This blog is for anyone interested in discussing the political content of a programme for a revolutionary worker’ party in Ireland.
An initial statement by the author of this blog which does not pretend to be a fully finished programme – its aim is to stimulate discussion and debate about the key areas a revolutionary socialist programme needs to cover.
Comments welcome.
This evening I moved the following motion at the Cobh local CAHWT group meeting for taking to the Cork CAHWT regional AGM on Saturday 25 May. The motion was passed unanimously by the Cobh local group:
“Cobh CAHWT recognises that workers taking industrial action will be a necessary component of any successful civil disobedience campaign against the Property Tax.
“Cobh CAHWT therefore calls on Cork CAHWT to produce, as a matter of the highest urgency, a leaflet aimed specifically at workers in the Revenue and Abtran workplaces calling on them to take industrial action against collection and administration of the Property Tax. The leaflet to include a confidential phone number for any worker interested in taking such action to discuss how to take the project forward. This leaflet to be distributed at the work sites concerned at the earliest opportunity.”
(I’ll be attending this though leaving before the Focussed Discusions to attend the Action on X protest)
Final Agenda for the First Left Forum
The Left Forum will be divided into three main parts. The first section, the deliberative section, will see the agenda discussed in small groups of approximately six to ten attendees which will be chaired by a convenor. At the lunch break the conveners will meet to discuss if there seems to be a consensus from the discussions that can be formed into a document.
The second part of the process will take place after lunch which will be a plenary session involving all present. If possible the document will be presented, amended by attendees and voted on. If not possible a vote will be taken on whether to continue the process.
The third part of the forum will see a number of focused discussion groups around specific areas for example economics, trade unions and left media. This will be an opportunity to build networks of activists and those interested in the topics and develop ways that attendees may work together in the future. If agreed the convenors of the focused sessions will carry the work forward. Attendees are free to propose topics for focus discussions either in advance or at the forum.
Proposed Timetable
11.00am- 11.15am - Registration and seating.
11.15am – 11.30am – Brief Introduction and explanation of the process.
Deliberative Section
11.30am – 1.00pm - Deliberation on questions below using tables of 10 randomly assigned participants. Chaired by convenor with more detailed agenda.
Deliberative Agenda
1 Who is the Left?
2 What can the Left realistically hope to achieve in the short, medium and long term?
3 How and where do we achieve these aims?
4 What sort of left organisations can help us achieve our goals
1.00pm-2.00pm - Lunch. Conveners meet, discuss outcome of deliberation discussions prepare document for plenary session
Plenary Section
2.00pm – 3.00 pm – Plenary session – document shown numbered on projected screen. Attendees have opportunity to discuss document in single town hall style meeting, offer amendments etc. If agreed vote on the document, if not vote to continue process.
3.00pm- 3.15pm - Coffee break and organise tables of pre-arranged focused discussions i.e trade unions, education, media, – also allow space for anyone to set up table for any other issue they wish to discuss.
Focused Discussions
4.15pm-5.30pm – Focused Discussions –The focus of these discussions are to get people together, and may be of a more practical nature. And hope to establish networks for future work together. Each discussion group if decided will elect a convenor to carry on the process after the event.
Focus Discussions will take place on the following areas:
Left/Alternative/Community Media; Youth Issues; Housing; Economics and Policy; Education
(more may follow at a later date)
5.30pm Closing remarks, based on outcomes of deliberation and focused discussions (If a document has been agreed from deliberation and plenary). There can be brief report back from focused discussions conveners.
Cork Pro-Choice Alliance are distributing leaflets this Saturday on Patrick. St. informing women of abortion services available in England. This is in defiance of Irish law which prohibits the distribution of information on the subject.
Spokesperson Alan Gibson stated: “We are defying this unjust law because supporting a women’s right to choose is more important than following outdated Catholic doctrine. This censorship of information is undemocratic and of a bygone era.”
He added: “The government is ignoring the reality that over 4000 Irish women travel to England each year to avail of abortion services. The CWRTC believe this dereliction of duty to these women is simply unacceptable.”
“Information on abortion services needs to be made publicly available now.”
Campaigners against the property tax have condemned government “spin and intimidation aimed at trying to force people to pay the property tax” and said that it is clear that huge numbers of people are prepared to resist the threats and refuse to pay the tax.
“Figures from Minister Phil Hogan last week show that even still approximately 600,000 households are refusing to pay last year’s household tax,” said Gregor Kerr, spokesperson for Campaign Against Home and Water Taxes (CAHWT). “With just a day to go to the first deadline for registration for the property tax, approx 80% of householders have failed to register. It is clear that there is a massive revolt under way against this tax right across the country.”
“The government is spending a small fortune of taxpayers’ money on radio, TV and newspaper ads to attempt to encourage people to pay,” said Cllr. Ruth Coppinger of CAHWT. “In addition we have seen loads of supposed news-stories that are aimed at creating the impression that everyone is paying. But people are not going to be intimidated by threats or fooled by spin. They see the home tax as an unfair austerity tax and are determined to resist it. Government politicians can expect protests against this tax to be stepped up in coming weeks.”
A chara, – The Irish Institute of Psychiatrists announced recently that its members are not willing to be the country’s “social policemen”. Now that the Catholic Church no longer has the power to play that role in Ireland, it and its well-financed US backers are changing tack and seeking to force others to fulfil it. I commend the institute for refusing to be put in this position.
The Catholic Church didn’t want divorce, contraception or homosexuality to be legal in this country, and fought against each of them. Thankfully, it was defeated on these matters, and now adults can take responsible decisions about their own lives.
Now I’m not anti-religion, and I fully believe people should have freedom of conscience. But no-one has the right to impose their view on others. So, if Catholics disagree with abortion, they should be and are fully entitled not to have them.
Ireland has changed – this is no longer a Catholic country, but a country of people of all religions and none, where we need to move on from the past, and where women need to be treated as responsible adults by Government. Legislation on the X case has to be truly accessible, and women should have the right to decide for themselves. – Is mise,
St JOHN O DONNABHAIN
http://www.irishtimes.com/debate/letters/the-abortion-debate-1.1379290
Two part article on the role of Alexandra Kollontai in the Russian Revolution and the intertwined struggles for socialism and women’s liberation. I think this is important not just as an historical issue but also for how the lessons from that experience can inform our present and future.
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