

Today the EU Commission signals its approval for NAMA. Their timing may well prove unfortunate for them as even among some of our domestic pro-capitalist economic commentators, an early verdict has been passed that the valuations of land and property due to be taken over by NAMA are grossly overpriced. Consider, for example, the recent [...]

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Joe Higgins MEP comments on the recent train crash in Belgium

2010-03-03T22:52:45Z

Following the recent horrific train crash in Belgium, Joe Higgins MEP calls for an end to the neoliberal and deregulation policies of the establishment which has to the collapse of safety standards in public transport. Joe also rejects any attempts to blaim Belgian train workers for this disaster. As a result of right-wing neoliberal policies, [...]

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Quality local services need investment, not a Mayor

2010-02-26T12:51:27Z

The publication of the proposals for a new Dublin Mayor shows Minister Gormley to be delusional in thinking that this is a serious reform of local government. The new Mayor would have no independent budget, no extra funding for services and virtually no independent powers. The position, however, would carry a bloated ministerial salary and [...]

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Escalation of Public Service industrial action is long overdue

2010-02-24T22:48:43Z

The promise last night by SIPTU President Jack O’Connor of an escalation of public service industrial action will get a positive echo from many workers who saw their wages slashed by over 15% last year between levies and the budget cuts. I said last month that the work to rule was an inadequate response to the [...]

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Hangargate – we need a publicly owned maintenance facility

2010-02-24T22:39:28Z

Now that the noise has temporarily abated in the controversy over Ryanair’s demand to be given control of the biggest hangar at Dublin Airport, perhaps we can step back and put the whole episode into perspective. And what an extraordinary story it reveals about the economic, social and political relations in Ireland at this point [...]

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