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News about the Irish & Irish American culture, music, news, sports. This is hosted by the Irish Aires radio show on KPFT-FM 90.1 in Houston, Texas (a Pacifica community radio station)
November 06, 2004
News 11/04/04 - Police Cleared Over Ardoyne Tactics
News about Ireland & the Irish
BB 11/04/04 Police Cleared Over Riot Tactics
RT 11/04/04 Brady Seeks Catholic Support For NI Policing
BB 11/04/04 Murder 'Link To Shankill Butchers'
SF 11/04/04 SF MEP Travels To Canada For Friends Of SF Dinner
IO 11/04/04 Trimble Reselected As Upper Bann Candidate
IT 11/05/04 IRA Could Disband If It Chose To, Says Mcdowell
UT 11/04/04 Sinn Fein Criticised Over Phone Mast Campaign
BB 11/04/04 Staff Injured In Hospital Attack
BT 11/04/04 Shot Man 'Killed By Loyalist Terrorists'
SM 11/04/04 Irish Govnt Delayed 15 Mths Omagh Bombing DNA Samples'
SM 11/04/04 Pupil Banned In Red Hand of Ulster Badge Row
TB 11/04/04 Defending The Faith
BB 11/04/04 Victim's Son 'May Attend Service' –V
BT 11/04/04 Justice Vigil For Man In 'Thief' Attack
UT 11/04/04 Adams Concerned Over Job Losses
SM 11/04/04 Paisley Urges Ministers To Get Tough With IRA
BT 11/04/04 The Price Of Peace: Trimble On His Faith
IO 11/04/04 Anti-War Protesters Hit Out At Bush Re- Election
PI 11/04/04 Temple Bar Stop Being A Loutish Behaviour Playground
GA 11/04/04 Galway Gets Its Own Speakers' Corner
IT 11/05/04 Guinness Brewery Warns On EPA Limits
IT 11/05/04 Tuam Lavatory To Cost €500,000
******************************************
Police Cleared Over Riot Tactics
The Police Service of Northern Ireland has been cleared of blame
after violence erupted following a loyal order parade in a
flashpoint area of north Belfast.
Dozens of police and soldiers were injured during clashes with
nationalists in Ardoyne after the annual Orange Order parade on 12
July.
The parade had been restricted by the Northern Ireland Parades
Commission, which ruled that only lodge members and marshals could
take part in the parade back to Ballysillan as it passed the
Ardoyne shops.
Both nationalist and unionist politicians criticised the way in
which the parade was handled, and Sinn Fein claimed the PSNI
tactics had triggered the worst rioting in the city for two years.
However, a report by two human rights experts, Keir Starmer QC and
Jane Gordon, who were appointed by the Northern Ireland Policing
Board, has vindicated the operation.
The report, presented to the Policing Board on Thursday, said they
were satisfied that the PSNI "properly took all the relevant
factors into account" in deciding that they could not lawfully
exercise their powers to prevent the group of followers/supporters
from moving up the contentious part of the route.
It said: "It follows that the PSNI decision to allow the
followers/supporters up the contentious part of the route was
lawful because their judgment that the behaviour of the
followers/supporters did not justify holding them for a prolonged
period... cannot be faulted."
With heavy fencing to keep loyalists and nationalists apart, crowds
accompanying the marchers were allowed along the road several
minutes after the Orangemen had paraded through.
The decision inflamed the residents, and after missiles were thrown
from both sides, nationalist youths attacked police and Army. A
total of 25 PSNI officers and 10 soldiers were injured.
Force was used by the PSNI five times during the outbreak, with the
human rights team finding three of these occasions justified, said
the report.
'Legal framework'
However, the report said further evidence was needed before an
assessment could be made about the other two instances.
Amid fierce criticism at the time, Belfast's top police officer,
Assistant Chief Constable Duncan McCausland, insisted his officers
had followed the law in policing the parade.
The report said a legal attempt to overturn the Parades Commission
decision to bar any supporters from walking past Ardoyne had caused
further confusion when it was ruled that they were not included in
any determination.
With police left to decide whether they posed a big enough risk to
stop them, the report warned of major problems ahead.
"(This) will have a profound and detrimental effect on the ability
of the PSNI to police parades in the future," the report said.
"The significance of this conclusion cannot be underestimated. It
goes to the heart of the legal framework for policing parades in
Northern Ireland.
"In our view, it is critical that the implications of this are
fully realised and resolved as soon as possible."
North Belfast DUP MP Nigel Dodds welcomed the report and said the
police handling of the situation had been vindicated.
"This bears out our contention at the time of the absolute legality
of allowing supporters and relatives to walk home on the Twelfth of
July," he said.
"No nationalist or republican can now credibly maintain their
previous position."
He said the Parades Commission needed to accept that its "bizarre
and illogical" decisions had exacerbated problems rather than
creating solutions.
Fred Cobain, an Ulster Unionist Policing Board member, said the
report destroyed republican and nationalist claims that the parade
was unlawful or that supporters were displaying paramilitary
insignia.
The North Belfast MLA added: "Serious mistakes were made by the
Parades Commission which calls into question their very existence
and backs up the critical comments made about the body."
The SDLP's Alex Attwood said the report was "deeply flawed".
He said the report failed to recognise that the Parades Commission
did not want march supporters to go along the road.
"The police could have and should have used their public order
powers to stop the supporters getting up past Ardoyne shops," he
said.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2004/11/04 18:42:52 GMT
© BBC MMIV
******************************************
Brady Seeks Catholic Support For NI Policing
04 November 2004 16:29
The Catholic Primate Archbishop, Dr Sean Brady, has renewed his
call to Catholics to support the Policing Board and District
Policing Partnerships in Northern Ireland.
Speaking at a meeting of the Policing Board in Armagh, Dr Brady
also condemned the attacks and intimidation of Catholic members of
the Policing Board in recent times.
He said he deplored the intimidation that has taken place, and that
the work of those affected is vitally important. Dr Brady called on
everyone to reject completely those who try to halt progress
through violence, intimidation and criminality.
In a veiled reference to Sinn Féin's boycott of the PSNI, Dr Brady
said it was not enough to talk about the failings of the past and
just hope for a better future.
The meeting in Armagh marked the third anniversary of the
establishment of the Policing Board.
******************************************
Murder 'Link To Shankill Butchers'
A murder victim's body may be exhumed to find out if she was killed
by the notorious "Shankill Butchers" gang.
The burnt body of Rosaleen O'Kane was discovered in her Belfast
home almost 30 years ago.
No-one has ever been charged with the murder. The 33- year-old was
found in her flat at Cliftonpark Avenue in September 1976.
Her body had been stripped and set alight.
The case has now been referred to the newly-formed Serious Crime
Review Team, which investigates unsolved murders.
Miss O'Kane's family said police had told them of a possible link
with the Shankill Butchers to her killing.
The gang was a group of sadistic loyalist killers who conducted a
sectarian reign of terror against Catholics in Belfast between 1976
and 1978.
It was led by Lennie Murphy and killed at least 10 people.
We have not ruled out the possibility that advances in forensic
science could lead to us applying for an order to exhume Rosaleen's
remains to check if any additional evidence can be obtained, as has
occurred in several cases in the Republic
Patricia Coyle
Solicitor
A post mortem examination failed to determine the exact cause of Ms
O'Kane's death, partly because the pathologist could not conclude
whether her skull was fractured before or after her murder.
Blood and other forensic samples taken during the post mortem were
destroyed in a fire the following day at the NI Forensic Science
Laboratory.
Miss O'Kane's relatives were told that police had intelligence
information that two men from north Belfast were suspected of being
involved in the murder.
Both were said to have a "history" and police said they could not
rule out the possibility that a man named Murphy or the Shankill
Butchers were involved.
'Original police investigation'
The O'Kane family has obtained funding for a review of the original
post mortem evidence.
Solicitor Patricia Coyle said the review would be carried out by
Professor Marie Cassidy, Ireland's state pathologist.
Miss Coyle said: "We have not ruled out the possibility that
advances in forensic science could lead to us applying for an order
to exhume Rosaleen's remains to check if any additional evidence
can be obtained, as has occurred in several cases in the Republic."
She added: "Miss O'Kane's family have unanswered questions about
the cause of death, the original police investigation and who was
responsible."
Many of the Shankill Butchers' victims were Catholic men, abducted
in a taxi as they walked home from pubs in the city centre.
The gang got its name from the butchers' knives used to torture and
kill its victims whose mutilated bodies were later dumped in
loyalist parts of the city.
The police initially failed to link the killings but eventually
caught up with the gang, several of whose members had links with
the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF).
Several members of the gang, including William Moore, Sam
McAllister and Robert Bates, were jailed for life in 1979 but
Murphy, who was already in prison on a lesser charge, was murdered
by republicans in 1983. Bates was murdered in June 1997.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2004/11/04 15:03:41 GMT
© BBC MMIV
******************************************
Sinn Féin MEP Travels To Canada For The 4th Annual Friends Of Sinn
Féin Dinner
Published: 4 November, 2004
Sinn Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald and the head of Sinn Féin's
European Department, Eoin O‚Broin, will travel to Canada on Friday
5th November for the 4th annual Friends of Sinn Féin dinner. They
will return on Monday 8th November.
Speaking before her departure Mary Lou said, "I am looking forward
to travelling to Canada for this the 4th annual Friends of Sinn
Féin dinner. Friends of Sinn Féin Canada have played a major part
in supporting Irish unity. I look forward to updating them on the
current state of the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement
and to hearing their opinions on how we as Republicans can advance
our agenda for Irish unity." ENDS
******************************************
Trimble Reselected As Upper Bann Candidate
online.ie
2004-11-04 20:50:05+00
Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble tonight saw off a challenger
and was reselected to fight his Upper Bann constituency at the next
general election.
Mr Trimble received backing of 81% of the constituency association
at a meeting, defeating constituency treasurer Robert Oliver.
Mr Oliver, a businessman in Portadown, co Armagh, was one of two
people who stood against Mr Trimble in a party leadership challenge
back in March.
Mr Trimble won the day then also, after months of internal fighting
in the party following its poor showing in last year's Assembly
elections which saw it overtaken by Ian Paisley's Democratic
Unionist Party as the leading voice of unionism.
That was followed by a number of defections of UUP members to the
DUP, the most high profile being that of Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey
Donaldson in January.
A member of the Upper Bann constituency association who was at
tonight's meeting said: "The vote was quite clear. The association
is firmly behind Mr Trimble as its candidate for the next general
election."
Both men addressed the meeting and insiders insisted there was no
animosity and that the constituency was united.
Mr Oliver was even selected as a candidate for the area to stand in
the local council elections next year.
******************************************
IRA Could Disband If It Chose To, Says Mcdowell
Arthur Beesley, Political Reporter
The Minister for Justice has said it is "within the grasp" of the
Republican leadership to disband the Provisional IRA if they want
to make that choice.
Mr McDowell said it was clear the IRA remained a well- organised,
disciplined paramilitary body after the Independent Monitoring
Commission (IMC) said in its third report that the organisation
showed no sign of winding down operations.
While it was open to the republican leadership to disband the
organisation in the context of the current talks, the question was
being approached on the basis that nothing was agreed until
everything was agreed.
"I believe it is certainly available if people want to make that
choice, but it's a choice for others to make," he said. "If they
haven't prepared the ground then we're all proceeding on a false
basis. I believe it is within the grasp of everybody who is
engaging in paramilitarism at the moment to end that situation."
Mr McDowell indicated he was open to the possibility of Sinn Féin
entering Government in the Republic if the IRA was disbanded,
although he believed the party would have difficulty finding
partners due to its "marxist" economic policy. Such a stance
differed to that of his party colleague, Senator John Minihan, who
dismissed suggestions that Fianna Fáil should consider a coalition
with Sinn Féin if the IRA wound down. He said: " I have no problem
with the concept of Sinn Féin seeking to participate fully in Irish
politics, albeit as a party with a marxist economic philosophy,
with people who are willing to coalesce with them if there are such
people."
But he was opposed to Sinn Féin pretending to be a party capable of
entering Government while it remained "linked to an armed group
which claims to be the legitimate Government of the Irish State".
Mr McDowell said the IRA had stood down Dublin-based activists and
subjected them to "punishment" beatings in the North after
accusations that they were profiting from involvement in
criminality. Labour leader Mr Pat Rabbitte rubbished Sinn Féin's
rejection of the report. "Sinn Féin's attempts to dismiss and
undermine the conclusions of an independent body established by two
sovereign governments are utterly disingenuous."
© The Irish Times
******************************************
Sinn Fein Criticised Over Phone Mast Campaign
A Sinn Fein campaign against mobile phone masts could drive
potential investors and tourists away from the border with the
Irish Republic, a nationalist rival claimed today.
By:Press Association
Newry and Mourne SDLP councillor Pat McElroy urged Sinn Fein to
rethink its posters protesting against mobile phone masts because
he claimed they could prove off-putting.
Councillor McElroy said: "The large signage on the main A1 road at
Killeen Bridge and the plethora of skull and crossbones notices
across the area which claim that South Armagh is a high- risk
radiation zone is not, in my view, conducive to the promotion of
tourism, the sale of agricultural produce or will they encourage
inward investment.
"I would ask those responsible to rethink this ill- conceived
strategy, otherwise health-conscious tourists and investors alike
will avoid the area like they would the plague."
Local residents in South Armagh and in other areas across Northern
Ireland have expressed concern about the health implications of
mobile phone masts.
Councillor McElroy was also concerned about whether claims that
livestock are being affected by radiation would impact severely on
the local farming industry.
He warned: "If those delivering this somewhat frightening message
persist, it is then only a matter of time before housewives and
consumers will begin to question the source of their meat and milk
before purchasing.
"We all remember the price paid by the egg industry in the
aftermath of Edwina Curry`s infamous salmonella outburst.
"South Armagh farmers must not be placed in a similar position."
Newry and Mourne Sinn Fein Councillor Terry Hearty said the posters
were in fact protesting against British Army telecommunication
masts and surveillance equipment.
He accused the SDLP councillor of demonising local residents after
they raised legitimate concerns about the Army`s masts.
"The vast majority of residents living under the shadow of the
British military towers and surveillance equipment have serious and
genuine concerns about the ongoing effect that the emissions from
this paraphernalia has on their health," Councillor Hearty said.
"Academic and medical reports provide compelling evidence about the
impact of British Army watch towers and surveillance equipment on
this community.
"For those of us living in South Armagh, we are in essence, being
fried 24-hours a day seven days a week.
"A wide range of elected representatives from throughout Ireland,
including SDLP colleagues of Councillor McElroy, supports the
removal of these towers, the surveillance equipment and the
constant helicopter flights.
"Indeed many support the removal of the British war machine, which
undoubtedly damage tourism and inward investment.
"Whilst there are some like Councillor McElroy who want to continue
to demonise the community of South Armagh and trivialise the
genuine health concerns of people living in areas such as
Bessbrook, Camloch, Forkhill, Lislea, Crossmaglen, Newtownhamilton.
"Sinn Féin will continue to support all groups and individuals who
keep these concerns to the fore, out front, and not hidden away,
until they are resolved."
******************************************
Staff Injured In Hospital Attack
Three members of staff have been injured in an attack at a County
Armagh hospital.
A doctor, a security guard and a porter were injured during the
incident in the Accident and Emergency department of Craigavon Area
Hospital on Wednesday.
It began after a male patient was asked to stop shouting at his
girlfriend, but became verbally abusive to staff.
He was then joined by a group of other youths in the hospital foyer
and a security guard was punched about the head.
The brawl continued just outside the hospital and the youths began
throwing stones at staff, hitting a porter and a doctor.
Dr Gareth Hampton, the senior house officer who was injured, said
it was a very serious incident for the hospital.
"It was a serious incident involving a lot of people, a very high
level of violence," he said.
'Reprehensible attack'
"Both the security staff, the nursing staff and all the medical
staff were very exposed having an actual patient becoming so
violent and aggressive."
The police are studying a security video of the incident and said
they were looking for one person in connection with the incident.
Sinn Fein councillor John O'Dowd condemned the attack as
"reprehensible".
"Health service and other ancillary staff are under enough pressure
because of government policies without having to endure this type
of mindless and sickening behaviour," he said.
"I totally condemn this behaviour on people trying who are doing
their best, quite often under difficult circumstances, to provide a
caring and professional standard of service for the whole
community."
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2004/11/04 18:06:54 GMT
© BBC MMIV
******************************************
Shot Man 'Killed By Loyalist Terrorists'
Watchdog reports on threat to peace
By Chris Thornton and William Allen
04 November 2004
Londonderry man Darren Thompson's murder was carried out by a
paramilitary group, the Independent Monitoring Commission confirmed
today.
The ceasefire watchdog blamed an unspecified loyalist group for the
killing, the most recent paramilitary murder to take place in
Northern Ireland.
Mr Thompson, whose girlfriend is expecting their child, was shot in
the head as he walked to work on September 29. He died in hospital
a few days later.
It had been believed that Mr Thompson's murder, a gun attack on a
Waterside bar and a pipe-bomb attack on a Tullyally family were
linked to a feud between the UDA and UVF in Derry, but the two
organisations issued a joint statement dismissing talk of a feud.
Police said they believed the shooting and other incidents were a
result of a 'fall-out' among loyalists acting as individuals.
The watchdog also reported that paramilitary violence has dropped
over the past six months but the number of attacks remains
"disturbingly high".
The IMC said terror groups have "scaled back the intensity of their
activity" but retain the capacity to inflict serious violence and
are involved in serious organised crime.
Loyalist groups continue to be behind the bulk of the attacks,
according to the report laid before Parliament this morning.
And dissident republicans are still seeking to carry out attacks to
destabilise the peace process.
But as politicians attempt to close a deal to restore a power-
sharing administration at Stormont, attention was again directed at
the Provisional IRA. Today's report - already rejected by Sinn Fein
- may be viewed as a pressure point for winding up the IRA.
The report said the IRA showed "no signs of winding down", and is
still training and recruiting.
It was linked to some violence and other crime, including a major
theft outside Belfast last May.
"We conclude that since our last report there is no fundamental
change in the capacity of the organisation or its maintenance of a
state of preparedness, but we also find no evidence of activity
that might presage a return to a paramilitary campaign," the IMC
said.
The UVF was also noted to be maintaining an "active and violent
organisation". The loyalist group was blamed for half of recent
paramilitary murders and was blamed for bombings and racial
attacks.
The report says the UVF " retains a capacity for more widespread
violence".
Secretary of State Paul Murphy said he will fully consider the
report's recommendations, particularly concerning the battle
against organised crime.
"Partner agencies will work with our counterparts nationally and
internationally to take effective action to disrupt the workings of
the criminal organisations," he said.
The IMC also drew attention to a possible charity loophole that
allows paramilitary groups to launder money.
It said around 2,000 charities that were set up had never made tax
claims, raising the suspicion that the charities may have been set
up to open bank accounts.
******************************************
'Irish Government Delayed 15 Months On Omagh Bombing DNA Samples'
By Alan Irwin, PA News
The Irish government was responsible for a 15-month delay in
handing over DNA samples on Omagh bomb suspects to investigating
detectives, it was claimed tonight.
As senior Northern Ireland police commanders stressed their Garda
colleagues did not cause any cross-border hold-up, unionists
accused the Dublin authorities of denying access for political
reasons.
Representatives of the province's policing board were told the
request went through legal checks before officers trying to hunt
down the dissident republicans who murdered 29 people in the August
1998 massacre were given the material.
Both Chief Constable Hugh Orde and his assistant in charge of crime
operations, Sam Kinkaid, insisted police in the Irish Republic had
not been slow to respond.
Mr Kinkaid told a meeting of the scrutinising body in Armagh city:
"We see nothing to indicate Garda themselves played a role in this
delay. There have been other considerations but my feeling is it
clearly wasn't them."
Mr Orde later told how any request for evidence from another
country was a complicated process.
Although he refused to attribute any blame, he said: "There clearly
has been a delay.
"Whether the delay could have been shorter is a matter for
speculation."
The police chiefs' assessment provoked Democratic Unionist policing
board member Sammy Wilson to launch a scathing attack on the Irish
government.
He said: "It was quite clear this request had to go from the UK
Government to the Irish government and that it stuck with the
Department of Justice in the Republic.
"It was political considerations that delayed this for 15 months
because as soon as the Garda were given the go-ahead from the
Department of Justice they personally delivered the samples to
police in Northern Ireland."
The East Antrim MLA questioned the Dublin administration's
commitment to catching the Real IRA terrorists behind the worst
single atrocity in the history of the Northern Ireland troubles.
"They always have a political eye out when it comes to dealing with
terrorists, probably because they are fearful of the effect it has
on their own society.
"They said they would do everything to hunt down the perpetrators
of the Omagh bomb, yet they wrangled for 15 months, agonising over
what to do and this raises serious questions about their real
commitment."
******************************************
Pupil Banned In Badge Row
A PUPIL has been banned from class at a city secondary school for
wearing a lapel badge deemed sectarian.
Craig Gibbons, 14, a fourth year pupil at Tynecastle High School,
has been made to sit in an unused classroom by himself away from
other pupils, after he refused to remove a lapel badge depicting
the Red Hand of Ulster. He also refused to remove two others, one
of which depicted the Union Jack and the other the letters RFC -
signifying Rangers Football Club.
Staff at the school said the badges were sectarian, but Craig and
his father, Harry Gibbons, claim they are not and say the
youngster's human rights are being breached by the school.
The city council has no specific guidelines banning the wearing of
football symbols or flags in schools.
Education chiefs are to meet tomorrow to discuss Craig's future and
Mr Gibbons, a small works manager with a city scaffold firm, said
if his son is not allowed back into class he will consider taking
legal action. He said: "The first objection was taken in September
by Craig's history teacher who indicated that the three small lapel
badges being worn by Craig were offensive and sectarian and likely
to cause offence."
Mr Gibbons added neither he nor Craig believed the badges were
sectarian and that his son was being "victimised".
"Glasgow Rangers FC includes players of all religions and more,
Rangers FC supports anti-sectarian initiatives by Glasgow Council.
The Union flag is the flag of our country and it is nonsense to
suggest that it is a sectarian emblem. The Red Hand is universally
recognised as being the flag of Northern Ireland.
"Both my son's history teacher and the school's deputy head have
indicated that Northern Ireland has not been a country since 1972
and therefore does not have a flag - I reject this view as
historically inaccurate."
He added that he was extremely angry when he discovered Craig had
been made to sit in an disused classroom for the past two days.
"When Craig was segregated from classes and put in the box room on
Tuesday and Wednesday there was no heating. I am profoundly
disturbed that my son has been placed in a classroom on his own
totally isolated from all other pupils for all lessons."
A council spokeswoman said it was inappropriate to comment on the
case, but said: "The banning of football badges would be down to
the school's individual dress policy."
******************************************
Defending The Faith
Radical Unionist political commentator Dr John Coulter firmly
believes a spiritual revival amongst Unionists will force them to
reaffirm that what unites Unionism as an ideology is its defence of
the Protestant Reformed Faith.
Dr John Coulter • 4 November 2004
Northern Unionism, Orangeism, Protestantism and Loyalism is so
heavily fragmented with splits, factions and feuds that it will
require radical theological surgery to bring to an end almost a
generation of bitter internecine conflict and confrontation.
From the start of the Troubles in 1986 until the 1998 parades
dispute at in Portadown, County Armagh, the 60,000- strong
exclusively Protestant Orange Order had traditionally always acted
as the cement which held the various unionist and loyalist factions
and classes together.
However, the parades crisis across the North where the Order was
demanding its right to march through predominantly Catholic
localities has severely tarnished its image on the global media
stage, as well as losing the movement considerable support amongst
the highly influential Protestant middle class.
For the Orange Order to have a meaningful role within
Protestantism, it will have to abandon its political activity and
re-structure itself as an entirely religious organisation dedicated
to the defence of the Biblical teachings of Jesus Christ.
A formal split between the Order and the Ulster Unionist Party's
governing body, the 900-delegate Ulster Unionist Council, looks
certain within the next year. This is not primarily for religious
reasons. Politically, since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, the
Order has been at odds with the pro-Agreement thinking of the UUC.
The Order's 150 delegates have become a rallying point for
dissident anti-Agreement support on the Council. In 1905, the UUC
commemorates its centenary (ironically, also the same year Sinn
Fein was founded).
The UUC was formed to mobilise Protestant opposition to the Home
Rule crisis. In this, the Order played a vital role as a vehicle of
communication between the Protestant denominations and the
Protestant working, middle and aristocratic classes, especially in
Ulster.
The best way the Order can mark this significant anniversary within
Unionism is to formally leave the UUC and revamp the spiritual
Qualifications of an Orangeman – the oath of allegiance which
Protestants swear upon initiation in the Order. It states: "An
Orangeman should have a sincere love and veneration for his
Heavenly Father; an humble and steadfast faith in Jesus Christ, the
Saviour of mankind, believing in Him to be the only Mediator
between God and man."
The present Qualifications are theologically Salvationist in ethos,
but they need to be reinforced using the New Testament teachings of
Christ so the only way Protestants could join the Order would be if
they were truly 'born again Christians'. Practically, Christ's
words as found in St John Chapter 3 and verse 16 – "For God so
loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
(King James translation) – need to be incorporated into the
Qualifications oath.
Such a move, if implemented, would position the Order as a
springboard to trigger a 'spiritual rebirth' in Ireland not
experienced since the famous Ulster revival of 1859 when thousands
of people become 'born again believers'.
The Order's religious re-motivation would also force it to re-think
its relations with the Church of Rome, especially with the growth
of the evangelical Catholic movement within Ireland. These are
Salvationist Catholics who view themselves as 'born again
Christians', but rather than leave Catholicism, have chosen to
remain in their churches and evangelise from within.
Some of the most high-profile of these produced a classic
Salvationist theological work – 'Adventures in Reconciliation', the
testimonies of 29 evangelical Roman Catholics in Ireland.
Such Salvationists estimate between four and 12 per cent of the
Catholic Church in Ireland is now evangelical. This poses a major
theological challenge for Orangeism. The present Qualifications
firmly establish the Order's opposition to the Catholic Church: " …
he should strenuously oppose the fatal errors and doctrines of the
Church of Rome, and scrupulously avoid countenancing (by his
presence or otherwise) any act or ceremony of Popish worship; he
should, by all lawful means, resists the ascendancy of that Church,
its encroachments, and extension of its power …"
This presents a real spiritual dilemma for an evangelically
motivated Order – how does it support fellow 'born again brethren
and sisters' who have chosen to remain as Salvationist Catholics
with the Roman Catholic Church? Again, the Qualifications will have
to be redrafted to allow Evangelical Orangeism to work spiritually
with Salvationist Catholicism.
******************************************
See Video at:
----
Victim's Son 'May Attend Service'
A man whose father died in an IRA bombing has said he may attend a
new civic Remembrance Day planned by the Mayor of Derry.
Sinn Fein Councillor Gerry O'Hara said there would not be any
speeches or statements made on the day which will be held in
December.
Instead, a plaque will be erected to the memory of local people who
have lost their lives to war and conflict.
Gordon Millar whose father, David, died in the Claudy bombing, said
he might go if his killers apologise.
He said: "Nobody has ever come to me and said sorry for what
happened.
"It has all been silence. I would need to have an apology from Sinn
Fein/IRA first.
"If and when they apologise and say sorry for what had happened,
then certainly I would think about it."
'Never caught'
Last year, Sinn Fein councillors in Limavady backed a proposal for
a judicial inquiry into the 1972 Claudy bombing.
Nine people, including a nine-year-old girl, were killed in the
explosion at the County Londonderry village. But the bombers were
never caught.
In December 2002, the police said a priest was involved in the
Claudy bombing.
It also emerged that both the Catholic Church's cardinal at the
time, William Conway, and the then Secretary of State, William
Whitelaw, met to discuss the matter.
However, a politician who was a junior minister at the Northern
Ireland Office at the time of the Claudy bombing said he knew
nothing of an alleged cover-up over the involvement of a Catholic
priest in the attack.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2004/11/04 13:28:03 GMT
© BBC MMIV
******************************************
Justice Vigil For Man In 'Thief' Attack
By Marie Foy
04 November 2004
Supporters of a man jailed for attacking an alleged car thief with
a hammer today met Police Ombudsman officials to call for the case
to be investigated.
Sinn Fein MLA Michael Ferguson and the family of Ciaran Milnes are
claiming that his conviction is a "miscarriage of justice".
Last night several hundred people attended a candle-lit vigil in
Poleglass in support of the 28-year-old.
The pressure group Families Bereaved Through Car Crime organised
the event in memory of all those killed by joyriders.
Among those attending was Kieran Conlon, whose son was a victim of
"death drivers" on the Stewartstown Road.
Mr Milnes, from Springbank Close, Poleglass, was sentenced to nine
months after he was convicted of grievous bodily harm against a 15-
year-old youth.
The protesters argued Mr Milnes should be freed because they said
he was trying to restrain an alleged car thief at the scene of a
crime.
Sinn Fein MLA Michael Ferguson claimed Mr Milnes confronted two
youths who were armed with screwdrivers and had used the hammer in
self defence.
"We all know that had Ciaran Milnes not stopped these car thieves
from taking his car then it could have been used to kill someone."
Mr Ferguson met Ombudsman officials along with Mr Milnes mother
Mary and sisters Colleen and Jackie.
******************************************
Adams Concerned Over Job Losses
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has expressed concern that a hi-
tech manufacturing company in Dunmurry is to close with the loss of
up to 65 jobs.
The doors at Multimedia Infotech are due to close before Christmas.
In 1997, the company set up at Springbank Industrial Estate in
Dunmurry with the promise of 150 jobs.
It currently employs 65 people.
Many are now due to lose their jobs before Christmas.
The company, which was the first European venture for Taiwanese
parent group Ritek Corporation, specialises in manufacturing
recordable CD`s for use on home computers.
It also has a plant in Omagh, which employs 100 people and the
company says manufacturing facilities will now be centralised
there.
The Dunmurry closure is being blamed on rising material costs, the
dumping of product in Europe by low-cost producers from India and
China and high royalty costs which have to be paid to Phillips, who
pioneered the technology.
West Belfast MP Gerry Adams has said he is extremely disappointed
at the decision to close the site, describing it as a blow to
workers and their families in the run up to Christmas.
He said Sinn Fein have written to the global headquarters of
Ritezk, asking them to urgently review the closure decision.
The party has also been in touch with local management and Invest
Northern Ireland.
Mr Adams said there was a need for government departments to make
good on their commitment to regenerate west Belfast.
A 30-day consultation process was expected to start today on what
kind of redundancy terms will be offered to the employees.
Ritek says it greatly regrets having to close the Dunmurry plant,
but insisted it has to be done to achieve economies of scale,
adding that a number of workers from Dunmurry will be relocated to
Omagh.
******************************************
Paisley Urges Ministers To Get Tough With IRA
By Dan McGinn, Ireland Political Editor, PA News
The Government was tonight told to get tough with the IRA after a
report claimed the organisation was still showing no sign of
winding down.
Democratic Unionist leader, the Reverend Ian Paisley, issued the
call after a report by the four-member Independent Monitoring
Commission said the provisionals had scaled down the amount of
violence that they were involved in but were still engaging in
criminal activity.
The IMC report indicated that loyalist paramilitary organisations
were responsible for more violence and were heavily involved in
organised crime.
And it also warned that dissident republican groups like the Real
IRA remained a dangerous threat.
Mr Paisley said tonight: "At a time when we are being told that it
is the Democratic Unionist Party who are frustrating attempts to
reach agreement, it is clear that the IRA have continued to break
every rule in the book and have refused to commit themselves to
exclusively peaceful and democratic means.
"Now is the time for action from the Government on these issues. It
is time to get tough with Sinn Fein/IRA.
"Those who continually engage in these activities are not fit for
government. There will be no compromise with terrorists."
In recent weeks, London and Dublin have been trying to piece
together the elements of a deal which could see the Mr Paisley's
party and Sinn Fein sharing power at Stormont.
In September, Prime Minister Tony Blair said he believed the IRA
was preparing ground-breaking moves on completing its disarmament
process and on a statement addressing its future.
However, the IRA has held back on acting because unionists and
nationalists have been at loggerheads over future models for
sharing power at Stormont.
DUP attempts to make all power-sharing ministers more accountable
to their Cabinet colleagues and to the Assembly have been
interpreted by nationalists as a bid to create a veto on the work
of other ministers.
Nationalists have also questioned the DUP's commitment to cross-
border institutions involving Stormont and Irish government
ministers.
In recent days, Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy has embarked
on a process designed to get representatives of loyalist
paramilitaries more involved in the political process.
Mr Paisley said there was also an onus on loyalist terror groups
like the Ulster Defence Association and the Ulster Volunteer Force
to disarm and bring their activities to an end.
"There can be no halfway house between terrorism and democracy,"
the North Antrim MP said.
"Everyone knows that all of these groups are getting a stronger
rather than a weaker grip on the people of Northern Ireland.
"I will be asking the Secretary of State and the Prime Minister
what action they intend taking in light of this report."
With progress in the current negotiations to restore devolution
tortuously slow, British and Irish government officials have been
focusing on the need to reach agreement within the next 20 days.
The IMC's report was being scrutinised today for encouraging signs
of a change in policy by the IRA, but unionist, moderate
nationalists and Conservatives insisted republicans and loyalists
needed to do better.
Tory Northern Ireland spokesman David Lidington said: "There is
still some way to go before we have the security environment that
would enable the Secretary of State to trigger the two- year
programme of security normalisation measures set out in last year's
joint declaration.
"We need transparent decommissioning and an end to all forms of
paramilitary activity. And we need all parties to support the
police and criminal justice systems."
SDLP leader Mark Durkan said while it would welcome that
paramilitary violence had decreased, there could be no acceptable
level of loyalist or republican activity.
Ulster Unionist negotiator Sir Reg Empey credited the IMC with the
progress that had been made, claiming it had put pressure on the
paramilitaries to reduce their activities.
Chief Constable Hugh Ord agreed with the IMC's assessment about the
continued paramilitary capabilities.
Even though he insisted that the IRA showed no intention of going
back to war, he urged them to disarm and called for Sinn Fein to
join the policing board.
Mr Ord added: "The broad picture is much the same – paramilitary
groups are still there with varying levels of activity. If we want
to move on they have got to move from this base."
The report, however, was dismissed by Sinn Fein, whose North
Belfast MLA Gerry Kelly said its findings were based on information
provided by MI5, military intelligence and Special Branch.
"All of these organisations are opposed to the peace process and
opposed to the Good Friday Agreement," he claimed.
******************************************
The Price Of Peace: Trimble On His Faith
Day Two of our exclusive extracts from The Price of Peace, the
major new book by Frank Millar in which David Trimble talks
candidly about his political career and personal beliefs. In
today's extract, raw emotion as Trimble discusses his faith - and
the letter from the widow of a murdered friend. He also tells
Millar about his first handshake with Gerry Adams. But does he like
the Sinn Fein leader?
04 November 2004
I want to pursue with David Trimble the question of his beliefs,
for it has been suggested that this provincial politician turned
metropolitan sophisticate no longer attends church. Is that so?
Trimble has read the same suggestion and is clearly exercised by
it. "Yes I do, I regularly attend church. I am not personally very
active in the church that I attend, although nearly all the rest of
the family are. And National Presbyterian in Washington regards me
as their furthest-travelling member."
Tony Blair once famously cringed when Jeremy Paxman asked if he and
President George W Bush prayed together. Trimble is more than happy
to worship in Washington.
And when in London he and his family go to Crown Court Church of
Scotland. He quickly adds that this is popular with the family for
the added reason of its proximity to the well-known and highly
rated Orso restaurant in London's Covent Garden. Unburdened by
"Protestant guilt" or fundamentalist strictures, the Trimble family
will happily follow the communion service with an excellent lunch
and a bottle of red.
Indeed, he recalls one occasion when the service had been
particularly long and he led the family through London's streets
"at a rate of knots" to be sure of saving his table at the even
better-known J Sheekey's restaurant. Charging through a small
alleyway he sighted one of the Rev Ian Paisley's senior colleagues
who had obviously spent the morning, not in church, but enjoying
Covent Garden's excellent shopping facilities.
After the chance encounter Trimble would regret not having taken
the opportunity to stop and introduce his family on their way from
Church: "This amused me enormously but unfortunately I was just in
too big a hurry and too focused on getting to lunch to take
advantage of the situation."
Such little episodes can assume huge significance in unionism's
vicious internecine warfare. But this one also leads us back to the
big questions. Is David Trimble a religious man? And what part does
his religious belief play in his politics? Are they part and parcel
of the same thing or can he separate them?
"I try to separate them," he replies.
Trimble explains: "I dislike people who in the course of the way
they express themselves in politics keep bringing in religious
terms. This gets back to the old saying that 'the more he talks of
his honour the faster we count the spoons.' It may very well be
that some of those who, when they're on a political platform, start
bringing religion into it are personally sincere. But I always feel
it rings false and I hardly ever do that, I don't feel comfortable
doing that."
Then he reveals himself: "At the same time I have to say I don't
think I would have done all the things I have done in the last half
dozen years if I wasn't absolutely sure in my own mind that it was
the right thing to do."
It simply isn't David Trimble's style to claim to have been doing
"God's will". But this is a compelling confirmation that, in some
of the quiet watches of the night, the Ulster Unionist leader
counted on a power greater than himself. It is also a powerful
retort to those political rivals and enemies who routinely invoke
"the Lord" on behalf of their cause, the more so for the quiet and
plainly reluctant manner in which it is confided.
Seizing my own Paxman moment, I ask him : Do you pray?
"Yes, from time to time. I can't say that I do so often. But in
1998 (the year of the Agreement) and the following year I had a
very strong sense that this is what I should be doing." Where his
laughter had previously filled the room, the silence was broken now
only when a visibly moved David Trimble cleared his throat before
retelling an event that reinforced that sense of what he should be
doing on the eve of the crucial meeting of the Ulster Unionist
Council in November 1999 at which he asked his party for the first
time to enter into government with Sinn Fein.
"I arrived home on the Friday evening before the meeting. I had
collected the mail from the letter box that morning but as I was
going inside I looked at the box and there was a letter there,
unstamped and obviously hand-delivered. I opened it up and found it
was from Nora Bradford encouraging me to go for it."
(Mrs Bradford's husband, the Unionist MP Rev Robert Bradford was
murdered by the IRA in November 1981)
The following morning before the meeting started, Trimble showed
the letter to the late Josias "Joe" Cunningham, then president of
the ruling Ulster Unionist Council.
"He looked at it and said, 'That's very good.' But Joe was a man of
taste and he then said, 'But you wouldn't use that, would you?' so
I assured him, 'No, no.' Subconsciously, however, I must have been
hoping to use it because during the meeting a number of references
were made to people who'd been murdered by republicans. Specific
references were obviously made to Edgar Graham and Robert Bradford,
and during my summing-up of the debate I also mentioned their names
when, lo and behold, somebody just handed the opportunity to me on
a plate.
"I heard this big 'gulder' from the body of the hall and
immediately recognised it was John Hunter (a one-time Trimble
loyalist who broke with him over the Agreement).
"I stopped and let him be heard until he accused me of betraying
Robert Bradford. . . . then I pulled Nora's letter out and I read
it.
"I don't know that it really changed anybody's mind. But the reason
I'm mentioning it in this context is that when I went back home I
realised this was bound to get out, or at any rate get back to
Nora. So I picked up the phone and told her what had happened.
"She in turn told me that she'd been sitting at home on Friday
afternoon and had a strong sense that God was telling her to write
a letter to me." Mrs Bradford wrote that letter and travelled from
her home in Newtownabbey, across Belfast to the Trimble residence
outside Lisburn, hand-delivered the letter and then returned home
in a journey that would take her several hours. "Aaaah...It's the
sort of thing that reinforced my sense of 'this is what I should be
doing'," concludes Trimble, his eyes again seeming moist, his voice
strained.
Alastair Campbell once famously said of his Downing Street Press
operation on behalf of Tony Blair: "We don't do God," Well, David
Trimble has just "done God" (or at least come as close as he's ever
likely to) with a modesty and intensity which is as impressive as
it is surprising.
I have watched and reported this man as closely as any journalist
through the years of his leadership. I have criticised his
decisions and questioned his judgment, often sharply. I have
enjoyed access at key moments in crucial negotiations such as at
Hillsborough in the spring of 1999 while Tony Blair, Bertie Ahern
and President Bill Clinton pressed him to critical decisions and
potentially crippling compromise, and I have admired his coolness
under fire. And I can quite literally feel the importance of this
moment in this conversation, for he has shared something which his
every instinct will tell him he does not wish to see reduced to
print.
The savagery of the internal unionist debate in Northern Ireland
can exact a heavy price from those who allow uncertainty or doubt,
or attempt to see the other side's point of view.
Like his many predecessors, Trimble has had to battle against - and
seemingly in the end fallen to - a rival unionist leader, the
charismatic Rev Ian Paisley, whose fundamentalist beliefs (at least
in theory) brook no room for compromise. Yet here is a powerful
testament which any man of the cloth would surely have to
acknowledge, at least for its authenticity.
The agnostics among us may look away, thinking that the Almighty
has featured much too prominently in the politics of Northern
Ireland.
But Nora Bradford is a woman of faith. She lost her husband,
himself an evangelical clergyman and Member of Parliament, to IRA
assassins.
Yet she believed God wanted her to write to Trimble at that crucial
moment urging him to make peace with the representatives of those
who had left her widowed.
And one doesn't have to agree with him, or with the political
judgments he made in that time, to understand better from this the
weight those tough calls forced on David Trimble and the courage
they required of him.
Trimble on coming face to face with Sinn Fein
Did David Trimble not feel a bit ridiculous at times, not speaking
to Sinn Fein? (During the Belfast Agreement negotiations.)
He promptly reminds me this was the least of his difficulties back
then: "I found it very difficult at first to actually cope with
them being in the room. I don't think we had any illusions about
their character, and so having them in the room was a difficult
thing, a very difficult thing, and even to engage in social
pleasantries was not easy. You're dealing with people who you know
have been responsible, if not personally for planting bombs and
pulling triggers, of having directed a campaign which planted bombs
and pulled triggers and resulted in hundreds, thousands of deaths
having occurred. So that was a difficult thing to deal with, and
one did not feel comfortable".
This, of course, was why Trimble for so long declined to shake
Gerry Adams by the hand.
And then, admittedly for just a few brief weeks in the first
instance, he shelved his doubts and sat with Sinn Fein Ministers
around the Cabinet table.
Which of them by this stage was he most inclined to talk to, which
of them did he actually like?
"Well, I don't know whether I've ever actually engaged in a social
conversation. In the early days the conversations were all about
the business we were doing, they weren't personalised.
"We had, of course, the long discussion at Winfield House during
the Mitchell Review, which involved us sitting in a room speaking,
talking about the politics of the situation for hours on end, and I
remember the time Adams digressed at length about how we ought to
get to know each other better, go out and socialise together, spend
weekends together.
"He kept on talking and I let all this go on until he came to a
suitable gap and I turned round to Martin McGuinness and said, "you
know Martin, just because you get to know someone better doesn't
mean you like them any more'".
So when did he begin to like them? "Well, I'm not sure....I don't
know....I'm choosing my words in this. I don't think one can assume
that I do. I don't know that I do", comes the earnest reply.
Yet, by September 2003, he finally felt able to shake hands with
Adams. Where did the famous handshake take place? Trimble confirms
it took place in the former First Minister's office at Stormont.
(Trimble explains that the background was a series of meetings held
in 2003 between Unionists and Adams on the problem of interface
violence. It was in the context of Adams' efforts to curtail
republican violence during that summer, Trimble adds, that the
handshake took place. )
And did the handshake occur quite spontaneously or had he thought
about it in advance? "No, I hadn't given it any thought beforehand.
I would put it under the category of spontaneous".
So, Trimble just extended his hand? "No, Adams extended his hand
and I took it".
Somehow or other he knew the moment had arrived and this just
seemed the right thing to do?
"Yeah, I thought it would have been churlish not to in view of what
had happened in the summer".
Were there witnesses to this event? "No".
And did Adams say anything after they had shaken hands? Were they
both embarrassed? Was there a little awkwardness? This was quite a
moment for the pair of them in highly personal as well as in
political terms. Was there maybe a tear in the eye that day? A lump
in the throat?
Trimble laughs as he assures me that "there certainly were no
tears", before admitting, "there might have been a little bit of an
awkwardness and I suppose, yes, there is" - before rushing on to
more comfortable terrain.
"I remember on one occasion we were going in to the First
Minister's room to have a chat and we were just sitting down when a
ladder appears at one of the windows. Chap gets up on the ladder
and he's cleaning the window, so we move to the outer office which
the private secretaries would occupy and we were again sitting down
and starting the conversation when, bloody hell, another chap with
a ladder appears.
"So we pop back round to the First Minister's room again to see if
all's clear. But no, the first window cleaner's still there
cleaning the windows and we had to conclude we weren't going to be
able to continue this conversation until......"
So they had a laugh together?
"Oh, we did, we did, and there were sarcastic comments about the
length to which the British State was going to keep tabs on our
talks".
******************************************
Anti-War Protesters Hit Out At Bush Re-Election
04/11/2004 - 18:47:22
Over two dozen anti-war protesters gathered outside the American
embassy in Dublin tonight in response to the re-election of
President George Bush.
The demo was organised by the Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM) which
called for an end to the occupation of Iraq and to stopovers of US
war planes in Shannon Airport.
Carrying flags and placards, the protest group chanted slogans
like: "1,2,3,4. We don't want your bloody war" while a number of
passing cars honked their horns in support.
Speaking through a megaphone, IAWM spokesman Richard Boyd Barrett
said Mr Bush's second term of office was "bad news for the US and
even worse news for the rest of the world".
Protesters cited a recent report in the Lancet periodical which
claimed that up to 100,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed since
US troops entered the country in March 2003.
IAWM activists and other groups have planned other public demos in
central Dublin tomorrow and at Shannon Airport on November 13.
******************************************
Doolan -Temple Bar Must Stop Being A Playground For Loutish
Behaviour
Thursday, November 04
Sinn Féin Representative for Dublin South East Councillor Daithí
Doolan, speaking ahead of today's meeting of Temple Bar Properties
Board, said "If Temple Bar is to move beyond being a playground for
loutish behaviour the focus needs to be on culture, arts and
recreation and not just bars and car parks. They contribute little
to the image of the city and have made life intolerable for many
residents in this community."
Councillor Doolan said:
"For too long residents in this community have had to live with the
larger louts of the world arriving on their door steps and treating
their streets as some sort of playground. It really is time to work
to relaunch Temple Bar as a leading light of culture and art but
this will only happen if we, as Directors of Temple Bar Properties,
make it happen.
"At today's crucial meeting I will be arguing that we build on the
good work of The Ark Children's centre, the galleries and the Film
Institute. We have to stop allowing the developers of office
blocks, bars and car parks to dictate how we develop this area and
ensure that Temple Bar becomes the cultural quarter that it was
initially intended to be.
"I would call on the government to assist us by investing in the
arts and culture of the capital not with the expectations of
financial return but with the view that arts and culture play an
essential part of the life of Dublin and will assist in attracting
people back into the city centre to work and live."
******************************************
Galway Gets Its Own Speakers' Corner
By Kernan Andrews
Speakers Corner is one of London's best-known institutions, where
ordinary people can get up and speak on any subject they like. Now
Galway is to get its own Speakers Corner outside St Nicholas'
Church.
Galway's Speakers Corner starts this Sunday and will run from
2.30pm to 5.30pm. It will be held outside the railings of St
Nicholas', facing St Patrick's School. The plan is to hold Speakers
Corner on the first Sunday of every month.
The idea is the brainchild of Rossa Ó Snodaigh, a member of the
traditional Irish and world music band Kíla. Mr Ó Snodaigh set up
Speakers Square in Dublin in April and it has proved popular. He
sees Galway as the perfect location for another venture. "I have an
affinity with Galway and I see it as a place that attracts
alternative thinkers," he told the Galway Advertiser. "There is a
great passion in Galway for debate and for alternative points of
view."
Mr Ó Snodaigh said Galway's Speakers Corner can be a forum for
people who feel marginalised or to raise issues which may not be
receiving the exposure they should. Above all he hopes it will give
people the courage to air their views and re-kindle a love of
public speaking and debate. He added that it is up to the Galway
City Council to introduce laws that will make Speakers Corner a
slander free zone, as it is in London's Hyde Park.
"I want to free up the voices and opinions, get people into public
speaking, and drown out the noise of the pubs," he said. "If it
produces one great orator that will be something. People are always
talking about the need for debate, so here's their chance."
The rector of St Nicholas' Revd Patrick Towers has welcomed
Speakers Corner to Galway. "I feel St Nicholas' is very much in the
heart of Galway and a church is a place of assembly and opinions,"
he said. "It's very important for churches today to support
alternative opinions. Something like this is a healthy part of
democratic life."
Also supporting the move are the Green Party's Cllr Niall Ó
Brolcháin and Sinn Féin's Cllr Daniel Callanan. Both men said
Speakers Corner can provide entertainment, serious discussion, and
promote free speech.
******************************************
Brewery Warns On EPA Limits
Mark Hennessy
The Guinness brewery at St James's Gate in Dublin will be
severely handicapped by the carbon dioxide limits, its owners,
Diageo, has warned.
Diageo decided early this year to close its Park Royal brewery in
London in mid-2005, with the loss of 90 jobs, and to transfer the
operation to Dublin.
The change would secure the long-term future of the Dublin brewery
and increase production there of the company's most famous brand by
50 per cent next year.
The company built a fuel-efficient combined heat and power (CHP)
plant at St James's Gate in 1998, which now sells electricity to
the national grid.
The existence of the power plant was "a key factor" in the decision
to close London, Diageo Ireland's risk manager, Mr Fergal Murray,
told the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
St James's Gate, he said, would produce 20,000 tonnes of carbon
dioxide a year more than it is allowed under its EPA licence,
unless licence changes are made.
The EPA's allocation also militates against using the energy-
efficient CHP plant to its optimum level.
It can re-use 83 per cent of "waste" heat when operating at full
capacity.
Extra brewing at St James's Gate would increase emissions, but the
excess electricity sold to the national grid by the CHP would cut
national figures, Mr Murray explained.
However, he said, Diageo now faces complying with an EPA licence
based on 2002/2003 production and "partial use" of the CHP plant.
"We regard this as being highly inequitable, especially when
account is taken of other European national allocation plans (NAP)
where this type of growth is being recognised, e.g. Germany.
"We should stress that Diageo Ireland competes globally for
business and an increasing proportion of production is exported
from the Republic and European Union.
"Under the current national allocation plan rules it would appear
that [ Diageo] will be severely penalised for investment in
growth," he declared.
"In view of the significant decision taken by Diageo earlier this
year to relocate its British-based brewing operation to Ireland we
are requesting that the EPA would take into account its changed
requirements when finalising the NAP allocations."
Meanwhile, Irish Distillers complained strongly that the EPA had
given it a licence that covered only 73 per cent of its expected
carbon dioxide emissions between 2004 and 2008.
Other companies will receive licences covering 97 per cent of their
expected emissions, said the company's general manger Mr Peter
Morehead.
© The Irish Times
******************************************
Tuam Lavatory To Cost €500,000
Judy Murphy
Councillors in Tuam, Co Galway, learned this week that a 6ft sq
public superloo for the town would cost €500,000.
Mr Stephen Lally, town engineer, told Tuam Town Commissioners that
tenders had been received for the provision of public lavatories in
Tuam and Loughrea, costing €500,000 each.
Mr Lally explained that the public toilets were automatic, self-
cleaning units, which required no maintenance. He added that a
decision on their provision would Be Made Soon.
"Half a million euro for six-ft square of cast iron is very
expensive. I'm sure that it could be provided at a much cheaper
cost," Cllr Paul O'Grady said.
"You would nearly build a small hotel for that amount of money," he
added.
While councillors expressed shock at the cost of the lavatories,
they urged Galway County Council to proceed with the project as
soon as possible, as it was unacceptable that a town the size of
Tuam had no public toilets.
© The Irish Times
