Tag Archives: protest

Scenes from the Beef Plan protest outside the Kepak premises in Tiermaclane.   [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WqLcMdMFZk[/embedyt]

THE Friends of Ennis Hospital/Shannondoc group are planning a protest for Sunday, May 5, at 3pm. The group also say that some 2,000 people have signed its petition, looking for full A&E services in Ennis to be restored. Sunday’s protest is one of three planned across the region in the coming days, as public anger about the trolley crisis at University Hospital Limerick continues. “Our friends in Nenagh are arranging a protest on Friday, May 3, we will be sending representatives to Nenagh to lend our support. There is a protest planned for 1pm on Saturday, May 4 at City Hall, Limerick in relation to the ongoing crisis in UHL and we are sending a speaker to that meeting too. “We have several speakers lined up for Sunday who have personal experience of the horrors of UHL’s emergency department. We will also be reading into the public record a list of the local election candidates who have refused to sign …

ONE of the principal organisers of a protest in Kilkee, aimed at highlighting concerns relating to the Irish Coast Guard in the town, has claimed that locals are not confident with regard to the local unit. “There is a big lack of confidence in the current service in Kilkee and that was borne out this summer. They only got a couple of call-outs. I got two call-outs to go out and pull people in and the dive centre got one call-out, instead of them ringing the coast guard,” Manuel Di Lucia revealed. Almost 50 people attended a second public protest in Kilkee on Sunday. It was emphasised that a year on from the tragic death of volunteer, Caitríona Lucas, the Kilkee unit of the coast guard has been largely land-based, with members not allowed beyond St George’s Head. “Most incidents happen way outside the bay, up and down the coast,” Kilkee Marine Rescue founder Di Lucia said. That service was …

APPROXIMATELY 150-200 people attended a protest outside Shannon Airport last night, against the implementation of a ban on immigration to the US from seven Muslim majority countries and the use of Shannon by the US military. While the protest was peaceful, a minority of protestors did engage in verbal abuse of Gardai particularly after the demonstrators were prevented from entering the airport. This was by far the largest demonstration at the airport in recent years, the turnout more striking when one takes into account the wintry conditions. A small number of Syrians were among the protestors, refugees who have been resettled in Newcastle West, Co Limerick. The demonstrators began assembling beside the roundabout closest to the airport before 6pm, with a noticeable police presence there also. The crowds were then addressed by a number of speakers, all of whom were critical of Trump and the restriction on US immigration. Some also hit out at the continued use of the airport …

ONE Shannnon man has vowed he will chain himself to gates at the site of the proposed crematorium at Illaunnamanagh to stop machinery getting in to start work. Pat Madden says he is utterly determined to prevent the crematorium going ahead at the current location, which he says is very inappropriate. “I’m only speaking for myself here now, my colleagues and I have to debate it, but I am prepared to chain myself to the gate. Should it proceed a bit farther, there is another option open to me,” he said. While he didn’t go into detail on what other options he might be considering, he added, “I’m prepared to take very, very extensive measures, but that’s not a threat of violence or anything like that.” However, he indicated that his own personal safety might be at risk. Even if the crematorium were built, he said he would be moved to protest when funerals began. “If it is finished, the …

Saturday’s airshow to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first commercial transatlantic flight, a milestone in Irish aviation history, at Shannon Airport is expected to attract some 40,000 spectators. However, it will also provide a platform for several anti-war groups to stage peaceful protests. Groups opposed to the continued use of the airport by the US military have said the airports recent history is “not one to be proud of”. John Lannon of Shannonwatch said, “While it is fitting to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first commercial transatlantic flight from Shannon Airport and to acknowledge its important role in aviation in Ireland, we cannot ignore the fact that in the last 15 years it has been used to illegally invade Iraq and Afghanistan and has been part of the CIA’s global campaign of kidnapping and torture”. “Shannon became the original airport gateway between the US and Europe and was the birthplace of Duty Free. It is now a gateway …

Second-level teachers in Clare will protest outside their schools at lunchtime this Thursday but student class time will not be affected by the protest. The protest aims to highlight the need to maintain independent assessment of student attainment at Junior Cycle. It involves members of the ASTI and the TUI. Up to 27,000 second-level teachers across the country will participate. Peter Quinn, ASTI representative for Clare and a teacher at St. Flannan’s College said teachers fully support a move away from excessive reliance on written exams and want to see more focus in schools on practical, portfolio, and project work. “We want to maintain independent, external assessment in order to protect standards, equity, quality and fairness. Anything less has the potential to seriously undermine Junior Cycle education and to widen inequalities between students and schools. We cannot take this risk with our young people. “We appreciate the support we have received from parents and the community during this campaign,” he …

Mayor of Ennis Johnny Flynn has led the call for a meeting with the new CEO of UL Hospital Group in a bid to secure a 24-hour emergency department at Ennis General Hospital. Another Ennis Municipal District Councillor, James Breen, has challenged the council members to hold a protest at the next meeting of the HSE and offered to lead the protest wherever the meeting is taking place. Professor Colette Cowan was appointed to head the hospital group last December and Councillor Flynn said it is time to take their case to the new CEO to try to put a stop to the drain of health expertise from the county into Limerick. Speaking at a Clare County Council meeting, Councillor Flynn said the drain of expertise began a decade ago with the set-up of the HSE and has snowballed to such an extent that stopping it is like trying to turn an oil tanker. “When you looked at the HSE …