NI Executive – Page 19 – Slugger O'Toole

Kevin Conway murder: “Local Sinn Fein Councillor John O’Dowd was under no illusions…”

Pete Baker on December 19, 2013, 5:29 pm

| Readers 1742

Arrested in a hotel in Birmingham on Monday, following “a review of the original murder investigation by detectives attached to Serious Crime Branch”, a 45-year-old man from Lurgan, Gary Marshall, has been charged at Craigavon court, and released on bail, for the murder of Kevin Conway in 1998. The News Letter report notes Marshall, from Ennis Green in Lurgan, is accused of murdering 30-year-old Kevin Conway on a date unknown between February 16-19, 1998. Having been kidnapped from his Lurgan home, the …

“The parties were told not to bring in any phones or other communication devices, nor to leave with any copies of the draft.”

Pete Baker on December 16, 2013, 11:48 pm

| Readers 52

Richard Haass’ attempt to ensure confidentiality during the on-going talks between the five Northern Ireland Executive parties – on the past, parades, and flags – failed to survive first contact with Sinn Féin. Today the Haass team presented their first, complete, draft proposals to the parties. The BBC report notes his latest attempt at ensuring confidentiality. While the parties examined the proposals at Stormont, talks chairman Dr Haass had travelled to London to meet the Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers and …

Theresa Villiers: “in the meantime, the Parades Commission remains the legally constituted body responsible for determining these matters…”

Pete Baker on December 13, 2013, 5:26 pm

| Readers 134

In the continued absence of “locally owned arrangements”, the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers, has appointed a new chair, Anne Henderson, and 4 new members to the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland. They will replace the current commission members, most of whom were appointed in 2010 by the then NI Secretary of State, Owen Paterson, and will take up their posts on 1 January 2014 . BBC report here. From the NIO press release [NI Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers] I very much …

NSMC: “Ministers re-affirmed that a final report on the results from the survey and proposals on the way forward will be available for consideration no later than their first NSMC Education meeting of 2013”

Pete Baker on December 11, 2013, 5:19 pm

| Readers 79

As the BBC reports, the Chair of the Northern Ireland Assembly Education Committee, the DUP’s Mervyn Storey, wants the NI Education Minister, Sinn Fein’s John O’Dowd, to publish the findings of a “joint attitudinal survey to inform cross-border pupil movement and school planning”, which was conducted a year ago for the North South Ministerial Council. From the BBC report The Stormont minister for education has been challenged to publish the findings of a survey of attitudes to schooling in the border counties. …

“must at the very least include a mechanism that makes the broadcasting companies accountable and answerable to this Assembly…”

Pete Baker on November 26, 2013, 4:12 pm

| Readers 46

Speaking of making the media accountable… The Northern Ireland Minister for Culture, Sinn Fein’s Carál Ní Chuilín, has declared that she is “considering options such as appointing a panel of experts to review broadcasting in the North and devolution of responsibility locally with a view to bringing proposals forward for cross-party support”. Here’s a couple of lines from the minister’s press release [NI Culture Minister, Sinn Fein’s Carál Ní Chuilín] “I am considering options such as appointing a panel of experts …

Lough Neagh Working Group: “This report may never see the light of day.”

Pete Baker on November 20, 2013, 5:11 pm

| Readers 172

As the Belfast Telegraph reports, having set up a inter-departmental Working Group by September last year, “to explore and pursue actively the potential for a cross-departmental approach to bring Lough Neagh back into public ownership”, the Northern Ireland Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill has lost the group’s report down the back of the sofa told the DUP MLA Paul Frew that the report “is [still] going through due process”. [It’s not for sale! – Ed] “but if the assembly …

GAA: “We’ve tried now for the last 16 months to build a level of consensus around the stadium project…”

Pete Baker on November 19, 2013, 6:17 pm

| Readers 210

The GAA appears to be facing some more local opposition to the £70million plan to build a 38,000-seat stadium at its existing sports ground in Casement Park. [Pending planning permission… – Ed] From the BBC report About 200 people attended the residents meeting [on Monday 18 November], at which some said that the proposed new stadium must be stopped. One resident told the meeting: “We’re not opposed to a development of the GAA in this city but we need it to …

“So, what was British policy?”

Pete Baker on November 1, 2013, 5:42 pm

| Readers 242

John mentioned, in passing, Alex Kane’s column in today’s Irish News. But, in reaching for his hyperbolical conclusion, he missed the more interesting part of the article. From Alex Kane in the Irish News. As far back as 1972 the Heath government introduced the concept of power-sharing, the ‘Irish dimension’ and the constitutional guarantee: and from that moment it seemed inevitable that any deal they would agree to (and hope that the Irish would underwrite with them) would be a deal …

“His independent role has on occasions required him to take actions against the Executive…”

Pete Baker on October 16, 2013, 2:14 pm

| Readers 85

In the Belfast Telegraph Liam Clarke picked up on this exchange during questions to the Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers in the Assembly on Monday. The topic was the review, by Dame Elish Angiolini, Lord Advocate of Scotland until 2011, of the Office of the NI Attorney General, the report on which was delivered to OFMDFM in October 2012. Here’s the relevant section from Hansard. Mr Attwood: Given the current Attorney General’s inclination to join in Supreme Court cases, European …

Meanwhile over at what really matters…

Brian Walker on October 8, 2013, 5:14 pm

| Readers 49

Well below the big headline on the latest torrid twist with Gerry Adams’ grim mugshot at the top, lurks the unassuming headline “NI trailing in English and Maths”. This is the local version of the big OECD report on educational performance in England and NI which concludes that today’s kids are less well educated in the basics than their grandparents (people like me). And yes there’s a paradox here.” Northern Ireland is ‘best in Europe’ at primary maths. But that …

Giro d’Italia 2014: “It’s a lot more than a cycling race”

Pete Baker on October 8, 2013, 3:17 pm

| Readers 79

When the BBC leaked the proposed route of the opening stage of the Giro d’Italia 2014 last week it was greeted by ritual wailing and gnashing of teeth by various representatives of the ‘excluded’ west Belfast. And with the whingeing out of the way, the official announcement was able to be welcomed with more decorum by the Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers, as well as the Tourism Minister and the Minister for Regional Development. [And the NI Minister with responsibility …

“given the particular operational emphasis of this year’s conference…”

Pete Baker on September 17, 2013, 2:04 pm

| Readers 48

According to a Belfast Telegraph report, unlike previous years, neither the Northern Ireland Justice Minister, David Ford, nor the Irish Justice Minister, Alan Shatter, will attend this year’s cross-border police summit on organised crime co-operation. From the Belfast Telegraph report Mr Shatter said that, given the particular operational emphasis of this year’s conference, it would be more appropriate for the Garda Commissioner and the PSNI Chief Constable to take the lead. Rather than attend the conference, the two ministers, the Commissioner …

“Two European countries, Ireland and Norway, have already banned all eel fisheries.” – redux

Pete Baker on September 11, 2013, 6:46 pm

| Readers 169

Despite a brief flurry of activity by Sinn Féin in February this year, around the Northern Ireland Executive Minister with responsibility for regulating Eel Fisheries, Sinn Féin’s Carál Ní Chuilín’s sudden “refusal to support European proposals for a unilateral suspension of eel-fishing”, the Minister’s promised Assembly statement on the issue never materialised. That’s possibly because, at that stage, the proposal was only in a draft report [amendment 8] to the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries by rapporteur, Isabella Lövin, a Swedish MEP. As it was that …

So he’s staying. But what will be the Robinson legacy?

Brian Walker on September 11, 2013, 3:19 pm

| Readers 45

It’s a common tactic of most people in public life to exaggerate the criticism being made of them when they make the feisty reply. Peter Robinson is no exception. His recent output has been genuinely revealing. I have no privileged information whatever but I have read his Florida letter and his Bel Tel article. The Florida missive revealed his default position of lashing out against criticism rather than rising above it at times of tension, the Bel Tel the old trick …

Theresa Villiers: “That’s the kind of Northern Ireland we’re determined to build…”

Pete Baker on September 9, 2013, 5:28 pm

| Readers 83

Louth TD, and Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams has taken exception to a recent speech by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers at the British-Irish Association’s 2013 conference – describing it as “an unacceptable intervention” ahead of those talks with Richard Haass. Although, I don’t think the speech was delivered “yesterday”… [And what’s he going to do about it?! – Ed] ANYhoo… Let’s see if we can identify what might have ruffled his feathers. From the NI Secretary of State’s draft speech. Moving on …

Haass “asked the parties for confidentiality and to put forward their best team of negotiators…”

Pete Baker on September 4, 2013, 6:42 pm

| Readers 63

The BBC reports that “it has emerged” Richard Haass has written to the Northern Ireland Executive parties ahead of the up-coming talks on parades, and other matters. Dr Haass, who is due to chair talks later this month, sent the letter after his mid-July visit to Belfast. He asked the parties for confidentiality and to put forward their best team of negotiators. Dr Haass also requested the parties answer a series of questions around the issues. The negotiations are to …

NI Assembly Commissioner for Standards: “In these circumstances some might have concerns as to my impartiality to consider your complaint…”

Pete Baker on August 31, 2013, 6:24 pm

| Readers 126

I’m not entirely convinced by the reason given by the Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards, Douglas Bain, for his decision to recommend that the NI Assembly Committee on Standards and Privileges appoint an Acting Commissioner to consider the DUP and TUV complaints about Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly’s attendance and speech at the recent controversial Castlederg parade. Here’s what the Commissioner told the TUV leader Jim Allister, MLA. Thank you for your letter of 12 August 2013 making a …

“that’s why Richard Haass needs proof – right from the start – that the will to construct a deal really does exist”

Pete Baker on August 26, 2013, 4:32 pm

| Readers 72

Having abandoned their first, draconian, attempt to control regulate Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests, Sinn Féin and the DUP may now face a wider variety of emboldened dissenting voices in seeking compromise on the issue. Alex Kane has some advice for the incoming chair of the new, improved, working group on parades. From the News Letter article If I were Mr Haass I would gather all of the parties and assorted hangers-on around the table at 9am on the first Monday morning and …

“giddy zephyrs of the purest conjecture…”

Pete Baker on August 25, 2013, 5:55 pm

| Readers 62

In yesterday’s Irish News Newton Emerson poured cold water on some recent idle speculation – as noted by Alan. From the Irish News Speculation is mounting that Peter Robinson plans to step down as DUP leader. It cannot be stressed enough that this is based on giddy zephyrs of the purest conjecture. An attempt by nationalism to convince itself the Maze U-turn indicated weak leadership was debunked by a mild response from Sinn Féin, which sees exactly how Robinson has launched …

Ask not what the NI Executive can do for regional and minority languages…

Mick Fealty on August 7, 2013, 2:45 pm

| Readers 60

Aha, it’s that time of year again. You know, when the Culture Minister is asked to compile a report for the UK’s submission to the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages, s/he does, and then nothing comes back… It happened to Gregory Campbell’s report three years ago (which sank without trace with the deputy First Minister), and last year it happened to Minister Carál Ní Chuilín. Inside Ireland reports.. The UK government’s submission to the Council of Europe was …