Lee Reynolds Last week CD found issues with the Grand Lodge’s choice of language in its statement about GAA halls. This week Arlene Foster was angered by Margaret Ritchie’s attack on the media for treating attacks on GAA and Orange Halls as equivalents, treatment she described as “deeply concerning”. Lee Reynolds
More Here. Lee Reynolds
The attendance of the First and Deputy First Minister at the Assembly Review Committee seems to be gaining in significance with rumours that some progress has been made with an Executive meeting looking increasingly likely. Lee Reynolds
Celtic supporters opposed to the club’s endorsement of the poppy appeal claim the club has banned some of them from Parkhead. Three republican groups TAL Fanzine, the Green Brigade and Cairde na Eireann encouraged fans to walk out in protest at the decision to have players wear poppies and have a minute’s applause in memory of the fallen. The Club denies the allegations. Lee Reynolds
Bawn Orange Hall near Pomeory was attacked last night. However, it appears to have went beyond the standard arson with claims an explosive device was also used. Lee Reynolds
UPDATE from TUV Press office, the confusion was because of News Letter sub-editing. The full line read as follows: In reality, a first preference vote for any unionist other than a TUV candidate at the next election will be interpreted as an endorsement of Sinn Fein/IRA’s place Chekov has picked up on remarks by Jim Allister following a number of attacks on the TUV and Allister at the DUP Party Conference. Allister commented: “a vote for any unionist other than …
The four churches have put forward new proposals for education calling for transfer at 14 based on: “…the use of criteria to access certain courses and pathways at the age of 14 which could include, amongst others, academic criteria.” It pleads that: “We ask our politicians and others, to stand back from established positions and to create the space necessary so that, through dialogue between those with different outlooks, the best way forward may be found for all children,” Whether …
The first homecoming parade took place in Ballymena this evening. The RIR will be granted the freedom of Larne tomorrow and then the Belfast parade will take place on Sunday. I heard earlier today that of the 280 or so Armed Forces personnel parading on Sunday 23% (approximately 65) will be from the Republic of Ireland. Lee Reynolds
The Army has announced a number of changes to the Belfast Homecoming parade – there will be no fly-past, no weapons carried and a special order been issued to those participating in the Belfast and other homecoming parades. UPDATE More links here. UPDATE 2 Changes to the protest plan. It will now leave from Dunville Park in west Belfast not a city centre venue and proceed along the Grosvenor road until it reaches Fisherwick Place (ie Jury’s hotel). This reduces …
A West Belfast Victims campaigner, Mark Thompson, has called for action over PSNI officers wearing poppies: “It’s time for decisive action on the part of the PSNI chiefs – remove the poppies or remove from West Belfast those who refuse to remove their poppies.” Lee Reynolds
Gerry Adams has blamed the Secretary of State and Ministry of Defence for the issues around the Belfast homecoming parade. In supposed generosity he argues a reception and religious service should have been good enough for families and supporters of the returning servicemen and women (i.e. behind closed doors and ignores the impracticality of how thousands could attend such events). “A civic reception and a religious service would have provided families and supporters of the British army with the opportunity …
David Gordon has been digging deeper into the relationship between Basil McCrea and his human resources adviser/note-taker, Catherine Williamson. Catherine Williamson was criticised in a Audit Office report for invoice practices and a conflict of interest while a board member of the NI Events Company. Basil McCrea made representations on her behalf to the Public Accounts Committee. Ignited also got one of his questions answered, McCrea does employ a family member. Ignited believes this raises more questions about the redundancy …
The Boyne Foundation has announced its plans to further develop the Battle of the Boyne site by transforming the slopes around the river and development of a picnic/barbecue area. This would complement the new Centre and proposals to rebuild the Boyne obelisk. Lee Reynolds
The new Defence minister, John Hutton, has praised the idea of homecoming parades (wanting more of them) and criticised those who ‘jeer’ at the returning troops: “The public loves to see guys on parade. I would like to see more,” he says. What about bystanders who jeer? “Those kind of cretins are going to be out and about but they don’t represent the public,” he says scornfully. “We shouldn’t be afraid to take those people on.” Lee Reynolds
Edwin Poots has called on St Paul’s GAC to cancel a proposed memorial night for Crip McWilliams, one of the INLA members convicted for the murder of Billy Wright and who died recently from cancer. ADDITION McWilliams was in the Maze serving a sentence for the murder of Colm McMahon. Meanwhile, at the Billy Wright Inquiry a former Governor revealed advance warning of plots to kill Wright in prison through secret talks with the INLA. He believes he did warn …
The Catholic Heads Association has criticised the Department of Education’s handling of the school transfer issue. It also says it wishes to use the proposed interim test but for 100% selection, not a reducing proportion as proposed by the Minister. Lee Reynolds
Roy Garland, while expressing some scepticism of the Tory link-up, criticises the UUP approaches to the TUV as defeatist and concluding that: People on all sides want confident, bold, imaginative and constructive leadership and cry out for leaders who can lead us out of this wilderness. Instead we seem to be reverting to ancestral voices – a dangerous copout if ever there was one. Meanwhile Alex Kane defends the talks on the basis of electoral realities and that the …
Paul Goggins, the NI Justice Minister has outlined some limits on the role of any devolved Justice Ministry. Any new Minister will not have direct access to information on individual informants and access to classified intelligence would be restricted. These are on the basis that they are national security issues. Lee Reynolds
The Department of Environment has fined its Minister, Sammy Wilson, for driving a motorcycle without tax and MOT. Keen motorcyclist Sammy Wilson said he was taking the bike to be prepared for an MOT due four days after the offence. The motorcycle should have been taken on a trailer. Lee Reynolds
FFS. Lee Reynolds
