Statement from the Irish National Liberation Army volunteers E4 Landing Portlaoise Gaol.

Comrades,

As we commemorate the 98th anniversary of our Easter Rising, we take this opportunity to send greetings to all our comrades, supporters and friends at home and abroad.

We also wish to thank our families and loved ones, who have borne the brunt of the hardship during our incarcerations, for their unwavering support.

The Ireland of today presents many complex challenges for Irish working class people. Both North and South. The political policies embraced in the theory of neo-liberalism have proven to be an unmitigated disaster.

In pursuing these social and economic policies, recent successive Governments, in tandem with the forces of Capital, have launched a series of unprecedented attacks on living standards, welfare and dignity of our people.Our role as Citizens has reduced to that of consumers.

Meanwhile and to a large extent, the interests of working class people have also been abandoned by the bureaucratic and careerist leaderships of various Trade Unions. Clinging to an outmoded and anti worker concept of social partnership, they have succeeded only in overseeing a massive decline in Union membership and confidence.

British, E.U. and American political and economic Imperialism, aided and abetted by their Irish allies of the ruling elite, has succeeded in further tightening its grip of the majority of this Island. Since the inception of our Movement we have steadfastly advocated and promoted policies that both defend and aim to enhance the life standards of people.

We have unequivocally advanced that only Socialism will best serve the long term interests of Irish people. In terms of the ‘National Question’, we maintain that only a United Socialist Ireland is the minimum achievement worthy of the struggle and sacrifice of our women and men.

Recently we have witnessed those, who once said that Socialism was not on the agenda being rewarded with gilded seats in the carriages of the ‘GRAVY TRAIN’. The ‘Broad Front’ as advocated by Seamus Costello and his comrades is as relevant today as it was 40 years ago. Our Movement has always been open to principled participation with all progressive organisations, groups and individuals.

In closing, we congratulate all our comrades for their ongoing structured work and look forward to the future with optimism and confidence. Beir bua