The Week at Work

In this special episode Councillor Dean Mulligan hosts a public discussion with Clare Daly MEP and Palestinian activist Aseel Marabeh. The event took place on 3rd April in Swords. Dean introduces the event explaining the resistance at local council level to pro-Palestinian initiatives, while Clare Daly explains what is happening in the EU. Aseel gives a horrific breakdown of what is facing Palestinians, particularly in Gaza.

This week, Dave, Michelle and Stiofán Ó Nualláin discuss:

• Jeffery Donaldson
• Bertie Ahern
• Easter rising commemorations
• Dublin - a failing capitalist experiment?
• The Shannon 3 protest US Military use of airport
• Stripsearching and Special branch.
• Israel embassy trade threat
• BDS actions in the workplace
• Palestinian banking
• Defunding RTE
• The James Connolly Festival (www.jamesconnollyfestival.com)
• The Robert Tressell Festival (www.tressellfestival.ie)

And much more...

Support us at www.patreon.com/leftbloc

This week Dave, Clare and Conor discuss:

• A workers' rights Taoiseach
• All hail our new overlord
• Gannon gets salty with Pepper
• Unite victory in the Supreme Court
• Calls for suspension of EU Trade Agreements with Israel
• Genocide Joe and the continued attacks on Palestinians

And much more...

This week Michelle and Dave discuss:

• Palestine & the ongoing genocide
• Industrial Relations Act 1990 and Boycotting goods
• Sally Rooney:  ‘good friend’ in the White House.
• “the situation in the middle east”
• Two state solution
• Mary Robinson on RTE
• NI open for businesss
• SWSW festival
• Criminalising peaceful protesting
• Investor “activists”
• 94% of Forsa members voted yes to pay deal. 19 unions with public service members.
• SaveJobs – a coalition to preserve profits

This week Michelle and Conor discuss the care referendum result and the campaigns run by the three main left political parties: Sinn Féin, People before Profit, and the Social Democrats.

This week Aubrey and Conor look at Naomi Klein's new book on the rise of the far-right. Doppelganger, and discuss its relevance to what's happening in Ireland today.

This week Dave and Conor look at the strikes at Amazon's warehouse in Coventry, an upcoming trade union bill sponsored by Joan Collins TD, and Sinn Féin's recent dip in the polls.

This week David Gibney is joined by Eoghan Fox, President of the Galway Council of Trade Unions to discuss:

• The International Court of Justice ruling on Israel's Genocide
• Sinn Fein visiting Genocide Joe for Paddys Day
• New Public Sector Pay Deal
• Ryanair snap up gaffs in Dublin
• Guantanamo Bay and the inspiring former inmates trying to close it (book available here - https://www.connollybooks.org/product/dont-forget-us-here)

And more...

This week, Clare and Stevie discuss the Genocide of Gaza, the South African case in the ICJ, the Irish Government response and the power of collective action.

We discuss the upcoming local elections and referendum and the toxic discourse being driven by far right agitators, alongside discussions on housing, the EU, the DUP and Nothern Ireland politics and more!

This week Conor and Dave look at C. Desmond Greaves' biography of James Connolly, in particular the poetic license and myth-making that Greaves indulged in when filling in the gaps in Connolly's early days. It focuses on the account Greaves gave of Connolly's army career, and the issues with the sources used and story told. This episode was recorded in the Garden of Remembrance one Friday afternoon.

This week Conor McCabe and Aubrey Robinson discuss a recent paper by Pierce Daly (UCD) which mapped the location and intensity of institutional/corporate investment in the Dublin rental market. It is a rare example of detailed empirical analysis on the issue and we felt it deserved a discussion and analysis in itself. Link to the paper is below, along with one by Daniela Gabor and Sebastian Kohl which is referenced by Aubrey during the show.

Pierce Daly. Institutional Investment in Housing: Financialisation 2.0 in the Case of Ireland - https://shorturl.at/IOWZ4

Daniela Gabor and Sebastian Kohl. My Home is an Asset Class - https://shorturl.at/goHTU

This week, guest Saoirse McHugh and Conor McCabe discuss the dynamics of class and capitalism in so-called 'rural' Ireland; the feebleness of the institutional Irish left (political parties, trade unions, research bodies) in dealing with these dynamics; and the rising threat of the far-right as it elbows its way into the vacuum. Recorded during a climate action march in Dublin on 9 December 2023.

This week Glenn and Michelle discuss:

• Truce in Palestine ended, Israeli bombardment restarted
• Role of mainstream media
• Division in our communities - rise of hate and the question of 'resources'
• Mary Lou tweet
• Rents reaching new records
• The Ditch investigations
• Data centres and COP
• Successes in the BDS campaign

This week Dave, Clare and Michelle discuss:

• The Parnell Square knife attack
• Dublin violence & classism
• Policing - water cannons, Facial recognition technology
• ICTU rally
• Palestine so-called 4 day pause in firing
• Surge in munition exemptions undermining our neutrality
• Attempts to scrapping the triple lock
• AIB applying banking sanctions?
• Homeless numbers record broken again
• AirBnb profits
• Mayo council execs as landlords
• Mechanical workers win big after strike threat

In this weeks episode Dave and Michelle discuss the continued genocide in Palestine including: 

• Israel bombing boats in Gaza to starve population
• Israel’s Heritage Minister suggests nuking Gaza and sending civilians to Ireland
• Doctors in Israel call for continued targeting of hospitals
• WCNSF acronym - child with no remaining family left
• Irish citizens in Gaza prevented from leaving
• SF call to expel the Israeli ambassador
• Silencing dissent - Web Summit, Amazon, Pharma, Gofundme and Wix
• Football community politics
• Sunday indo poll on ceasefire
• Artist boycott
• 600+ academics calling on unis to suspend ties with Israeli institutions
• Role of media

Also discussed:

• European far right in in Kilkenny
• Intel is Hell
• Garment workers strike in Bangladesh
• Scrapping air passenger cap
• Traveller homes
• Household media charge
• Gardai propaganda
• Good IRA v Bad IRA

If you want to support us you can do so at www.patreon.com/leftbloc

Lifelong activist, socialist and feminist, Bernadette McAliskey, addresses the topic of Nationalism & the Far Right at An Scoil Chois Claí 2023.

This week Clare O'Connor is joined by Dr Sean Byers of Trademark Belfast to discuss ongoing Israeli war crimes and bombardment of Gaza, international Palestinian solidarity and Trade Union Actions , The Fog of War, DUP Rollback, Liberal legislating and more!

Dave Gibney and Clare O'Connor are joined by Conor McCabe as we look at Budget 2024 and what the main opposition parties would have done differently. We address housing, health, education, climate, taxation and carers, among other items.

Michelle and Glenn take a look at the mainstream media reaction to the far-right protest that took place outside Dáil Éireann upon its return, which has been riddled with bothsidesing and false equivalence. This segues into a chat about the Garda handling of everything from protests to illegal evictions. Michelle, fresh in from attending a demonstration outside Waterford Garda Station, gives a firsthand account of the community response to an illegal eviction that took place a few weeks ago. Housing is covered extensively later in the episode before taking a look at some other interesting stories that emerged throughout the week.

This week Dave and Clare discuss:

• Scoil Chois Claí 2023
• Housing, tax reliefs and inflating prices
• Mary Lou and health
• Cosmic events in Portmarnock and alien cakes
• Russel Brand
• USC lobbying

& much more…

Support us at www.leftbloc.ie

This week Michelle talks to Glenn Fitzpatrick and Mebh McDaid about:

- Electoral reform in the South

- Workers Rights under attack - Ryanair

- Free State mindset

- Future of Ireland’s drug laws: Gardai vs evidence base

- UBI and “a new social contract”

- Bernadette Devlin new journo role

- Scoil Chois Claí preview

- EPA and pushback on meat consumption, what of the “just transition”?

& More...

On this week’s The Week At Work, Michelle Byrne speaks to Caoimhe Ní Dhónaill, anti-casualisation officer in University and College Union (UCU) Queens University Belfast (QUB) branch and Professor John Barry, a green representative in UCU at QUB. We hear about the UCU QUB industrial action covering pensions, casualisation, pay and pay gaps and more. We also discuss the neoliberal agenda in education, the role of the university in the climate crisis and solidarity.

This week Michelle talks to Dean McGrath from the South East Irish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign to discuss his recent visit to Palestine and the ongoing oppression there.

Part 2 of this weeks show with Clare and Dave discussing:

• Climate change and preparing for a 2 degree increase in temperatures 
• Interview by Mebh McDaid with the Iceland workers at the Talbot street occupation

• SAG-AFTRA strike and superstar solidarity
• Cluster munitions and Ireland’s role in their supply
• Commentators seeking a nuclear war

And more...

This week Dave Gibney, Michelle Byrne and Glenn Fitzpatrick discuss:

• RTÉ and the future of Public Service Broadcasting
• Ireland Thinks Poll
• Spanish ambassador to Ireland on NATO
• Rise of the right across Europe
• Iceland and strategic insolvencies
• Water services workers on strike
• FG Selective outrage on fast fashion

 And much more…

This week we have a special episode about Cuba with Michelle Byrne, Liz from the Communist Party of Ireland (CPI) and Sam Galvin (Chair of Unite Youth). They discuss the May Day Brigade, the US blockade, Healthcare, climate and farming, children, the family code, participatory democracy, culture, Committees for Defence of the Revolution (CDR) and trade unions in Cuba, International Conference and how we can show solidarity with the Cuban people.

This week Michelle and Glenn discuss:

• Red C poll / Coalition “rift” and anti immigrant sentiment
• Performance of Gov parties vis a vis what is happening at societal level (industrial disputes, call for wage increases etc)
• Media Blackout on PANA poll
• Clare Daly advocates for peace on RTÉ Upfront
• Decay of US economy (based off this piece https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2023/05/27/china-economic-alternative-us-led-financial-order/)
• Tax Breaks and the Squeezed Middle
• Forsa conference, HSE outsourcing and pressure on the health system
• Emerald Air (Aer Lingus regional) dispute
• IWU Iceland workers dispute update
• Tech workers unionising with FSU and impact of anti-trade union legislation
• ICTU calls for minimum wage increase, a living wage and abolition of discriminatory rates of page based on age
• Peace and Neutrality Alliance poll - 87% support ceasefire
• Irish multinational in Columbia disrupting peace

And much more…

This week Dave and Michelle are joined by Stiofán O’Nualláin to discuss:

• Elections in the North
• The erosion of Irish neutrality
• Migration, climate and rise of hate
• Iceland workers strike
• Debenhams workers win WRC case
• Corporate veil protecting employers
• Sacked Murphy 4 - Unite campaign
• An Scoil Chois Claí - Inis Oírr details

And much more…

Join the Left Bloc Community on WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GrpI1ETKXHN5UMjPyjVfzY

This week Dave, Michelle and Clare discuss:

• International Workers’ Memorial Day
• International Workers’ Day
• Political Festivals
• Government to defend ESAT case
• Government attacks independent media
• Homelessness
• Far right protests on Paul Murphy's house
• Varadkar eyes surplus for tax cuts
• The Stardust Inquest

& More….

This week Clare is joined by Amy Rafferty member of Connolly Youth Movement and Left Bloc member to discuss

Her recent article on LeftBloc.ie ,

Good Friday Agreement celebrations and it's economic legacy

Abortion Review & the effort to stall progress

Niall Collins & The Ditch

Investment Funds and Social Housing

10 billion rainy day fund while the world burns,

Who will pay the 8 billion euro penalties for our carbon emissions?

& More!

Support us on www.LeftBloc.ie and on patreon.com/LeftBloc

Episode 131

On this weeks The Week at Work, Clare O Connor and Lorna Bogue discuss:

Housing

LDA and Land Hoarding

1.5 billion underspend on housing budget

Ireland argue against ECHR right to clean, healthy, sustainable environment

Class Politics

Irish Neutrality

Garda bodycams and facial recognition software

Stardust Inquest starts tomorrow

....and More!

This week Stiofán Ó Nualláin is joined by Mebh McDaid as they take over The Week at Work for one week only! They discuss:

• Eviction ban
• Latest polls
• GFA anniversary
• UDA feud
• Strike action

And more...

Episode 129. This week Michelle, Clare and Glenn discuss the eviction ban, the IPCC Report, coalition politics, Labour party promises, Irish Neutrality, Geopolitics and Organising where you stand.

This week Michelle and Stiofán Ó Nualláin discuss:

• Eviction ban,
• Labour V Soc Dems,
• Windsor Framework,
• Biden,
• Pension protests

And more...

Like the pod? Support us at www.leftbloc.ie

This week, Clare and Michelle discuss the Ireland For All rally; The eviction ban; mother and baby home vote; the first anniversary of the Ukraine war and more

This week Clare and Conor are in conversation with Dr. Stiofán Ó Nualláin on the ongoing far right attacks on migrants, the structural nature of racism in the Irish state, and the way the media frames the issue.

This week we're in conversation with Dr. John Bissett, researcher, activist and community worker, on his new book, It's Not Where You Live, It's How You Live: Class and Gender in a Dublin Estate. It was recorded while walking around Rialto, the Coombe, and Pimlico.

This week Clare and Conor discuss the social acceptance of Tommy Tiernan's lazy racism; combatting the far-right lies on housing; the upcoming Stardust Fire inquiry; and Paschal Donoghue's election scandals.

This week Michelle and Conor discuss Matt Cooper's dog whistles on the recent racist attacks; Damien English and his missing house; John Bissett's new book on class and gender in working class Dublin; Bono's time warp politics; and Prince Harry's gilded cage. 

This week Michelle and Conor discuss the structural issues behind the health crisis in Limerick and the regions, the problem with RTÉ's Operation Transformation, Bertie Ahern's Presidential run in 2025, and the political vision and strategy of Eoin Ó Broin. 

This week Conor is speaking with Stiofán Ó Nualláin about the north, border polls, and what a post-reunification Ireland would - and should - look like. 

This week Michelle and Conor discuss Leo Varadkar's call for housing for the multinationals, ninety years of Connolly Books, the links between Irish and German fascists, and climate denialism within Sinn Féin.