Slugger O'Toole First from a Fenian, who expresses natural scepticism over the week’s events. And thanks to Emily (and definately not a Fenian) who, womanfully if relunctantly, took on the role of NI pundit of the day! And for the picture at it’s most complex and concise, our man way out west – Kieran Healy. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
There are clearly two views on how much time there is to get a short term resolution. Thanks again to Newshound! Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Rosie Cowan captures something of the emotional relief of Unionists in this article. Something that is shared by pro and anti agreement alike, possibly based on the moral incongruity of having to work with people whose clear intention is to work as democrats (Sinn Fein), but whose military arsenal has made it increasingly difficult to countenance the shared future that most people in the North of Ireland desperately crave! Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other …
As if echoing the trouble on the hill at Stormont, other stories did no better in lightening the tone of the news from Northern Ireland. Shipbuilding, an industry that once boasted more than 30,000 jobs, is about to leave Belfast for good. Street trouble has broken out in North and East Belfast. And fears that the Loyalist feud could threaten up to 20 families. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Back at last! James Murray Brown says that suspension of the devolved adminstration is the most likely result of the political flux of the last few weeks. Though the DUP have finally announced that they are pulling out of the executive today, there is not likely to be a definitive outcome until Thursday when Tony Blair meets with Adams. So why all the fuss over the raid on Friday? The documents seized on Friday included the names of all prison …
Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Hugh Orde gives a personal apology to Sinn Fein for the raid on Friday. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Contrary to our earlier report, the DUP appear to have walked back in again. At 2 O’Clock this afternoon, Peter Robinson of the DUP addressed the Assembly in his official capacity as Minister for Regional Development. Update: Here’s the answer: “DUP leader, Dr Ian Paisley, has pre-empted a move to have assembly business suspended for an emergency debate on recent events by announcing he had lodged a letter with the Speaker of the Assembly, Lord Alderdice. The letter states that …
The BBC has a useful and bang up to the minute timeline of the Belfast Agreement, ominously entitled Northern Ireland: 1998 – 2002. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
This piece by Anthony McIntyre, was written about a week ago, but raises issues that are very pertainent to the current crisis. He outlines the ‘double stalemate’ situation both communities find themselves in: “…the nationalist electorate want Sinn Fein in government regardless of unionist concerns. And who are the unionists to tell that electorate otherwise? Do they expect a double veto, firstly over the constitutional question – which they have already – and also over the form in which partition …
To a slightly depressed Kieran Healy, mildly exhausted British Spin and time-pressed Shamrockshire Eagle for their mentions of the Letter. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Just to lighten the political fare on offer in reams and reams from Stormon today; a story about Hollywood’s tendency to put non-Irish actors in Irish roles. I particularly liked this line describing Tom Hanks’ inability to take on such a role: “Hanks, who does not seem to have a nasty bone in his body, simply cannot convey the ability of the clannish, vindictive Irish-American male to transform one’s closest friend into one’s worst enemy.” Thanks to Tim Blair for …
The DUP has pulled out of the Executive. Presumably this is stage one in the process towards suspension. Tony Blair calls for calm. David Trimble tells Donaldson to be quiet: “Mr Trimble also said his anti-Agreement party colleague, Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson, was not helping and a period of silence from him would be welcome.” Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Looks like the party is all but over. Alliance, one of the most steadfast supporters of the Stormont institutions have come out in favour of suspending them. As there are several possible scenarios to how suspension might be managed, it will be interesting to see how that will pan out. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Is today’s front page editorial on today’s Irish News. It opens the case succinctly: “Essentially, unionists are concentrating on what they see as the potential threat from the IRA while nationalists have to deal, on practically a daily basis, with the reality of loyalist violence. Although there are clearly radically different perspectives involved, logic firmly suggests that the level of trust between the two traditions necessary to sustain our new political structures is unlikely to be achieved while paramilitary organisations …
Geoffrety Ward on a new novel, Paradise Alley, set at the time the New York riots of 1863, which followed the imposition of the National Conscription Act. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
The Times calls for caution in ending the local institutions, but says that in the end: “There may be no alternative to Dr Reid assuming full powers, acting much as a proconsul, cracking down on republican and loyalist terrorism with full force and pursuing as enlightened a political agenda as is practical. Matters may have to get much worse before they can conceivably become better.” The Scotsman agrees: “We may require another bout of direct rule to cool the Unionist …
An article in the paper version of today’s Sunday Independent, the Assembly is likely to be suspended this Thursday, when David Trimble will cite this intelligence gathering activity at Stormont by Sinn Fein as sufficient reason for withdrawing from the Executive. Henry McDonald describes how it would happen. Though it seems clear that Tony Blair will not allow that to happen, without a major initiative coming before then. David Lister provides more detail on the raid in and those arrested. …
For one Republican view, see Paul Dunne’s verdict. And Gerry Adams. For the other side: a purely anti terrorist operation! Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
A man was arrested this morning, as the plot thickens. Sinn Fein themselves clearly believe this is a politically motivated move to support the First Minister David Trimble. Gerry Kelly: “It’s about blackening Sinn Fein to let David Trimble off the hook – it is politically unbelievable.” The First Minister himslef did little to dispel such a notion: “David Trimble said it would have ‘grave implications’ for the future of the power-sharing government at Stormont. He said he suspected IRA …