Economy – Page 77 – Slugger O'Toole

Assembly could block water charges.. but bill will remain to be paid.

Pete Baker on February 28, 2007, 5:54 pm

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As Mick noted previously Water Tax is one of the main issues of this election and with all parties in opposition, to one degree or another, the reported intervention today by the Department of Regional Development is worth noting. [aren’t they supposed to be in purdah? – Ed] A spokeswoman for the Department said: “Should a restored Assembly wish to either amend or repeal the provisions of the Order (water charges law) they could do so, as they could any …

The economic cost..

Pete Baker on February 19, 2007, 5:54 am

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In Saturday’s Irish Times, former Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald brought back into focus an all-too-often neglected aspect of the relative economic performance between north and south.. the Provisional IRA’s activity. As he points out, it’s a topic he has covered at several points over the past 35 years [subs req] “in the year 1953, I found that in that year Northern Ireland’s output per head was 27 per cent higher than ours. However, when I next wrote on this subject (Towards …

Don’t talk to us about the national question….

Mick Fealty on February 12, 2007, 8:11 pm

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Fran Yeoman of the Times reckons that now the constitutional question has been parked voters turnout is more likely to be motivated by issues of tax than of cultural and national identity. There is a new spate of grafitti in Belfast. The slogan makes no mention of Bloody Sunday or saving the Union, but espouses instead one of the few causes that loyalist and nationalist areas have in common. It says: “No water tax.” If Tony Blair secures his legacy …

Peter Hain’s alternative remedy

Pete Baker on February 5, 2007, 7:02 pm

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If we’re going to spend public funds on providing any treatment through the NHS, and particularly if those treatments are to include acupuncture, aromatherapy and homeopathy, then it should only be on the basis that that treatment has undergone an independently verifiable trial and has been proven to be more effective than a placebo… not on the basis that the Secretary of State for Wales etc, Peter Hain is “certain, as a user of complementary medicine [him]self, that this has …

Rising blog star of reality tv…

Mick Fealty on February 5, 2007, 4:20 pm

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The Sunday Life carried a feature on a local blogger made good in the reality tv market. She’s doing well out of it too. Lisa McGarry took to blogging last summer: …when I was heavily pregnant with my third child, and found myself increasingly housebound. It was a difficult pregnancy, and I couldn’t do much. However, the one thing I was able to do was catch up on my favourite TV shows, and ended up watching every single reality show …

Property boom on the Shankill…

on February 5, 2007, 3:53 pm

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London has long been a venue for housing market regeneration of old run down working class areas. The development of the Thames Gateway is set to transform the like of Dartford, where by SE standards, house prices remain in the bargain basement category. It seems the Shankill area of Belfast is seeing a massive hike in prices, which could indicate some form of regeneration is already in train on the back of a bouyant local market rather than any outside …

Columcille on the Foyle..

Pete Baker on February 3, 2007, 12:00 am

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According to the statement on the Derry City Council website, “The Inner City Trust River Foyle Project is an attempt to create a haven of peace on the centre of the river which divides the city, where both Catholics and Protestants together can meet and appreciate historic shared Christian heritage.” Hmm.. I’m not entirely convinced we need another reminder of that particular historic heritage on this island.. ANYway.. the centre piece of the regeneration project is to be a 160ft …

Solidarity?

Pete Baker on January 31, 2007, 4:37 pm

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With thousands of civil servants, members of the Public and Commercial Services union, taking strike action today in protest against plans to cut more than 100,000 civil service jobs – and with predictions that the Welsh Assembly will close for the day as a result – the question for the Secretary of State for Wales, etc, Peter Hain, is whether he will be crossing any picket lines? Courting the unions has, after all, been a key part of his ongoing, …

Raytheon’s heat-beaming weapon by 2010…

Mick Fealty on January 25, 2007, 7:32 pm

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It’s not clear whether the Derry factory has anything to do with this product directly, but this may be one reason Eammon McCann has been protesting it’s continued presence there… Hat tip Leslie!! 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 events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

DUP welcomes Republic’s government investment…

Mick Fealty on January 25, 2007, 2:59 am

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Whatever the blogosphere does (or does not) think, Peter Robinson welcomes the Republic’s spending promises under the new National Development Plan. 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 events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

What’s a small local airport worth?

Pete Baker on December 22, 2006, 8:38 pm

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The Belfast Telegraph has already published the details of the secret agreement between Ryanair and Derry City Council following the council’s decision not to contest the ruling of the Information Tribunal, although they had already spent 2 years refusing to confirm those details. Today the BBC reports that confirmation and the full details of the 5 year deal in which Ryanair was guaranteed the sum of £250,000 per year to advertise the Derry/London route, as well as free landing, navigation …

“Since I’ve been Secretary of State, just look at what’s happened…”

Pete Baker on December 19, 2006, 4:17 pm

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Some eyebrow raising quotes from the Secretary of State for Wales etc, Peter Hain, in an interview for “Mirror readers” [as opposed to Daily Mail readers – Ed]. Ostensibly to emphasise that absolute deadline of 26th March – although there is the slight matter of a closer, potentially more fudgeable, deadline first – he finds time to highlight the ongoing campaign, “I love this job but it would be, I think, a bonus for Northern Ireland if I were elected …

Sheridan Group considering legal position

Pete Baker on December 14, 2006, 6:30 pm

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UTV has the response from the Chief Executive of the Sheridan Group, Peter Holmes, to the decision by the Department for Social Development and Laganside to drop Sheridan Millenium, a company wholly owned by Peter Curistan, as preferred developer for the £75 million Queen’s Quay project. “Despite being named preferred developer for the Queen`s Quay project almost 18 months ago, following a competitive tendering process, we are now informed today by Laganside/DSD that our position is suddenly reversed with no …

Sheridan Millenium dropped as preferred developer for Laganside

Pete Baker on December 13, 2006, 11:24 pm

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NIO Minister David Hanson has reaffirmed the “Government’s commitment to developing the Queen’s Quay site on Belfast’s riverfront following DSD and Laganside’s decision to terminate the current competition.” But you have to look through the Notes to Editors to find the reason why. Following due diligence the Department and Laganside have concluded that they cannot properly form an opinion on Sheridan Millennium’s ability to deliver the project and so cannot proceed to enter into a development agreement with Sheridan Millennium. …

Council must reveal deal with Ryanair

Pete Baker on December 12, 2006, 9:33 pm

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Via the Press Association report. The Information Tribunal has given Derry City Council 30 days to reveal the details of the deal between the Council and RyanAir for the airline’s use of the rate-payer funded City of Derry Airport The ruling by the Information Tribunal follows a two-year fight by airport owners Derry City Council against a Freedom of Information request. From the PA report The decision is being seen as precedent-setting and could have major implications for public bodies …

“they keep giving a pretty devastating indictment of public administration”

Pete Baker on December 12, 2006, 7:08 pm

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In the Belfast Telegraph, David Gordon reports the comments of Labour MP Ian Davidson who sits on the Public Accounts Committee and is less than impressed with Northern Ireland’s public administration at government department level. “I think there is an extent to which the Troubles in Northern Ireland are used by some officials as an alibi to excuse themselves from taking hard decisions. There is an extent to which Northern Ireland is a bit of a sleepy hollow and that …

“if anything the problem has increased”

Pete Baker on December 1, 2006, 6:04 pm

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The Belfast Telegraph’s Jonathan McCambridge picked up on an article in the Economic Outlook And Business Review, which doesn’t appear to be online available here (P. 16), by Bridget Lloyd, assistant director of analytical services at the PSNI. The report quotes from the article that the assesment, given the under-reporting of incidents, is that for-profit-terrorism has increased in Northern Ireland since the 1998 Agreement. And that doesn’t include the more public examples.. Added Link to Review. Thanks Mark.From the Belfast …

Anti Water privatisation campaign kicks off…

Mick Fealty on November 30, 2006, 12:01 am

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Meanwhile, back in the real world, the water charge controversy is heating up (insert your favourite ‘hot water jokes’ here). The government has denied rumours that it is about to sell off the Water Service, currently part of the Department of the Environment. There are also plans to bring in tough measures against non payers. Tonight a Tap Tax campaign is meeting at the City Hall in Belfast.Speaking on behalf of ICTU, NIPSA General Secretary John Corey will “tell the …

Wilson: all island economy good for eveyone…

Mick Fealty on November 28, 2006, 6:42 pm

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From yesterday in the Commons… As we share a land boundary with the Irish Republic, which has had rapid growth, it is important that we have the right economic conditions. I was glad to hear the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) indicate that one of the changes required was to reduce the level of corporation tax. The level of taxation, including stealth taxes and so on, has never been higher in the United Kingdom. That is one of …

It’s political stability, stupid…

Mick Fealty on November 23, 2006, 5:18 pm

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The Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius Ramakrishna Sithanen addressed the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry last night, with an pitch for local firms to consider investing in his country. He cited, amongst other things, a new, but pending, uniform tax rate and access to emerging African markets as key incentives. But he also added with delightful understatement, “Mauritius is one of the most politically stable countries in east and southern Africa. And political stability is important for inward …