Northern Ireland’s First and deputy First Ministers are to attend a meeting of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee, apparently to discuss that letter of agreement. And, at their request, the meeting will be held in closed session.. [Wouldn't want any details of "gross bad faith" to be reported now - Ed]
I share many of the concerns of Andy Pollak, whose recent post ‘My Response to the Slugger Begrudgers’ zeroed in on the ‘relentless flow of negativity’ of some Slugger commentators. Pollak’s post was largely concerned with the medium of the blog. Indeed, I think the anonymity of the online world encourages extreme discourse and allows [...] read our review »
More as a trailer than a review – as it’s out on Thursday– I draw attention to Fintan O’Toole’s latest polemic “Enough is Enough – how to build a new Republic“. Fintan has been promoting the book vigorously on this side of the water, on Radio 4’s Start the Week and here at greater length [...] read our review »
Is the best way to overcome the legacy of conflict simply to forget about it? Author and journalist David Rieff spoke on this subject last week in a seminar at the Institute for International Integration Studies (IIIS) at Trinity College Dublin. Rieff has recently written a book titled, Against Remembrance (published in Ireland by Liffey [...] read our review »
peteb
when you start making it personal, its time for that holiday break.
Aye pete theres been more than enough bad faith on display from oonionists
Not content with 4.5 years on full pay doing nothing the brothers Grimm haven’t managed an executive meeting for 4.5 months.
In the space of the 4.5 months they now need a private meeting to discuss “at all times”.
Or at least that’s the way it can be perceived.
Wow…what leadership. I mean it’s fine like for perhaps places such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and others, but for a regional area of European Western democracies it is utterly pathetic.
Now the closed door, closed door consociationalism, where only big boy elites get to discuss what “at all times” means.
The balance of big-boy consociationalism, which still isnt’ as honourable as ordinary collectivism, versus that of individualism is totally shot – this is just ridiculous.
Wank!
I’m surprised it has come to this. I presume, from the name of his party
, that Robinson knows a little about ‘democracy’. One of the most basic things is, of course, that nothing can ever be permanent, otherwise it becomes an undemocratic imposition on future generations. If future generations (or even the next Assembly) cannot change something, then the system is fundamentally undemocratic. Regardless of what Sinn Féin may have said, or meant, or what they will agree, no arrangement can be permanent – it can only continue to exist as long as it has a mandate, and that can end whenever either side choses.
Its a spat over nothing, as usual. Robinson should get over it and move on.
It’s all about positioning not democratic positions Horseman.
If the opposition/other minority parties had any wit they would submit a petition of concern re no confidence linked to the FM-dFM (notice the small d).
The petition of concern would bounce back but if McGuinness and Robinson are so convinved of their leadership skills they should have the confidence to put it to cross-community vote, as was the case before Shit Andrews
Of course these real brilliant leaders sat down and realised a massive problem, the problem being that democracy in the form of cross-community votes might not stack up and believe with them that they actually are such great leaders afterall. The outcome being that both Paisley and McGuinness ripped the cross-communal vote out of the architecture so that the leather embossed chairs could become their own without any backing from the Blue Seat Massive of the assembly.
So, the challenge ulitmately is to put themselves to the Assembly vote to prove it, perhaps by petitioning as without such a vote there can be no confidence – because it was never obtained the first place.
At least the SDLP-UUP had the courage to put their leadership to a vote, so let’s get that vote?
At least the SDLP-UUP had the courage to put their leadership to a vote, so let’s get that vote?
Posted by DC on Nov 11, 2008 @ 04:07 PM
WHEN? THE only time they went to the polls was at the end of their assembly term. the ressurrected seamsus mallon in order to avoid an election!
What is the benefit of a closed session. The dogs in the street will know what is going on immediately it is over.
The information will make its way into the public domain in a roundabout sort of manner and more confusion created in the retelling of events which will probably defeat the purpose of the meeting in the first place.
Robinson and his Deputy should come before the cameras .
No credit for actually getting together and meeting? What do you people want?? Give Pete and Marty a break…