Wednesday, April 30, 2008
“It puts Northern Ireland on a par with the rest of the UK.”
The Northern Ireland Criminal Justice Minister Paul Goggins, MP, will introduce the Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008, noted previously here, in the House of Commons today. There was a consultation with the Assembly, but some Assembly members are not happy. From the NIO statement.
“The Order sets out the parameters of acceptable sexual activity in the 21st century and clearly states what the law will not tolerate.
“I am convinced that the changes will offer the people of Northern Ireland a modern legislative framework which will ensure maximum protection from unacceptable sexual activity. It puts Northern Ireland on a par with the rest of the UK.”
Pete Baker @ 01:19 PM
The so called “union” is a sham, £ngland is sick to death of bankrolling pathetic feeble irrelevant little Regions like N Ireland, Wales and Scotregion.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 01:45 PMDUP at liberty to renege on the target date/deadline for devolution of P and J but if they do then they have to pay the price - first installment above. Hopefully UUP will make life uncomfortable for them. Cant believe DUP did not see this coming.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 01:50 PMMay arrives tomorrow and the screw slowly begins to turn. One rotation at time.
This is decommissioning redux.
Time to sit back and watch the DUP wriggle on the P&J;hook just like Sinn Féin did over the stalling on decommissioning.
It’s going to happen, you know it’s going to happen, just get on with it.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 01:56 PMOne advantage of Direct Rule is that we get legislation passed efficiently. I suspect this would have taken an eternity to crank its way through the Assembly system.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 02:00 PMYeah, doubtless the DUP are *really* feeling the pain at seeing pretty much inevitable legislation passed, but not themselves having to take any heat from their own base for doing it because it’s oh so conveniently been done by Westminster. Result nos. 94 as far as the DUPes are concerned.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 02:09 PMWhooosh! Northern Ireland zooms into the 21st century.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 02:12 PMIf this ruse doesn’t work will the big stick of abortion be prepared for use - or at least given a few waves in the air.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 02:27 PMIsn’t abortion - presumably a health matter - already devolved?
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 02:32 PMHas there been a statement from the DUP yet? they seem to be a bit slow of the mark on this.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 02:37 PM“MLAs claimed a change could encourage sexual predators from the Republic of Ireland - where the age of consent remains 17 - to travel to Northern Ireland.”
From the BBC...hmmm I dunno - seems a very odd thing to claim - as if “sexual predators” would have much respect for the law.
Well done Munster btw Sammy.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 02:59 PMWillowfield re abortion
No somewhat bizarrely it is a criminal matter.Brown will let some obscure Labour backbencher propose that NI be brought into line with GB and the Labour MPs will vote it through.
Unless there was a date for devolution of P & J ....It would be ironic if the DUP where repsonsible for ‘introducing’ abortion (I say ‘introducing’ because in reality abortion is already as available in NI as anywhere else in the UK but you have to fly to GB to physically have an abortion)
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 03:03 PMWillows,
you may be right
Dewi,
Saracens very unlucky, I thought they were excellent. Unfortunatley for Munster it looks like Kidney for Ireland. Ireland at home next season to Eng and Fra and away to the easy teams e.g. Wal (where we nearly always win )- I feel another bet coming on. Wonder what betting is on Ulster finishing below Connacht in Magners and no HC next season.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 03:11 PMWhat can the DUP say other than they left it for others to deal with; this time the NIO, education for SF, Gender Regs for Westminster, etc, etc, etc, etc.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 03:17 PMBob - forgive my ignorance but if it’s a criminal matter why isn’t it already legal?
Sammy - I’m just waiting for your glorious victories in NZ......(still on file)
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 03:17 PMThe regulation of abortion is a criminal matter.
The 1967 Act does not apply to NI so the provision of abortion services IN NI is still illegal.
But with one phone call it can be arranged for you to travel to GB - door to door service.Its an Irish solution…
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 03:32 PMI don’t see this as a “stick"- the legislation was necessary and brings Northern Ireland law in this area up to date. Abortion, however, would be seen as some as a stick. I say some becasue as a unionist I cannot see why the 1967 Act shouldn’t be extended to Northern Ireland. As pointed out above NI women freely avail of terminations provided elsewhere in the UK so any argument that extension would increase the occurance of abortion doesn’t ring true. If I’m wrong doubtless some kind soul will correct me in due course.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 03:51 PMThe question is, if the 1967 act was extended to NI, would any clinic have the balls to stand up to the (funda)mentalists of all hues and offer the procedure?
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 04:26 PMNew “parameters of acceptable sexual activity in the 21st century” for Northern Ireland. Wonderful!
Does this mean that “dogging” will now be legal?
And what about line dancing?
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 05:44 PMI’m pretty sure 90% of people thought (as I did until relatively recently) that the age of consent already was 16?
Do MLA’s really think teenagers take any notice of this?
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 06:12 PMOdd that abortion is a criminal matter.
I suppose the original purpose of the Abortion Act was decriminalisation of abortion.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 06:13 PMwillowfield
s. 58 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861- attempt to procure a miscarriage punishable by a maximum of life imprisonment or s.59 of the OAPA- child destruction by supplying poison or an instrument for abortion punishable by a maximum of 5 years imprisonment.
Interestingly, even though P&J;has been devolved to Scotland abortion is a reserved matter.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 07:34 PMI seriously doubt the Irish government will allow abortion to become legalized in the north while it remains effectively illegal in the south.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 09:30 PMOn the topic of the age of consent: it was always rather daft that the legal age for marriage (with parental consent) was 16 but for sex was 17. Whilst I may be part of the fundamentalist flat earth brigade, I do not see this as a massive change. I gather that the police never took any interest in arresting those involved in consensual, otherwise legal sexual activity with 16 year olds.
Of course after any coarse joking is left to one side the idea of men in their 30s plus having sexual relations with 16 year olds is actually rather inappropriate. However, it is not illegal in GB and has not as far as I know been prosecuted here in NI.
What is interesting is that if as Mark Devenport claims this is a stick to beat the DUP over P+J there is a danger that other larger sticks will soon be deployed.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 09:44 PMCahal
I think you seriously over-estimate the reach of the Government of Ireland. Unless, of course, FF get elected to the House of Commons and defeat any attempt to extend by the power of argument.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2008 @ 11:46 PMTurgon,
re. larger sticks - see post 7 above.
It would be an interesting moral dillemma for TUVERS and DUPERS if the abortion legislation was threatened on Ulster - they would have to choose between allowing retired killers (as they would see it) in government or active killers (as they would see it) in the hospitals.
Time methinks for all sensible Unionists to hold their noses and accept the reality of the Provos in government and in the office of the Attorney General for Non Iron.
Posted by on May 01, 2008 @ 12:06 AM
