Eirigi: The Republican Socialists Hijacking Irish Anger

There are indications that the Irish public's patience with its governing class is at breaking point.

Two separate protests in the past week descended in violence - but there are also worries that extreme groups are taking advantage of the discontent.

A Dublin City councillor splashed Health Minister Mary Harney with red paint last week as she turned the sod at a new hospital facility in Cherry Orchard in west Dublin.

And the biggest student demonstration in a generation in Ireland resulted in ugly clashes between Gardai and students.

But there was a link between the two - Eirigi, a radical socialist movement with links to dissident republicans and a tiny support base.

Councillor Louise Minihan, who daubed Ms Harney with red paint, is a member of Eirigi, who defected from Sinn Fein.

She was questioned by Gardai about her paint attack and could yet face charges.

And the Union of Students in Ireland, who mobilised up to 35,000 students for a protest in Dublin city centre against a rise in college registration fees, has distanced itself from the violent clashes with Gardai that grabbed the headlines.

It blamed "left wing" groups for the "destructive and anti-social violence" which saw the Garda riot squad deployed, as beer cans, eggs and placards were thrown at members of the force.

Members of Eirigi, Sinn Fein, and the Socialist Workers Party were among 50 protestors who tried to occupy the Department of Finance building.

Three people were arrested, and two will face charges of criminal damage and disturbing the peace.

The USI condemned the "minority" who caused the trouble, saying it would divert attention from their cause.

And it did - the violence dominated news reports, rather than their calls for no increase in fees.

There are now fears that the republican socialist group will attempt to hijack every public protest organised in Ireland in order to gain publicity for itself.

[Eirigi also generated world headlines recently when its members pelted former British Prime Minister Tony Blair with eggs as he attended a book signing in Dublin.]

But its actions are undermining serious efforts by thousands of people in Ireland to make peaceful and lawful protests against a deeply unpopular government and some of the toughest cuts in public spending since the foundation of the State.

In the past few weeks alone, there have been demonstrations against cuts in mental health funding, farmer protests and hospital protests.

Trade unions are planning a massive rally at the end of November.

They will need to take extra care to ensure their efforts are not hijacked by Eirigi for its own agenda.