Socialist Youth News Shell to Sea - Rossport Solidarity Camp evicted Paul Murphy |
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After over eighteen months as an important base for activists supporting the local community in opposing Shell, the Rossport Solidarity Camp has been ordered to dismantle by 1 January. The bitter irony of their eviction is that the judge ruled that the camp should be dismantled because it didn’t have planning permission and had the potential to damage a special area of conservation. This while Shell builds a huge gas refinery that will pump pollution out of tall chimneys just down the road and a high pressure gas pipeline that has the potential to explode! The difference is clear - the state has consistently backed up Shell, giving it €51 billion of our gas for free, while ordering and defending Garda brutality against peaceful protestors. This eviction is undoubtedly encouraged by Shell who have been surveying the estuary that runs right alongside the camp in preparation for laying the controversial pipeline. Although Shell and the state now seem to think that they can deal the final blows to the campaign, the mass sitdown protest at the gates of the refinery on 14 September offers an opportunity to prove them wrong. A good turnout locally and nationally would demonstrate the continuing support for the campaign. Achieving even a relatively minor success, like causing serious disruption to Shell’s work for the day, will be crucial in helping to re-energise the campaign. |
There has been an increase of around 20,000 students in full time education in the last seven years. The problem is that the rhetoric of the education and the minister of Education of making education available to more people and those from low income backgrounds proves to a fallacy in reality. This is obvious at a fundamental level in the greatly inadequate provision of primary education which has headlined the news for the last few years. The most important thing a student attending college needs is quality, affordable accommodation. The reality is that such accommodation is scarce and the provision of student specific accommodation far below the demand. This means students have to look in the private sector to rent accommodation. This year such accommodation is sparse and expensive as was predicted by the USI before the general election when they called on the government to set up a taskforce to investigate the matter. The governments inaction cannot be excused as they were made aware of the problem and failed to act. Due to this many students are forced to rent expensive digs and in some cases substandard accommodation. The maximum higher education grant of €3,420 per annum fails to even cover the cost of accommodation for most students. What is necessary is the provision of quality, affordable accommodation by the state for students that will ensure students are not at the mercy of greedy landlords. To resolve this problem it is necessary that students mobilise and act in a united way to force the government to act. Instead of simply calling on the government to establish task forces, the leadership of USI should be organising students to campaign for decent affordable student accommodation and a living grant. |
Over 40 young people attended Socialist Youth’s fifth annual youth festival in Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow at the end of August. Yet again, it was a major success, enjoyed by all who attended. One of the notable features was the number of members attending for the first time. One of these, Philip Lynn (Ballymena SY) commented: “I thought it was very good, very educational. I particularly enjoyed the discussion on sexism because it was an issue I hadn’t given that much thought to before. It was good to meet other members from around the country, and it was a good bit of craic.” Gearoid McLoughlin (Galway SY), said: “I really enjoyed having in depth discussions with members from different branches, as well as good theoretical debates on topics such as the Russian revolution.” At the opening rally on Friday night, Joe Higgins spoke about the unfolding crisis in the world economy and the increasing attacks on workers’ and young people’s rights internationally. This rally set the tone for the weekend, which was one of discussions with a purpose – arming ourselves to fight the attacks of capitalism and for a socialist society.
The debate on Saturday night between Paddy Meehan (Belfast SY) and Anne Reilly of the Debt and Development Coalition tackled the issue of “Africa: How can debt and poverty be challenged?” While Anne was very critical of the major powers’ role in enslaving the continent in poverty, she emphasised the need for us to try to make a difference today, by putting pressure on government leaders. SY members argued that those with a vested interesting in keeping Africa poor would not assist the African people, but were able to point to the magnificent recent displays of workers’ power in massive strikes in Egypt, South Africa and Nigeria to show the force that is capable of lifting the continent out of slavery. Some of the most successful discussions over the weekend were: “Depression & Mental health: How can the crisis be ended?”, “Fight for your rights at work!” and “Religious beliefs: why do they still exist?”. On Saturday afternoon, the sun shone allowing Dublin SY to take on the world in a rounders match that was competitively fought until an over enthusiastic swing put the ball in the trees! “The Barrytown Wheelies” ran away with the table quiz on Saturday night, yet, as Kevin Coughlan (Cork SY) put it, despite his team coming second last, it was “a good laugh” nonetheless. The event ended with an inspiring rally about the need to build a socialist youth movement. This is an event that should be in every young socialist’s calendar next year. |
