Slugger O'Toole

Latest comments from Alone and Easy Target (see all)

Alone and Easy Target has commented 28 times (6 in the last month).

1. Comment on SpAd Bill passes final reading at the Assembly…
   on 4 June 2013 at 11:12 am

   CS

   I’m wondering how it’ll turn out for Jim Allister.

   He can’t simultaneously say that the Assembly is a broken institution where you can get nothing done, while taking the credit for piloting this SpAD bill through that same institution.

   Surely the point is that the Executive is incapable of making such legislation as it acts as a black hole that proposals go in but never come out. When it gets to the executive table items such as the libel law changes and the National Crime Agency do not re-surface.

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2. Comment on SDLP: “Absolutely none of our MLAs will be putting their name to a petition of concern.”
   on 31 May 2013 at 4:43 pm

   All the hypothetical situations being put forward are laughable. No party, other than Sinn Fein, have appointed or want to appoint such inappropriate individuals to this highly paid civil service equivalent position.

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3. Comment on AG tells Allister his bill is NOT in breach of the ECHR…
   on 28 May 2013 at 9:44 am

   CS,

   Maybe Seamus Mallon is indicating that the SDLP thought they could get away with it because it was a bill being proposed by Jim Allister?

   i.e. trying to portray him as the barrier to agreement.

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4. Comment on Ann Travers: “If had joined the IRA or a loyalist paramilitary and killed someone, I would be being listened to…”
   on 23 May 2013 at 9:03 pm

   Just watched the Alex Attwood incident, really poor show from him. Considering it showed him before the meeting telling the beeb he would speak to them later! Obviously under immense pressure.

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5. Comment on Ann Travers: “If had joined the IRA or a loyalist paramilitary and killed someone, I would be being listened to…”
   on 23 May 2013 at 2:55 pm

   CS,

   I suppose when an individual barrister, who has risen to the pinnacle of their profession and they specialise in criminal law it should come as no surprise that they can be involved in the highest profile criminal cases in the land.

   You are essentially attempting to imply that every barrister defending a person condones their action in some shape or form.

   It is often said that the NI Assembly lacks MLAs with real expertise but instead have career politicians. Whether you like Jim Allister’s politics or not you cannot deny the expertise he brings to the Assembly. The manner in which he has drafted, presented, and engaged in debate on the floor of the assembly is something that has been lacking.

   Jim Allister has set the bar high and all the parties are struggling to get there.

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6. Comment on Ann Travers: “If had joined the IRA or a loyalist paramilitary and killed someone, I would be being listened to…”
   on 22 May 2013 at 10:15 am

   Mick – that is absolutely spot on.

   Jim Allister said something quite interesting – that the SDLP amendments were not submitted on the previous occasion before he choose not to move the bill (in order to make amendments re Civil Service Commissioners), so at that stage would the SDLP have voted it through?

   If so, what has changed in the past few weeks? I think the SDLP for the first time in a considerable number of years would have SF on the backfoot and clearly demonstrated the distinction between the two parties.

   My personal opinion is that the SDLP have been “got at” in some shape or form. An MLA threatening to sign the petition of concern? SF propaganda getting to them?

   I also must add that I would view the deployment of the PoC as an abuse. SDLP pick up the football and take it home in a huff.

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7. Comment on Taking down walls not popular in interface areas…
   on 7 May 2013 at 2:08 pm

   You have institutional divisions to prop up the country so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that divisions (and by extension walls) exist in reality.

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8. Comment on Sinn Fein undermining the sanctity of marriage
   on 29 April 2013 at 2:31 pm

   I find Amnesty International’s position somewhat interesting. For an international rights organisation they focus very much on western democracies and the “inequality” they view within democratic states.

   I would welcome Amnesty International commenting on Shar’ia law, the lack of gender equality in the middle-east, the lack of identifiable human rights and abuses in non-democratic states.

   Go to Iran and campaign for basic rights for its citizens instead of lambasting democratic nations and governments who have enshrined protection for minorities in legislation.

   There are more important issues out there in the world.

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9. Comment on All but three islanders vote to keep the Falklands British…
   on 12 March 2013 at 10:03 am

   Impressive. But it won’t stop the colonial greed of Argentina trying to reclaim “their” island.

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10. Comment on Exclusive: Ian Paisley’s belated acknowledgment of David Trimble’s legacy: the principle of Consent…
    on 25 January 2013 at 12:17 pm

    *their.

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