The Workers' Party

🇮🇪 Next week, we're hosting a meeting on the need to protect Irish neutrality. It takes place on Wednesday, 3rd June, at 7.30pm in the Palmerstown Community Council building on Manor Road. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have made clear their intentions to dismantle the Triple Lock in their bid to push Ireland closer to NATO. If they succeed, Irishmen and Irishwomen will find themselves fighting and dying abroad to serve the interests of Washington and Brussels. Working people must stand firmly against that. Speakers at the meeting include Gerry Rooney, former General Secretary of the Permanent Defence Forces Representative Association, as well as Padraig Mannion, Chairperson of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance. Bígí linn! @DavidGardinerWP

It is with deepest sadness that the Workers’ Party of Ireland shares the news of the passing of our comrade Paddy Fitzsimons: a true socialist, republican, and Dubliner. Our thoughts at this time are with Paddy's family, friends, and comrades. Details of funeral arrangements can be found at the link below. Further tributes are to follow. Rest in peace, Paddy. Beidh tú inár gcuimhne go deo. rip.ie/death-notice/p…

🇨🇺 The following statement has been issued by Revolutionary Government of Cuba explaining their ongoing situation. We send our solidarity both to them and to the resilient Cuban people as they continue down the path of socialism and sovereignty. *** The Revolutionary Government condemns in the strongest terms the despicable accusation by the United States Department of Justice announced on May 20 and proclaimed for several weeks against Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban Revolution. The United States government lacks the legitimacy and jurisdiction to carry out this action. It is a despicable and infamous act of political provocation, based on the dishonest manipulation of the incident that led to the downing, in February 1996, of two aircraft operated by the Miami-based terrorist organization Brothers to the Rescue over Cuban airspace, which repeated violations of Cuban airspace for hostile purposes were of common knowledge. Furthermore, the U.S. government distorts other historical truths about the event it uses as a pretext. It omits, among other details, the numerous formal complaints filed by Cuba during that period with the State Department, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regarding more than 25 serious and deliberate violations of Cuban airspace committed by the cited organization between 1994 and 1996, in blatant transgression of international law and U.S. legislation itself. It also ignores public and official warnings issued by Cuban authorities about the inadmissibility of such violations of its airspace and alert messages conveyed directly to the President of the United States about the seriousness and possible consequences of such transgressions. Cuba's response to the violation of its airspace constituted an act of legitimate self-defense, protected by the Charter of the United Nations, the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, and the principles of air sovereignty and proportionality. The United States, which has been a victim of the use of civil aviation for terrorist purposes, does not and would not permit the hostile and provocative violation of foreign aircraft over its territory and would act, as it has demonstrated, with the use of force. The inaction of the US government in the face of the warnings issued by Cuba at the time, revealed its complicity in the planning and execution from its territory of violent, illegal and terrorist actions against the Cuban government and people, a recurring and systematic practice since the triumph of the Revolution to present day. It is highly cynical that this accusation is made by the same government that has murdered nearly 200 people and destroyed 57 vessels in international waters of the Caribbean and the Pacific, far from the territory of the United States, with the disproportionate use of military force, for alleged links to drug trafficking operations that were never proven, which qualify as extrajudicial executions, in accordance with International Law, and murders, according to US laws themselves. This spurious accusation against the Leader of the Cuban Revolution adds to the desperate attempts by anti-Cuban elements to construct a fraudulent narrative in an effort to justify the collective and ruthless punishment against the noble Cuban people, through the strengthening of unilateral coercive measures, including the unjust and genocidal energy blockade and threats of armed aggression. Cuba reaffirms its commitment to peace and its firm determination to exercise the inalienable right to self-defense, recognized by the Charter of the United Nations. The Cuban people reaffirm their unwavering decision to defend the Homeland and its Socialist Revolution and, with the greatest strength and firmness, their unrestricted and unchanging support for Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, Leader of the Cuban Revolution. Homeland or Death, We Will Prevail.

"James Connolly identified that formal sovereignty without economic sovereignty is no sovereignty. The overwhelming majority of Irish exports by value are generated by foreign-owned multinationals, a dependency that successive governments have deepened rather than reduced. Shannon Airport has functioned as a US military transit hub for operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran. The Irish state does not inspect those aircraft to maintain deniability." Joshua Brady-Arnold, International Secretary of the Workers' Party of Ireland, contributed to the 3rd International Anti-Fascist Conference, organised by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. The full contribution can be read at workersparty.ie/imperialism-an…

🏚❌️ Rents continue to rise and workers continue to struggle while the landlords continue to get richer and richer. 🏠✅️ Public housing is the solution to the housing crisis. It can provide genuinely affordable housing for working people who are struggling to rent, struggling to buy, or struggling just to keep a roof above their heads. 🔗 Read more on public housing at workersparty.ie/housing

⚛️ 🏭 This evening, we held a meeting in Belfast on nuclear power. Our Garrett Greene and Brian Molloy from @18for0 made up the panel, which was chaired by Ard Comhairle member Padraig Mannion; discussing energy security, affordability, and the future role that different energy sources must play. 🔗 Find out more on our pro-nuclear energy policy, entitled "Let's Get Real: A Plan For Nuclear Power In Ireland," at workersparty.ie/nuclear-power-…

A man has died after being restrained by private security staff following an alleged incident of shoplifting in a retail store on Dublin's Henry Street. A distressing video circulating on social media appears to show the security group applying heavy force to keep the man on the ground while a crowd watches on. At one stage, one member of security appears to push his knee into the back of the restrained man's neck, while another appears to use his hands to push the man's head to the floor. At the same time, others have placed themselves on his body. An alleged incident of shoplifting should not result in death. The man posed no threat to life and thus such an outcome cannot be justified. It should go without saying that the protection of a person's life ought to outweigh the protection of a department store's property. Questions must be asked of the training received by the security guards to deal with these incidents, as well as their rationale in using such a level of force that the man restrained ultimately died. We await the results of the ongoing investigations being carried out by Gardaí and Fiosrú with concern. Our thoughts are with the man's family and friends at this time.

The Workers’ Party notes the media coverage surrounding the resignation of Councillor Ted Tynan from Cork City Council and, in the interest of clarity, wishes to issue a correction. Despite what some publications have reported, Mr. Tynan is not a member of the Workers' Party. He was elected in 2024 as a non-party candidate¹ and is not listed as a member of any registered political party on Cork City Council's website². Jerrica Struthers, named in these reports as being set to be co-opted in Mr. Tynan's place at the June meeting of Cork City Council, is not and has never been a member of the Workers’ Party, despite being referred to as such. Our party wishes Mr. Tynan the best for the future, and hopes he has a full recovery from his present illness. — 1. 2024 Notice of Poll for Cork City North East corkcity.ie/en/council-ser… 2. Ted Tynan's profile on Cork City Council's website corkcity.ie/en/council-ser…

Brian Molloy an 18for0 member will be giving a talk at the workers part public meeting on nuclear power today. Brian is an Electrical Engineer with 40 years’ experience in nuclear industry. He is also the Technical Head for Management and Human Resource Development in the IAEA.

The invitation of Britain's King Charles III to Ireland for an official state visit is a disappointing and ultimately pointless development. Right-thinking, republican-minded people should reject such absurd notions as the divine right of kings, and should not entertain those whose status is based upon such a flawed foundation. The likes of Wolfe Tone, Emmet, Pearse, and Connolly did not envision an Ireland where the red carpet would be rolled out for such figures at the expense of the taxpayer. Building relationships with those on the neighbouring island is better achieved through dialogue with those who can lay claim to a democratic mandate. While the politicians in the House of Commons may do a poor job of representing the interests of their people, they surely have a better chance than an unelected man who, at the expense of the masses yet totally divorced from their reality, lives in luxury in a series of palaces. Likewise, hosting the British monarch will do little to improve north-south relationships in this country; something which can be better achieved through the avenues available on this island. “We will not blame him for the crimes of his ancestors if he relinquishes the royal rights of his ancestors; but as long as he claims their rights, by virtue of descent, then, by virtue of descent, he must shoulder the responsibility for their crimes.” — James Connolly.

⚛️🏭 We're hosting a public meeting on the need for nuclear power in Ireland. It takes place in the Connolly Centre tomorrow at 7pm. Speakers will include Brian Molloy from @18for0 and our Garrett Greene. The discussion will explore our pro-nuclear energy policy, as well as energy security, affordability, environmental impact, climate targets, and the future role that different energy sources must play. Bígí linn!

🏚❌️ South Dublin County Council is set to increase rents by 25%; a move that targets struggling working people while failing to address fundamental issues with the state's housing policy, according to @DavidGardinerWP, Workers’ Party representative for Palmerstown-Fonthill. Gardiner said: “The idea that South Dublin County Council should increase rents on working people at a time when so many are already struggling is a brutal one. Workers already feel the cost-of-living crisis in their lives on a daily basis, and this will only worsen it by taking more money out of people's pockets.” “For decades, the state has shirked its responsibilities on housing; refusing to accept the responsibility of being the leading housing provider like it was in the past, in order to push people towards the private market to the benefit of the profiteers.” “Ultimately, the only way to secure high-quality and genuinely affordable accommodation for working people is the mass construction of public housing. It would provide for social housing tenants as well as those struggling to buy and to rent privately, bringing more revenue into state coffers and allowing the state to provide housing for working people for generations to come.”

🇰🇪 The Workers’ Party of Ireland condemns the arrest, intimidation and harassment of anti-imperialist activists and international delegates in Nairobi, Kenya, following demonstrations against imperialism. These arrests expose the anti-democratic and repressive character of a backwards regime, which continues to defend imperialist and corporate interests while criminalising solidarity with oppressed peoples. Those detained include respected activists, organisers and intellectuals from Kenya and across the world whose only “crime” is opposing imperialism, militarisation and neocolonial domination in Africa. The detention of international delegates demonstrates the fear of growing international solidarity between progressive and revolutionary forces. History, in Ireland and beyond, has shown that repression, police intimidation and political persecution cannot defeat the struggle of working people for liberation. The Workers’ Party of Ireland demands the immediate and unconditional release of all those arrested and calls for an end to state repression against anti-imperialist and democratic movements in Kenya.

⚛️ 🏭 Even if we shut down every data centre in the country, to decarbonise the economy we need to double, if not triple, electricity generation over the next 25 years. If we want decarbonisation to have popular support, electricity needs to be cheap and reliable. Nuclear power is the best and possibly the only option that can achieve that, argues our Garrett Greene. aontachtmedia.ie/why-the-left-s…

The announcement of a bill to repeal the nuclear ban should be celebrated on the environmentalist left. But despite this possibility, the majority of the Irish socialist left have already lined themselves up in opposition, writes Garrett Greene. aontachtmedia.ie/why-the-left-s…

I wrote an article for aontacht about why the left should love nuclear power.

✊🏻🚩🇮🇪 #OnThisDay in 1916, James Connolly was executed in Kilmainham Gaol by the British Army for his role in the Easter Rising. Connolly was a Marxist, a republican, an anti-imperialist, and a trade unionist. He outlined a vision of, and fought for an Ireland where, workers would become the masters of our own destinies. Connolly's vision; carried forward through the generations to the modern-day, is yet to be fulfilled, and it shall remain unfulfilled until we see the establishment of a 32-county socialist republic. James Connolly was, and still is, Ireland's working class hero.

🚑 🪧 National Ambulance Service workers are taking industrial action this week as a result of the HSE’s failure to update pay scales as recommended by an independent report; with work-to-rule measures implemented today to be followed by a 24-hour strike tomorrow. It is imperative that these workers’ pay matches their workload and responsibilities, according to @DavidGardinerWP, Workers’ Party representative for Palmerstown-Fonthill and a retired paramedic. Gardiner said: “The job that these workers are carrying out has evolved to be more complicated over the past two decades, moving away from patient transport to a higher level of pre-hospital care and treatment, and it is only right that their pay reflects this higher level of responsibility. This is true at any time, but becomes particularly relevant when the cost-of-living crisis is taken into consideration.” “No worker wants to be on strike, let alone frontline workers who understand the importance of their job in saving lives, but they must stand up for themselves. The reality is that SIPTU and Unite members have been left with little choice by the HSE but to take to the picket line.” “It is up to the HSE to resolve this dispute. The roles that National Ambulance Service workers engage in on a daily basis are crucial to society, and it is imperative to the wellbeing of society that the HSE recognises this with better pay.”

✊🏻🚩 This past weekend marked both VE Day and Victory Day. We honour the 27 million Soviet citizens who died defeating Nazi fascism and ended the Holocaust. The liberators and victims of the Holocaust (Soviets, Poles, Communists, as well as Jews) often go unmentioned. We also recognise the people's war waged by British workers and the resistance movements across occupied Europe. World War II was a war between the forces of socialism and those imperialist powers attempting to recover the pre-WWI order: that Age of Empires. The subsequent victory for the socialist camp put a temporary end to this reactionary dream. The ruling class of other imperialist powers have never been completely adverse to fascism. At best, they were divided; at worst, they were supporters. The governments of Britain and France rejected Soviet offers to form a defence pact. The leading capitalists of the USA respected and invested in Nazi Germany. As Marshal Zhukov is said to have remarked: "We have liberated Europe from fascism, but they will never forgive us for it". This history is, increasingly, obfuscated in recent years. Today, it is Ursula von der Leyen and the German-led European Union overseeing the suppression of democratic rights and the arming of genocide. As the old imperialist powers now fall into decline, their rehabilitation of fascism becomes necessary. The sanitation of violence against political prisoners is surely a sign for things to come. Today, we are witnessing the horrors of another genocide, perpetuated by the US and Israel against Palestinians. NATO expansion to Russia's borders mirrors past imperial aggression. We stand against NATO expansion and support all whom resist imperialism, as Ireland has done throughout our history.