A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Gilmore in meeting with European socialist leaders
Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore is due to return to Ireland this afternoon following his meeting with Greek prime minister George Papandreou in Athens yesterday, writes Mary Minihan.
Mr Gilmore and Labour TD for Dublin South East Ruairí Quinn were attending the Party of European Socialists (PES) prime ministers and leaders conference in the Zappeion Megaron in the Greek capital.
On the agenda for last night’s meeting was the response of the PES to the ongoing economic and social crises in Europe and how PES wishes the European Union to “discuss, define and implement its economic governance”.
Ahead of the meeting, PES president Poul Nyrup Rasmussen said: “Our priority in the PES is to advocate in as strong a way as possible that this is done in an economically credible and socially responsible way.”
Coalition talks with Fine Gael continued in Dublin yesterday, where Labour TD Pat Rabbitte said a number of policy issues dividing the two sides had still to be ironed out.
He said negotiations would have to conclude last night if a programme for government were to be ready in time for a special Labour Party meeting tomorrow.
Speculation was mounting last night that this meeting may be rescheduled.
Communists call for referendum on non-payment of debt to 'foreign bankers'
The Communist Party of Ireland has called on the trade union movement to lead a campaign for a referendum on the non-payment of the State's debts "to foreign bankers", writes Mary Minihan.
General secretary of the party Eugene McCartan appealed to Sinn Féin, the United Left Alliance and Independent TDs “to bring forward in a united manner a Private Members’ Bill to facilitate the holding of a referendum”. He said people should be given the opportunity to vote against what he described as “the socialisation of private and corporate debt”.
He added: “As working people are being forced to pay this illegitimate, perpetual and unpayable debt, they must be allowed to vote on it in a referendum.” He said the main parties in the Dáil were depriving people of a voice on the matter.