An Phoblacht/Republican News  ·  Thursday November 30 1995

Mystery death was sectarian

THE KILLING of Norman Harley whose battered body was discovered earlier this week in North Belfast has been described as sectarian by local residents.

Harley, a Catholic from North Belfast, was found dead on Monday evening, 27 November, in the Waterworks, a park area behind Cliftonville Road in the north of the city and near the loyalist Westland estate.

The victim, who lived alone in Castleton Gardens, had suffered severe injuries to the head and face.

A statement released through the RUC Press Office on Wednesday, 29 November, said that a number of men were arrested and were being questioned about the killing which they say may have been sectarian.

Monaghan support for all-inclusive talks

Monaghan Urban District Council unanimously passed a motion on Monday, 27 November calling on both governments to set a date for all-party talks. The motion reads: ``This council, recognising the seriousness of the current impasse in the peace process, call on the Dublin and London governments, to immediately set the date for all-inclusive talks, the essential forum for realisation of a negotiated settlement wherein all issues can be addressed.'' Sinn Féin Councillor Caoimhghín O Caoláin proposed the motion, which was seconded and supported by party colleagues Padraigín Uí Mhurchadha and Owen Smyth. The council agreed to circulate the motion to all municipal and county authorities in the state, in order to build support for the peace process.

Duke of Devonshire slammed by council

Youghal Urban District Council has objected to the imposition by the Duke of Devonshire of a charge upon commercial fishers to fish their own waters of the Blackwater and Youghal Harbour. The council unanimously passed a motion condemning the charges, proposed by Councillor Martin Hallinan of Sinn Féin. ``Our fishers are already very heavily penalised by the Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union and they demand that one of England's richest landlords should no longer have any financial claim on their own fishing grounds because of outdated laws made when this country was ruled by England'' said the Sinn Féin councillor.

Estimates opposed in Cobh

Cobh Urban District Councillor, Kieran McCarthy (Sinn Féin) has voted against the Assistant County Manager's annual estimates at the council's meeting on 27 November. ``Only when local government has real power to raise and spend monies as they require them to provide local services, can they, with any degree of fairness and equity, ask people to pay local taxes or service charges'' said the councillor. McCarthy said that he would continue to reject annual estimates until central government agreed to devolve power to local authorities. McCarthy also opposed a proposed contribution of £2000 towards floodlighting at St Colman's Cathedral. He said if it was a question of providing badly needed services for the council tenants or flood lighting for one of the country's most professional fund-raising institutions then he would vote ``with the people''.

Service charge cases collapse

The cases against 43 people accused of non-payment of service charges to South Dublin Council were struck out in Rathfarnham District Court on 23 November. The judge ruled that the council had not proved that the people were the occupiers of the houses listed in the case. Dundrum/Rathfarnham Sinn Féin representative, Gerry Malone welcomed the decision: ``Yet again the PAYE worker is being asked to pay this double tax, while tax debts of the super rich are written off. This outstanding money would cover the charges for many years to come.''

O Cuiv, Bhamjee call for prisoner transfer

Deputies Eamon O Cuiv and Moosajee Bhamjee have called on the British government to transfer all political prisoners from England to Portlaoise pending their release as part of the peace process.

They were speaking at a public meeting in Ennis on 25 November, organised by the local Saoirse committee. Labour TD Moosajee Bhamjee said that Harry Duggan and Joe O'Connell, both republican prisoners from Clare serving life in England, should be released to travel the rest of the peace road with us. Ex-POW Paddy Hackett highlighted the case of Paul Norney who is in his 21st year of imprisonment along with his four co-accused. He called on everyone to write to Home Secretary Michael Howard and highlight the fact that they should be released on 12 December when their parole hearing is next heard.

Saoirse in Dundalk held a picket on Saturday 25 November calling for the release of Irish political prisoners. They highlighted the names of republican prisoners from the Dundalk/Louth area, in particular Stephen Nordone, now over 21 years in a British jail. In Monaghan town on the same evening there was a candlelight vigil in the Diamond involving 40 Saoirse activists.