I’d welcome Peter Robinson’s call to end state-funding of faith-based schools if I thought he was serious about separating church and state. But he’s just as unlikely now, as he was then, to intervene whenever a supernaturalist Minister attempts to influence what’s on display in our museums, or at our World Heritage site, or in schools within the Lurgan District Council area. And what is Sinn Féin’s position on the DUP leader’s de-segregated objective? The Northern Ireland deputy First Minister, Sinn Féin’s …
As Brian has already noted, Northern Ireland First Minister, the DUP’s Peter Robinson, has set out his views on the desirability of a “single educational system” here. As, previously, did the NI Secretary of State. We’ll wait to see if the deputy First Minister is still “all for it”. But in his speech Peter Robinson also tackled some of Sinn Féin’s recent economic proposals. From the DUP leader’s speech Another red herring thrown across the debate to deflect attention from the issue …
Northern Ireland deputy First Minister, Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness, was quick to claim a victory for OFMDFM’s “united case” after NI Secretary of State Owen Paterson said “Having had discussions with the treasury, we are confident that having spent £9.8bn since 2005, that by 2017-18, we will be on track for Northern Ireland to have spent £18bn.” But economist John Simpson was already looking at the potential small print Economist John Simpson told the BBC that he believed a total of £14bn will …
A question in the Assembly from Michelle McIlveen to Nelson McCausland suggested that Unionists are effectively barred from joining the GAA. While I’m delighted another DUP member has taken the time to read the GAA Official Guide, something many members have never done, I’m surprised they seem surprised to find an Irish cultural and sporting organisation doesn’t have a Unionist ethos. Both McIlveen and McCausland call for the GAA to change its rules. For those of us with experience of …
I’m off on a wee rant below, apologies. While Eamonn’s reproduction of a UUP communication to members has transitory interest, it could open up a broader discussion on the internal democracy of our political parties; how they manage policy setting, media protocols and transparency. A party wracked with disagreement and conflicting messages for nearly two decades like the UUP is long overdue a leader to stamp internal discipline and defined direction for external eyes. The immediate threat of ‘you go …
I mentioned that the public inquiry into the John Lewis development at Sprucefield has been delayed due to legal concerns about comments made by the NI Environment Minister, the DUP’s Edwin Poots. The BBC reports that Lord Justice Girvan has asked the Attorney General to consider contempt of court proceedings, despite a statement from the Minister being read out in court today. And, it would appear, not just in regard to the Minister. From the BBC report Lord Justice Girvan said [the Minister’s statement in court today] did not “sit …
Official statements by the then Northern Ireland Environment Minister, the DUP’s Sammy Wilson, have already been quashed by one member of the judiciary because they unlawfully changed planning policy to “give greater weight to [the] economic considerations” of any proposed development. Now the BBC reports that the Planning Appeals Commission has confirmed a further delay to the public inquiry into the John Lewis development at Sprucefield. The reason? Legal concerns about comments made in a recent interview by the current NI …
The BBC reports criticism of the DUP/Sinn Féin drafted Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration, all ‘motherhood and apple pie’, by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. The Trust’s report is available here [pdf file]. And from the Trust’s press release [pdf file] The study, carried out by the Institute for British Irish Studies at UCD, Dublin, identifies three key areas of concern. Celia McKeon of the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust discusses: “Firstly, the research has indicated that the new policy framework …
Excellent analytical piece by the former UUP, now DUP member, Lee Reynolds (and late of this Parish) at the Critical Reaction blog on the roots of his old party’s underlying malaise. It cuts much more deeply and finely than any rash analysis of a single constituency. For instance, he highlights the essentially introverted nature of the beast: The UUP’s years of success had led to a complacency that blinded it to a steady decline in organisational capability. Its record of …
The BBC report follows the lead given by the Northern Ireland First Minister, the DUP’s Peter Robinson, in blaming the Orange Order’s rejection of the proposals for the withdrawal of the draft Bill on Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests. But abandoning that Bill conveniently avoids the First and deputy First Ministers having to fulfill their commitment to deliver in legislation the agreed outcomes of that working group – and their special advisers… The legislation they proposed was, after all, “built on ignorance of the law, plain stupidity, arrogance, …
The First and deputy First Ministers continue their evasive response to criticism of their failure to accept their invitation to attend Pope Benedict XVI’s official welcome on the first-ever papal state visit to the UK. One’s clinging to his political psychosis/comfort blanket, the other’s claiming they were double-booked. That’s why you have junior ministers, guys. As for the Northern Ireland deputy First Minister’s claim that he “also [has] some grounds for believing [a Papal visit to Ireland] could happen as soon as 2012”. What grounds would …
The BBC reports that the Northern Ireland First Minister, Peter Robinson, wearing his other hat as leader of the DUP, and out-going UUP leader Reg Empey have jointly written to the Irish government to object to the proposed sale of NI Electricity (NIE) to the state-owned Electricity Supply Board (ESB). NIE is currently owned, through Viridian, by Arcapita, a Bahrain-based bank. A RTÉ report adds It has emerged that Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson and outgoing UUP leader Reg …
Nevermind the Presbyterian moderator, at least he’s going to be there. Our own little Process™ might have got a special mention as Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Edinburgh today on his first ever state visit to the UK, but no-one from the Northern Ireland Executive was there to hear it – despite an invitation being sent to the Office of the First and deputy First Ministers. Apparently that’s what happens when you can’t meet the Pope/Queen without meeting the Queen/Pope… Adds An otherwise somewhat unbalanced BBC report notes …
There’s been much public posturing from the two main [mandatory] coalition parties here following comments by the Northern Ireland First Minister, the DUP’s Peter Robinson, about the expected cuts in public expenditure. Reported attempts by the deputy First Minister, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, to play down suggestions of a split appear to have fallen on deaf, non-Ministerial, ears within his own party. Mark Devenport tells us that DUP sources reckon there’s a difference between the public line being pushed in Sinn …
It’s worth noting Tony Blair’s response to Reg Empey’s claim that “We now know that the foundation of St Andrews was built on lie after lie.” Here’s what Tony Blair told the Irish Times “That’s absolute nonsense,” he retorts. “One of the things I have done in the book is that I have tried to be honest. Now what people actually sometimes say is that we want a honest politician. “They say ‘hey, you are not a saint. That’s not …
Didn’t stand in FST or North Down so the raw result of 25% a little distorted – but losing the leader’s seat was unfortunate to put it mildly. The dynamic in East Belfast is best left until we get to the Alliance so let’s look at other stuff.
Welsh Nationalist. Rugby Fan. Know a bit about History and Railways…
Nicholas Whyte has kindly given Slugger permission to reproduce this article.
The DUP are very proud of MEP Diane Dodds becoming a member of the European Parliament’s Conference of Presidents. The body while sounding very important is essentially a business committee come speakers’ office and is mainly concerned with timetabling parliamentary business. What the DUP did not point out is; Dodds is not a full member of this body. Indeed she has only been appointed on a 6 month term and has no voting rights. All other members are there as …
From Mick’s linked chapter on Northern Ireland in Tony Blair’s memoirs [pdf file] Such tactical manoeuvres were the warp and woof of the Northern Ireland peace process. Again at the last minute, after the negotiation over the St Andrews declaration of October 2006, up popped the issue of what oath would be sworn by those taking office in the reconstructed Assembly and Executive. All manner of permutations were gone through to find a mutually acceptable formula. Naturally the DUP wanted …
This is a particularly forensic statement from the DUP, which effectively ends what has been (probably by default) a bipartisan line on the NI Water story with Sinn Fein. I’m copying it, less for the political import and more for the nature of the questions it poses. Michelle McIllveen: “This is a deeply serious situation, unprecedented in the Assembly. As Vice-Chairman of the Committee I had already asked for an urgent meeting with the DRD Minister following recent press coverage …
