Lee Reynolds Suhaila Kassim argues that an indirect consequence of the Roman Catholics first rule for over subscribed schools will be racial segregation in the Irish Republic. The Church hierarchy has offered to assist the establishment of non-denominational schools but this will not necessarily address the risk of segregation. Instead Kassim argues for a shift to secular education. Lee Reynolds
A bus of school children in Londonderry. Vandalism in Rasharkin. UPDATE It seems the bar attack in Londonderry by Bohemian fans may have had sectarian undertones as well. Four men have been convicted. UPDATE Bohemian Fans held a collection at Friday night’s match to go towards the cost of the damage caused. Lee Reynolds
The new national Armed Forces Memorial will be dedicated today by the Queen. The structure by Liam O’Connor is designed so that the sun will shine on a bronze wreath on the 11th hour of the 11th November. Local stonemasonry company S McConnell and Sons were involved in the project and have expressed their pride in being involved. Aerial footage of the monument here (realplayer or windows media reqd) Lee Reynolds
The Westminster Public Accounts Committee has given the Assets Recovery Agency a complete mauling. Chairman, Edward Leigh said: “It was ill-planned and recovered only about a third of its expenditure. Far too few cases were ever referred to it, its management information systems were in a mess, it prioritised cases badly and it underestimated the time it would take to pursue them. The Serious Organised Crime Agency will have to learn from these mistakes. Otherwise few criminals will suffer sleepless …
Lee Reynolds
The BBC is predicting that the Executive’s Programme will have a strong economic focus. It argues this is a shift from the past programmes which had a social policy focus. Lee Reynolds
It appears the magpie budget may not only be lifting policies from the Conservatives (and Lib Dems), the offer of the substantial assets of former army bases may be reneged upon. Lee Reynolds
Blogger Shane Greer is claiming an exclusive, that Jim Allister has been approached by the UKIP. Will Allister seek a home under UKIP’s umbrella and will the rest of the discontented?Former UUP member, Henry Reilly, ran as a UKIP candidate in South Down in the 2007 Assembly election. He polled 1229 (2.7%) of the vote. In the European Parliament UKIP is a member of the Indepedence and Democracy Group. Lee Reynolds
In Magherafelt, a fractured skull. In Portadown, three injured. In Belfast, a home attacked. On a ferry, an MP and his wife verbally abused. Lee Reynolds
The Irish government is expected to opt out of key parts of the EU reform treaty on tackling cross-border crime. The common law basis of both legal systems and common travel area are the reasons for rejection. Lee Reynolds
The Trinity Historical Society is to honour the memory of Edward Carson with a lecture by Carsonophile and First Minister, Ian Paisley Snr. The head of the society said the event was “long overdue” or maybe its an example of the “existence of a pro-British psyche within the confines of Trinity“. Lee Reynolds
Trinity authorities instructed Ogra Shinn Fein recruiters to remove promotional posters that included the message “BRITS OUT” as it raised anti-British feeling. OSF has adopted the acronym defence, British Regiments, Informers, Troops and Soldiers, and attacked the “lingering existence of a pro-British psyche within the confines of Trinity”. However, the use of “west-Brits in Trinity” presumably none of whom of fit any of the four acronym groups somewhat undermines that defence. Lee Reynolds
This week, the Queen will dedicate a new memorial to the 15,500 members of the Armed Services who have died in post WW2 conflicts (including Northern Ireland) as well as training accidents. More information here. Lee Reynolds
New research has shown the depth of US anger with the British and Irish governments handling of the peace process on the issues of criminality and recognition for policing (Hat tip Nevin). US officials believe that they played the more significant role in SF moving on these issues and thus achieveing a deal acceptable to the DUP. Unsurprisingly it was the 911 attacks that led to the first shift in attitudes towards the republican movement but the Northern Bank robbery …
The experts report on the future for water charging landed on a number of desks at Stormont last Thursday and the Sunday Life claims it recommends a delay to charges for a further year and that despite NIO past denials ratepayers have been contributing about £160 a year towards water provision. Its key recommendations are: Future water charges be linked to rateable value The Water Company to reduce costs by 40% and sell off assets An increase in costs for …
While it was never officially on it is now officially off, Brown has said no autumn election and in Andrew Marr’s opinion, Brown’s comments mean a 2008 one is not on the cardseither. It takes the immediacy out of the Unionist pact talks however a deal sooner rather than later is still the wiser course. It also increases the likelihood it will be under new Westminster boundaries with the SDLP unhappiest about the latest proposals. Lee Reynolds
Danny Finkelstein has spotted a sweeping statement by Richard Dawkins that will rebound. He argues that atheists should follow the alleged model of ‘the Jewish lobby’: When you think about how fantastically successful the Jewish lobby has been, though, in fact, they are less numerous I am told – religious Jews anyway – than atheists and [yet they] more or less monopolise American foreign policy as far as many people can see. So if atheists could achieve a small fraction …
The conflict and commemoration of events and individuals has come into focus with two disputes of very different origins. A memorial in Enniskillen Fire Station to the dead of the Poppy Day Massacre has been removed following a complaint by a staff member. Unionist representatives have raised their objections. This is the second time this issue has been occurred in Enniskillen. Meanwhile, in Craigavon a family request for a memorial seat beside the grave of leading loyalist Mark Fulton has …
The Sunday Indo is predicting that the Irish Labour Party will decide to contest elections in Northern Ireland (and give SDLP members unhappy with a Fianna Fail link-up a home), Fianna Fail is claiming victory over SF in the campus recruitment battle and apparently Fine Gael has been here for years: “We have had a presence up North for a long time and we have a strong presence in the universities. Fianna Fail have made a lot of noise about …
Irish Senator Eoghan Harris thinks it is time for the UUP to disappear. Alex Kane argues the issue of Unionist unity is complex and sceptical of the electoral benefits. However, Kane’s analysis mixes the issues of a pact with a merger, two situations with different costs and benefits. Lee Reynolds
