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Volume 5 Issue 2 - July 2010 Is Civil Partnership Enough? Page 4
Research Ethics, Stem Cells, And Why We Should Care
Who Is Really Effected By The “Difficult Decisions”
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www.labouryouth.ie www.facebook.com/labouryouth www.twitter.com/labouryouth www.flickr.com/labouryouth
Also: Why Labour Trumps Fine Gael Facebook: An Effective Tool, Or A Privacy Threat
Your National Youth Executive National Chairperson — Rory Geraghty
International Officer—Neil Warner
As National Chairperson, Rory is responsible for the smooth running of Labour Youth as a whole, along with acting as the public face of the organization. He is also a member of the Executive Board of the Labour Party.
As International Officer, Neil is responsible for representing the organization at European level and beyond.
Email: lychair@labour.ie
Email: lyinternational@labour.ie
Vice Chair/Campaigns—Kirsten Gordon
Equality Officer — Colm Maguire
As National Vice Chair and Campaigns Officer, Kirsten is primarily responsible for the formation and execution of Labour Youth National Campaigns. She also acts as Chair of the organization in Rory’s absence.
As National Equality Officer, Colm is responsible for making sure the organization is fair and equal to all. He also liaises with Labour Women and Labour LGBT.
Email: lycampaigns@labour.ie
Email: lyequality@labour.ie
National Secretary — Brian O’Connor
Ed & Policy — Dean Duke
As National Secretary, Brian is responsible for taking minutes at all Labour Youth events, and at NYE meetings. He is also responsible for correspondence, accounts and fundraising.
As Education and Policy Officer, Dean is responsible for drafting Labour Youth Policy Documents, researching prospective Policy Positions, LY Political Training and Chairing the Policy Working Group.
Email: lysecretary@labour.ie
Email: lyeducation@labour.ie
Recruitment Officer — Cathal McCann
Youth & Development—Neil Ward
As National Recruitment Officer, Cathal is responsible for the recruitment and retention of new members. He is also the primary coordinator for the National Recruitment Campaign. He is currently Labour Youth’s representative on the Central Council of the Labour Party.
As Youth & Development Officer, Neil is the Labour Party Staff Member responsible for the administration of Labour Youth. He is also a non-voting member of the NYE. Email: neil.ward@labour.ie
Email: lyrecuitment@labour.ie
Communications Officer — Conor Ryan As National Communications Officer, Conor is the Chief Editor of the Left Tribune, and Chairperson of the Left Tribune Editorial Board and the AV Subcommittee. He is also responsible for managing the overall design strategy, and online presence of the organization. Email: lycommunications@labour.ie
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PLEASE RECYCLE OR PASS ON
www.labouryouth.ie
Table of Contents Comrades and Friends, It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you this special online edition of the Left Tribune. I hope that you enjoy the changes we’ve made to this issue, and that the excellent articles sent in by our membership provokes as much thought in you as it did in me.
2 -
NYE Profile
3 -
Table of Contents & Editorial
4 -
Difficult Decisions… But For Who?
6 -
Of Ethics and Stem Cells
8 -
The (Many) Problems with Fine Gael
With our excellent turnout at National Conference, a fantastic Tom Johnson Summer School, Branch Officer Training Day and several successful campaigns behind us including Sack the Government, Regulate Global Finance Now, and Boycott Israel, it is safe to say that Labour Youth has been keeping busy!
10 - Civil Partnership Bill Reaction 12 - Facebook: Friend & Foe?
It has been a busy time too for the Party in general. With Labour leading in the polls for the first time since its inception almost 100 years ago, and Party Leader Eamon Gilmore consistently leading in terms of popularity, the country is at an impasse. People are tiring of the dweedle-dumb and deedle-dee politics that have dominated power in this nation since it’s foundation.
13 - Campaigns and Events 16- Poll Position? 17 - Branch in Focus: DIT Labour 18 - A Response on the SDLP Question 20- Book Review: On Liberty
Labour must stand ready to both demand and deliver the type of real change that people want and need to see. To do this, we need to show the people that we are ready and willing to lead — Labour must wait no longer! This means that Labour Youth, alongside the entire Party, Friends, must step up our game and gear up for what should be This has indeed been a most exciting time for us and the Party. the most important election this Party has ever fought. With opinion polls riding high and our Party Leader being the most popular leader in the country, now is the time for Labour. The change we want to see could be on the horizon, but Over the last few months Labour Youth has had a number of it will not simply fall into our laps — we need to fight hard important successes, including my own election to the Party’s for it! I hope you will join us in doing just that. Executive Board and most recently an absolutely brilliant Tom Johnson Summer School in Kilkenny. Conor Ryan
LETTER FROM THE CHAIR
We must build on that strength going forward, we have two years left at most until the next General Election so now is the time for Labour Youth to go out and begin to work with all of our candidates, canvassing hard until every door has been knocked on and every potential voter spoken to. Over the coming weeks, Labour Youth will be launching some Policy Documents and running a number of Campaigns, so please come along and get involved. If you want a campaign to be run in your area, let us know and we’ll see what we can do to help. As always, you views, and concerns are most welcome, so please don’t hesitate to contact the NYE if you have either. Rory Geraghty National Chairperson, Labour Youth
Chief Editor: Conor Ryan Editorial Board: Emer Sugrue, Kerrie Creedon, Kerri Ryan, Sam Ryan, Audrey Walsh, Ray Kelly Contributors: Peter Kelleher, Luke Field, Declan Meenegh, Dermot Harnett, David Gibney, Liam McNulty, Glenn Fitzpatrick, Neil Warner Thanks to: Neil Ward
Interested in writing an article? Email: lycommunications@labour.ie Page 3
Difficult Decisions… “Fewer and fewer people are becoming more and more wealthy and the gap between incomes of the highest earners and the lowest earners is increasing.”
By David Gibney Over the past number of weeks there have been two financial reports which may have passed you by relatively unnoticed. If it wasn‘t for one or two reputable commentators it may have passed the mainstream media by without consequence too. These reports should be of great interest to the majority of Irish workers, especially those who have lost jobs, have had reduced terms and conditions imposed on them, or are struggling to make ends meet for their families at the moment. Over the past two years, ordinary workers have been conditioned into thinking that there is a recession taking place in Ireland. Technically, this may be true, however, the implications and choices available to Ireland and its Government during this recession aren‘t as straightforward as we may be led to believe. Many of us may now feel that there is no money in this country and that we have to ―take the pain‖, as it were, and reluctantly accept cuts to our hours, our pay and our public services. We are led to believe that there is no real alternative. I beg to differ.
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In early June the Boston Consulting Group published a report; ―Regaining Lost Ground: Resurgent Markets and New Opportunities”, which is about Global Wealth and it revealed some stark facts about the global economy. The report says that Global wealth staged a remarkable comeback in 2009, increasing by 11.5%. Europe remained the wealthiest region with one third of the world‘s wealth at $37.1 trillion. You‘ll be surprised to hear that the Boston Consulting Group say they expect global wealth to grow at an average annual rate of nearly 6% from the year end 2009 through 2014.
To put it simply, fewer and fewer people are becoming more and more wealthy and the gap between incomes of the highest earners and the lowest earners is increasing. You may wonder whether this report bears any relationship to the Irish situation. Well a second report published in June answers that question. This report is by Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management and Capgemini, and it said that in 2009, Ireland‘s rich grew by 10% with an additional 1,800 Irish people having investable assets of $1 million or more. So in 2009, there were 18,100 millionaires in Ireland: an increase from 16,300 in 2008. So much for the recession. Even better news is that the same report says that in 2009 a further 18 Irish ―ultra-rich‖ were created bringing the total up to 181. These are individuals with investable assets of $30 million or more. So what does this all mean?
Sounds like good news, doesn‘t it? Unfortunately this doesn‘t tell the whole story. According to the report, the wealth they talk about doesn‘t affect you or me. In fact, the report says that wealth has become more concentrated as it grew last year. ―Millionaire households represented less than 1% of all households but owned about 38% of the world‘s wealth, up from about 36% in 2008.‖
www.labouryouth.ie
But For Who? Well it means that while we are all in the grip of recession and suffering the extreme consequences, and bearing in mind many of our children will suffer them too as a result of NAMA, the wealthiest people in Ireland are getting wealthier. It doesn‘t occur to our Government that rather than take the approach of slash and burn with the resultant persecution of low and middle income families, they could just try to redistribute this wealth according to the principles of fairness and equality through proper taxation. These rich people can easily afford to pay their fair share of the economic burden, so why is it that our government is adamant that it will be low paid public sector workers, those on social welfare and some of the most vulnerable groups in society that suffer all the consequences? In this country we‘ve developed a very sophisticated taxation system which gives workers tax credits so that workers only pay PAYE on what they can actually afford to pay. It‘s a form of social protection. Instead of utilizing this system our government has ignored it and implemented the crude income levy which impacts hardest on the lowest earners. We also had an increase in VAT by half a percent which again impacts hardest on the lowest income families. It seems that our politicians are determined to maintain PAYE tax rates (which are very favorable towards high income earners) at any cost.
They may be smiling, but the rest of us aren’t!
Think about it. Instead of adjusting income tax rates for high earners, they‘ve taken the following actions: Medical cards were removed for certain people over 70; Prescription and accident and emergency charges were increased; Dental treatment was withdrawn; Social welfare has been cut; The pay of public servants earning under €30,000 a year was reduced; We gave billions to zombie banks at the expense of the welfare of future generations; Respite care has been withdrawn from parents of children with disabilities.
“It seems that our politicians are determined to maintain PAYE tax rates (which are very favorable towards high income earners) at any cost.“
These are only some of the ―cutbacks‖ our government has taken while they fondly remind us that they are taking the ―difficult decisions‖. They tell us there is no alternative to all these actions but there clearly is. It‘s called utilizing the taxation system to create a fairer and more balanced society. It says a lot about the society we live in and the people who run it when unemployment and poverty levels in Ireland are increasing at a phenomenal rate and at the same time we are creating more and more wealthy and ultra wealthy individuals. It appears that these so called difficult decisions taken by our government are only going to be difficult for certain people. I only hope that the Irish voter remembers these choices when the next general election takes place.
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Of Ethics... This defines not only its type, but its ability to divide. Within your neurons (the cells that make up your nervous system and brain) for instance, the genes encoding muscle and bone have been relegated to a compacted, silenced form, as have the genes which allow cell division. A ―stem cell‖ is a cell which retains, to one degree or another, the potential to divide and transform. Most cells, By Dermot Harnett when cultured in a Petri dish, will The first decade of the 21st give rise only to similar cell types, century has seen leaps and strides and only for a limited time before in our understanding of cell they cease to divide. Stem cells biology. We are potentially on the however (with a great deal of cusp on a new era in cell biology, coddling) will divide indefinitely, one in which human cells, like and can be induced to form many those of a salamander, might be types of cell. induced to divide and replace those lost to injury or age. This Embryonic stem cells are those research however has brought found in developing embryos with it a bitterly fought debate around the time of implantation, over the use of ―embryonic stem (when the embryo is still a microcells‖. If we are to have any scopic ―blastocyst‖, of a few thoumeaningful debate, we need to sand cells) which can potentially understand what we mean by form a whole organism. Adult ―stem cells‖ and why they matter. stem cells exist in niches which allow for instance, the production Your body is a teeming of new blood cells and, to some constellation of some 50 trillion extent the generation of new cells, comprising more than 200 neurons. Adult stem cells are types of wildly differing reluctant to divide in comparison characteristics. Each and every with embryonic ones, and are cell in your body however can often difficult to obtain in quantitrace its ancestry back to one ty. Embryonic stem cells by confertilized egg, a cell which trast can be maintained in culture possessed unlimited potential to indefinitely, and can produce far divide and transform – in greater quantities of tissue. It is by biologists lingo, a ―pluripotent‖ regressing to an embryonic-like cell . Over the course of develop- state for instance, that a ment, this potential was lost – salamander‘s cells can regenerate your cells ―differentiated‖ into its tail. specialized types and lost their ability to divide. Every one of your cells now carries with it a cellular memory that allows each one to read a single set of genetic instructions in a different way.
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Implanted cells derived from embryonic stem cells have been used to stimulate the repair of otherwise permanent spinal injuries in mice. Moreover, a single such cell can be altered genetically and then used to create a population of altered cells. For instance, a complete set of replacement cells for the blood system can be created. This has been used to cure several genetic conditions like sickle cell anaemia in mice. The potential applications of such altered cells are almost unlimited. For instance, a HIV patient could be given white blood cells engineered to resist the virus, while a diabetic patient could be given cells which are able to produce insulin. The potential for premature media hype is unfortunately also formidable.
www.labouryouth.ie
And Stem Cells A far less hyped but no less important potential of stem cell research is the experimental insight it can provide into our understanding of biology. Embryonic stem cell research has contributed immensely to our understanding of the molecules behind cell identity and control, including the consequences when it goes awry - cancer. Stem cell biology is also providing us with unique insights into the processes behind aging – which is in large part caused by the depletion of adult stem cells. Wildly optimistic speculation notwithstanding, at present, our understanding of stem cells is very much incomplete. Of particular concern is that stem cells, being prone to divide, might do so inappropriately and form tumours when implanted into patients. What is required is a lot more research. Probably the greatest advance in stem cell biology last decade came in 2006 when researchers in Japan announced that they could induce an embryoniclike state in adult cells with genetic manipulation. These ―induced pluripotent stem cells‖ have been touted as a practical solution to the debate around stem cells, and the technique has since been greatly improved. Ethics aside, these cells are also a great deal easier to obtain than are blastocysts (human eggs are by weight the most valuable substance on earth). However, induced stem cells are imperfect. Recent evidence shows that induced stem cells differ significantly from the real deal, both in the molecular components of cellular memory, and in experimental measures of ―stemness‖ such as the ability to divide and form complete, healthy adult mice.
To be sure, stem cell induction is an incredible breakthrough, and it may one day render embryonic stem cells almost unnecessary. This day has yet to arrive however, and unless we have blastocyst derived – ―true‖ embryonic stem cells to use as a gold standard, it never will. The debate around embryonic stem cells is a continuation of the debate around IVF and abortion. At what stage do we begin to extend the status of ―person‖ to a developing embryo? Some contend that a sperm and egg becomes a person at the moment of fertilization, often but not always for religious reasons. Others, including (unsurprisingly) myself and most other biologists, do not. Rational discussion on the matter is in some ways limited – the definition of ―person‖ is an arbitrary choice for those of us without a textbook on the subject. I find it odd however that ―conception‖ has been defined to occur at the moment of fertilization. What has been created at this moment is obviously not a person, but rather a cell with the potential to form one or more people, given very specific conditions and a good deal of luck (between half and one quarter fail to implant, raising the worrying prospect of a purgatory populated largely by the ghosts of failed blastocysts). If ―potential‖ human life qualifies for rights, why do we not mourn the passing of these blastocysts, or of the many potential identical siblings that exist in every blastocyst?
Why do we not condemn the unfortunate women with fertility conditions who attempt to conceive in the knowledge that they will most likely fail? I also take issue with the assertion of those who, like the Irish Time‘s Dick Alhstrom, cite a ―gut reaction‖ as evidence of the inherently immoral of nature using blastocysts. Besides the subjectivity of such a claim, similar arguments were once brought to bear against blood transfusions and organ transplants, with which my gut at least has no problem. Moreover, the cells used for embryonic cell lines are generally the excess cells generated by IVF, destined for disposal. Most have little problem with this procedure, possibly because public sentiment is easier to stir up against research than against unfortunate women unable to conceive. The people who carry out research on embryonic stem cells will work long hours and only rarely be rewarded and by progress. We and our children, and theirs, will benefit from this work. They deserve our thanks, or at the very least, a reasonable and informed debate about their life‘s work.
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The Many Problems
By Peter Kelleher I could use this article as an opportunity to discredit Fine Gael and Enda Kenny‘s poor leadership (and I will) but that would be pointless on its own if I didn‘t complement it with a comparison and an honest appraisal of our party and our party leader‘s performance of late.
In a separate document, titled ―The Third Way - A Fine Gael Green Paper on Reform of Higher Education‖, Fine Gael propose a ―contribution is 30% of the unit cost of the students‘ education.‖ This is nothing more than a graduate tax and is just as regressive as the Government‘s attempts to re-introduce college fees through the back door by increasing the registration fee. Don‘t be surprised by this move from Fine Gael, this is the Party whose former leader; Alan Dukes said that he ―didn‘t believe in universal access to anything‖ on an episode of Questions and Answers. It was when Labour was in Government that third level fees were abolished and only with Labour leading the next Government can this be protected.
Labour ran Senator Alex White in that election, someone who held prominent roles in the unions (USI and SIPTU), and someone who has a proven track record since the 2004 Local Elections when he was elected to South Dublin County Council for the ward of Terenure – Rathfarnham, serving as Deputy Mayor of South Dublin during that time as wells as serving as leader of the Labour group in Seanad Éireann. I believe the people of Dublin South will elect Alex White to the Dáil, whether that is in a General Election in the near future or in the second Dublin South byelection of the 30th Dáil (if it ever comes).
“If the privatisation experiment has taught us one thing, it is Fine Gael‘s response to the current Does anyone remember George Lee? The people of Dublin South simply not to do it.” financial cesspit bears little or no difference with that of the present Government. Fine Gael produced its NEWERA document, which states clearly that Fine Gael will ―look to sell ESB International, Bord Gais and ESB PowerGen & Supply, when market and other conditions are appropriate.‖ In the same paragraph, they comically say ―We have learnt the lessons of Eircom and will retain key infrastructure in the ownership of the State‖. If they truly believed this, they wouldn‘t propose privatising any state assets. Privatisation of state assets is part of the failed Neo-Liberal doctrine, as espoused by the Progressive Democrats, that has landed the economies of the world into the current quagmire. If the privatisation experiment has taught us one thing, it is simply not to do it.
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do. They are still suffering a hangover from eight months of ―the George Lee effect‖. Fine Gael acted in total disregard in this instance. Rather than run a local Councillor, who would have known the voters and known the ropes of being an elected representative, they went, instead, with an economist who openly stated on Tonight with Vincent Browne after his candidacy was announced, that in 2002, he rejected a previous proposition to run for Fine Gael in the General Election of that year (probably because he saw that Fine Gael were going to haemorrhage seats in that election).
Polls are not to be taken as the full truth but they do show a snapshot of public opinion across the nation and, in the case of a series of polls, a trend over time. Since Fianna Fáil‘s nose dive in the polls, two trends have been borne out. Firstly, while Fine Gael has come out, on average as the most popular party at around 30%-35%, Eamon Gilmore has been the most popular leader, achieving support ratings of around 50% consistently.
www.labouryouth.ie
With Fine Gael I think what is far more interesting is the full picture that these polls paint. While Fine Gael have been arguably the most popular party, Enda Kenny hasn‘t come close to being the most popular leader. In one poll, he came behind Sinn Féin leader, Gerry Adams in popularity. While some people may see Fine Gael as a party of Government (less so no doubt after the recent heave), more people see Eamon Gilmore as a more credible Taoiseach.
She could have chosen to comment on Turkey‘s human rights abuses, but went down the antiimmigration road. Perhaps the blaming immigrants plays better with the Fine Gael base. Along with Leo Varadkar wanting to pay unemployed non-nationals to leave the country, Simon Coveney trying to impalement, Neo-Liberal, privatisation policies, Fine Gael Senators openly disagreeing with the leadership over the continued existence of Seanad Éireann; and the recent heave attempt by his Last November, an telling outburst own Deputy Leader; Edna Kenny by Dublin South-East TD, is being shown as a weak leader. Lucinda Creighton, brought Enda Kenny‘s leadership into question. Eamon Gilmore has no such issues She stated that she‘ll quit politics with other Labour TD‘s or the if she doesn't become a cabinet party membership. He has the full minister. Now, I don‘t think that confidence of the Parliamentary she is first-rate, ministerial Labour Party and the party memmaterial. Remember, this is the bership. Under his leadership, he same woman who helped Young has been the only leader to ask the Fine Gael come up with the tough questions to the Taoiseach, ―Passion for Europe‖ sex scene and demand answers. Labour was poster for the first Nice the only party, to correctly vote Referendum. Young Fine Gael against the blanket guarantee. The continued this trend into the first Local and European Elections saw Lisbon referendum with the three of four Labour candidates ―Enlarge Your Opportunities‖ elected to the European Parliament poster. Hardly the kind of thinking and Joan Burton has exposed each that is needed in Government right of Minister Brian Lenihan‘s now, especially with her budgets as the most regressive comments on Turkish membership we‘ve ever had. of the European Union. Whether you agree with it or not, her The electorate must be made comments on immigration had aware, that a Right wing, Fine more than a little far-Right to Gael Government will be little or no different than the current Right them. wing, Fianna Fáil Government. Edna Kenny hasn‘t just lost the respect of half his party of late, he has lost control of his party‘s members.
At the next election, the people will have two real options: either to vote for the same Civil War parties and the same failed politics or to vote for a new start with The Labour Party and with Eamon Gilmore as Taoiseach.
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The Civil Partnership Bill:
By Luke Field This month, a bill on civil partnerships passed through the houses of the Oireachtas, moving through the Dáil without need for a vote, and being passed by the Seanad on 48 votes to 4. Finally, same-sex couples will be able to have their relationships recognised by the Irish State, and be afforded a number of rights and protections reflecting this. The bill also makes these provisions for heterosexual couples who have been cohabiting for a long period of time, but who are not married. The bill is the third such piece of legislation to have been brought before the Oireachtas since the beginning of the millennium, its predecessors being the Norris Bill of 2004 and the Civil Union Bills of 2006 and 2007.
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Back in 2004, prominent LGBT activist Senator David Norris tabled a private member‘s bill to Seanad Éireann regarding recognition for unmarried cohabiting couples, without distinction between heterosexual relationships and same-sex couples.
On the 14th of December, 2006, Labour Party TD Brendan Howlin tabled a private member‘s bill before Dáil Éireann – the Civil Unions Bill. The timing of the Bill was significant, as this was the same day that the High Court made its ruling that lesbian couple Katherine Zappone and Ann Louise Gilligan (who were married in Canada, where same“An obvious and glaring sex marriage is legal) could not difference, and have their marriage recognised by inadequacy, is the lack of the Irish State for financial provision for adoption by purposes due to ―constitutional incompatibility‖. Similar in thrust same-sex couples” to the Norris Bill, the bill The bill was somewhat unusual in conferred all the rights of marriage onto couples in a civil that it was the first private member‘s bill to be introduced in union, but only applied to samesex couples. Furthermore, the bill the Seanad in over fifty years. allowed for adoption by same-sex Taking a rather different line to couples in a civil union. Due to most civil union-related bills, this further delaying tactics by the bill simply stated that all the Government, the bill fell when rights of a married couple would the Dáil ended ahead of the 2007 be available to a legallyGeneral Election. The bill was recognised cohabiting couple brought before the new Dáil in rather than outlining the proposed October 2007, but was again rights of a civil union. While the voted down as ―unconstitutional‖. bill was widely praised, it was The current Civil Partnership Bill essentially filibustered by the is a highly watered-down version decision of the Government to of the previous bills. An obvious postpone a vote ―indefinitely‖. and glaring difference, and inadequacy, is the lack of provision for adoption by samesex couples. There seems to be no reason for this omission, as it would not be incompatible with the Irish Constitution in its current form, and adoption of children by individual members of the LGBT community is perfectly legal. www.labouryouth.ie
A Stepping Stone or a Fobbing Off?
Another controversial, and highly criticised, part of the bill is the inclusion of a ―conscience clause‖. Essentially, this clause means that any civil registrar can opt not to perform the civil partnership of a same-sex couple on grounds of conscience, but faces up to six months in prison and/or a significant fine. As part of an extremely lively and contentious debate in the Seanad, independent Senator Shane Ross commented that ―to say someone will go to jail for not doing their job for whatever reason is wrong‖. A further ―conscience clause‖ was part of an amendment that renegade Fianna Fáil Senators Jim Walsh, Labhrás Ó Mhurchú and John Hanafin proposed to the Seanad; this clause would have allowed any service providers (such as photographers and catering staff) to refuse to serve at a same-sex civil partnership ceremony on grounds of conscience, as an exception to the Equal Status Acts of 2000 and 2004.
“It remains to be seen what the future holds in this area of social legislation” While the proposed amendment met with staunch support from independent NUI Senator Rónán Mullen, the overwhelming majority of the Seanad moved swiftly to quash the amendment on the grounds that it was just an excuse to discriminate against same-sex unions while enjoying legal protection. While the bill is likely to be welcomed by the LGBT community when it comes into effect in January 2011, it remains to be seen what the future holds in this area of social legislation. The recognition, in any form, of same-sex relationships by the State is obviously a welcome development, but it is still a long way off parity with marriage.
Certainly, the most urgent development that will be sought from this is to give same-sex couples the right of adoption. It could have far-reaching implications for marriage within Ireland as a whole and push it towards a more secularised existence; an obvious potential endpoint is the adoption of the French model of marriages, whereby a civil formalising of the marriage must take place for it to be recognised by the state regardless of whether or not any religious service has taken place. Whether or not we progress from here shall essentially decide whether or not this should be welcomed as a flawed but viable stepping-stone to true equality in Ireland, or simply an effort by the current Government and the social conservatives of the State fobbing off the LGBT community at little cost to themselves.
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By Declan Meenagh Facebook is the most searched brand in America. It has 400,000,000 users world wide (compared to twitter which only has 100,000,000) and is expanding to other sites with Facebook Connect and the newly released Graph API. Although the company‘s record on user privacy is poor, Facebook is a very important platform. I think a Facebook presence is essential for a Branch of Labour Youth or nearly any other group. The main LY page has been very effective; in that it has relevant information, is frequently updated, and has a nice mix of content. A lot of branches are using Facebook, but some of them may not be using it effectively. The first big no-no is setting up a person profile for a group. It looks very unprofessional, it probably violates the terms of service which could get your page shut down, you have to approve every member, and it looks very amateur.
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Groups were the first option for organisations on Facebook. They have the benefit of being able to send emails and event invites to all members. Once you join a group it shows up in your friends‘ news feed. The disadvantage is that the group doesn‘t have status updates. It has a wall which anyone can write on, but you have to visit the page to see it. In the beginning, Facebook events were designed to make it easy for college students to meet up and drink (not much has changed really). Events are very useful. It is easy to invite people to them and they show up in your friends news feed when you RSVP to one. They are a great way of promoting an event, and of reminding people that an event is on. You can send an all attendee email and emails are sent out when the date/time/ venue is changed. Next there comes the fan pages. A fan page lets you put status updates in the fans news feeds. When someone shares a link or video, they have an option to leave it as via your fan page. This helps get more fans. Fan pages also have analytics about page usage which groups and pages don‘t have. They can be very use-
ful. A disadvantage of fan pages is that you can‘t email all members or invite all members to an event, but I feel this is a small price to pay for a way to get content into peoples news feeds. So, how should a branch use Facebook more effectively? First of all, Facebook isn‘t the be-all and end-all of the web. There are some people, who (shock horror) don‘t have a Facebook account (we‘re building re-education camps as we speak), so in the mean time you should have a website for your branch. Unless you‘re a hardcore XHTML nerd in your parent‘s basement with nothing better to do with your time than hand code a site, use Blogger or Wordpress. The advantages and disadvantages of these are enough to possibly write my next article, but they are both free and really easy to use, so pick one. Keep this site up-to-date. You should make a Facebook fan page for your branch, then share links to the posts from your site. Don‘t post too much, and don‘t post a load of things at the same time. Also try and keep the content varied.
www.labouryouth.ie
Friend or Foe? Post a video from the Party‘s YouTube channel with a few questions in the text area. Post links to relevant news articles, and post stuff about what your branch or LY are doing. Groups aren‘t as useful. One thing you might do is create a group for a campaign. Then you can email the members and invite them to events. The Tallagh IT bus shelter campaign is an example of such a group. Labour Youth also has some effective groups including the campaign for a 3-Way TV Debates between Party Leaders. I‘ve written about how you can use Facebook to promote your Branch but I feel I should also say something about Facebook privacy in a personal level. While useful, it has become clear that without massive pressure, Facebook doesn‘t care about user privacy as it doesn‘t fit with their emerging business model. So what‘s the problem with Facebook? Well from the site youropenbook.com you can search for things like ―Hate my job‖ or ―cheat on my boyfriend/ girlfriend‖, and you can see posts either from people who are really stupid, or who don‘t realise their posts are public. This happened because Facebook changed their privacy settings and made everyone review them. However, they put a lot of settings (like everything you post to your wall) to public by default. Most people just skipped over this without reading it, so their posts are now public.
A more recent change means that everything you list as interests, favourite books and films are now public. Again you were shown information about this but most people just clicked through it. Basically everything you specified as an interest is now linked to a fan page, and publicly accessible. Something else you mightn‘t realise is that membership of pages is usually public. And then you have instant personalisation which gives 3rd party sites you visit while logged into Facebook default access to information in your account. So what should you do? Well a few internet celebrities have quit Facebook very publicly, but I don‘t think this will make a difference, and Facebook is so integrated into everything already that stopping using it seems a bit silly. The fundamental rule for the future is assume everything you put on Facebook could be made public by a mistake or by a discrete change in settings. I‘ve set all my contact information as friends only. It‘s your own choice. Leaving your email public will probably result in a lot of phishing attacks and spam, and you really don‘t want the whole internet to have your phone number, so look at these carefully. Under no circumstances should you set your birthdate to public, as such information is widely used in identity theft scams.
“The fundamental rule for the future is assume everything you put on Facebook could be made public by a mistake or by a discrete change in settings. “ When people first joined Facebook, it was a place to talk to friends privately. Services like Twitter are a lot more open, designed to broadcast things we want the entire internet to see. But Facebook wants some of the Twitter action, and it is using methods such as changing settings and terms of service to make things more public. To fix this problem, Facebook needs to switch everything back to private. It needs to be private by default, and it can never change this. I doubt it will do this though, as it seems the only people who care are a few bloggers.
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Campaigns and Events
CLOCKWISE FROM THE TOP 1.) Labour Youth sitting behind Party Leader Eamonn Gilmore during the Leaders Speech at Conference 2010 2.) Maynoth Labour posing with Ruiri Quinn TD 3.) UCC Labour posing with Michael D. Higgins TD 4.) Labour Youth at Conference 2010
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Campaigns and Events
CLOCKWISE FROM THE TOP 1.) LY National Chairperson Rory Geraghty addressing the Tom Johnson Summer School 2.) LY Activists supporting the striking workers at Connolly Shoes 3.) UCC Labour taking campaigning in response to the massacre of aid workers by Israeli Troops aboard the Flotilla headed for Gaza 4.) LY Activists at the Regulate Global Finance Now protest
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Poll Position?
By Conor Ryan The last few weeks have been of incredible importance to our movement. Eamon Gilmore has consistently shown himself to be the most popular Party Leader in the country, and the Labour Party, for the first time in its near 100 year existence, has according to the latest MRBI come out as the highest polling Party. There has never been a better time for So what exactly does this mean for us, and how can be best capitalize on it? In many ways, it is true at the Party has never been in a stronger position. With a committed core of activists, a stable leadership and a population crying out for a change in the ways of old, Labour has gained unprecedented success of late. Any yet, it is worth remembering that the Party has never been in as perilous a position as this. With the increase in Labour support, the establishment and their sycophants in the mainstream press have predictably gone on the attack.
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How many times have we heard the old myth — ‖Labour has no policies‖ on TV, Newspaper and Radio? Have the journalists of this county suddenly, in their shock at the prospect of a Labour-Led government forgotten basic research abilities such as how to do a google search, or better yet — log on to www.labour.ie/policy? A two minute inquiry into the matter will reveal that the Labour Party have released over 47 Policy Documents since 2007, along with 26 Private Members Bills. In response one such assertion by Sean Moncrieff, several Labour Youth activists emailed the show correcting him. In response, Sean outright denied the exchange had taken place, and when shown the recording in question (on Newstalks own website), met us with silence. A week or so later, he quipped that Labour Activists ―get very hot and bothered when people say they have no policies‖. This is on the whole correct, and why shouldn‘t we. We have every right to get ―hot and bothered‖ when the media misrepresents us a populist chancers with no ideas, and I for one wish we would exercise that right more often!
“With the increase in Labour support, the establishment and their sycophants in the mainstream press have predictably gone on the attack”
It will not be enough to wish this into existence, or leave the hard work to the PLP however — if it is to become a reality, it will take every single Activist on the ground and performing at 110% from now until the next General Election. It will take ordinary members ringing up radio shows and writing letters to the Newspapers, correcting misrepresentations of our Party when and as they see them. It will take large and vocal turnouts at every campaign and protest from here on in. It will take canvassing every street and every house. Make no mistake, the road ahead of us is not going to be an easy one, but we have the chance the change the way politics are done in this country for generations. To achieve that, at least from my point of view, every leaflet drop will be worth it!
We should not despair about these attacks, they would not be happening if those behind them weren‘t scared. The movement for change is growing by the day, and the idea of a Labour-Led Government, an idea that was derided as being outside the realm of reality not long ago, is now a very, very real prospect.
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Branch in Focus: DIT Labour
By Glenn Fitzpatrick Devoid of any socialism in recent times, DIT finally has a voice of the left. An active committee consisting of young and ambitious party members has taken centre stage in the college as the only entity keeping the often passive DITSU on their toes.
As they continue to ignore the hardships that their members endure in their personal lives as well as at the hands of the HEA, they align themselves with the people that have seen the country slip into the state that it currently lies in. The way in which they have de-politicized their The mission: to cure apathy among students of one of the most members (inadvertently or otherwise) also warrants worry. affected 3rd level institutions in relation to An BĂłrd Snip. The be- DIT Labour boasts two memginning of the next academic cal- bers on the DIT Governing endar presents fresh challenges for Council and are constantly lobthe DIT crowd. They aim to gain bying DITSU, trying to make them more pro-active. If anyfull branch status and to ensure thing is to change for the betterthat DIT keeps its‘ ties with USI as a movement to isolate the DIT ment of the students in DIT, Labour will have a strong role student body and remove them to play. from the organization gathers momentum under the current Executive DIT Labour aim to run their own campaigns on-campus, letting the students know that there is a fairer way of doing things. DITSU slammed USI for supporting the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in their day of action back in November last, and have constantly claimed that they have to be apolitical.
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A Response to the SDLP Question Irish unity was mentioned in the founding principles but it was in terms of the unity of the people North and South based on the principle of consent, which has subsequently been enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement. It is true that the Party has been seen to drift away from its Labour emphasis in the early 1970s towards a nationalist position but this must By Liam McNulty be contextualized with regard to The Derry-based leadership around internment, Bloody Sunday, general John Hume were attracted to the In the last issue, Brian societal polarisation and the failure growing European socialO‘Connor and Colm Lawless to agree an internal settlement via democratic movement- Hume enthe Sunningdale Agreement. Parties recounted their observations joying a positive relationship with on the SDLP, gained during a Willy Brandt of the German SPD- are a product of their immediate political environment and the SDLP is whilst Gerry Fitt (Republican fact-finding mission to the no different. Labour Party) and Paddy Devlin North to meet local activists. Nevertheless, in the settled SDLP member Liam McNulty (Northern Ireland Labour Party) conditions of post-Agreement insisted on the name containing a has this to say in response to Northern Ireland it is necessary that Labour element because they that article the SDLP retains a firm commitment viewed it vital to the new party's success in Belfast . Amusingly, the to a social democratic programme and is reminded of its radical roots. Labour Social Democratic Party I welcome the debate on the We can draw comfort therefore, (the LSD Party) was suggested SDLP in the pages of the Left from the election of Party Leader before its pharmacological Tribune. A correct orientation connotations were noticed and the Margaret Ritchie who gave a very towards the SDLP is necessary clear indication of her political current name was agreed on. for Labour Youth and the loyalties at the 2010 Labour Party The founding principles of the Labour Party, and for social Conference in Galway. Moreover, party were not, in fact, moderate democracy and democratic Mark Durkan MP has established socialism more broadly across nationalist in tone and differed himself since 2005 as a respected sharply from Eddie McAteer's the island as a whole. member of the House of Nationalist Party. The programme Commons, providing a dissenting Contrary to the assertions in for the party was, in its own terms, voice on the Labour benches on the article on the question in to be 'based on radical left of centre matters such as 42 Days' Internment, the last issue, the name 'Social principles' which included 'a the abolition of the 10 pence tax rate Democratic and Labour Party' just and adequate distribution of and on the previous British was not deliberately contrived wealth', a promise to 'uphold and Government's plans to amend the to avoid 'emotive terms' but support the democratic rights and law on universal jurisdiction to was a compromise between principles of organised labour' and protect Israel's right to due diplomattwo currents of thought which the promotion of 'financial, ic conduct and intergovernmental were prominent at the time. consumer, industrial and engagement; "standards for which," agricultural co-operatives'. as Mark has said, "the Israeli Government currently demonstrates a blatant disregard."
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This work has not stopped with the election of the current Con-Dem coalition, and the SDLP have been at the forefront in attacking the regressive cuts agenda in Westminster. Colm and Brian are right to note different undercurrents within the Party but in terms of the SDLP's track record in areas of mutual concern to the Labour movement North and South the party has been consistent. Its emphasis on providing social housing, in standing up for civil liberties in the face of the British governments' engagement in the so-called 'War on Terror' and in consistently opposing the imperialist war in Iraq puts it to the left of Irish Labour's sister party in the United Kingdom. The party has stood up for workers' rights too, for instance by campaigning for the pension rights of the workers in the Desmonds factory in Co. Derry, giving active support to the Visteon workers during the occupation of their factory in 2009.
As of the 2010 SDLP Conference, the party has formally endorsed the Platform for Change initiative which seeks to put politics based on the issues before politics based on identity. What is more, former Labour Youth National Secretary and ECOSY Vice President Conall McDevitt MLA, has played a key role in this initiative.
I would call on Labour Youth to strengthen its relationship with its comrades on the Left of the SDLP and SDLP Youth in the interests of promoting democratic socialism and social democracy across the island of Ireland. Only with a closer working relationship between the two The Party was also unanimous in its members of Socialist International in Ireland can support for a truly Shared Future for the people of Northern Ireland. we ever create the objective material conditions in which This stance is consistent with the the people of this island can civic republicanism of our Party which aims for equality between become reconciled, irrespective of their citizens regardless of their background, and is in marked contrast to community background. the ethno-nationalism and pseudo- Unity is strength and hopefully, by working republicanism of Sinn FĂŠin which conceives of equality as a zero-sum together, we can fulfill our shared objectives of game between two mutually promoting the cause of homogenous and contrived Labour and of the radical communitarian identities. In the reform of society. words of Patsy McGlone, the Party's new Deputy Leader: "Our future is together. Because a separate future is not a just and equal future."
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Book Review — On Liberty
On Liberty—by John S. Mill Review by Neil Warner Sometimes the best way to get a grasp of the morality that should instruct our feelings about modern politics and policy is to turn back to an old classic. As classics go, Mill‘s On Liberty is unusual in the timelessness of its message. As socialists we may love to take direction from and admire Marx, but there can be no denying that the basics of Marx‘s analysis of the world, for all the insight which they provide, are at this stage very anachronistic. Such is the beautiful, eloquent simplicity of Mill‘s argument and such is the sophistication with which he elaborates on it, however, that it still rings as true today as it did when it was written in 1859. The premise of the 130-page book revolves around Mill‘s famous ‗one very simple principle‘: ‗that the only purpose for which power can rightfully be exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others‘.
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But what the Millian principle is very clear on is that it is utterly wrong and immoral to interfere in areas of a person‘s private thoughts or actions. ‗Over himself, over his own body and mind‘ Mill declares, ‗the individual is sovereign‘. There can be no justification for paternalistic imposition on someone of views They are wrong to do so. Perhaps or behaviour that have no effect on you might think that what Mill anyone but them. And this may says opens up the door to an not necessarily be the state, indeed argument for laissez faire it is to Mill‘s credit that he saw capitalism. Although written at the that it is more than likely not height of classical liberalism, Government itself, but wider Mill‘s book is careful not to do society which oppresses individual this. There is nothing in Mill‘s principle which says that resources freedom. In this sense, Mill recaptures should not be controlled by and individualism for the left. He shared among a community. offers the perfect counterpoint to Additionally trade and business the perverse, shallow talk of the may be regulated since they are, ‗individual‘ which the Right has Mill insists, socially-influential adopted simply to denigrate practices that do not concern private individuals alone. Finally we progressive notions of society and may still, under Mill‘s logic, regu- equality. When we hear these late contracts such as employment claims there is an easy tendency to forgot that we , ourselves, between individuals since one of should be passionate the individuals, most likely the worker, is dominated by the power individualists. It is very easy to lose our bearings and to forget the and resources of the other. basic abstract principles which we are fighting for and against when we see terms like ‗individuality‘ warped in the way in which it is. Perhaps because of its simplicity, this is an argument that has been much misunderstood. Many on the right, particularly the economic right, have claimed Mill as their own .Correspondingly many of the left have sought to distance themselves from Mill, seen as the quintessential ‗liberal‘.
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