The road to influencing the Brexit future isn’t closed. But is Adams now detaching Brexit from the future of the Assembly?

Why are staunch defenders of the  GFA  not rejoicing since the UK Supreme Court found that  nothing about Northern Ireland’s removal from Europe breaches any law, treaty or part of the constitution and there will now be a UK parliament vote on article 50?  Newton Emerson puts the question in the Irish Times with his tongue firmly in his cheek. Any failure to accept the finality of the judgements against them not only perpetuates a false impression of damage to the peace …

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What those leaked emails reveal about the genesis of that enormous spike in RHI applications…

It’s hard to remember at times in the great twists and turns of the RHI scandal that the government fell before it’s had become clear just what happened in this complex and in which order events took place. On foot of revelations at the PAC that DETI officials were getting the news out to the industry the scheme was closing, Sam McBride yesterday published the names of the officials involved. The email began: “Update from Stuart Whitman (sic), Renewable Heat …

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Catholic Ireland’s Confession Box – Irish Times Initiative

Yesterday I posted a blog that asked the question: ‘Is the Catholic Church Losing the Irish People?’ Coincidentally, yesterday’s Irish Times ran a lengthy and soul-searching reflection by Derek Scally on a similar topic. Scally, it seems, has concluded that yes, the Catholic Church already has lost the Irish people. But he argues that it is dishonest to simply blame the ‘institutional church,’ concluding his article with a call for people to submit ‘confessions’ to an online ‘confession box’, via …

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The DUP and the ‘cost’ of the Irish Language Act: Fake News and alternative facts

A headline atop the latest column from former cultural minister and DUP figure Nelson McCausland made his point clear: £2 billion over 20 years – the real cost of the Irish Language Act Gerry Adams doesn’t want to talk about Nelson McCausland doesn’t want an Irish Language Act because, he claims, the cost could end up dwarfing the RHI debacle. Frankly, I have a suspicion that the DUP are seeking anything which might dwarf the RHI debacle! In his article …

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Trouble at Alliance’s (Lisburn and) Castlereagh mill…

Alliance leading change banner

Oh dear. Going to war election is causing all manner of ruckles inside various political parties, even Alliance. Two councillors Geraldine Rice and Vasundhara Kamble have left the party over allegations of racism and ageism. Rice goes back a long way with Alliance. It’s true, as she says, she played a rearguard action in Peter Robinson’s small state model of a local council in Castlereagh from her first election in 1989 as a local champion for Carryduff (when John D …

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The struggle over abortion reform will continue in the courts and outside the Assembly

The UK national papers have shown more interest in the case of a mother who  obtained abortion pills for her 15 year old daughter than the latest twists and turn of the RHI affair. No doubt this is because even abortion issues are more readily  understandable than RHI and they have points of comparison  to make with the permissive English regime which in their views show up Northern Ireland  once again as a reactionary backwater.  Full reports appeared in the Independent …

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So Action Renewables knew all about the RHI flaw, but kept schtum…

Now this is an interesting twist in the RHI story, courtesy of Brendan Hughes in the Irish News… A CHARITIES watchdog is investigating after a green energy group paid to process RHI applications claimed it would have been “ethically improper” to warn Stormont of flaws in the scheme. Action Renewables *earned almost £250,000 advising on around 550 applications* to the botched Renewable Heat Incentive scheme. The successful applicants account for about £300 million in taxpayer subsidies committed over 20 years. [Emphasis …

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Spring into Lifelong Learning at Stranmillis University College           

This week Stranmillis University College rolls out its new Lifelong Learning courses –both daytime and evening- from History to Ethics and Wine-tasting. In sync with the ongoing ‘Decade of Centenaries’ resident historian, Dr Éamon Phoenix is offering ‘The Terrible Beauty 1916-23’ exploring the Irish Revolution and Partition. His regular Irish History morning discussion class looks at ‘Ascendancy to Rebellion’- the era of  the United lrishmen. The College programme includes a tour of 1916 Dublin; there are ground-breaking courses on ‘The UDR’, …

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The unionist lens: RHI or no RHI, who’s best placed to keep the Shinners in check?

Soon after Martin McGuinness’ resignation as deputy First Minister, we saw the DUP sign up to a public inquiry, call for party talks, and reverse the cut to the Líofa scheme. If this episode has taught us anything, it’s that despite all their intransigence, when their hand is forced, the DUP are quite capable of being sound. However, by the time of this newfound pragmatism, the ship of any “window of opportunity” touted by Charlie Flanagan had long since sailed. …

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#AE17 #SluggerReport: SF’s “snap election” to get DUP off the RHI hook, and a Mid Ulster profile

So in today’s #SluggerReport, three main points: Will the DUP pay for the RHI scandal? There’s always events dear boy, but SF’s snap election eight months after the last one, helps bury it. No opposition party is ready to either exploit this story yet, or fight an election.  So too does Hamilton’s rescue plan (passed by the Assembly this week). O’Muilleoir’s belated calling of a Public Inquiry (which now take six months, not the many years he previously predicted) too. The DUP’s …

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Will the (good old) St Andrews Agreement come to Arlene’s rescue?

I’m not on social media (for the purposes of the job and the time that’s in Slugger’s the single exception) for this week. Out in solidarity with a younger member of the family who is doing it through school. It’s liberating to be relieved of the urge to share or express an opinion every passing piece of flotsam or jetsam (however fleeting) as it goes past. But I thought this was a good question from Alex Kane to fetch out …

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Is the Catholic Church Losing the Irish People? Reflections on Tony Flannery & the Church of England

On Sunday, Redemptorist priest Fr Tony Flannery celebrated mass publicly for the first time in five years, defying a Vatican ban on public ministry dating from 2012. Fr Flannery is being disciplined by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for expressing views contrary to official church teachings on matters like clerical celibacy and the ordination of women. Fr Flannery insisted the public mass was a one-off event, to celebrate his 70th birthday and the 40th anniversary of his …

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DPP takes heat over decision to prosecute ex soldiers…

Interesting response from the DPP Barra McGrory, who’s been coming under pressure for his decision to prosecute British soldiers for Troubles era crimes. Vincent Kearney reports: I asked Mr McGrory if he viewed the criticism as an attempt to influence his decision making and to put pressure on him not to prosecute former soldiers. “If they are not trying to influence me then they are certainly being personally insulting, and they are questioning my integrity,” he says. “But what concerns …

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#AE17 Snippets: All Change within the DUP

Today has seen more movements within the DUP David Douglas (son of Sammy) will stand for the DUP in East Belfast. The party have also confirmed that the current Speaker Robin Newton is also running again which means the party are aiming to retain their 3 seats. The Education Minister, Peter Weir is on the move as he is standing in the place of Jonathan Bell in Strongford, moving from his old constituency of North Down. DUP Councillor, Jonathan Buckley …

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The question being asked, he said, is: “Why are you up there [in Stormont]?”

Highly insightful reporting and analysis from Brian Rowan in the Irish Times on Monday re the current rumblings inside Sinn Fein and its leadership class of old IRA men, which (if we’re lucky) will raise serious internal questions about direction of the project: Republicans are now questioning the worth of the Stormont institutions and a decade-long relationship with the DUP at the head of the Northern Ireland Executive. This was the mood inside the Felons Club that Saturday in January. Within hours, …

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In dealing with the past, favoured treatment for soldiers can only end in tears

The Times (£) reports that a decision by the British government to review the potential caseload against soldiers for actions during the Troubles includes a proposal to set a time limit  on the investigations.  The move is a response to a campaign by Conservative MPs and peers already angered by what they regard as over-zealous prosecutions after the Iraq war. It is understood that the new legislation, which is due to be drafted by the Northern Ireland Office and the …

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#AE17 Snippets: Alastair Ross steps down in East Antrim for the DUP

It seems sensible to run occasional snippets pieces for the wee bits and pieces that might otherwise get missed: So we kick off with the news tonight that Alastair Ross is stepping down after ten years in the Assembly. No big mystery. As a five-seater the DUP have just over 2 quotas from May. And as clear backmarker, Ross steps out. Dallat of the SDLP comes back in as a runner in East Londonderry pushing his successor Gerry Mullan out. …

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No reason why the Assembly cannot hire in talent if the parties cannot form a workable Executive

As Soapbox recently suggested (20 January), “There is no reason for the Assembly to not be operational, just because the Executive cannot function.” Soapbox was suggesting that “direct rule ministers should be held accountable by a working Assembly.” However, there is another option, which is for the Assembly to appoint non-parliamentary ministers. There is no reason why the Assembly cannot hire in talent if the parties cannot form a workable Executive from their own numbers. And if there becomes any …

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“if Sinn Fein fails to increase its vote and share of Assembly seats under Michelle O’Neill’s leadership…”

With a stagnating vote evident in the last NI Assembly election – just 8 months ago – and a reduced number of seats available this time out, in the Belfast Telegraph Anthony McIntyre highlights a potential problem for Sinn Féin in their election gamble. There is nothing complicated about the DUP pitch: despite the democratic veneer, the appointment of a non-martial politician to lead Sinn Fein in the north, the caudillo and his camarilla are still pulling the strings. A clear declaration …

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