Aitheasc an Uachtaráin Ruairí Ó Brádaigh don 85ú Ard-Fheis de Shinn Féin in Óstlann an Spa , Leamhcán , Co. Atha Cliath , 21ú agus 22ú Deireadh Fómhair , 1989 /
Presidential Address of Ruairí Ó Brádaigh to the 85th Ard-Fheis of Sinn Féin in the Spa Hotel , Lucan , County Dublin , 21st and 22nd October 1989.....
" This also applies to the Broadcasting Ban which , like Mr Collins' censorship law in the 26 Counties , specifically names our organisation , to the reduction of remission for political prisoners , the ending of the right to silence and the making permanent of the rascist 'Prevention of Terrorism Act'.
We would point out that the very first victims of the 'PTA' 15 years ago were Gerard Conlon , Carole Richardson , Paul Hill and Patrick Armstrong , known to the world now as the 'Guildford Four' and whose release from their living hell in British jails this week we have welcomed.
We recognise however that the British are cynically using Irish prisoners in this instance as bargaining counters in their security conferences with the 26-County administration to guarantee continued collaboration from Dublin. The Free State, for its own part , engaged in similar shadow-boxing the week before despite having handed over Gerard Harte, Robert Russell and Paul Kane in successive political extraditions to their political masters in the past 14 months."
(MORE LATER).
BETRAYAL.
The (State) Gardaí used John Corcoran (pictured) as a (P)IRA informer. They allowed him to be killed by another (P)IRA informer, and have since refused to investigate his murder*.
From 'MAGILL' magazine, Christmas Annual 1997.
By Ursula Halligan and Vincent Browne.
(* '1169...' Comment - their word, not ours.)
There is evidence that the gardaí knew in advance of IRA plans to murder * a Cork man in 1985 and that , although they were aware of where the man was being held, they failed to intervene to save his life.
In addition, there is substantial evidence of garda reluctance to investigate the murder * , including a failure on their part to interview a man who has acknowledged his part in the murder * and supplied details of the circumstances surrounding it.
There is evidence of ongoing garda reluctance to investigate this case in spite of a direction by the new (State) minister for justice, John O' Donoghue, to present a full report into the affair . There are even suggestions that gardaí may have "authorised" the murder * of this man , in order to protect the identity of one of their prime informers.......
(MORE LATER).
THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST HEROIN IN DUBLIN....... The drugs crisis is one of the major problems facing young people in Dublin today. In large areas of the city it has now reached massive proportions , while in the inner city there is estimated to be a higher percentage of drug addicts and drug abusers than in Harlem in New York . But it has been only recently - 5 years after this epidemic began in earnest - that any notice has been paid to the problem. And even now the Free State government has failed to confront the crisis in a meaningful way . Tony Barry of Na Fianna Eireann has been looking at the issues for 'IRIS' magazine.From 'IRIS' magazine, December 1984.
Tony Barry : " What do you think is the role that the 26-county administration can play in this ? "
Noel Sillery : " If you had a half-decent administration they would and should have a role to play , but they don't give a damn. As far as we can see , with all the harassment we've received, it seems that they nearly want the drug problem in our area. If it moved out into middle-class areas it would be solved in half the time.
So far as the cops are concerned , the drugs problem makes their jobs easier. All they have to do is pick up one or two addicts , bring them in for a few hours , milk them for all the information they can get and then let them go."
[END of 'THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST HEROIN IN DUBLIN']
(NEXT - 'Trade Unions And The Hunger-Strike' , from 1981)
