DUP – Page 33 – Slugger O'Toole

McGuinness and Foster at odds over the response to the RHI Scheme

David McCann on December 17, 2016, 9:36 am

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The Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness has called on Arlene Foster to stand aside as First Minister for a period of time I spoke by phone this afternoon with the First Minister, Arlene Foster. “I outlined my serious concern that the credibility of the political institutions is being undermined by the serious and ongoing allegations surrounding the design, operation, abuse and ending of the Renewable Heating Incentive Scheme. “This includes allegations from a former DUP Minster that there was corruption. …

What could outsiders do to end the tragic farce over dealing with the past?

Brian Walker on December 15, 2016, 1:12 pm

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“A big push” on legacy issues is being promised by secretary of State James Brokenshire as the Belfast Telegraph reports, following the failure to meet the deadline to implement the legacy part of Fresh Start. Whether it will mean anything more than UN attempts to end the horrors of Syria remains to be seen. Brokenshire presents himself as an honest broker but in truth whether he realises it or not, he is as much a party to deadlock as the …

Be nice to people on your way up…

Daithi McKay on December 15, 2016, 11:09 am

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Everyone will be watching Nolan Live tonight with bated breath (and popcorn). What will Jonathan Bell say? Will he produce documents and materials that will amount to a de facto ‘smoking gun’? The SDLP has said that they will table a motion of no confidence in the First Minister on Monday. People before Profit have organised ‘Arlene must go’ rallies for tomorrow and their timing (whilst fluky) is perfect given that people will be presumably reeling from tonight’s interview with …

DUP go on the offensive over RHI

David McCann on December 14, 2016, 5:04 pm

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The DUP have released the first email from the Whistle Blower over the RHI scheme; The Deputy Leader of the DUP, Nigel Dodds says this email vindicates the First Minister; There has been a quite scurrilous attempt to blame Arlene Foster for the RHI saga. The endlessly repeated claim has been that she failed to follow up on the whistle blower concerns. “Now we know that no such concerns were raised with her. This is no criticism of the lady …

NI Executive’s £80m Social Investment Fund projected to cost extra £13.1m

Pete Baker on December 14, 2016, 4:44 pm

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Another day, another leaked Northern Ireland Executive memo… That’s quite a budget over-run, btw. And the Fund is to run for 4/5 years longer than anticipated. The leak was to BBC NI Spotlight. As the BBC report notes The Stormont executive’s controversial Social Investment Fund (SIF) requires an extra £13m of taxpayer money, according to a leaked document. A memo, in the name of the first and deputy first ministers, and sent to government departments last week, was passed to the BBC Spotlight …

Brexit requires a special deal for Ireland say the Lords, and the Executive cannot stay aloof. That means you, Arlene

Brian Walker on December 12, 2016, 3:51 pm

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In the first of six reports on Brexit the House of Lords committee on the EU recommend that the British and Irish governments should negotiate a new bilateral agreement to minimise the impact of Brexit on British-Irish and North-South relations. This will be welcomed as the first serious attempt by British legislators to cut through the thicket of thorny problems particular to both parts of Ireland. As the Guardian reports, the Lords EU Committee “touches lightly” on the Good Friday agreement. It …

“It is not just Stormont that has a Social Investment Fund.”

Pete Baker on December 11, 2016, 4:50 pm

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Newton Emerson in yesterday’s Irish News with some details on the other, less talked about, ‘social investment’ funds out there. From the Irish News IT is not just Stormont that has a Social Investment Fund. Belfast City Council runs the Belfast Investment Fund and associated Local Investment Fund, with a combined pot of £31 million over three years for ‘community projects’. Alliance has claimed the council funds “aren’t advertised properly in any meaningful way”, leaving “those in the know in prime position to …

Nesbitt urges Foster to consider her position

David McCann on December 7, 2016, 10:44 am

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After last nights Spotlight programme the UUP leader, Mike Nesbitt has urged the First Minister, Arlene Foster to consider her position over the Heat Incentive Scheme. In his statement Nesbitt says; “The mismanagement of the Renewable Heat Incentive and consequent squandering of hundreds of millions of pounds is another scandal, up there with NAMA and the Social Investment Fund. “This happened on Arlene Foster’s watch in the then Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. To date, her only defence is …

“Return to your cumanns and prepare for Irish unification.”

Pete Baker on December 5, 2016, 3:49 pm

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In the Belfast Telegraph, Eilis O’Hanlon comments on the recent flurry of “displacement activity” from Sinn Féin. From the Belfast Telegraph article So, what better way to distract the republican home crowd than with some conjurer’s cheap tricks? Don’t look at that hand, look at this one. Don’t mention my ineffectiveness on a range of issues that actually matter, look at all these things I’m saying and doing about something that doesn’t matter in the slightest. It’s not as if …

Foster prepared to meet the Pope if he comes to Northern Ireland.

David McCann on November 28, 2016, 6:15 pm

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A spokesperson for Arlene Foster said today she is prepared to meet the Pope if he visits Northern Ireland in 2018; Any potential visit to Northern Ireland by the Pope is a matter for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. Were the Pope to visit Northern Ireland in his capacity as Head of State then the First Minister would meet him. David McCannDavid McCann holds a PhD in North-South relations from University of Ulster. You can follow him …

Arlene & Martin pen their first joint platform piece

David McCann on November 22, 2016, 4:04 pm

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In their first platform piece for the newspapers, Arlene Foster & Martin McGuinness have penned their first platform piece on the Executive here. Some key passages I have highlighted but this looks like the continuation of two real alternatives in the government of Northern Ireland. DAY by day, slowly but surely, politics here is changing. And it’s for the better. The focus is increasingly now on policies and delivery – on finding the best ways to make people’s lives better. The …

Nationalists and unionists need to discard their illusions about Brexit. The gap is dangerously wide.

Brian Walker on November 6, 2016, 5:02 pm

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We begin with two different views of the impact of Brexit in Northern Ireland; from first, the historian and Irish Times columnist Diarmaid Ferriter, contrasted later with DUP MP Nigel Dodds. In 1998, at the time of the endorsement of the Belfast Agreement, Fintan O’Toole observed that “Northern Ireland is now a place that is arguably unique – a place that nobody claims and nobody owns, a place that is free to become whatever its people can agree that they …

Belfast International Airport MD: “Am absolutely spitting useless faceless EU bureaucrats…”

Pete Baker on November 4, 2016, 3:20 pm

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As ever, the significant part of the story behind United Airlines’ decision to end the Belfast-New York route – despite an “irregular” three year NI Executive £9 million rescue deal – lies, not in the headline, but in the details. The first point to make, given the positioning of some parties on the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, is that the airline’s decision comes after the European Commission blocked the rescue package under state aid rules. AS the BBC report …

Logan ‘A company should be able to endorse views they wish to endorse’

Soapbox on November 3, 2016, 1:36 pm

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Phillip Logan is a DUP MLA for North Antrim The Ashers case has attracted interest from all over the globe. It’s unlikely that you will find a neutral individual when it comes to this case – most people have an opinion on the injustice or the discrimination or even the disbelief that a cake has caused such a stir. The truth is that this ruling has polarised people but it shouldn’t, it should unite us, because this ruling has implication …

After a quiet day in Dublin, drama in the English High Court. But don’t get too excited…

Brian Walker on November 3, 2016, 11:33 am

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It would be as well not to get over excited about this morning’s rejection in the English High Court of the UK government’s case that it can trigger Article 50 without the consent of Parliament. The show isn’t over yet; the denouement was always likely to be played out at the top. The government will appeal to the Supreme Court which is also expected to deal with the equivalent Northern Ireland appeal at the same time, after the Belfast High Court …

DUP’s victory lap celebrates election success, belittles Opposition, criticises Dublin & sets out Brexit negotiation principles

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on October 29, 2016, 6:07 pm

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DUP CONFERENCE celebrated Assembly election success and demonstrated party unity as it poked fun at the Opposition, criticised the Irish Government, and set out the DUP’s principles for Brexit negotiations. The leader’s speech was light on policy – perhaps understandable in the vacuum before specific Programme for Government action plans are announced.

Foster: Onward to the summit

Soapbox on October 29, 2016, 8:50 am

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Today Arlene Foster will speak to the DUP conference for the first time as party leader. Writing for Slugger she outlines her vision and plan for the next mandate of government Detail is important. For someone from a legal background like myself this is a given. Within the DUP Conference programme, there are details that are important to me and the direction I have set for my party and for Northern Ireland. In the conference booklet I make the statement …

Green leader calls on DUP MLAs to show courage & come out in favour of marriage equality

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on October 28, 2016, 11:46 pm

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Green Party leader Steven Agnew has commented on Arlene Foster’s recent statements about using POCs to block marriage equality. “I am therefore calling on DUP MLAs to show courage, to be true to themselves, to risk alienating their family, friends and colleagues, and to “come out” in favour of marriage equality. Their party conference this weekend provides them with the perfect platform at which to do so.”

Arlene defends Brexit, trusts Theresa and appears to see no need for solidarity with the Republic.

Brian Walker on October 28, 2016, 8:51 pm

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First Minister Arlene Foster has burst into print in the Guardian to explain how Leave is compatible with Northern Ireland’s interests. If nothing else, it marks her out as the first person of any prominence to do so. If Martin McGuinness and Colum Eastwood are alarmist, she is almost complacent and takes a lot for granted. Yet read carefully she is still asking for special treatment for Northern Ireland and assumes she’ll get it. Her message is “stick with Theresa …