On Wednesday, the Union Jack flew limply over Belfast City Hall for the first time since the flag protests begun. It was one of the eighteen days that the city council designated for flag flying and it was to honour the birthday of the Duchess of Cambridge, better known as Kate Middleton.

‘The Year of Recovery’ proclaimed Enda Kenny. ‘We are 85 percent of the way’ says Eamonn Gilmore. The latest message from official Ireland is that austerity is working and there will soon be light at the end of the tunnel.

It is another of those banal lies that the political establishment throw out regularly.

A new low: Paying upfront for your cancer treatment. Cancer is about the most terrifying news that anyone can get. Even in an age when treatments have improved dramatically - especially when the condition is caught early- it still strikes fear.

But James Reilly and the cold hearted bureaucrats who run the HSE have come up with a new measure to increase people’s stress.

Shortly after the main details of the budget were revealed, it emerged that cancer patients will be charged for chemotherapy treatment before they are treated.

Tory Chancellor George Osborne’s ‘autumn statement’ means even further cuts to the living standards of working class people. He announced a 1% cap on increases to benefits and tax credits over the next two years.

But the cost of living is rising at an alarming rate, with the cost of food alone increasing by 32 per cent since 2007. Even Westminster’s own figures say that food costs are likely to rise by 4% every year between now and 2020. So, how are families supposed to feed their children?

The decision of the Labour Party to vote for the Social Welfare Bill today and on the property tax next week is a turning point.

The Social Welfare Bill will cut child benefit; raise an extra €264 a year on all PAYE workers by abolishing the PRSI allowance; slash the respite care allowance by €325; and reduce the Back to School Clothing and Footwear allowance.

The property tax will charge the average person between €300 and €400 just to live in their own home.

Over recent weeks the Egyptian Revolution which took place in early February 2011 has deepened and intensified.

On 22 November President Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood issued a constitutional declaration giving himself and the army massive powers - including the ability to dissolve parliament and announce martial law.

2013 is the anniversary of the great lock out when thousands of union members fought the vile employer William Martin Murphy. It will be commemorated this year against a background of economic crisis and new questions about the role of unions today.

One hundred years ago, the Irish Transport and General Workers Union was led by two revolutionary socialists, James Connolly and Jim Larkin. Their aim was the destruction of capitalism and they encouraged workers to use the most militant tactics to advance their day to day aims.

Connolly summed up their attitudes as follows:

Belfast and other parts of the North have been gripped by an explosion of protests, riots and roadblocks at the hand of Loyalists paramilitaries.

What initially began with 1000 Loyalist protesters gathering outside Belfast City hall singing 'God Save the Queen" and shouting 'No surrender", to voice opposition at the reduction of days the Union flag is to be flown over the building ,was quickly followed by escalated action which saw riots and protests across the city with at least 20 police left injured.

‘Protect Child Benefit: Vote Labour’. This was the slogan that Labour used in the last election.

They were telling blatant lies. In a savage move, child benefit will be cut by €10 a month for the first two children, €18 for the third child and €20 for all subsequent children.

People will go without heating this winter because of this. We cannot take any more – it is time that we all stood together and shut down the country.

On Thursday, the Dail will vote on the child benefit cut.

Come to the protest before that vote Wednesday evening at 5.30pm at the Dail.

‘Protect Child Benefit: Vote Labour’. This was the slogan that Labour used in the last election. They argued that Labour was needed in government to soften the right wing policies of Fine Gael.

Budget 2013 shows what a lie they told. In a savage move, child benefit for 600,000 families will be cut by €10 a month for the first two children, €18 for the third child and €20 for all subsequent children.

This is the third cut in child benefit since 2008. A family of two children, for example, will be down €864 in cuts to child benefit alone.