North South – Page 3 – Slugger O'Toole

North-Southery? Build a wall or a bridge?

David McCann on March 3, 2014, 11:15 pm

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I remember reading through old government documents from the 60s being perplexed at seeing members of the Northern Ireland government referring to their southern counterparts as members of the ‘republican government’ who were on the other side of the ‘frontier’ (that’s the border to me and you). But what was more disturbing about that period were proposals like co-operation in tourism and trade which had benefits for Northern Ireland being turned down because of political concerns about the integrity of …

Believe it or not, the economic recession has been worse in the north than the south…

Mick Fealty on February 14, 2014, 10:30 am

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The economist Michael Burke has made some interesting comparisons between northern and southern economic outputs using a measure called GVA which strips out the influence of tax and subsidies: The effect of comparing the data may be surprising. These show that recessions occurred both sides of the border at the same time but that the recession in the North was more severe. Real GVA in the South fell to a low in 2010 and has since recovered slightly. The links …

Micheal Martin: “For things to change in the North they require greater generosity and restraint”

Mick Fealty on February 5, 2014, 2:04 pm

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Fascinating debate in the Dail right now. The Tainiste kicked off statements on the current situation in Northern Ireland by identifying three points he wants to see progress in: re-implementation of the Civic Forum; bringing forward the Bill Rightsl and the implimentation of an Irish language act. Here’s selections from Micheal Martin’s draft speech: On the rare occasions that Northern issues are now addressed in the Dáil by the Taoiseach we hear statements about how everything is in hand and …

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

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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. …

More decline in North-South relations?

David McCann on September 2, 2013, 7:05 pm

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Today’s article by Simon Doyle in The Irish News highlights again the continuing decline in everyday interaction between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. A new taskforce set up the the Department of Employment and Learning has revealed that less than 1 per cent of students at universities south of the border are from Northern Ireland. This trend has continued a decline that has been going on since 2004 despite the fact that it is cheaper to study in the …

“…ridiculous for Sinn Fein to tell people they have a strategy but it’s, y’know, nod, nod, wink, wink?”

Mick Fealty on August 21, 2013, 2:51 pm

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Brian Feeney is on form today in the Irish News (£). He’s taken the time to read Micheal Martin’s long (and policy detailed) speech at the Merriman School. His conclusions are less than complimentary… At various times Sinn Fein ministers have been in a position to present an agenda for all Ireland development and they haven’t even tried. They claim they have plans but what are they. It’s like the strategy they claim to have for achieving a united Ireland. …

Narrow Water Bridge: “Yet when confronted with a real initiative that would help boost trade, we say no…”

Mick Fealty on August 20, 2013, 10:49 am

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By David McCann Just under a month ago, politicians in Stormont and the Dáil dealt a hammer blow to the Narrow Water bridge scheme. Citing escalating costs the former Finance Minister, Sammy Wilson, refused to pledge more funds to make up the £10 million shortfall that would be needed to build the bridge. This decision by politicians on both sides of the border to halt this vitally important project is a prime example of short sighted policy making. Let’s take …

Micheál Martin: “It is the lack of action on these points which feeds disillusionment and division”

Mick Fealty on August 15, 2013, 12:44 pm

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Whilst the DUP and Sinn Fein continue to withdraw into their bunker mentalities, Micheál Martin was speaking at the Merriman School yesterday (the clar is here)… Institutions are in place. Meetings happen on schedule. Speeches about how well everyone is getting on, are delivered all the time. Yet there is absolutely no urgency or ambition. The process is becoming ever more concentrated on the elites, distracted by their partisan concerns and leading to a marked increase in public disillusionment. The focus has …

Eighty years later Sinn Fein belatedly attempts Dev’s transformation

Mick Fealty on April 13, 2013, 1:18 pm

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Great piece by Harry McGee in the Irish Times which raises some critical questions that may be exercising Sinn Fein delegates in Castlebar today.. Sinn Féin is not experiencing a New Departure, rather a long drawn-out process of change – mainstreaming, as we inelegantly describe it. As evidenced by the rapid growth of Fianna Fáil from 1926, a large swathe of the population shared its vision, believed as it did that the party was pursuing a reasonable programme based on …

Unemployment in Ireland: a tale of two countries…

Mick Fealty on May 16, 2012, 9:53 am

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As figures on the live register of unemployed in the Republic continue to even out at 14.5% (albeit at historically high levels,) the NI Labour market report released this morning shows a slight drop in unemployment rates 6.7%, down 0.5 percentage points over both the quarter and year… Hardly an indication of a recovery in the Republic and, just possibly, a calm before the cuts really start to bite in Northern Ireland? Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He …

Sinn Fein’s split political personality north and south…

Mick Fealty on May 15, 2012, 1:14 pm

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Sam Smyth on a theme that could make things tough the closer Sinn Fein gets to actual power: ie, the degree to which they have managed to avoid it in Northern Ireland: In the Northern Ireland Executive, Sinn Fein ministers have implemented swingeing spending cuts — while objecting to budget cuts from the opposition benches in the Republic. Sinn Fein has avoided the responsibilities of economic ministries in the Northern Ireland Executive, opting instead for the less controversial departments of …

Shared Origins

Of This Island on April 22, 2012, 4:26 pm

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At least two centuries before the great boulders of Stonehenge were placed on a windswept Salisbury Plain, and over 500 years before the Great Pyramid of Giza rose from the deserts of Egypt, Neolithic architects in the Boyne Valley (Brú na Bóinne) were laying the foundations of one of the most studied structures of the ancient world. An imposing earthen mound in County Meath (an Mhí), its original name has been lost to the jealous mists of history. But the …

Sean Quinn’s statement of affairs to NI Court ‘appeared to be unsatisfactory’

Pete Baker on November 21, 2011, 7:31 pm

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That’s according to reported comments by lawyers for the Official Receiver in Northern Ireland who, following Sean Quinn’s application for UK bankruptcy, is currently in control of Quinn’s worldwide assets. The comments were made during a Dublin Commercial Court hearing on an application by the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC) for the repayment of €2billion in loans which had been personally guaranteed by Sean Quinn. From the RTÉ report The Irish Bank Resolution Corporation told the Commercial Court the action for judgment should go …

“this Department is not in a position to proceed any further with the Narrow Water Bridge project”

Pete Baker on July 13, 2011, 2:58 pm

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When it was announced in February 2008, the proposed “lovely looking bridge” at Narrow Water, Co Down, to link the Omeath to Newry Road in Co Louth with the A2 Newry to Warrenpoint road, Co Down, produced an unseemly scramble by three then-members of the Northern Ireland Executive. By contrast, as far as I can tell, the latest news of the project has been met by silence… From Dáil written answers 5 July 627. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism …

“Now there’s the healthy option of simply getting on with the neighbours.”

Pete Baker on May 21, 2011, 11:12 pm

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In contrast to John’s northern cynicism, in the Irish Times Fintan O’Toole is optimism personified on the impact of the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Ireland [Keep the noise down in the attic, please – Ed]. Indeed. From the Irish Times article The combination of all of these factors made the visit an oddly liberating occasion. No one would have thought that the British queen could free Ireland, but she did help to free us from the crippling insecurities of …

“I hope the people of Ireland will give him a brilliant and wonderful welcome…”

Pete Baker on March 31, 2011, 11:56 pm

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Another post possibly related to the point Mick was making… As the BBC notes US President Barack Obama will not cross the border into Northern Ireland when he visits the Republic of Ireland, the Irish prime minister has said. From the breakingnews.ie report The Government is gearing up for the historic May visit after President Obama announced on St Patrick’s Day that he wanted to return to his roots in Moneygall, Co Offaly. But the Taoiseach said that under diplomatic rules …

“It is unacceptable for the Minister and his Department to suggest…”

Pete Baker on March 31, 2011, 3:08 pm

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Possibly related to the point Mick was making… The former leader of Sinn Féin in the Dáil, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, TD, has taken exception to part of a statement by Irish Health Minister, James Reilly, TD, committing the Irish Government to work in partnership with their Northern Ireland counterparts on the development of a new radiotherapy unit at Altnagelvin. Although, the same lines were first delivered by Labour TD, Kathleen Lynch, on the Minister’s behalf, in the Dáil on 24th March without …

The Republic has to prove itself a worthy partner in relations with the north all over again

Brian Walker on March 26, 2011, 12:21 pm

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Fintan O’Toole’s crisp review of the vast sweep of Irish corruption exposed in the era of tribunals mainly speaks for itself. As he shows, exposure alone does not lead inexorably to reform. Three questions: Can any Irish government and parliament, never mind one under such pressure of circumstances, summon up the massive political capital required to change the culture? If not, can the outside onlooker be blamed for concluding that these people aren’t fit to govern themselves? While the Celtic …

Conor Murphy starving North South transport links of cash

Turgon on March 10, 2011, 11:18 pm

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One of the less noted parts of the draft budget has been that of the Department of Regional Development. An 11 mile section of the railway line between Lisburn and Lurgan requires £40 million of repairs. The draft budget has allocated monies to improve the Coleraine to Londonderry line which would, Murphy claims, otherwise have been faced with closure but none to the Belfast Dublin line. Since money is not being spent on the Belfast to Dublin service, it will …

Not the old bogey of Sinn Fein again!

Brian Walker on March 2, 2011, 10:50 am

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The politics of it are all too familiar. Peter Robinson raises the bogey of Sinn Fein to get the vote out and try to prevent SF becoming the largest party in the Assembly. “Sinn Féin will be in government, I’ve no doubt about that whatsoever. But there’s no point to be in government just to be the mudguard of some conservative party, we want to be the vanguard… We’re in government in the north and let me be quite assertive …