One of the main roles of Stormont Ministers is to act together as a collective in the form of the Executive. The whole point of this is to agree on the best way to do the job they were elected to do and to justify the rather large sums of money they get as Ministers.However, with the DUP and Sinn Féin refusing to meet, the process of government has ground to a standstill.As SDLP Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has said: The cancellation of Thursday’s Executive meeting is totally unacceptable.“I am outraged that amongst the many other important issues which are being held up in this logjam I am not able to progress my own housing agenda.“The people who elected us have the right to expect much better from the Ministers they entrusted with power.“This year I have set...
The BBC's obsession with the provisional movement continues apace. The latest instalment comes in the form of the headline story on their NI News website that informs us that Martin McGuinness says that dissident 'republicans' have little or no support.Apart from the fact that he has already said this before, the bottom line is that he is just stating an undeniable fact. Where's the news?Right, we get that the DUP and Sinn Féin have done a u-turn and have been talking more like normal democrats for the past year or so. But is there not real news that TV licence payers' money can go towards funding the reporting...
I thought I'd heard it all, but Iris Robinson's suggestion that people who engage in the "abomination" of being part of the LGBT community could be 'turned' from their ways by a visit to a psychiatrist will really take some beating.Despite the fact that her husband is supposed to promote equality in his role as First Minister, Iris Robinson's comments are a slap in the face of those who actually believe that people have the right to be treated equally, not to mention the victims of hate attacks such as 27-year old Stephen Scott who two days previously was assaulted by a gang of youths, suffering head and leg injuries. What kind of message does this send out?The suggestion that living an 'alternative' lifestyle is an illness which needs fixed by a shrink would be hilarious if was coming...
After half a century of bile-spouting, it was going to take more than a few cheesy photos with Martin McGuinness to prove that Ian Paisley had finally seen the light. Actions speak louder than words, and Paisley's refusal to meet Eugene Reavey this week or apologise to him for the sickening accusations he levelled against the south Armagh man shows the departing First Minister's true colours.Mr Reavey's three brothers were slughtered in Whitecross by the brutal Glenanne Gang in 1976. In the immediate aftermath of these brutal killings, a short distance away ten Protestant workmen were killed in equally cold blood by the IRA. Under Parliamentary Privilege in 1999, Ian Paisley made the ludicrous accusation that Eugene Reavey "set up the Kingsmills massacre", despite the fact that he had...
The latest stunt by the DUP and Sinn Féin threatening to pull down the Assembly is a damning indictment of both parties and an insult to the people of the north, yet will conveniently suit both parties' self-serving agendas.With the new regime installed at the helm of the DUP, the party will want to move out of Chuckle Zone given the criticism from the TUV and others of Paisley's jovial relationship with Martin McGuinness of Sinn Féin over the past year. Of course, the DUP couldn't just manage this transformation back to the old-school style overnight without good reason- this 'crisis' gives them that good reason. It has created the perfect excuse to create the impression that there has been a chilling of the relationship. They even went so far as to appoint Jeffrey Donaldson as...
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Martin McGuinness,
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Peter Robinson,
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Independent Monitoring Commission has backed the assertion made the family of murdered Cullyhanna man Paul Quinn that provos were involved. The monitoring body today stated: "Amongst those involved were people who had in various ways been associated with the PIRA at a local level, including as members of the organisation."There could be no clearer signal that those people from the area known as provos were behind the killing.The IMC further backed the Quinn's analysis that these provos still think they run south Armagh, despite their bosses in Belfast telling them otherwise. The IMC described how these thugs hold the young people, and many others, of the area to ransom: "Some of these people were accustomed over a substantial period of time to exercising considerable local influence,...
According to the reports about the memoirs of Tony's Blair former Number 10 aide Jonathan Powell, in 2006 Provisional Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams rang the then British Prime Minister to "express solidarity" over the latter's cash-for-questions problems. According to Powell, Adams rang Blair and amongst other things had the craic about the PIRA's campaign. The bearded one then, it is claimed, suggested to Powell that he and Blair should "seek political status" if they were arrested, and refuse to recognise the court.Oh dear. The reputed leader of the republican movement joking with the British Prime Minister, a man who has been known to hold his predecessor Margaret Thatcher in high esteem, about the key issue that inspired ten PIRA and INLA men to starve themselves to death is quite...
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Great Hatred,
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Jonathan Powell,
Sinn Féin,
Gerry Adams,
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Northern Ireland Assembly
DUP leader Ian Paisley has announced that he is to resign his position at the head of his party and as First Minister in May.He is to remain on as an MLA and MP for North Antrim.More to...
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Peter Robinson,
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Stormont
Today's Irish News published details of how highly sensitive information on school pupils and their families was found lying about in Camlough, Co. Armagh. The revelation was made by SDLP Newry and Armagh MLA Dominic Bradley, who had been passed the information.The highly sensitive material contained information on 120 people who were pupils quite a few years ago and included details about threadbare clothing on unwashed children and derogatory descriptions of parents. The files included details of of doctors' examinations, information on admissions to a psychiatric institution and prosecutions for non-attendance at school.One parent was described as a 'n'er do well'. Nice.However, rather than accept Mr Bradley's right as a democratically elected politician- nay, a citizen- to publicise...
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South Down,
South Armagh,
Camlough,
Irish News,
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lost files,
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Dominic Bradley,
SDLP,
Northern Ireland Assembly
In a shock result, the Ulster Unionist Party has retained its seat on Banbridge District Council after a bye-election in the Dromore area. The DUP, which had forced the bye-election following the resignation of UUP councillor and former rugby player Tyrone Howe, thought it would be a walk in the park. But they hadn't budgeted for the arrival of Jim Allister's Traditional Unionists on the scene.I was on the ground in the area last night during polling. A lot of people were of the opinion that TUV transfers would go back to the DUP and see them over the finishing post in first place. However, the animosity between the DUP and the two smaller Unionist parties was palpable, and I must admit I had a strong suspicion that the TUV would extract enough support from erstwhile DUP voters for the...
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Tyrone Howe,
Jeffrey Donaldson,
Jim Allister,
TUV,
Ian Paisley,
DUP,
UUP,
Northern Ireland Assembly
The SDLP, having weighed up what was on offer in the budget against its serious shortcomings, voted against it- fair play to them. Margaret Ritchie stood firm in the face of the DUP/ SF axis bullying tactics and managed to squeeze extra money from them for much-needed social housing. However, it remains an essentially right-wing, anti-community budget. There is of course the lack of detail on water reform and education, and by the recent performance of Nigel Dodds with regard to the abolition of relief for the installation of energy efficient measures, the two big parties cannot be trusted to deliver unless they spell out exactly what they are intending to do.Some people don't seem to be able to get their heads around the concept that the SDLP are in the Executive as a right, not because...
I don't often bring up the issue of religion on this blog as it's not something I care to speak of much- live and let live, I say. However it is hard to ignore the blatant intolerance displayed by a DUP apparatchik on RTÉ radio this week.Wallace Thompson, who is an advisor to DUP enterprise minister Nigel Dodds, said on air yesterday that the "Pope is the Antichrist." He also told the radio phone-in that he would oppose any visit to the north by the Pontiff.If a senior official of a governing party anywhere else in Europe spouted this verbal detritus, there would be public outrage. Yet here in good ol' Northern Ireland, we're just supposed to accept this kind of anachronistic nonsense as if it were somehow normal. Not only that, but if we dare to criticise Paisley's party and its clearly...
I must apologise for my irregular appearances on the blog of late- a new computer is winging its way to Áras an Bhlogador so with any luck my contributions will resume a somewhat more orderly rate of publication. As it transpires, Pól has been keeping a steady hand at the helm, guiding El Blogador safely away from being dashed on the iceberg of irrelevance.Today saw the current Assembly's first budget. After all the wrangling of recent months over who was getting what from the proverbial purse, Margaret Ritchie's department emerged as the 'victor', which in effect means that the people in our society who need help to get a headstart in life are the victors.Despite being bullied and harrangued by the DUP/ Sinn Féin axis, Margaret has stood firm on a range of issues such as the...
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budget,
Sinn Féin,
DUP,
SDLP,
Peter Robinson,
Northern Ireland Assembly,
Margaret Ritchie
You've got to hand it to Martin McGuinness- for someone without RADA training it must have taken some skill to keep a straight face yesterday when he described the SDLP and UUP as the "problem parties". Clap, clap, clap. Bravo.Perhaps Mr McGuinness suffers from amnesia (probably useful given his past), but if he casts his mind back just a decade, then he will see what real problem parties were, including his own- on one side we had Sinn Féin advocating the resurrected campaign of terror being waged by the IRA and refusing to condemn provo killings, and on the other we saw the DUP refusing to entertain the idea of sharing power with nationalists and displaying just about every sectarian cliché in the book. The only problem with the SDLP and UUP for Sinn Féin and the DUP in the current...
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Northern Ireland Assembly,
Margaret Ritchie
With the ongoing debate and needless politicisation of the Irish language issue by the DUP, I hope I'm not barking up the wrong tree by showing this video as a lighthearted example of how an ability to speak both English and Irish is a good thing. There's nothing fishy about the idea of an Irish Language Act- it will help secure and enhance a linguistic heritage that belongs to everyone on this island, and will promote a greater understanding of where we have come from as we look at where we are going. The DUP and other politicians such as David McNarry may throw dog's abuse at the Irish language and its supporters, but that will not deter those who believe that an act is necessary....
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Northern Ireland Assembly
SDLP Leader Mark Durkan slammed a statement issued this evening by the DUP's Peter Robinson. Mr Durkan accused Robinson of prejudging the Executive meeting scheduled for tomorrow and of seeking to reshape events to suit personal political priorities.Robinson claimed that Margaret Ritchie "rushed to make her statement without keeping the conditions set out by the executive."He added: "Before she made her statement the minister was warned by officials she would be breaching the ministerial code but chose to dismiss the advice. Under the new ministerial code every minister is bound by executive decisions and must act in accordance with those decisions. The ministerial code has statutory authority. The DSD minister has therefore breached the ministerial code."However the Leader of the SDLP...
I would like to congratulate the Minister for Social Development for standing firm against the UDA, despite attempts by elements from within and outside the Assembly to undermine her. It is quite clear that the UDA should not get their grubby fingers on a single penny of public money.Of course it comes as no surprise that the DUP threw their toys out of the pram upon hearing the Minister's statement. What exactly do they want- a continuation of funding for those who refuse to decommission? Funny how they didn't display the same attitude in relation to the IRA in recent years. Hypocrisy of the highest order, methinks.Sinn Féin weren't much better. In the Assembly today they repeatedly asked the Minister the wholly pointless question: "Have you been funding the UDA?" Sinn Féin and...
SDLP Leader Mark Durkan MP MLA has today responded to An Taoiseach’s announcement that Fianna Fáil is to establish a new committee on all-island strategy:"The SDLP was the architect of the Agreed Ireland which has now at last come to pass. We have always said that this new Ireland would bring realignment and exciting change in Irish politics, both between North and South and within the North. With many of the institutions finally up and running, the flux that we have predicted is now beginning to appear."We are a party that plays its role in response to the public needs of the time. For decades, we worked in the national interest to secure peace. In recent years, we have continued to take on the real issues of the day, North and South, not least through our ‘North-South Makes...
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Bertie Ahern,
Dermot Ahern,
Cumann,
Mark Durkan,
SDLP,
Northern Ireland Assembly
Over the course of the past few months it has become clear that the tight grip of power that Ian Paisley once had on his 'flock' is loosening. Just last week it was revealed that he will be stepping down as leader of the church he founded, and now eight DUP councillors on Coleraine Council have backed a move to oppose DUP Minister Arlene Foster's plans for the Giant's Causeway.The councillors in question supported a proposal by SDLP Councillor John Dallat backing the original government plan for the development of the Giant’s Causeway. The proposal was seconded by the DUP mayor Maurice Bradley.The proposal reads: "This council supports the original government backed planning application for the Giant’s Causeway lodged in 2002 and conveys our concerns to the Minister for the...
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Free Presbyterian Church,
Seymour Sweeney,
Arlene Foster,
Ian Paisley,
DUP,
SDLP,
Northern Ireland Assembly
Democracy- what's it all about, eh? Here was me thinking that with devolved government, we might have seen an end the backdoor sidedealery that marked British Direct Rule. However, it seems that the DUP and Sinn Féin are picking up where Hain and friends left off.It has been revealed that the Paisleyites and the Provos approached the British Government on the sly to get cash for two extra advisors, a move which required a change in the law. But did they do this through the Assembly? No. Did they decide to put it to the elected representatives in the House of Commons? No. It turns out that the law was changed through a Prerogative Order signed by the Secretary of State and rubberstamped by the Privy Council on 25th July, allowing no debate in either Parliament or the Assembly.Are this lot...
I wonder does Westminster have ministers being asked such gems as this...Mr Jim Shannon (Strangford): To ask the Minister for Regional Development what are his intentions with regard to the continuation of the sewerage system a further 50-60 yards, towards 94 Rubane Road,...
Things have been pretty boring lately. It's no fun when everyone's acting like the best of friends. No doubt it'll all end in tears, but hopefully with the Assembly seemingly functioning we can get some action to address the big issues which the British direct rulers ignored.It has been interesting watching some of the activity in the Assembly though. In the past few weeks I've found out that Nelson McCausland seems obsessed with the Irish language and Gerry Adams operates an effectively Westminsteresque abstentionist policy at Stormont.Let's see how the Twelfth goes, and maybe we'll have something to talk...
SDLP Regional Development Spokesperson John Dallat MLA has claimed that water charges will lead to the poorest people being blacklisted for credit when they fail to meet their water bills, if they are introduced in the North. Mr Dallat claims that this may send many people into the laps of loan sharks who charge exorbitant rates of interest and frequent operate outside the constraints of legislation. Mr Dallat stated:“The new water company has signed a contract with a billing company which has massive powers to collect bad debt and has special measures for extracting cash from the most vulnerable.In a society were 24% of homes experience fuel poverty it is easy to see how this condition will become water poverty. Without the ability to pay many people will be black listed for credit...
Quelle surprise, loyalists haven't taken too kindly to Margaret Ritchie's threat that funding will be cut unless the UDA decommissions.'UPRG' spokesperson Frankie Gallagher has claimed: "You cannot out-green the greens [Sinn Féin] but you can rise above them."Perhaps it has escaped Frankie's notice, although given the lack of political nous historically displayed by the loyalist leadership it wouldn't be surprising, but virtually the whole community despises the armed terrorist militia that is the UDA/ UFF. It has got nothing to do with nationalism, unionism or even monsterravingloonyism. I'd bet Margaret Ritchie would take exactly the same line in relation to the RIRA or CIRA if they were looking government hand-outs.Frankie has also offered this nugget of advice to Margaret's party:...
SDLP Equality Spokesperson Dolores Kelly has put down a motion calling on the Assembly to censure Ian Paisley Junior for offensive remarks about gays and lesbians in an interview with Hot Press Magazine.She said: “It is one thing for a backwoods politician to go off on an anti-gay rant– Ian Paisley Junior already has form in this area, and we have had any number of DUP representatives disgracing themselves with homophobic outbursts in council chambers- but it is quite another thing when we get it from a government minister with responsibility in related areas.“Ian Paisley is a junior minister in the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister, the department which is charged with promoting equality and bringing forward the Single Equality Bill. Vulnerable groups who are potential...
I have been keeping track of MLAs in their first day of proper business. On the issue of equality for women in the house MLAs were undecided in how to tackle the issue. They are currently heading into the lobbies, for the first time, with a result due...
It was with sadness that I learnt of the death of Vera McVeigh, an 82-year old Donaghmore, Co. Tyrone resident. On the face of it, Vera was a normal, decent, family woman. However, like many other similar such people, Vera was bereaved when her son was murdered by the provisional IRA. Not only that, but the provo child killers who slew her son buried his body in secret. It was Vera's wish that she would get her son's body back to give him a decent burial before she herself died. Unfortunately this simple hope was never realised.The 'people' behind this terrible crime are below contempt. There was absolutely no justification for the murder of this young man, still less for the hiding of his body.The same goes for other murderous thugs such as those in that great slur on the good name of...
Today is 8th May 2007: D-Day. Of course one could debate whether the 'D' stands for 'Devolution' or just 'Delay'- after all, we were in this position in 1998 but some parties failed to recognise the real opportunity we had at that time to make a real difference to people's lives here. Never mind.It has been a bizarre spectacle in recent weeks to see Paisley and the Provos practically salavating at the idea of governing together- all being well, this apparent goodwill will be carried forward to the executive table. After all, a battle a day will not result in any victories but merely bruised political egos and delay in delivering on the issues which affect people's daily lives.It will also be interesting to watch the SDLP and UUP- finally released to some extent from the burden of carrying...
The reshuffled roster of SDLP spokespersons is as follows:Attwood, Alex: Employment and Learning, North-South DevelopmentBradley, Dominic: EducationBradley, Mary: Elderly, Children (OFMDFM)Bradley, PJ: Agriculture and Rural AffairsBurns, Thomas: Social DevelopmentDallat, John: Regional DevelopmentGallagher, Tommy: Environment, Western Services DevelopmentHanna, Carmel: Health and Public SafetyKelly, Dolores: Equality (OFMDFM), Policing Board memberMaginness, Alban: JusticeMcDonnell, Alasdair: Enterprise, Trade and DevelopmentMcGlone, Patsy: Irish language, Community AffairsO'Loan, Declan: Finance and PersonnelRamsey, Pat: Culture, Arts and...