The Socialist, April 2019 by Socialist Party

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PAPER OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY

ISSUE 121

It’s official: Homelessness hits 10,000

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Leeside: Inspiring victory over vulture fund

The Limerick Soviet: 100 years on

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Bloody Sunday: No Justice, only insults

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NEWS THE SOCIALIST

Capitalist Ireland: rich lists & tax havens Tax haven: An Orwellian definition

Hard work? Did these people get so rich through hard work and risk-taking? No, hard work is for eejits like you and me. Nine times out of ten they were born rich. They made money by owning property. They got richer from hiring other people on minimum-wage jobs and zerohour contracts, or in sweatshops; from gambling on the markets; from extracting rents. They got richer because tax havens like Ireland exist. They got richer with every passing year of austerity and the housing crisis. They got richer because the state and all the main political parties dance to their tune.

The whole world says Ireland is a tax haven – the whole world, except for the ruling class here in Ireland. They quibble: “If you go by this extremely narrow definition, then we’re not a tax haven.” They protest: “That particular loophole is being phased out.” At most, they will accept “aggressive tax planning” as a polite way to say “taxdodging”. But for them, being “patriotic” means insisting that up is down, black is white and Ireland is not a tax haven.

Don’t listen to the haters On 27 March a Twitter user asked, “Any thoughts on the European Parliament declaring Ireland a tax haven?” “Yes,” replied Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes, “it’s called jealousy.” US corporations spend one dollar on wages for every eight they make in profits here in Ireland. We’re sure the German politicians are green with envy. It’s actually a sign of how feeble capitalism in Ireland is, that our ruling class has to grovel before multinational corporations like this.

Under pressure The US, the EU and the OECD are tightening the screws and changing the rules, in a way that threatens to pull the rug out from under the Irish tax game. Of course, this is not a fundamental challenge to taxdodging; it’s just the different capi-

By Manus Lenihan

Meanwhile... talist classes bickering over the spoils. In this, the weak southern Irish state looks like it’s going to lose out.

Government report card: dismal The tax haven regime is running out of steam at home too. A Red C poll (SBP, March 31st) found that Irish voters aren’t happy with the government about the economy, housing, the environment, or Brexit. They score low on healthcare because of overcrowding, cervical check scandals, and pay and conditions. This is thanks to decades of cuts and underinvestment. Those cuts and that lack of investment were the price we paid for a low corporate tax regime.

Teach Solais, the only LGBT+ resource centre in the west of Ireland, is begging for €90,000 off the HSE to keep its doors open. What a modest number compared to the millions and billions of the rich list crowd. Teach Solais is worth more to society than all 300 of them put together – but the HSE only gave it €1,000. We need public ownership of the wealth of society so we can plan services and enterprises to meet people’s needs, rather than trusting to the chaos of the capitalist market – which has glutted Dublin’s city centre with competing unsustainable big-chain coffee shops but can’t keep a single LGBT+ resource centre open west of the River Shannon; which delivers us tax-dodging and rich lists, but can’t provide homes or a functioning health service.

Rich list – vanity of the super-rich But on the plus side, some people got extremely wealthy. Take a look at the Sunday Times Rich List, published every year to feed the vanity of the capitalist class. The 300 richest people in the country now have €88 billion between them. Wealthy people who fall short of the €57 million required to join the top 300 will read the list with bitter jealousy. But working-class people will ask: “What exactly does Denis O’Brien bring to the table that he owns nearly €2 billion? Are his talents that unique? Is his line of work so dangerous, dirty and backbreaking?”

Denis O'Brien: Ireland's biggest tax

cheating billionaire

Capitalism & period poverty By Ingrid Doyle

or a growing number of women, trans and gender non-conforming people, periods are not just a biological annoyance, they are also a crippling financial burden. For many; young people, lone parents, those subjected to homelessness and those living in direct provision, period poverty is a reality. a survey carried out by PLaN International last year, showed that more than half of young girls, women and gender non-conforming aged 12 to 19, struggle to afford sanitary products. Similarly, a report carried out in Ireland on lone parents, showed that 84% are unable to meet unexpected expenses. This includes sanitary products for themselves and their teenage children. Those in Direct Provision, struggling to feed and clothe themselves and their families on €38.80 a week, surely find it near impossible to keep excess cash to afford sanitary products. Especially considering these products can cost

anything between €2 and €6 per pack, with most using more than one pack per month. Free availability In September 2018, Dublin City Council announced it will provide free sanitary products in buildings such as community centres, swimming pools and libraries. Last month, a motion was raised in the Seanad, to provide ‘a free range of free, adequate, safe and suitable sanitary products and comprehensive, objective menstrual education information distributed through all public buildings.’ This is no doubt a step in the right direction, but is far from a solution. To end period poverty, we must end poverty. This motion shows hope, but considering the chronic underfunding of our education, healthcare system, and public services, how will this materialise? A question is when this will this be fully implemented across the board? And what effect will it have on other expenses and underfunding down the line, will it be made a matter of either or with other services? It is

Period poverty is a condemnation of the sexist system we live under

also clear, that this needs to go further than proposed. It must reach beyond public buildings, to ensure all people, across the country, have access to these essential items.

The profit system It must also reach beyond Ireland – to ensure that, across the world people have that same access to these necessities. Finally, considering the

current climate crisis, sanitary products must be produced on a sustainable basis. A move must be made towards free access to, not only free sanitary products for those that need them, but to free sustainable products, to ensure the protection of our planet. It is worth mentioning that these sustainable products are currently taxed at the highest rate of 23%, making them inaccessible to many sections of society. These real solutions, cannot be achieved under this profit driven system. Sanitary products will continue to be commodified by capitalist industries, as luxury items, rather than basic necessities. Companies producing these products must be taken out of private hands, and brought into democratic public ownership, so they can be provided freely to all women, trans and gender non-conforming people. The real solution therefore, is to end poverty, inequality and gendered exploitation, all of which are deeply rooted in the profit-driven capitalism system.

NEWS

THE SOCIALIST

Leeside Residents

Inspiring victory against vulture fund The struggle began in October 2017 when over 30 households met their new landlord and were served notices to quit on the basis of “Renovictions” (using renovations as a basis to evict residents), utilising the well used “substantial refurbishment” loophole in tenancy legislation. Residents were shocked to learn of their eviction notices after seeing notices exposed and taped to their front doors. Others were advised to leave their keys under the door of the empty office on the ground floor when their notice periods expired. Once the building was made vacant, the vulture fund planned to exploit the loophole to circumvent the weak rent pressure zones which restricts rent hikes to 4% per annum. This would result in the tenants facing rent hikes of as much as €1000 per month for a one bedroom apartment or eviction into a housing crisis. Consistent protests and campaigning by Leeside Residents, with assistance from Socialist Party members, has delivered a victory

By Councillor Fiona Ryan

he year and a half long struggle of the residents of the Leeside apartments in Cork City, against the vulture fund which purchased the distressed property in 2017, culminated in a victory this month. The large apartment block with the capacity to house over 75 households was sold to Cluid Housing Association and funded in cooperation with Cork City Council before renovations were even complete. This was after the landlord came under

significant and sustained pressure by the anti-eviction campaign. Residents remain The remaining 13 households from the original residents will now be guaranteed tenancy and a reduction of rents to affordable levels. As well as this significant victory for the tenants themselves, an additional 59 households will be housed at Leeside from the Council Waiting List. The victory of the Leeside Apartment residents is a crucial lesson for future anti-eviction campaigns. It represents a landmark victory for the

housing movement. It shows that public housing and public ownership are key to tackling this housing crisis. Where mass evictions are threatened by landlords and vulture funds, the State should take the properties into public ownership without compensation, halt the evictions, and convert them to public housing. Exploiting a loophole This victory has come from the patience and strength of the Leeside Anti-Eviction Campaign and the year long fight against eviction threats, renovations, moves and precarity.

Making a killing Residents were advised by the vulture fund’s property manager as early as November 2018 that the renovated apartments would be rented at above market rates for as much as €1600 for a one-bedroom apartment. The company’s mission statement at the time, since removed from their website, boasted about their orientation to purchasing property cheap, and re-let to “young professionals”. The vulture fund did not expect the residents, assisted by Socialist Party and Solidarity representatives, to mobilise widespread support throughout

Vulture funds and the market the time when property prices had plummeted in the 2009 crash. Fine Gael’s lack of criticism of such loopholes comes from their understanding that vulture funds help Irish banks appear more stable and prosperous. Varakar’s recent agreement to close this loophole has since been postponed until the Autumn.

By Emily Belton

veN a capitalist institution like the UN has issued a report criticising Ireland for implementing exclusive tax laws to the benefit of vulture funds. This comes at a time when homelessness has surpassed the 10,000 level mark. Vulture funds look for properties which are undervalued, buy them at knockdown prices and renovate them in order to increase rent prices. Such funds made a killing when NAMA engaged in a fire sale of Celtic Tiger properties it had taken over from developers that had gone bust after 2008-2009. “A very good service” There are poor tenant protections in Ireland. Fine Gael refuse to give tenants more rights and do not support the proposed Bill that would make housing a human right. When questioned by Solidarity TD and Socialist Party member Ruth Coppinger about vulture funds in May 2016, former Minister for Finance and Fine Gael TD glibly said: “You criticise me for not intervening with vulture funds. Well, it was a

Fine Gael have actively assisted vulture funds

compliment when they were so dubbed in America because vultures, you know, carry out a very good service in the ecology. They clean up dead animals that are littered across the landscape.” Fine Gael continue to facilitate vulture funds and are therefore complicit in increasing global inequality. They are guilty of assisting exploitative practices in the housing sector.

Section 10 which was introduced in 1997 allowed vulture funds to avoid paying tax by registering as charities. This allows vulture funds to make enormous profits off distressed tenants and homeowners. Fine Gael’s proposed solution to tenants being priced out of their homes is to regulate vulture funds. Varadkar continues to stand by this loophole by stating its relevance at

Housing for need Socialists believe housing is a human right, not something to be profited from. The properties all vulture funds should be taken into public ownership with no compensation for these parasites. The Socialist Party call for an end to skyrocketing rents, home repossessions, and evictions into homelessness. Private banks exist to maximize profit for shareholders and therefore have no difficulty cutting off loans where repayments are not being made. If the banks were completely state-owned they would exist to serve the public and loans would be given not on the basis of generating profit. A state-owned banking system under the democratic control of working class people could write down mortgages to affordable levels.

Cork and in society in general. In December 2017, the residents rallied over 300 people in Cork city centre to march against vulture funds to the demand of “Today Us, Tomorrow You” and there were consistent media interventions. The demand for an end to all economic evictions was at the heart of the campaign. Anti-evictions bill The self-described “Value Investor” Lugus Capital, the Irish expression of vulture fund Bain Capital founded by Republican US presidential nominee Mitt Romney, conceded into selling the apartment block before renovations were even finished on the basis of the militant campaign by the residents to resist eviction. The landlords were ultimately defeated through working class people self-organising to fight for their collective interests by challenging the reputation and potential profits of Lugus Capital, hitting them were it hurts. The Leeside Apartments struggle is a rare and significant victory in the context of an escalating housing crisis and a political establishment wedded to the capitalist market to solve this crisis. The development of a movement around housing, mass resistance to evictions, and pressure from below could force real change on the dysfunctional housing market. Solidarity and the Socialist Party are currently campaigning to have the Anti-Evictions Bill which would ban economic evictions, passed late last year, pass through the required Dáil stages as a matter of urgency.

Direct Provision must go!

THE SYSTEM of Direct Provision must go. We need public homes on public land for ALL, migrants and non-migrants alike. Below is a powerful testimony from an asylum seeker residing within this DP. “A prison cell in Mountjoy prison has more privacy than a room in Knockalisheen. I have to change in front of a stranger after a shower. Then I have to queue for meals in the canteen at specified times. They even have a security guard at the canteen entrance to make sure that I don't take food to my room using their cutlery. I must eat eat whatever they serve, when they serve it.”

ANALYSIS THE SOCIALIST

FAI scandal: Sack the board & open the books brIdgINg loan by John delaney, the Ceo, to the Football association of Ireland; an injunction to prevent press coverage of it; a refusal to inform Sport Ireland of the transaction or to explain it since — all culminating in reports that delaney was paid €3,000 per month rent on top of a fat cat salary of €360,000. These revelations have caused incredulity and outrage among football fans and public alike. For the CEO of a sports organization in a small country to draw such a massive salary is beyond justification. With a national team underperforming, even more so. Delaney’s full expenses aren’t publicly known and he also earns a salary from UEFA involvement.

A picture of nepotism and crony capitalism pervades the FAI. Delaney’s sense of entitlement appears to go unchallenged by Board members, who’ve been in situ for years. The FAI financial controller, for example, is involved in a property development business with Delaney, which also has connections to Fine Gael politicians. What was revealed at the initial Oireachtas hearing with Sport Ireland is the light-touch or no regulation of the FAI. Despite having breached the quite flimsy transparency requirements for receipt of public money and giving Sport Ireland a humiliating run-around when asked questions, grants have never been withheld from the FAI to force them into better governance. Like all neo-liberal business, the FAI and all sporting bodies are considered National Governing Bodies and essentially self regulating.

Nepotism & crony capitalism Meanwhile, FAI workers have suffered pay cuts. League of Ireland clubs struggle, often unable to pay players. Grassroots teams lack facilities. And, of course, the women’s national team had to strike in 2017 over lack of tracksuits, being forced to change in toilets and general disrespect.

Galling situation For fans who buy tickets and merchandise, for the public who fund a percentage of the FAI’s operations, the situation is galling. Fans staged a ‘tennis ball’ protest at a recent international in the AVIVA stadium. The Socialist Party released a statement following the revelations of the loan. We called on the FAI to

By Ruth Coppinger TD

John Delaney must go from the board of the FAI

make a statement on the rent claims, paid at a time when the Association’s workers were being told that a temporary pay cut could not be restored due to financial constraints. We will also ask questions when Delaney and some FAI bosses testify at the Dail Committee. The corruption in this and other sports must end. Delaney and the FAI Board should be stood down.

They should be replaced with an elected Board, dominated by representatives of workers, club volunteers, players and the public. Investment in sport The FAI should be forced to open their books, including all expenses and remuneration of the present and former CEO and the entire Board. Breaches of the law should be prose-

cuted. The days of the likes of Delaney and Hickey swanning around like Lords must end. Funding for Sports of all kinds and at all levels should be massively increased, given its huge benefits for health and well-being. This can only be done through taking ownership and control of the wealth in society and using it for the interests of the majority not the few.

Referendum in May Vote YES – Remove all restrictions on Divorce By Paul Murphy TD

“h

eLLo dIvorCe - bye bye daddy” was a key slogan of the right-wing No campaign seeking to prevent the introduction of divorce in Ireland in 1995. That referendum passed by the narrowest of margins, 0.5%. It is an indication of the sweeping social change which has taken place, particularly the undermining of the Catholic church, that the new divorce referendum on May 24 is likely to see an overwhelming Yes vote. The Constitution If passed, this referendum would remove the restrictions in the Constitution on the availability of divorce, including the provision that the couple must be separated for four of the previous five years. Instead, the government plans to legislate for two years separation. When originally introduced by Josepha Madigan, a Fine Gael TD, now Minister, as a ‘private members bill’, the proposal for two years of separation was to go into the Consti-

come, them and their children could be made homeless.

tution itself. Solidarity and Socialist Party TDs argued in the Dáil that there should be no such restriction in the Constitution. Reflecting the change that has taken place, and the experience of the Repeal referendum, the government agreed to remove all restrictions from the Constitution and simply to legislate for it. A civil right We welcome the referendum and will be campaigning for a Yes vote. It is a civil right for those who wish to marry to be able to do so. The necessary corollary for that is that couples should be able to divorce as they wish. It is positive that there will be no restriction in the Constitution, however there should be no legal restrictions whatsoever. These restrictions in practice will affect the most vulnerable. While in an amicable divorce, a couple could agree to say they were separated longer than they were, in other situations, an abusive former partner could dispute the separation time, and seek to block the divorce. In order for this legal change to make a real difference for most peo-

The forces of the Catholic right have been pushed back massively since 1995

ple, it must be accompanied by economic and social changes which make the right to divorce genuinely accessible. Many women in particu-

lar are trapped in marriages, or relationships, that are abusive, or simply unhappy, because without their family home, or their joint in-

Neoliberalism It is illustrative of the neoliberal nature of Fine Gael, that at the same time that they are proposing liberalisation of divorce laws, they have implemented horrific cuts in refuge services for those fleeing domestic violence! Ireland now has less than a third of the number of spaces it should have according to European guidelines. Only 11 refuge unit spaces are available in Dublin City, and one in three counties across the country have no spaces whatsoever! Similarly, the costs of getting legal advice and representation can be prohibitive in the case of a disputed divorce. To make the legal right to divorce accessible to all, all legal restrictions on it should be removed. This needs to be combined with the right to free legal advice and representation for all who need it. Inextricably linked to that is the right of people to housing - with proper rent controls and a massive programme of public home building, as well as adequate provision of refuge spaces.

WORKPLACE

THE SOCIALIST

“Our Union, Our Choice”

NASRA workers fight HSE union busting By David Vallely

he CUrreNT fight for union recognition by workers in the hSe’s National ambulance Service (NaS) is part of the fallout from the economic crash. The savage attacks on public sector pay during the depths of the austerity years coupled with a harsh regime of overwork and bullying was compounded by the unwillingness of SIPTU officialdom to act on these issues. In these circumstances paramedics resolved to form a union of their own and established NaSra under the umbrella of the Psychiatric Nurses association (PNa). Vindictive management… The idea of facing a fighting and members-led union was ultimately deemed an unacceptable risk by management in NAS and the HSE, and they acted to de-recognise the union and end the practice of deducting union subscriptions from workers’ pay. Paramedics efforts to challenge this has been met with a campaign of persecution, with Emergency Medical Technicians especially being victimised and denied the overtime they rely on to make ends meet. Effectively, HSE management are intent on starving the paramedics back to work. …Backed by government When pushed in the Dáil by Solidar-

Teacher unions must take action

Ambulance workers have taken inspiration from historic Repeal victory last May

ity TD and Socialist Party member Mick Barry, Leo Varadkar disgracefully tried to insinuate that what the workers were requesting was somehow unreasonable. It is not for bosses to decide who should represent workers, but it is consistent with the anti-union views of Varadkar and Fine Gael. When running for leader of Fine Gael, he vowed to make strikes illegal in certain “essential services” if elected Taoiseach. The effective de-recognition of a union in the public service represents an escalation in Fine Gael’s battle to hold the industrial line on behalf of the capitalist class. With the cost of living rising, workers

across the economy are increasingly looking to have the recovery reflected in their pay and conditions. However, the bosses’ recovery in profits is based on driving those pay and conditions into the ground, so they will not want to concede anything. Solidarity action is essential In addition to this, there are particular obstacles facing the NASRA paramedics from generating the necessary pressure on the HSE and government through their own actions. This is mainly due to the critical nature of their work and contractual regime which obliges them to re-

spond to emergency calls, even when technically on strike. There are ways and means around this, but ultimately the solution lies in obtaining the meaningful solidarity of other workers who have a freer hand to take action which would serve to reinforce and strengthen the actions of the NASRA paramedics. This should start by the wider PNA membership raising in their struggle with the government for pay justice, a demand for the recognition of their NASRA colleagues. This is not a fight that the wider trade union movement can remain neutral on, there’s too much at stake and a victory would be a triumph for all workers.

Nurses & Midwives’ deal: Return to pickets is key to victory By Michael O’Brien

S we go to press the Labour Court has issue its second recommendation on the settlement of the nurses and midwives struggle for pay parity with the therapeutic grades and pay equality for new entrants. The strike days in February were clearly having an impact. The original Labour Court recommendation was issued in a rush to avert three further scheduled days that would have had the government and HSE on the ropes. This could have yielded a more clear-cut and favourable outcome. Cynical manoeuvre What took place in subsequent weeks further proved that the recommendation, which contained deliberate loose ends, was a cynical manoeuvre to break the momentum of the action. The late demand for the amendment of contracts to provide for redeployment up to 40Km in the same that led to a breakdown which should have set the scene for a return to the pickets. It was an error on the part of the INMO to have run with information meetings in advance of all details of the offer

Two-tier pay, growing workload...

Industrial action is key in order to make gains on pay parity and equality

being thrashed out fully. Instead weeks were wasted before this recommendation was issued which has a vaguer formulation about deployment and seeks to enforce the Organisation of Working Time Act on nurses who supplement their income by doing additional agency work. The fact that there are

nurses working more than the allowable maximum of 48 hours per week in the first place is a testament to poor pay and the cost of living crisis. Temporary and disguised parity The original recommendation which is preserved in large measure in this second one, while recom-

mended by the INMO leadership fell short in any case. In essence, the offer amounted to a form of temporary and disguised ‘parity’ with the therapeutic grades. Temporary in the sense that if the therapeutic grades themselves win any future claims from the HSE there is no automatic linking of those claims to the pay of nurses and midwives i.e. the differentials could be restored. Disguised, in the sense that rather than headline pay parity the proposal was for the gap in pay to be closed though allowances which many members feel are less secure than core pay. The other reservation expressed was that the therapeutic grades enjoy a greater rate of promotions in their career than nurses and midwives. The demand for full undisguised parity with the therapeutic grades and an end to two tier pay is justified and winnable. That means rejection of this offer and a return to the pickets which will be a nightmare for this government with local and European elections on the horizon. Common cause, in the form of protests and united strike action, should be made with other public service workers in the health sector and beyond for real cost of living increases.

By James Tuohy THE CONFERENCES of the main teacher union take place Easter week amidst continued demands for pay equalisation. They also come on the back of a serious struggle by nurses which advanced more on the issue in three days of strike action than other unions have managed over three years. Although demands for equal pay will most likely dominate the agendas there are many issues that are pushing teachers to breaking point, in particular workload. The crumbs obtained in the Public Service Stability Agreement are lauded by the union leaderships as ‘progress’. These deals over the years have come with these neoliberal, performance related working conditions. Inspiring example of the US In the US, this neo-liberal restructuring was brought to new levels with school closures and their replacement with private charter schools. The US teacher strike wave, which began in West Virginia, before spreading to states from east to west, has being an inspiration and demonstrates what is possible and needed to challenge this pernicious agenda. Socialist Party members attending the respective conferences will point to these victories, victories that took place in the context of an aggressive right-wing regime being in power. A key lesson needs to be learnt; workers action can win results, inaction is a recipe for defeat.

6 SPECIAL FEATURE The period in Ireland after 1917 Ireland saw a wave of strikes and a radicalisation of the working class on a scale never before witnessed on the island. A key event in this period was the Limerick Soviet that saw the working class of the city take control of the city for a period of two weeks. AISLINN O’KEEFE writes about this defining event in the history of the workers’ movement in Ireland.

THE SOC

General strikes, land seizures & soviets...

hILe SINN Féin’s program of a capitalist independent Ireland meant the supplanting of one ruling class in favour of another, the Limerick Soviet, for a brief period, signaled the potential for a complete break from the system of capitalism to be replaced by workers power and socialism. Impact of war There was a rich stew of events and factors locally, nationally, and internationally that influenced the episode that unfolded in Limerick at the instigation of local workers in April of 1919. The barbarity of World War I was just had just ended in 1918 as a result of the German revolution. Tens of thousands of Irish people were killed or injured in the war, while in Ireland the effects of war meant a sharp increase in inflation and a dive in living standards. It was these harsh economic conditions that saw a huge rise in trade union membership across the country before the war ended. The threat of military conscription in the Spring of 1918 had resulted in the first general strike in Ireland, resulting in the defeat of this proposal.

Growing repression But it was an event that occurred over 3,500 km away in Russia that proved to be the greatest of inspirations. That event was the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. The revolution had such an impact on the psyche of Limerick workers that during the first May Day demonstration in Limerick in 1918, where 15,000 workers marched through the city, a resolution supporting and congratulating Russian comrades was read out to the demonstrators to great applause. It was against this backdrop that events escalated in Limerick in April 1919. After the shooting dead of prominent trade unionist and IRA member Robert Byrne, British authorities took fright when thousands attended his funeral in a show of defiance. They subsequently imposed martial law on the city. This meant that, among other restrictions, workers in the city and the outskirts were required to present work permits at military checkpoints on their way to and from work.

WHEN REVOLUTION GRIPPED IRELAND Workers take power This proved to be the final straw for workers who were already dissatisfied with reduced wages and conditions and they refused this imposition on their freedom of movement. A general strike was called by the Limerick Trades Council across the city. The predominantly female workforce of Cleeve’s factory was the first to strike, with not a single employee reportedly turning up for duty. A strike committee was formed leading to the setting up of a soviet inspired by the Bolshevik example. The soviet was a democratic body of workers that set about the task of running the city. Subcommittees were set up to ensure the supply of food and the printing of workers’ newspapers. Utilities such as electricity, gas and water also came under the control of the workers committee. The streets of Limerick were abuzz as citizens congregated with excitement, and a spirit of solidarity ensured no plundering or looting took place. While scaremongering by the British establishment suggested that necessary supplies could not be guaranteed, the reality was that the working classes of Limerick received more food than they had received since before the war with no small thanks to the bakers of Limerick who ensured a daily supply. When workers inevitably ran out of money (workers were not being paid) the soviet, unfazed, re-

Barricades: Limerick workers took control of the city for a period of two weeks in April 1919

sponded by printing their own currency which was accepted by many businesses in town. Shameful misleadership Outside Limerick, there was huge support for the workers with news of the Limerick Soviet reaching many parts of the globe. In Ireland, important sections of the labour movement favoured a nationwide general strike to escalate the workers’ struggle. This, unfortunately was not favoured by the trade union leadership who took their cue from Sinn Féin, which opposed the self-organisation of working-class

people. A replication of the Russian revolution was precisely not what the leadership wanted for Ireland and efforts were made to thwart a general strike. Instead, the solution proffered by the union leadership was that the entire working population of Limerick leave the city to be housed by trade unionists around the country in order to avoid the dreaded permits which had sparked the strike. This ridiculous scheme had the desired effect, and the Limerick workers were demoralised by this lack of support. A split arose between the working class and the

middle classes in the city. The soviet came to an end. Despite its ultimate failure, the Limerick Soviet stands as an inspirational example of workers solidarity and organisation in action. It also provides many lessons that can be learnt today, including the outcomes that might have been had there been a revolutionary socialist party organised and poised to challenge the conservative trade union leadership that could have escalated the strike nationally. The example from this small city on the edge of Europe proves what is possible when workers unite.

SPECIAL FEATURE 7

CIALIST

Limerick Soviet 1919

“The Bottom Dog” Revolts By Dominic Haugh

S 1919 dawned belfast was the scene for a bitter strike by engineering workers demanding a reduction in the working week. The strike saw the workers of belfast effectively running the city with 60,000 workers engaged in a month’s long struggle. This was to show the potential to unite the working class across sectarian lines in a struggle for socialist change. Only weeks later the workers of Limerick established the Limerick Soviet in defiance of the decision by the British military authorities to impose martial law. The failure to act by the national leadership was to become a constant refrain during the revolutionary period in Ireland. Rise in union membership As the year progressed the ITGWU was to engage in widespread strike action throughout the country. The rising class struggle impacted on other trade unions. The membership of the ITGWU grew from 5,000 in 1916 to 120,000 by 1920 with the membership of the Trade Union Congress rising to over 250,000. For working class people an end to the status quo meant more than legislative independence. It meant both national and social liberation something capitalism in Ireland was incapable for providing. When 1920 dawned the Irish working class posed a direct challenge to the nationalist leadership in Sinn Fein for control over the revolutionary process. Land seizures were widespread, particularly in the west of Ireland. Workplace soviets sprang up around the country as workers occupied their workplaces to force concessions from employers. This threw the Sinn Fein leadership into a panic as they struggled to prevent the national movement being torn apart by the class struggle. 1920 General Strike This was demonstrated during the general strike demanding the release of prisoners in April 1920. This has always been presented as a strike for the release of republican prisoners, but over half the prisoners were trade unionists and many of those on hunger strike were trade union activists and socialists. The general strike once

1919: Workers’ revolution shakes the world

"We must look at life from the point of view of the 'Bottom Dog' – the oppressed – be it nation, class or sex" – Masthead of The Bottom Dog. Workers’ paper produced in Limerick, 1918-19

By Cillian Gillespie

British soldiers impose martial law in Limerick thus giving birth to Limerick Soviet

again demonstrated the power of the working class. In towns and cities all over the country ‘Red Guards’ patrolled the streets and marshalled huge demonstrations. Workers committees were established to control food distribution and transport. Many roads were blockaded with barbed wire or fallen trees. The success of the strike forced to British government to release all the prisoners in detention. Once again the labour movement had an opportunity to become the dominant revolutionary force in Ireland and once again the trade union leadership balked at the prospect. Despite this land seizures, workplace soviets and strikes continued. The role of Sinn Féin The post-war economic depression hit hard in 1921. The bosses began demanding job cuts and wage cuts. Following the truce between the IRA and the British in June 1921 a major strike wave broke out around the country. Once again, the nationalist leadership were faced with Sinn Fein being torn asunder under the pressure of class struggle. Michael Collins issued an order that any IRA member engaging in strike action was to be court-martialled. By May 1922 up to 150 workplaces were under workers occupation in what became known as the Munster Soviets.

During the Soviet the Limerick Trades Council produced its own currency

In many areas ‘Red Guards’ were patrolling the strikes. Thousands of farm labourers were on strike, faced with repression from both pro-Treaty and anti-Treaty forces as well as ‘White Guards’ organised by the Farmers Association. On a number of occasions the ‘Red Guards’ were forced to engage in gun-battles with both wings of the IRA to defend workers on strike. The strike-wave and the workplace soviets were ultimately suppressed as the Free State forces implemented widespread repression around the country. As quasi-fascist Special Infantry Corps were established in the police with the specific mandate of suppressing strike action by farm labourers. The armed ‘Specials’ brutally suppressed strikes in Waterford and Kildare, burning homes, beating up picketing workers and randomly arresting and torturing people they saw as supporting the strikes. Labour leaders’ betrayal While workers struggled valiantly to defend their jobs and conditions through all of these events, the leadership of the Trade Union Congress and the ITGWU stood idly by abandoning the workers they were supposed to represent. ITGWU leader, William O’Brien, stopped the strike pay for striking farm labourers and removed them as union members. The workers went down to a massive defeat and the trade union movement suffered near collapse. The ITGWU membership dropped from 120,000 to 11,000 as the new Free State government implemented what James Connolly had earlier called a ‘carnival of reaction’ with widespread repressive legislation and censorship in the years after independence. None of this was inevitable. The leaders of the labour movement had within their capacity to unite the working class, North and South, Protestant and Catholic in a struggle to overthrow capitalism and imperialism on this island. In doing so, they could have laid the foundation stone for a socialist society free from sectarianism, oppression and exploitation.

“IRELAND MUST ready itself for when Europe may be run by councils of soldiers, workers and peasants.” These were the words of Eamon De Valera in April 1919, the month of the Limerick Soviet. The events surrounding the Limerick Soviet and those in Ireland generally were enormously impacted by the global upheaval in the period after the Russian Revolution. The First World War has brought an unprecedented level of suffering to working class people with millions of soldiers being slaughtered on the Western and Eastern front and a corresponding and drastic decline in living standards at home. The disease ridden and rat infested nature of the trenches resulted in the demobilised soldiers spreading a new flu epidemic in 19181919 that was to cost the lives of 15 million people globally. The war was the by-product of the international system of capitalism where different imperialist powers sought to gain conquest and control over the world market in order to exploit it for profit. This same system that had created the basis for a global war now had, after four years of barbarity and suffering, created the material conditions for global revolution and the victory of socialism on our planet. World’s first workers’ state The inspiring example of the Russian Revolution in October 1917, where the working class allied with the peasantry seized state power and abolished the rule of landlordism and capitalism, acted as a crucial spark for a wave of revolutionary events in Europe and further afield. Soviets, or Workers Councils, had been the democratic organs of the working class self-organisation that had had taken power after the revolution. These were bodies made up of workers, peasant and soldier delegates that were elected from the factories, workplaces and villages across the old Russian Tsarist State every six months and were subject to re-call at all times. Key to the success of the Soviets taking power was the existence of a revolutionary party in the form of the Bolsheviks that had deep roots amongst the working class and was organised around a programme that re-

fused to compromise with the system of capitalism and the horrors it brought. The Bolsheviks fought on the programme of “Peace, Bread and Land”, workers control of industry, nationalisation of the banks and the key industries that dominated the economy and the right of oppressed nationalities to self-determination and linked these demands to “All power to the Soviets”. The revolution spreads Beginning in the Germany in November 1918, a revolutionary movement convulsed the European continent. This was to end the rule the old monarchical regimes such as those in Germany itself and in the AustroHungarian Empire and brought an end to the First World War as a result of mutinies and revolutionary strike action by workers. The rule of the capitalism hung in the balance. In early 1919, both Belfast and Glasgow were paralysed by general strikes with workers taking over the running of these respective cities for over a month. Similar strikes and movements impacted on cities as diverse as Seattle, Barcelona and Zurich during that year. The impact of the Bolsheviks antiimperialist programme was felt in the countries of the colonial world, with revolts and strike movements taking place in Egypt and China. Necessity of a revolutionary party In March 1919, the Communist International was founded in Moscow to bring together to newly established Communist Parties with the aim of building a “world party of socialist revolution”. The absence of such a revolutionary party with an experienced membership and base amongst the working class tragically cut across the revolutionary movements of the period following the First World War. Tragically, the main parties that held sway amongst the masses were the reformist organisations that only sought to reform capitalism rather than abolish it. Their criminal actions ultimately rescued capitalism from the threat it faced in this period. A crucial lesson of this period is that the conditions of capitalism make working class revolution inevitable. Such a revolution will only carried through to a successful conclusion if there exists a mass party based on the revolutionary ideas of socialism.

INTERNATIONAL THE SOCIALIST

Algeria in revolt By Myriam Poizat

N FebrUary 22, algerian president bouteflika’s announcement to stand for a fifth term in office sparked protests of anger across the country. Millions of students walked out on the streets of algeria, and triggered what became the beginning of a mass movement for democracy and workers’ rights. Workers move into action In March, workers from sectors including transport, docks, auto industry, teaching, healthcare, have followed the path of the young people, and have played a major role in organising two five-days and threedays general strikes. Those first developed independently of the official Trade Union confederation, UGTA, whose corrupt and conservative leadership has always worked side by side with Bouteflika, maintaining social order and suppressing any growing militant mood amongst workers. From March 10, sections of the UGTA challenged the conservative leadership and followed autonomous workers’ calls to join the general strikes.

Collapsing economy For years, Bouteflika’s dictatorship managed to use booming oil and gas export revenues – 30% of economic output – to lower the cost of living and invest in social programmes. However, since the 2014 collapse of oil prices, the regime has less room for manoeuvre. 90% of households have seen their living conditions drop; while in 2015, a report indicated that 80% of the national wealth was held by 10% of the Algerian population. A sentiment of anger against an unequal system maintained by an undemocratic regime had been boiling under the surface for a long time, and Bouteflika’s fifth term was only the final straw. Break with capitalism Although Bouteflika’s regime initially announced that their President would not be running for another term, they then postponed indefinitely the elections of 18 April. There is no doubt that the ruling classes are being forced to make concessions to the movement, and had postponed the elections to gain time, and take control of the situation to protect their interests. However, this only improved the confidence of the

Women and young people have been to the forefront in the revolt taking place in Algeria

movement, which realised its ability to shake the political establishment. Protests have only been growing, calling for Bouteflika’s resignation, as well as for the end of an exploitive and oppressing system for young people, women and workers. This meant that Bouteflika was forced to resign on April 2, establishing an “interim government”, which the ruling class will try to use to quell the struggle, and maintain their power. The movement has undoubtedly raised confidence amongst workers and young people to organise and mobilise against the prevailing undemocratic and unequal system. The

Israeli State tightens the screws on Palestinians

Gaza: An open-air prison A few days later on March 30, Palestinians in Gaza took part in mass protests including a general strike to mark the anniversary of the Israeli massacre of Palestinian protesters the year before. Forty thousand protesters marched to the border and were met with more brutal repression by the Israeli military. Four people were shot dead by the IDF, including three teenagers and more than 40 others were shot. The real context for all of this is not ‘’security’’ but the Israeli election scheduled for April 9. Netanyahu, facing indictment on corruption charges, is trying to head off a credible challenge from a new ‘’centrist’’ formation led by ex-IDF Generals! This formation offers

ple, who have been at the forefront of the movement, have been calling for the end of an oppressive regime for women. By linking in with the working class as a whole they could play a major role in sweeping away the interference of religion in state affairs and in liberating women from gender-based inequalities and stigma. The movement also needs to discuss alternatives to the neoliberal and capitalist system, by nationalising the key industries and banks that dominate the economy. On this basis the economy could be democratically planned to meet peoples’ needs, not those of profit.

International Women’s Day 2019

Jerusalem, and now recognised Israeli control over the Golan Heights. International solidarity is important at this dangerous time. The Irish government is disgracefully holding up the ‘’Occupied Territories Bill’’ which has passed through the Dail and bans Israeli goods produced in the occupied territories. This basic measure should be passed as part of a campaign targeting all companies and state institutions which profit from, or collude in, the occupation or repression against the Palestinians. This should include action by the trade union movement.

By Conor Payne ON MARCH 26 and 27, Israel launched air strikes on Gaza. The Gaza Ministry of Public Works estimated that the bombings destroyed 30 housing units, damaged another 500. Hundreds of Palestinians were made homeless by the attacks and at least five were wounded. Worse casualties were avoided only because many of the targeted areas were evacuated. The air strikes were ostensibly a response to a rocket attack from Gaza which wounded seven civilians in a town north of Tel Aviv. It is unclear who was responsible for the attack and what the intended target. The Netanyahu government’s claims of ‘selfdefence’ ring hollow: Gaza is in reality an open-air prison camp. Its population are the captives of the Israeli state, which controls all entry and exit of people and goods, depriving the population of basic necessities.

struggle cannot simply end with Bouteflika however, it now needs to be consolidated through the organisation of workers’ assemblies and committees, which would be necessary to organise a democratic struggle, to collectively plan actions, and to structure the movement independently of the power of the ruling class and its political parties. Those committees could also challenge economic and social oppression through delegating representatives to a general revolutionary assembly, which would discuss alternatives to the current constitution. Women, workers and young peo-

Gaza is the world's biggest open-air prison

no alternative to Netanyahu’s policies either toward the Palestinians or on the social and economic issues facing workers within Israel. But, as is often the case in Israeli elections, he is trying to maintain support by drumming up nationalism, chauvinism and fears of terrorism etc. Increased oppression However, the attacks are part of a broader trend. On every front, the Israeli regime is tightening the screws of occupation and repression; increases in settlement building, escalation of punitive measures against prisoners, more and more arbitrary measures against the Palestinians under occupation and the ‘Nation State Law’ which defines Israel as a state for its Jewish citizens only. They are emboldened in these moves by the attitude in particular of the Trump administration which has moved its embassy to

The importance of mass struggle More significant is the question of the protest and resistance of the Palestinians themselves. We have seen an upsurge in protests, in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. This points in the direction of what is needed - a new intifada based on mass struggle, led by the Palestinian working class and masses. The entire region is dominated by imperialism and rotten capitalist regimes riddled with corruption and authoritarianism. A mass struggle against occupation by the Palestinians will not find its support in these regimes but in the workers and poor. The recent uprising in Algeria is an example of the types of explosions which can occur. Such a class based struggle, clearly basing itself on the demand on democratic and national rights for all, could make an appeal to the Israeli Jewish working class who are offered no genuine security by the policies of the Israeli government. A struggle to end the domination of imperialism and capitalism would open the door to a new, socialist society based on real equality and solidarity.

By Sadie Heffernan IN RECENT years International Women’s Day has become a day of struggle throughout our planet with millions walking out of their jobs, universities and schools with crucial demands such as reproductive rights and an end to gender based violence. The UGT trade union in Spain estimated that six million people left their jobs and went on strike for at least two hours with more than 2.5 million school students participating in the strike. The protests that took place in Norway were bigger than ones that took place in the 70’s during the peak of the women’s movement. In recent times we have seen strong grassroots women’s movement across Latin America, this resulted in one of the biggest demonstrations since the collapse of the Pinochet dictatorship in Santiago, Chile with 190,000 people taking part. The election of Bolsonaro in Brazil has sparked tens of thousands to protest in major cities against Bolsonaro himself and in memory of Marielle Franco, a socialist and LGBTQ activist that was the victim of a right wing murder. Co-ordinated actions in 46 countries this year ranging from mass movements to one-person protests. It is a day of struggle that should be continued.

ENVIRONMENT

THE SOCIALIST

Storm Idai: Climate change creates human catastrophe By Gary McDonald

N The middle of March, Storm Idai, which has been described by the world Meteorological organisation as the “the southern hemisphere's worst tropical cyclone on record” made landfall, devastating large swaths of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. hundreds of people have been confirmed dead with that number expected to reach over a thousand. Millions of people have been affected, with hundreds of thousands displaced. Death and displacement The the death toll is certain to rise considerably due to the unfolding humanitarian crisis. Mozambique is already one of the world's poorest countries. There has been a sudden outbreak of Cholera. There is a critical lack of basic necessities such as food, water and medicine in major towns and cities. The coastal city of Beira, which is home to roughly 500,000 people, was near completely leveled with up to 90% of the city destroyed. An astonishing two feet of water fell over

South East Africa in just a few days. This is equivalent to a year’s worth of rain for the region. Vital connecting roads and bridges have been destroyed due to extreme flooding, which has left towns completely cut off, isolated and reachable only by air. The storm has left in its wake what witnesses are describing as 'inland oceans'. This is a frighteningly accurate depiction of what is occurring. This is one the of methods by which our coastal lines will be redrawn with rising sea levels, with an increased bombardment of superstorms containing vast amounts of ocean water and crushing winds as their payload. Rising temperatures 2018 saw a series of record-breaking storms. In the US, there was Hurricane Michael which strengthened into a category four storm over the Gulf of Mexico. When Michael made landfall in the Florida at peak intensity, it was recorded as the third-strongest landfall hurricane that has ever been recorded in the US. These superstorms are a direct result of the heating of the planet's oceans, which is facilitating the necessary conditions for these incredi-

The poorest people suffer most as a result of climate change

bly powerful storms. The frequency and power of these storms will only further increase unless immediate action is taken to curb carbon emissions. The great socialist James Connolly once wrote “Governments in capitalist society are but committees of the rich to manage the affairs of the cap-

No to regressive Carbon Tax

italist class”. This is precisely the reason why governments are failing to take the drastic action that is required to save all life on this planet. They are facilitating this destruction because the short-term profits of the capitalist class take precedent over everything else in this world, including the environment itself.

Capitalism is the problem That’s why working-class and young people internationally need to build an organised movement from below to challenge the governments and corporations that are furthering our collective destruction to maintain their power, prestige and priviledged lifestyles. This movement needs to challenge the rule of capital by seizing the key aspects of the economy, such as energy and transport, and placing them under democratic, public ownership and control. On the basis of socialist planning, we can then transition to a green economy. This inevitably means challenging the private property rights of the capitalist class – the ownership of the 100 corporations that are responsible for 71% of all emissions! The time for pleading with governments to make the necessary changes is over. They have failed miserably and will condemn us all to extinction. It's time for us, the working class internationally, to exercise our collective power with worldwide strike action – the school students are already leading the way. It's socialist change or climate change, and the race is on.

Global climate action, 15 March 2019

By Ciaran McKenna

aPITaLISM haS brought humanity to the brink of environmental catastrophe. That fact was starkly underlined by last year's report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which stated that we have just 12 years in which to avert irreversible climate change. The capitalist establishment in Ireland are determined to ignore the scientific facts of climate change in order to continue placing profit over a sustainable environment. In 2018 the Climate Change Performance Index placed Ireland as the worst EU state for measures to curb carbon emissions. Ireland was ranked worse than China in this table. The Index declared that Ireland has no chance of meeting emissions targets by 2030, the same year that the IPCC warn us is the tipping point for climate change. Indeed, the increase in the Irish dairy herd is contributing to increased carbon emissions. Placing the burden on us This is the context for the debate on the Carbon Tax. This will seek to off load the cost of tackling the climate crisis onto the working class through taxing consumption and energy. The plan is to increase the Carbon Tax

Fine Gael are planning a quadrupling of the Carbon Tax

from €20 euro per tonne to €80 per tonne. All the main parties that have implemented austerity over the last decade - Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour and the Green Party - support this move. But in a low wage society with some of the highest costs of living in the world, a fourfold increase in the Carbon Tax would represent a massive burden for the working class. Oxfam's 'Extreme Carbon Inequality Report' of 2015 showed that the top 10% of earners in any society have a carbon footprint much bigger than the rest of society. In the USA the top 10% emit five times more carbon than the bottom 40%. Inequality and climate change Inequality is essential to capitalism and the Carbon Tax in Ireland is just another measure that adds to it. The excessive consumption of the rich would not be affected by this tax as

they could afford to absorb it, but it would be a huge burden on working people. Instead of a Carbon Tax, we need massive public investment in renewable energy sources. This would provide sustainable jobs across the country and revive many rural areas currently experiencing sharp decline. Free public transport in a radically expanded network would also contribute to environmental sustainability. A proper integrated publicly funded cycling infrastructure is another measure that would reduce reliance on cars. Instead of imposing more regressive taxes on the shoulders of working class people we need to challenge Ireland’s status as a tax haven for big business, raise corporation tax and tax the super-rich. If this catastrophe facing humanity is to be solved we need a break with a capitalist system driven by the ruthless drive for profit.

l From India to Uganda to Argentina, on every continent school students went on strike. More than 2000 protests in 123 countries were organised l Over 1,400,000 young people participated in the global movement to demand real action on climate change – the biggest school student strike ever l Across Europe, protests have been growing exponentially since the start of 2019 – from a few hundred a few weeks ago to the massive protests we saw on 15 March – with tens of thousands marching in all European capitals l In Dublin, 15 March was the first

mobilisation with over 10,000 marching on the Dail. School students all over the country organised simultaneous local protests. What all of them had in common was the enormous energy and determination that this was just the start of a worldwide movement l A new generation has come onto the streets to say “no more” to the inaction of the governments and economic establishment. A movement of youth has exploded onto the street, and their starting point is “system change, not climate change” – the powers that be better take heed that capitalism as a system is being placed in the dock and will be found guilty

NORTH

THE SOCIALIST

Bloody Sunday:

No justice, only insults By Michael O’Brien

he deCISIoN by the director of Public Prosecutions in the North to proceed with the prosecution of just one of the Paratroopers responsible for the murder of 14 unarmed civilian civil rights protesters in derry during bloody Sunday in January 1972 has been greeted with justifiable anger by the families of the dead. The Paratroopers are an elite unit of the british army. This comes nine years after the Saville report, which in the face of incontrovertible evidence, had no alternative but to conclude that the killings were unjustified. This in itself was a victory for the families and the wider community in Derry which had sustained a campaign for justice over the succeeding decades. However, the families and their supporters in Derry rightly sought criminal prosecutions of those responsible arising from the Saville findings. Role of the top brass In the aftermath of a PSNI investigation involving the interviewing of Paratroopers the DPP has effectively gone down the route of choosing a token patsy from the ranks of the regiment, an absolute slap in the face for the families. This decision is in keeping with the theme of Saville which sought to downplay roles of the tops of the British military when ample evidence has shown that the killings were pre-meditated and planned by the senior echelons of the

army and the Tory government of Edward Heath. They saw it as necessary to quell the revolt on the Bogside in the period from 1969 onwards. Among those responsible in the higher ranks there is a particular focus on General Sir Mike Jackson who was second in command on the day and who was proven to have doctored/fabricated the statements taken from the paras in the immediate aftermath by his superiors. Jackson was also responsible for the news management of the aftermath of the Ballymurphy massacre in Belfast the previous August when Paratroopers killed 11 civilians over a three-day period. He went on to be the Chief of Staff in the British Army which can only be interpreted as a ringing endorsement by the establishment for his role in both atrocities. The misfortune of Ballymurphy was that unlike Derry the cameras of the world’s media were not present to capture what was taking place which gave a massive impetus to the campaign for justice. Not an aberration The British establishment wants to maintain a fiction that Bloody Sunday was an aberration. However, it is indicative of the brutal lengths to which the ruling class and capitalist state is prepared to go when they feel their interests, power and prestige are challenged. This is why exposing the truth behind the machinations of the British State in the North over the course of the Troubles is so important.

Families still search for justice for those murdered on Bloody Sunday

As we go to press footage has emerged showing members of the Paratroopers in training in Afghanistan using an image of Jeremy Corbyn as target practice. This clearly shows the contempt that a left leader such as this and the wider labour movement is viewed military brass. A week after Corbyn was elected leader of the Labour Party an unnamed serving general in the British army general said that the

army would “stage a mutiny” if he came to power. Fight for justice continues Notwithstanding this prosecution being token it will doubtlessly be an enormous focus of attention in Derry and beyond. The events will likely be re-lived again in the courtroom making it all the more obvious the absurdity of bringing this one prosecution against a rank and file

soldier when the top brass get off. The families, similar to the families of the those who died in the Stardust fire in 1981 and in Hillsborough in 1989 are working class people who have been grossly underestimated by an establishment who at the outset assumed would move on with their lives. Judging by the reaction of the families the struggle for justice will not only continue but will be taken up by the younger generations in the city.

Socialist challenge to sectarian status quo By Daniel Waldron

N eNNISkILLeN, Co. Fermanagh, Socialist Party member donal o'Cofaigh is fighting for a council seat in the election on 2nd May under the banner of Cross-Community Labour alternative. donal works for Unite the Union and is the secretary of Fermanagh Council of Trade Unions. A proven fighter He has been to the fore of every local campaign against cuts and privatisation in the last decade and was central to the movement which defeated the threat of the toxic fracking industry in the county. Healthcare is a key issue in the campaign. Fermanagh faces a GP crisis, with many surgeries under threat of closure, while stroke and other services at the local hospital are also at risk, thanks to the austerity policies agreed to by all the main parties at Stormont. Donal was a founding member of Fermanagh

of bringing together working-class people across the sectarian divide in support of their common interests. If elected, he will challenge the cosy carve-up between the main parties, who cynically use sectarianism to shore up their support while co-operating when it comes to attacking jobs and public services. In general, this election is likely to see a further sectarian polarisation and strengthening of the DUP and Sinn Féin. However, the election of even one councillor from the labour movement who refuses to fall in behind either sectarian bloc and instead represents the independent interests of the working class – Protestant, Catholic and neither – could have a huge impact. It could raise the confidence of trade unionists and workers that it is possible to challenge the sectarian status quo, and point towards the building of a new, mass party of the working class which unites people to fight for a better future in a spirit of solidarity and mutual respect.

Save Our Services, which has mobilised the community to successfully push back attacks on the NHS. Donal is supporting those impacted by the Tory welfare cuts – voted through by Sinn Féin, the DUP and Alliance in exchange for the power to cut corporation tax – which are hitting working-class communities hard. He is fighting for fully-funded and accessible welfare support services. Donal is also campaigning alongside trade unionists to oppose threatened attacks to free school transport provision. In this campaign we will also be raising the need for Marriage Equality and the right to choose for women and pregnant people, two fundamental rights that are still denied in the North. Anti-sectarian, socialist alternative Crucially, Donal is standing to provide an anti-sectarian, socialist alternative to the Unionist and nationalist blocs. Both historically and today, only the trade union and labour movement has been capable

Donal O’Cofaigh is a Socialist Party member and candidate for Labour Alternative

ELECTION & REVIEW

THE SOCIALIST

A socialist feminist candidate for Europe By Keishia Taylor RITA HARROLD, a childcare worker and leading socialist feminist, is the Socialist Party’s candidate in Dublin for the 2019 European elections. Rita’s fighting record As a founding member of ROSA – Socialist Feminist Movement in 2013, Rita has played a significant role in the repeal movement and winning legislation for choice and abortion up to 12 weeks on request. Alongside Ruth Coppinger, TD for Solidarity, Rita helped the #WeStandWithHer and #ThisisNotConsent protest, called by ROSA, against victim blaming the courts. She has been an activist who has fought and organised against the introduction of third level fees, as well the household tax and water charges. She has consistently fought for the complete separation of Church and State. She has been active in opposing the profiteering of landlords and developers and stands for a ban on all evictions, real rent controls and the building of public homes on public land. Opposing gender-based violence Socialist feminism is key to Rita’s platform, and challenging gender-based violence, a product of the sexist, divided and unequal system we live in, is a central part of her campaign. Gender-based violence continues to threaten women and LGBT+ people on a daily basis and the recent murders of three women in Ireland are tragic examples of this. International Women’s Day saw millions protest and strike against femicide and intimate partner violence around the world.

Rita

Vote 1 May 24

Harrold

and developers amass enormous profits and wealth while we get a housing crisis. It’s a system that promotes sexism, racism, transphobia and homophobia. For a socialist Europe We oppose a racist and capitalist EU run in the interests of the bosses and bankers. We will be fighting for a socialist Ireland in a socialist Europe, where it’s wealth and resources are taken out of the hands the big business and placed into public ownership under democratic working-class control. Anyone seeking to fight oppression, injustice and inequality and topple the rotten capitalist system should join Rita’s campaign to build the socialist feminist movement!

PUBLIC MEETING Belgian school student activist speaks: Rita was a prominent activist in the repeal movement in Dublin. We need a socialist feminst voice in Europe

Public services As a childcare worker, Rita will lead our campaign for free childcare that puts the needs and wellbeing of children, parents and workers first. Sexist ideas about caring roles, parenting and "women's work" means that the needs of parents, especially lone mothers, and the important work of childcare professionals are criminally undervalued. We need the building of state run creches to provide free childcare for all. The pay and conditions of healthcare workers and health services for patients have been devastated after a decade of austerity, leaving patients

languishing on trolleys and obscene waiting lists and nurses and midwives taking militant strike action. We are fighting for the urgent creation of a national health service, including comprehensive mental health care free at the point of use in the interests of patients and staff. System change not climate change Humanity is facing imminent climate crisis and the capitalist establishment has utterly failed to take serious action, so school students have rightly taken to the streets in their millions to demand “system change, not climate change.” We stand for free public

transport, nationalisation of the energy companies and utilising their resources to transition to renewable energy and taking the agri-business into democratic public ownership so that food can produced on an environmentally sustainable basis. We need to break with a capitalist system where 100 companies are responsible for 70% of CEO emissions. A rigged system Rita’s campaign will highlight the need for us to break with a rigged capitalist economy that is based on increasing exploitation through low pay and precarity. It’s a system that sees landlords

Socialist Change, Not Climate Change! 2PM Saturday 13th April Outhouse, Capel St. Speakers: Mai Vermeulen & Rita Harrold Mai Vermeulen, is a leading school student climate activist and a member of our sister organisation in Belgium, Left Socialist Party. Find out more on Facebook

Review: Three Identical Strangers directed by Tim Wardle Reviewed by Mick Barry TD

n New york in 1980 three 18year-old Jewish triplets, separated at birth, were reunited by chance. Three Identical Strangers is a documentary which tells the story of David Kellman, Eddy Galland and Bobby Shafran. What starts off as a feelgood Reagan-era story of joy at the incredible discovery slowly turns into a dark tale of monied manipulation, conspiracy, rage and despair. At first the brothers revel in their new lives, “falling in love” with each other and climbing on board the fame train. They go on all the chat shows, Phil Donahue, The Today Show, share a bachelor pad, start out in business together - a steakhouse, Triplets, and even share a cameo in the Madonna movie Desperately Seeking Susan. Then the tide begins to turn. Their adoptive parents were never told that the boys they adopted were triplets. The researchers and photographers who visited their homes as the boys were growing up hadn’t revealed what was really going on. The elite agency that had arranged

the adoptions, Louise Wise Services, arrange a meeting with the six parents, and fob them off. But when one of the parents goes back into the room to collect an item they have left behind he finds them celebrating with a bottle of champagne having (so they thought) successfully dodged a bullet.

It turns out that a world famous psychologist, and Holocaust survivor, Peter B Neubauer, bankrolled by “private Washington charities”, had arranged for various sets of twins and for these triplets to be separated at birth for a “nature versus nurture” experiment.

That turns out to be the reason why one of the boys is adopted by affluent parents, one by middle class parents and one by a blue-collar family. Each also has an older adopted sister. The consequences of treating human beings like guinea pigs are shown in devastating fashion by the

story of the triplets, as they grow into manhood in the growing knowledge of what has been done to them. As the fame fades and the business falters, the triplets are left to grapple with the knowledge that they have lived manipulated lives. In a series of well filmed flashbacks and haunted face to face interviews, the brothers tell the story of their subsequent lives and the various fates that befall them. The full results of Neubauer’s experiment is unknown - the research was abandoned and is under lock and key at Yale University until 2065. But the film comes down strongly on the nurture side of the argument. Despite superficial similarities looks, mannerisms, cigarette preference - the resilience of the triplets in dealing with their dark back story differs greatly in broad accordance with the love and confidence given and instilled by their various adoptive families. Three Identical Strangers is not a movie for viewers who believe in capitalist fairytales and happy ever afters. But for those with questioning minds and a distrust of money and unaccountable power. It is a dark but satisfying documentary by any standard.

thesocialist

PAPER OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY

ISSUE 121

APRIL 2019

it’s our world, or their profits. We can’t have both.

Strike 4 the planet!

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