In 2003 in Dublin over 20 people were jailed for resisting the imposition of the bin tax in Dublin. There were some who saw the bin tax struggle as being an example where the 'environmental agenda' is counterpoised to the 'working class' agenda. I don't and I think the few environmentalists who have supported the ruling class line in this have done great damage to the environmental cause. The bin tax pure and simple was about imposing the neo-liberal agenda, what some people call 'globalisation'. A core part of this agenda is to transfer the costs of running society from the rich and corporations to workers and the poor.

After a quiet period the struggle against Shell’s attempt to impose a dangerous experimental gas pipeline in Erris, Co. Mayo has escalated once more over the last month. Shell are now attempting to bring the pipe ashore at Glenagad and over 20 people have been arrested to date resisting this. Shell’s Solitaire pipe-laying ship has arrived at the port of Killybegs and is expected in the Erris area any day making this a key period for Shell and for the community that is determined to halt its project.

Article from 1994 arguing that possession of small amounts of all drugs should be de-criminalised. Anti- social drugs like heroin should be available on prescription from doctors at low cost to prevent junkies turning to crime to finance their habit. What is needed is a real debate on the control of the other drugs. It seems reasonable to say that the maximum of restrictions should be similar to those applying in relation to drink or tobacco and this should be medically based and enforced rather than state controlled.

The Epic Struggle for Another Oaxaca Has Not Finished, says David Venegas.
May 15, 2008, Oaxaca City, Mexico.

"History is a nightmare from which I am trying to wake."
Stephen Daedalus, in Ulysses, James Joyce 1922

Cover story for WSM paper. Contracts the jailing of anti-war and bin tax protesters with what happened to tax evaders and corrupt politicans.

 This morning at 7.30 Dublin Shell to Sea members brought a taste of Mayo to Corrib House. Over 50 people took part in an ongoing blockade of the three entrances of the Shell HQ.

Cover story for WSM paper. The service charges that are being brought in north and south of the border are part of a process of further increasing the proportion of tax paid by workers. The trend in global capitalism is to replace 'progressive' taxes (like income tax) with flat-rate taxes (like VAT, service charges, etc) to further shift the taxation burden from rich to poor.

Monday night (September 16th 2001) saw the first real activists meeting of the Dublin Corporation area anti Bin Tax campaign. The council is sending out second demands for payment but the figures indicate that the non-payment rate is very strong, currently around 80%.

On Thursday the 27th (Sept 2001) all the local county councillors were invited to a meeting in the Liberties to explain their position on the bin tax. About 60 residents turned up to hear what they had to say for themselves.

Monday night (Sept 2nd 2002) saw another picket of the Dublin corporation council meeting to protest the continuing attempt to impose bin charges on the cities population. According to the corporations own figures less then 50% of people paid any of their bill last year. With the success of non-payment to date only around 20% have paid something so far this year.

Pic: the picket around 19:00