SAOIRSE Online Newsroom

SCHOOL SCAM

Michael Ryan, Limerick Republican Sinn Féin

September 6, 2004

The charging of a hundred euro for school heating to parents living in large housing estates where many are on low pay is creating a new “educational apartheid” the Limerick branch of Republican Sinn Féin stated today.

RSF spokesman Michael Ryan said that parents are already under enough financial strain from new uniforms and books without the education system imposing additional demands for money.

“The fact is that parents have already forked out hundreds of euro for new books and uniforms,” said Mr. Ryan. “This demand for payments for school heating is the latest twist in extracting cash from hard pressed parents.

“In places like Ballynanty, Kileely and Moyross many parents are struggling to do their best for their children without the schools imposing these additional financial demands for heating.

“The schools are closed for the summer months so no heating is required but surely the State should adequately finance the schools without this ‘educational blackmail’ being levied on parents.

“It is a bit much to expect parents to pay for school heating when the politicians continually praise the high standards of Irish education. These escalating financial demands are creating a new ‘educational apartheid’ in estates where many parents are on low pay or working in basic community job schemes.”

SAOIRSE Online Newsroom

BAN ANNE

Joe Lynch, Limerick Republican Sinn Féin

September 9, 2004

A call has been made on the Mayor of Limerick by the local branch of Republican Sinn Féin to boycott the visit to the city on Friday of the daughter of the Queen of England because of the role the British Crown has played in Ireland.

RSF Munster spokesman Joe Lynch said the visit by Princess Anne to the University of Limerick is an insult to the two mayors of the city who were murdered by British Crown forces.

“We are calling on the Mayor of Limerick Michael Hourigan to refuse to meet this representative of the British Crown – she is a Colonel in Chief of a British Army regiment and represents the British military machine,” said Mr. Lynch.

“If the Mayor goes ahead and meets the daughter of the Queen of England in City Hall he will be in sight of the Strand where two Limerick Mayors were murdered by the British forces during the War of Independence.

“The fact that O’Callaghan Strand and Clancy Strand lining the River Shannon across from his office are named after two of his predecessors must surely register with Mayor Hourigan.

“However the record of Fine Gael in relation to licking so called royalty is appalling considering the lavish praise heaped on Prince Charles by John Bruton the former party leader.

“Now is the time for Fine Gael to take a stand against this attempt to normalise British rule in Ireland. It is all part of the process to pretend that partition no longer exists – but the fact is partition is being copper-fastened by events like these and we feel the Mayor should not take part in this charade.”

BBC

Bush envoy to join talks

US special envoy Mitchell Reiss will join the talks

President Bush’s special envoy to Northern Ireland will join intensive talks aimed at restoring devolved government to the province.

Mitchell Reiss will take part in the all-party discussions at Leeds Castle in Kent later this month, it emerged on Thursday.

The talks, aimed at resolving issues surrounding the deadlock over the IRA’s continued existence and power-sharing at Stormont, will be chaired by the British and Irish prime ministers.

Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy said on Wednesday that the talks would be the moment of decision for the peace process.

Mr Murphy told MPs that the government was not contemplating failure at the talks, which were a “crucial part of the process”.

A week of intense activity aimed at generating movement in the Northern Ireland political situation should culminate in Mr Blair’s Sedgefield constituency on Friday.

The prime minister is expected to meet Bertie Ahern to assess the chances of progress at the Leeds Castle talks.

The political institutions in Northern Ireland were suspended in October 2002 amid allegations of IRA intelligence gathering at the Northern Ireland Office.

The DUP and Sinn Fein have maintained high-level contacts with both governments over the summer.