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Limitations of SF’s new Deputy Speaker’s “spirit of respect, inclusivity and fairness…”

on 16 May 2016 , 12:08 pm 72 | 2,652 views

Not sure the new [Principal] Deputy Speaker really gets the basic requirements of her new office:

“Jim Allister’s bluster around my appointment is nothing but the usual ranting from a leader on the back of yet another disastrous election whose only achievement has been to take his party to to the verge of political oblivion.

Ms Ruane – whose period at Education was marked by recursive argument and stalement – may be  in for a fairly challenging time ahead in her term in the Stormont hotseat

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  • Kevin Breslin

    Not a great start for the new Príomh Leas-Cheann Comhairle, if the role doesn’t suit her she’s not going to stay long in it. She’ll need to get her own “rantings” in order, she has 27 other party colleagues to defend her appointment.

    I think SF need to bring Mitchell out of retirement, who I can say became a capable Principle Deputy Speaker and Speaker in order to remind Ciatriona Ruane of the neutrality of the role and the highest level of professionalism required of of the role, indeed the impersonal, detached, thick-skinned, “don’t feed the trolls” nature of the job.

    There’s nothing unfair in what she said, nothing too disrespectful and as far as I’m aware the inclusivity of her role depends on the standing orders of the business committee.

  • Msiegnaro

    Was the above statement raised during a sitting and if so what was the reaction of the Assembly?

  • Jag

    Is it a Nordie thing or what, can’t any of you tell the difference between “principal” and “principle”

    Well, Jimbo, can’t you?
    http://tuv.org.uk/allister-opposes-nomination-of-caitriona-ruane/

  • Jag

    The Speaker gets a salary of £92,000; the Principal Deputy gets £57,000 and an ordinary MLA gets [edit, correction,thanks Msiegnaro] £48,000
    http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/your-mlas/members-salaries-and-expenses/salaries-and-expenditure-rates-2012-2015/

    Either the Deputy speaker does feckall, or someone didn’t think those pay-scales out very carefully.

  • Kevin Breslin

    Should’ve stuck to Príomh Leas-Cheann Comhairle. 😀

  • Kevin Breslin

    Well actually, if Ruane wasn’t in the Speaker’s Chair herself then it’s more understandable. She’ll need to be a lot more restrained when she does.

  • Jag

    Hmm, if Jimbo’s party increased its vote by nearly 50% in this election (from 2.4% to 3.4%) and if the number of TUV members has remained constant at one, and if that is “disastrous”, I wonder what Cathy would make of a party which lost 11% of its vote (from 26.9% to 24%) and whose number of representatives fell by one from 29 to 28?

  • Teddybear

    Why does the Speaker and the Deputy Speakers need to be a fellow MLA/MP/TD ?

    The role is to be a referee and overseer of proceedings. This can be performed by a well trained civil servant.

    I’ve never understood this esp parties who clamour to have one of their own become Speaker. Surely this results in them losing an MLA for voting purposes.

  • the rich get richer

    Jim Allister for Speaker !

    YE know it makes sense.

  • Msiegnaro

    An ordinary MLA is on £48k.

  • Msiegnaro

    It would be good to know the exact context, however I’m sure her party cheered her on.

  • Msiegnaro

    I agree with the sentiments, however Ruane is correct overall in that this election almost finishes off the TUV as a political force.

  • Msiegnaro

    Interesting point, I didn’t realise that they lost a vote but of course it makes sense from a neutrality point of view.

  • Gingray

    “Cathy”

    Stay classy Jag, stay classy

  • Jag

    Sorry, in view of her comments I meant “Catty”, don’t know how I missed that! Meeoow, hiss!

  • On the fence!

    ………..and “Jimbo”!

    Maybe you should take the green tinted glasses off and accept the spirit of the message!

  • Granni Trixie

    Do most deputy speakers not go on to be Speakers? If so,unless there are changes can’t see the role being suited to her. Then there is the question of are such roles for MLAs preparing to be put out to grass? Or whose party wants them offside to try to avoid trouble?

  • Gingray

    OTF
    Knock yourself out defending this. In Northern Ireland there has been a well established tradition from certain extremes to anglisize everything Gaelic.

    Using shortened anglo versions of a Gaelic name is just crass and another pathetic attempt to do this.

    Jimbo is not an unusual short form of Jim. Cathy for Caitríona? Not a chance.

  • Msiegnaro

    I think it’s for those going out to pasture.

  • Gingray

    Course you did Jag 🙂

  • Jollyraj

    SF’s finest have never been much for numbers

  • Jag

    Don’t mean to be crass or pathetic Gingray. but “Jimbo” is in fact longer than “Jim”.

  • Msiegnaro

    Not wanting to come across as pedantic but did you mean to say “pathetic”?

  • Msiegnaro

    “Jimbo” sounds like it is used mockingly though.

  • NMS

    “Cathy go home!”

  • On the fence!

    You are of-course correct. You obviously fully intend to be offended by this so what right have I to point out an alternative view.

    Carry on!

  • Gingray

    Very true!

  • Gingray

    Um. Thanks for your permission!

    I have no doubt you would be supportive of an Indian or Chinese name being anglisized.

  • Gingray

    If you say so.

  • Declan Doyle

    Jim’s booing and general juvenile behaviour towards other members in the house renders him undeserving of anything other than criticism as above. The man has held his seat but after a few attempts now, it is clear that the Unionist electorate totally reject his bombastic, sectarian style of politics.

  • Kevin Breslin

    The Speaker’s Chair is a bit of a wings clipper for functional political speakers like Ruane.
    We’ve had Eillen Bell in the main Speaker role, so there’s no breaking of the barrier.

    The only role that I believe hasn’t been filled by a woman yet is Deputy First Minister, (okay maybe Justice Minister too) Ruane was probably never in the running for that, but there must be a fair chance that Michelle Gildernew would be contender.

  • On the fence!

    Would I???, didn’t even know that was possible.

    What I MUST remember to do however, is be deeply, deeply, offended the next time someone jokingly refers to me as Liam.

    Thanks for pointing out the actual seriousness of such behaviour.

  • Kevin Breslin

    It would shut him up.

  • Nevin

    It may just be this SF press release.

  • Msiegnaro

    So you concede to that then?

  • Gingray

    Nope. I don’t know if it was, and I don’t care. Using a variation of his name could well be funny. Cathy is not a version of Ruanes name in Gaelic. Its part of the same old belittling of Gaelic names that continues in some corners in Northern Ireland.

    Jim, Gregory and many others take great pleasure in this and several other petty slights.

    I can see circumstances where it may be funny, but I have also worked in places where people with Gaelic names, and indeed Polish names, are deliberately misspoken as a means to demean and mock. Jags comment is in the latter here.

  • Gingray

    Oh – it was common enough for them to adopt or be forced to adopt an English name, similar to the Irish and Welsh.

    I suppose you can be – and if the same person only ever called you Liam, and only ever changed names to Gaelic, that would be out of order. Happens all the time the other way round.

  • Jollyraj

    What’s in a name? A rose like Ruane by any other name would still be as bitter, and sectarian, I daresay.

  • chrisjones2

    Marty already let slip that there is a deal with the DUP – Newton will bow out having locked in his pension increase then she will take over. My assumption is that he will then get the Lords and son will get the seat

    Come on boys …its the DUP

  • Gingray

    I have no doubt she would be – that is my perception of her too. Not a fan of her or her behaviour and she deserves to be slammed for her comments.

    I just think its pathetic that she is mocked, as Msiegnaro puts it, by anglisizing her name. Lot of other things you can make fun of her for, that one tho fits into the general perception that some unionists on the extremes hate Gaelic and everything to do with it, and will take every opportunity to belittle it.

  • chrisjones2

    Absolutely right. The debates are like those rigged 1970s TV Wrestling Bouts so a referee from that era in white shirt and bow tie might be ideal

    …on my right its Marty the Mauler the Sinn Fein Supremo from the Maiden City and on my left Aughnacloy Arlene the Tempo Tornado – she will charm the life out of you but a whiff of black bacon and this girl has thighs of steel and a seductive line in gouging that will leave you fried

  • Kevin Breslin

    Saying that someone is going to point out I’ve missed a second fada somewhere.

  • Kevin Breslin

    Lords don’t leave the Assembly unfortunately. Given Irish Senators do. I’d think this “double jobbing” principle not applying to Lords, pretty much undermines the Lord role as an actual job.

  • Skibo

    Could I suggest that Catriona spoke these words as an MLA being elected to a post and not directly as deputy speaker. Jim with all is back-room-boys booing, a response I had hoped would have been resigned to the last assembly. I had hoped with Gregory gone, me might have had a more adult attitude.

  • chrisjones2

    It isnt a job … they get a daily fee – I think about £200 – for turning up

  • chrisjones2

    But SFs vote was only down 7% – it was the SDLP that slumped by 12%

  • Jonathan Mccullough

    I hope you will equally criticize sf/pira who used to refer to David McNarry as Daithi? If it is not right to “anglisize” (sic) a persons name I’m sure you’d agree it’s unfair to gaelicise one too?

  • Jag

    A 2.9% decline from 26.9% to 24.0% is an 11% fall, but it doesn’t affect the principle – TUV’s vote increased substantially in this election even if it resulted in the same candidate elected; SF’s declined and they lost one net member. If TUV’s result was “disastrous” then SF’s was worse.

  • jamie mcc

    not sure it’s clear that they have rejected his politics. The ‘standard’ of the TUV candidates did not really give much chance of success. If there were twenty more Jims (shudder!) perhaps the TUV would have been more successful?

  • Kevin Breslin

    There are jobs that pay nothing that require more commitment. The role of the Lords is to provide scrutiny but the pay structure is that of a semi-professional footballer. Guy Spence probably got more in his role in that profession, and certainly showed up more often.

  • Kevin Breslin

    I would say Vote share, not its vote. The SF vote isn’t much down in terms of the raw numbers, it just was a case of more parties and more first time voters.

  • Kevin Breslin

    David McNarry is Irish, he says he is himself. He must be aware that like every other Mc Something on the planet his ancestors spoke Gaelic, even if his first name is Hebrew derived

    I think he’d laugh that off as a silly jibe and nothing more.

  • Gingray

    The irony of you joining a conversation about intentionally using the wrong name, and saying sf/pira is not lost on me 🙂

    However, to your point.

    Yes, I think anyone from Sinn Fein or any other party calling them by a different translation of their name is pathetic. I condemn it.

    Do you?

  • Kevin Breslin

    Yes, well it would be her future job to ensure MLAs don’t waste precious Assembly time insulting one another, as she did then.

    Pretty much has the time to indulge being a normal MLA before the straight jacket of the Speaker role is put upon her.

  • Kevin Breslin

    Nicholas Whyte doesn’t believe the Executive should even be elected, simply regulated by the legislature. My belief is that the Speaker originates with the Commons, and having a Speaker who wasn’t a Common MP would feel out of place having any role in that house.

    But then again there are some archaic. ceremonial roles for unelected people in the House of Commons.

  • aquifer

    She may have to look up the English term ‘a dead bat’. hint: Its not a baseball one.

  • Sir Rantsalot

    Gin, I live in a part of the world with mostly middle eastern and Asian people. English is the common spoken language. People’s names are often shortened in the English version as that is the language people are speaking. Nobody is pretend offended by this. If Cat or yourself are in a pretend huff about this, then you deserve to have the p155 taken out of you ????

  • murdockp

    agreed wathching republicans airbrush thier heritage by giving get them selves new names is bizarre.

  • Gingray

    Good of you to confirm that you are the sort of person who would, without permission, and knowing the would not appreciate it, anglicize names like Win Pyi Hein and Hafizah.

    There is a word for that sort of behaviour, and it certainly is not classy.

    I too have lived and worked abroad, and strangely never needed to call anyone a name other than their own. I did find tho that this renaming is a very British thing to do, perhaps its a cultural thing, the lack of respect for people from former colonies?

    But thank you for confirming that is how you act.

  • Jag

    Now that’s a headscratcher Kevin! You had me looking up the raw numbers who voted for SF in 2016 (166,785) versus 2011 (178,224) and that certainly looks to me like a 12,000 decline in raw numbers.

  • Jag

    Jimbo? The Politician of the Year? The one who singlehandedly brought in the SPAD bill? Got pensions restored? Probably the most reliable challenger to wrongdoing and misfeasance in public office? The QC barrister? Sure, he’s a dogmatic pain in the derriere on Green/Orange issues, but the Assembly would be a much poorer place without him.

  • Msiegnaro

    Superb, comment of the day.

  • Msiegnaro

    They had a few decent candidates, I realty would appreciate a topic with a full analysis of the TUV and their future.

  • Sir Rantsalot

    Oh Gingy!! It’s usually to make names easier to say in English, when everyone has a different first language. Cat is the short version of the name in English yes? No big deal. But if you’re going to get all ‘republican’ about it, be prepared for people to have a laugh with it ????

  • Gingray

    Again, I have never had an issue using someones given name, even in a different language.

    You have made it quite clear that you have no respect for different cultures and a persons own choice as to what name they are called. You get to make the names.

    And thats fine. As I said above, there is a word for that sort of behaviour. You have confirmed it is all.

  • Kevin Breslin

    Rougly 7% of its 2011 vote rather than 11%. When I said not that much, I meant not as much as 11%.
    Higher turnout to blame for the the additional 4% margin.

    Some parties that increased their raw vote saw a drop in vote share.

  • Kevin Breslin

    SDLP vote seems to be at its European Parliament levels.

  • Sir Rantsalot

    When all you have is personal attack, it means you’ve lost the argument. I wish I could observe you trying to pronounce some of my Indian friends names every time you wanted to talk to them. Cheerio. ????

  • Gingray

    I am only using your words Sir Rancid! You did weigh in accusing me of having a huff and being all republican.

    It is hardly my fault that you have admitted to having no respect for other peoples right to be called by the name they choose.

    And yes, from this conversation, I can only imagine that making the effort to pronounce the actual name of your “friends” is too not something you should do.

    Much better that they all conform to you, and you can name each one of them in turn. Jolly well give them good proper English names so they can fit in.

  • MainlandUlsterman

    ah, the self-awareness …

  • Ben De Hellenbacque

    Request to write an OP yourself!

  • Skibo

    Catriona would not be one of my favourite MLAs but I guess she rose to the bait that Jim set.
    She will have to neutralise her comments when in the job but outside of it she is entitled to stand up for herself.