From Caesar to Napoleon the attempt to ‘divide and conquer’ has been a favoured tactic of elites everywhere. Imperialists from the British in India to the Belgians in Rwanda instinctively understood the need to set up spurious divisions amongst their opponents.

In response the maxim of the oppressed must surely be ‘united we stand, divided we fall’.

This is why the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) is intuitively appealing. The idea of organising a multitude of unions into a collective structure should surely work to the advantage of workers.

40 protesters from the local Campaign against the property and water tax greeted Minister Phil Hogan with an angry cacophony of sound as he arrived to formally open a branch library in Ferrybank Waterford.

From 8.30am chants and megaphone sirens could be heard throughout Ferrybank cries of “Phil Hogan we know you – cuts, job losses, money for the bosses” “Can’t pay won’t pay, property charges no way” “They say cut back – we say fight back” and “Bail out people not banks” were warmly received by locals and passing motorists who honked their horns in support.

Since its establishment in 1985, Ryanair has always sought to undercut its rival in Aer Lingus. The company, founded by Christopher Ryan, Liam Lonergan and Tony Ryan, aimed to give people a cheaper alternative from Waterford and Dublin to London. Although passenger numbers increased, the company ran at a loss until 1991, when a 30 year old Michael O’Leary was given the task of making the airline profitable.

About 80 people turned out at short notice to greet Phil Hogan last night at the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel near the Red Cow in Dublin.

The Ballyfermot Campaign against the Household and Water Charges had called the protest and the main body of protesters from the area were joined by others who came from the Wicklow campaign and even a few who travelled from Ballyhea in Cork!

Cllr Brid Smith of People Before Profit kept the chants lively as we waiting for the minister to arrive.

The Local Social Welfare offices have begun to host ‘Momentum Information Events’ around the country. It has 6000 placements nationwide.

At a recent “Information Event” in Bray the Department of Social Welfare informed the large crowd gathered in the Royal Hotel ballroom that Bray would receive 120 places with four different training companies. All training is broken down into three stages -Training, Work Experience and Employment.

Ireland's largest student union, University College Dublin Students' Union, is facing a referendum on affiliation to the Union of Students in Ireland. The call for disaffiliation is becoming extremely popular and increasingly hard to challenge. The old mantra of 'united we stand divided we fall' seems to fall on deaf ears as people do not see or believe in the USI tagline "together we're stonger".

An ‘historic step’ is how the deal on the promissory note has been described. But the new arrangements are pathetic.

*The Irish people are still responsible for €64 billion of bank debt – including €28 billion of Anglo debt. Not a cent of the debt burden has been removed.

* Like distressed home owners, we have been put on an interest only loan up to 2038.

* That interest rate will almost certainly rise. Today it is at a very low figure because the EU is stuck in recession. But it will increase rapidly when there is a recovery.

Last night the government chained the debts of Anglo and the developers who gambled and built up those debts to the backs of the Irish people for years to come.

The opposition in the Dail were given the bill only minutes before the government pushed the legislation through. It took them decades and they still haven't apologised to the victims of the Magdelene Laundries, twenty years to even consider the X case- but when it comes to the banks they suddenly find they're in a hurry!

Workers who are occupying the Old Darnley Lodge are asking for support for a rally on Sat afternoon Jan 26th.

Rally: Support the Staff of the Old Darnley Lodge sit-in Sat 26th January ATHBOY CO. MEATH 1pm to 2pm.

All support will be greatly appreciated by the workers fighting for their rights.