The Greens and Fianna Fáil have agreed a deal whereby a €225 flat tax will be levied on every household, regardless of income.

The levy is expected to generate nearly €300 million a year in revenue. For families which are just barely scraping by, a levy of €225 a year is a serious attack.

The long running struggle in Erris (Rossport) against Shell's attempt to impose an experimental gas pipeline on the local community has once more errupted in recent days with the arrival of the Solitaire to attempt to bring the pipeline to shore. In his article Erris: Community in Struggle against Shell WSM member Sean Mallory details the latest events following the resumption of construction. Here we provide background articles on the struggle and a focus on the events of last Summer and Autumn which culminated in Shell having to halt construction over winter.

We are using the WSM twitter account to provide you with live updates from WSM members in Erris and elsewhere involved in this struggle and to let you know of developments and new information as soon as we become aware of them.

After a quiet period the struggle against Shell’s attempt to impose a dangerous experimental gas pipeline in Erris, Co. Mayo has escalated once more over the last month.

Shell are now attempting to bring the pipe ashore at Glenagad and over 20 people have been arrested to date resisting this. Shell’s Solitaire pipe-laying ship has arrived at the port of Killybegs and is expected in the Erris area any day making this a key period for Shell and for the community that is determined to halt its project.

Also check indymedia.ie for up to date reports.

A strong message has been sent to developers Quinn Property over the future of Seagrange Park, Baldoyle, following a public meeting held at Bayside community hall Tuesday July 15th.

Baldoyle and Bayside locals gathered at the community centre to discuss proposals made by developers Quinn Property, along with the Affordable Homes Partnership, to have the Brickfields site rezoned for the construction of a six-storey block of apartments.

A closer look at Declan Ganley's "Libertas" campaign - the figures behind it and their motivations.

On Sunday April 20th, Libertas announced that Ulick McEvaddy was "joining the No To Lisbon Campaign" and publicised the event with a photo-opportunity of the two 'entrepreneurs' in front of the Libertas Campaign bus [1]. McEvaddy is the first member of the Irish business and political elite to join the Libertas campaign since it emerged under the stewardship of Declan Ganley.

What's particularly interesting about this is that McEvaddy is the CEO of Omega Air, a US defence contractor (they supply cargo planes and inflight refuelling services to the US military).

Declan Ganley, president of Libertas, also happens to be president of Rivada Networks, a US defence contractor (they supply emergency communications networks to the US intelligence community).

First published on indymedia.ie