OFMdFM

U-turn over Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests Bill?

Pete Baker on August 12, 2010, 11:47 am

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The Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers have published a very short summary of the responses [pdf file] to the consultation on their jointly drafted Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests Bill [pdf file]. That’s the draft Bill “built on ignorance of the law, plain stupidity, arrogance, and worst of all, political expediency.” We’ll have to wait to see the detail of the reported amendments being proposed. But let’s be clear about one thing. When the First Minister says “The primary change …

“£9.7 billion? Well that is truly staggering…”

Pete Baker on July 28, 2010, 11:05 pm

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BBC NI political editor Mark Devenport notes a charmless and, at best, disingenuous party political response to criticism of the “motherhood and apple pie” aspirations of OFMDFM. From the Devenport Diaries Sinn Fein’s Martina Anderson is not impressed by some of the carping she has heard from community relations types about the latest Stormont CSI strategy. She wonders “how much of that is genuine or how much of it is about protecting their own positions and funding. There are a raft …

“Lots of it is on the “motherhood and apple pie” level.”

Pete Baker on July 27, 2010, 10:26 pm

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The BBC report tells us that The NI first and deputy first ministers have published their proposals for tackling sectarianism, racism and hate. That would be the long-awaited Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration. And from what I can glean from the consultation document [pdf file] they propose to form a committee “Panel”. As Mark Devenport says about the document Lots of it is on the “motherhood and apple pie” level. It’s good to hear that the First and Deputy First …

“We are fully aware of the urgency of this matter…”

Pete Baker on July 21, 2010, 4:31 pm

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The BBC reports on a meeting today chaired by Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Owen Paterson, and attended by NI First and Deputy First Ministers Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness, Finance Minister Sammy Wilson, Northern Ireland Minister Hugo Swire and Mark Hoban, financial secretary to the Treasury. The topic? The troubled Presbyterian Mutual Society. From the NI Secretary of State’s statement Speaking after the meeting, Mr Paterson said: “Both before and since the General Election, the Prime Minister and I have …

Want a parade? When do you want it? Now! What about in just 3 days time?

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on May 23, 2010, 10:32 pm

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There still seems to be a bit of misunderstanding about the consultation paper issued by OFMDFM on Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests in Northern Ireland. It’s even been covered on Slugger … though Brian did point to the small relevant print. Talk about parades and all you’ll hear a lot of talk about 37 days. Section 13 explains that notice should normally be given to OPAPP (Office of Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests) during working hours on a working day …