Economy – Page 71 – Slugger O'Toole

Business slowly reclaiming Belfast’s (formerly) ‘rotten core’…

Mick Fealty on October 4, 2007, 9:30 pm

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‘Capital is a coward’ was one of Dean Pittman’s (the former US Consul to Belfast) favourite quotes, when speaking of the importance of civic peace to private prosperity. Conall McDevitt blogs on his company’s move into the centre of Belfast after more than twenty years of clinging to the relative safety of the periphery in East Belfast… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media …

“the potential for significant delay..”

Pete Baker on October 4, 2007, 8:56 pm

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As the BBC briefly note, the NI Executive’s Social Development minister has announced that the Carvill Group have withdrawn from the proposed redevelopment of the site of the former Andersonstown police station, citing “the potential for significant delay in getting their proposals agreed and through the planning system”. It comes after a series of organised protests at the site and, as Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, MP, MLA, mentions, the threat of legal action against the proposals. As to his …

Is Conor preparing to swallow a bitter (water) pill?

Mick Fealty on October 4, 2007, 7:52 pm

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One sharp eyed reader noticed that the massive poster protesting against any future imposition of water rates, which had been fixed on the side of Sinn Fein’s North Belfast Constituency Office on the Antrim Road has been taken down. He reports, “It was there on my way to church on Sunday morning, but when I came past this morning it has disappeared. It must have gone in the last few days.” Hmmm…. could there be a connection between the disappearance …

Lottery fund decision “absolute rubbish” – Paisley

Pete Baker on October 4, 2007, 3:11 pm

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The Belfast Telegraph’s David Gordon has unearthed a letter written by the DUP leader, and now First Minister, Ian Paisley in 2003 to the Heritage Lottery Fund after they had turned down an application by controversial developer Seymour Sweeney for a grant for the Giants’ Causeway World Heritage Trust connected to his proposed development – of which Mr Paisley was to be a trustee. Written on headed Commons paper, it denounced the grounds for turning down the grant bid as …

“One spokesman said he hoped the dispute could be over by Christmas..”

Pete Baker on October 3, 2007, 1:25 am

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There may be some clarity emerging in the ongoing classroom assistants dispute. From the available reports, we have on one side the Education and Library Boards new offer – which amounts to an additional one-off payment for the acceptance of the earlier offer. And on the other hand the main union involved, NIPSA, is pointing to their insistance that wages be based on the current 32.5 hour week, rather than the offered terms which use a 36 hour week. Interestingly …

Second phase of Titanic project launched..

Pete Baker on October 2, 2007, 5:46 pm

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Various reports on the Environment minister’s announcement [also here – pdf file] that the Planning Service have granted outline planning permission for the second stage of the largest scheme they’ve dealt with – the Titanic Quarter redevelopment, to include the Titanic Signature project. The minister’s statement praises Planning Service for the speed of processing the application – a result of their “new streamlined process which has been introduced to deal with strategic projects” – and the pre-application discussions with the …

“will be able to devise innovative schemes..”

Pete Baker on October 1, 2007, 3:02 am

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Given his recent speech to the annual conference of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy, and the “much tighter financial environment”, it’s not a surpise to hear the NI Executive’s Finance minister, the DUP’s Peter Robinson, talk of his hopes for “innovative schemes” to help the economy. Likewise it’s not a surprise to hear that he favours selling off state assets to raise capital for the new administration. None of which, in itself, is grounds for anything other …

“this is very much a pastoral, outreach development..”

Pete Baker on September 28, 2007, 6:33 pm

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The Irish News reports a little local difficulty in Crumlin between the Catholic church and the local gaelic club, St James Aldegrove GAC. The club has been using parish-owned grounds since the 1960s but the Diocese of Down and Connor, recently seen picking a fight with Amnesty International, want it back and have instructed the club to vacate the site by November 30. [subs req]From the Irish News report [subs again] A spokesman for the Diocese of Down and Connor …

“authority to scrutinise and review, critically, the nature of spending in all areas..”

Pete Baker on September 28, 2007, 12:23 am

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Here’s an interesting speech by the Northern Ireland Executive’s Finance minister, Peter Robinson, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy annual conference – “Delivering more with Less – Surviving the Big Squeeze!” – which almost slipped by, although the BBC did report it briefly. The proposal for a Performance & Efficiency Delivery Unit (PEDU) should, no doubt, be viewed in light of the expected budgetary restrictions.This is how Peter Robinson sees the objectives and composition of PEDU [added emphasis …

“significant concerns over the location of this proposal..”

Pete Baker on September 27, 2007, 2:36 pm

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In the Belfast Telegraph David Gordon points to more indications that the Planning Service were of a mind to refuse Seymour Sweeney’s planning application for the Causeway development. Of course, only the Environment minster seems to have seen their actual report.. just before she declared that she was “of a mind to approve” that application. From today’s Belfast Telegraph report. It is clear from internal documents that officials were working towards a refusal position. Their verdict would have been given …

“insist on a large dose of realism”

Pete Baker on September 27, 2007, 12:41 am

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The classroom assistants’ strike went ahead today, despite the reports of an upbeat end to last minute talks held yesterday. That

“and tell the people so, together”

Pete Baker on September 26, 2007, 3:46 am

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A Belfast Telegraph Viewpoint picks up on the absence of statements of support from other NI Executive ministers for the Social Development minister’s ultimatum to the UDA – although it does notes the apparent support from the NI Secretary of State. It’s not an issue on which all of the Executive have been completely silent though. And neither have some commentators. The article goes on to ask a few questions about the Executive, collectiveness, and what happens next in our …

“this would have a major adverse impact on the landscape character..”

Pete Baker on September 25, 2007, 5:09 pm

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It’s still not a smoking gun, but the Belfast Telegraph’s David Gordon has seen the Department of the Environment’s file on the controversial planning application by Seymour Sweeney for a development at the Giants’ Causeway and he’s picked out one document in particular from that file – the views of the Department’s Environment and Heritage Service on Mr Sweeney’s planning application in December 2002. Written by Dr John Faulkner, EHS director of Natural Heritage, the letter stated: “EHS has major …

“any proposal to extend the injunction.. would seriously prejudice the project.”

Pete Baker on September 24, 2007, 6:58 pm

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The BBC’s Mark Devenport has some thoughts on the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review and a key element of that will be the Workplace 2010 scheme.. which is facing a legal challenge. The Finance Minister, the DUP’s Peter Robinson, has described the PFI contract involved as a “no brainer” – a phrase which I seem to remember being used before… ANYhoo, he’s also made a statement to the Assembly today on progress on the £1.5billion PFI contract for the Workplace 2010 …

“Without their expertise tourism will not grow significantly.”

Pete Baker on September 22, 2007, 7:18 pm

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It’s not a smoking gun. But the Belfast Telegraph’s David Gordon reveals that in June 2005 the DUP’s Ian Paisley Jnr – now a junior minister in the NI Executive – together with fellow DUP MLA Mervyn Storey, wrote a lengthy joint letter to then-NI Secretary Peter Hain arguing that tourism at the Giant’s Causeway was “not being marketed or exploited to its full potential” and that “We believe that tourism can only succeed where the experts are involved and …

O’Leary to go law over Aer Lingus Belfast switch?

Mick Fealty on September 20, 2007, 4:38 pm

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Hmmm… curiouser and curiouser… It seems Ryanair are powerless to call an EGM without Irish Government support, so now are talking about resorting to law. Hmmm… so that 25.1% stake (retained by the state to protect key interests including landing slots at London Heathrow), what was that all about then? Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking …

Classroom assistants to strike

Pete Baker on September 20, 2007, 2:14 pm

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With the union recommending a ‘Yes’ to strike action, the result shouldn’t have been a surprise to the Education Minister but now it’s official, classroom assistants are to hold a one-day strike next Wednesday, 26 September, with a rally in Belfast – more on the Nipsa action here. And as Nipsa stated when they called the vote [pdf file] The Education & Library Board Panel carefully considered the views of members and has confirmed that the strike action intended will …

“any new visitor centre must be built in the footprint of the centre that was burnt down”

Pete Baker on September 19, 2007, 3:23 pm

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Good example of the benefits of fact-checking from the Belfast Telegraph, after they did the straight reporting of the controversial Causeway developer Seymour Sweeney’s claim that UNESCO’s Mechtild Rossler, the European chief of heritage sites at the organisation, was “impressed” by his proposal. They went to the source. And Dr Rossler pointed back to the UNESCO report[pdf file] from 2003 – noted here. – From today’s Belfast Telegraph report When contacted by the Belfast Telegraph this week, Dr Rossler said …

“A recommendation to decline the application is expected..”

Pete Baker on September 18, 2007, 6:11 pm

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The Environment Minister Arlene Foster is due to appear in front of the Assembly’s Environment Committee on Thursday, and the National Trust apears to be rolling up its sleeves [Adds new link for that NT reference] in preparation for a fight. Meanwhile the Belfast Telegraph’s David Gordon has got his hands on an internal Department of Enterprise memo, on the planning application by Seymour Sweeney.. the application the Environment Minister is minded to approve. From the Belfast Telegraph report The …

“Every goal [scored] is an own goal..”

Pete Baker on September 17, 2007, 3:06 am

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An interesting point from Brian Feeney on The Politics Show today. Reprising comments that he has made before, in reference to the school debating society that we call an Assembly, and ostensibly on the topic du jour, he argued that the reluctance by both the DUP and SF to cause serious political damage to their supposed opposite numbers was due to the nature of the ‘indigenous’ deal – “Every goal [scored] is an own goal”. And the non-appointment of a …