Parties – Page 51 – Slugger O'Toole

“those people that believe the use of guns and bombs brings solutions to problems”

Pete Baker on July 26, 2011, 9:56 pm

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In a major search operation across Northern Ireland five men have been arrested for questioning in connection with the murder of PSNI officer Ronan Kerr. UTV has an interesting response from Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA. Speaking in the wake of the arrests, and of a pipe bomb attack in his home city, the Deputy First Minister spoke out against what he called “the disgraceful ongoing activities of those people that believe the use of guns and bombs brings solutions to …

“he may be referring to a situation where under UK company law…”

Pete Baker on July 26, 2011, 7:08 pm

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From Dáil written answers on 19 July. 232. Deputy Martin Ferris [Sinn Féin] asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will introduce legislation to protect employees in companies under administration who remain working but who are not paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20950/11] Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Deputy Richard Bruton) [Fine Gael]: There is no procedure under Irish company law for a company to …

Life Sentence Review Commission deny Brendan Lillis release

Pete Baker on July 26, 2011, 5:31 pm

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There’s an ongoing campaign for the release of former Provisional IRA member, Brendan Lillis, on compassionate grounds. But the BBC report that the Life Sentence Review Commission have just confirmed the Prison Service’s view that there were not sufficient grounds to justify his release. From the BBC report Republican prisoner Brendan Lillis will not be released on compassionate grounds, the Life Sentence Review Commission has decided. Mr Lillis, who suffers from a severe arthritic condition, was sentenced to life in 1977 on explosives …

“makes Murdoch look about as impressive as wrinkly little ant waving a tiny placard”

Pete Baker on July 17, 2011, 10:51 pm

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The arranged arrest of former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks today, she resigned on Friday, was met with suspicion by members of the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, as the BBC report notes Liberal Democrat MP Adrian Sanders, a member of the select committee, questioned the timing of the latest arrest. “In whose interest was it for this arrest to take place before Tuesday? Because if it does impede what we can ask, that’s not going to …

Bread, and circuses…

Pete Baker on July 14, 2011, 5:35 pm

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After a third night of attacks on police in nationalist areas across Northern Ireland, the NI First and deputy First Ministers have emerged to warn about some people’s “complacency about the peace process”. From the BBC report Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness met at Stormont Castle on Thursday to discuss recent rioting. Mr Robinson said “as a society we have begun to get a bit careless about how hard won the peace was”. Mr McGuinness said the riots “should shake …

“encouraged by a small number of people opposed to the peace process…”

Pete Baker on July 13, 2011, 8:00 pm

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Twenty-six people were arrested during last night’s rioting in nationalist areas of north and south Belfast and Londonderry. There were also reports of public disorder in Armagh, and the Dunclug estate in Ballymena. RTÉ lists Strabane, Newry, Ballymena and Armagh city, as well as Belfast and Londonderry. In Londonderry, we are told Sinn Féin Foyle MLA Martina Anderson said the violence was “orchestrated” and described it as “an orgy of destruction”. “Let’s be clear the vandalism and wanton destruction in …

“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 …

“There was no provocation”

Pete Baker on July 12, 2011, 7:56 pm

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With sporadic violence reported in Ardoyne tonight, here’s an account of last night’s violence in Belfast during which 22 police officers were injured, an ambulance and a fire engine attacked, and a bus hijacked and driven at police lines. From the BBC report Community worker Robert McClenaghan, from the Falls Residents Association, said the violence was organised by nationalist youths. More than 40 petrol bombs were thrown at police, who said crowds of about 150-200 people were involved in the violence …

“The decision to bury hard facts about our troubled past cannot be taken on the nod”

Pete Baker on July 8, 2011, 7:25 pm

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In the Belfast Telegraph Liam Clarke argues that the British and Irish Governments’ refusal to request and publish the IICD’s inventory of decommissioned weapons “tells us a great deal about their commitment to truth-recovery”. From the Belfast Telegraph article This is information which the governments commissioned and paid for on our behalf. If they decline to get it and publish it, that will send the clearest possible signal that the secrets of the Troubles, or at least any which can cause …

Republican Sinn Féin President arrested

Pete Baker on July 7, 2011, 12:09 am

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Apparently it’s “in relation to an illegal parade” in Lurgan on 23 January this year. There are denials that the hijackings and reported shots fired in Lurgan this evening are connected to the arrests. From the UTV report Josephine Hayden from RSF said the government has failed on promises to phase out strip-searching at jails. “There was a march planned for tonight to highlight the condition of prisoners in Maghabbery and Des was coming to speak at that,” Ms Hayden told UTV. “The …

“Put aside the rhetoric…”

Pete Baker on July 3, 2011, 12:21 am

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A perfect example of how an overly-sound-bite-led politician can undermine his own credibility by refusing to stray from the script. Indigenous politicians take note. Via Toby Harnden at the Telegraph blogs. And the Guardian has a report based on the interviewer ITV News’ Damon Green’s response In the two-minute 30-second version of the interview seen by the Guardian, Green tries six times to get Miliband to expand on his position about why he believes the strike action is wrong. In …

Judge Smithwick: “I think this was singularly ill-advised.”

Pete Baker on June 30, 2011, 8:34 pm

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I had mentioned the apparent disagreement between the chair of the Smithwick Tribunal, Judge Smithwick, and the Irish Justice Minister, Alan Shatter, over the latter’s proposed ‘deadline’, of 30 November, for the Tribunal’s final report. And in correspondence from the time, just released to the Oireachtas along with the Tribunal’s interim report [pdf file], Judge Smithwick made clear the extent of his disagreement. Judge Smithwick wrote to the Minister accusing him of a “wholly inappropriate” attempt to “interfere with the independence” of the inquiry. He …

IFI: “It is therefore incorrect to say the fund has an uncommitted surplus.”

Pete Baker on June 27, 2011, 4:12 pm

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The Detail’s John Breslin interviewed the chairman of the International Fund for Ireland, Denis Rooney, about the ongoing campaign to re-instate funding. But when he asked about the accounts, he was referred elsewhere. From The Detail report The Detail wanted to talk to someone from the organisation able to walk through the accounts. That did not happen despite two e-mails sent over two weeks ago asking for an interview with someone familiar with the accounts. As of September 2010, the …

NI Police Ombudsman: “we have no evidence of a deliberate action…”

Pete Baker on June 24, 2011, 3:21 pm

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The Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson’s report on the investigation into the murder of 6 people in Loughinisland by the UVF in 1994 has been published. To the anger of the relatives of those killed. Al Hutchinson’s comments in the UTV report sum up his position, and the problem for those relatives. “The families believe there is broad state collusion, our remit is only to focus on police actions, I have said there no collusion in two incidents and insufficient …

OFMDFM: “We would ask everyone to give the official the time and space to conduct this work…”

Pete Baker on June 22, 2011, 10:16 pm

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The reaction of our indigenous administration to two nights of violence in east Belfast that was, according to the PSNI, at least partly orchestrated by the UVF in the area and included shootings by still-violent republicans and loyalists? Intensive face-to-face discussions “involving community leaders, police and senior loyalist and republican representatives” [dissenting ones? – Ed], and the subsequent appointment of an un-named “senior government offical” tasked with identifying “areas of concern”. From the BBC report Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness said they have …

Sinn Féin rejects HET findings on Kingsmill massacre

Pete Baker on June 22, 2011, 12:56 pm

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The BBC headline may focus on a different aspect of the statement from Sinn Fein’s Mitchel McLaughlin, but it’s clear from the quotes that Sinn Féin rejects the findings of the Historical Enquiries Team’s (HET) report on the Kingsmill massacre. Specifically, the party rejects the HET finding that the Provisional IRA carried out the “purely sectarian” and “calculated slaughter” of 10 Protestants in south Armagh in 1976. From the BBC report The Historical Enquiries Team (HET) found the IRA was responsible …

Second night of violence in east Belfast

Pete Baker on June 21, 2011, 11:37 pm

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A significant police presence at the scene of last night’s rioting has failed to stop a recurrence of the violence. From the UTV report Update From the BBC report Police have confirmed that dissident republicans were responsible for shooting a photographer during trouble in east Belfast on Tuesday night. It happened during a second night of violence at a sectarian flashpoint on the Lower Newtownards Road. Police said the trouble was orchestrated by the loyalist paramilitary group, the UVF. And …

“They’ve hit homes with paint bombs, pipe bombs and petrol bombs.”

Pete Baker on June 20, 2011, 11:01 pm

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According to a BBC report, a large group of masked men have attacked a number of houses in east Belfast’s Short Strand area. From the BBC report Lord Mayor of Belfast Niall O Donnghaile, a Sinn Fein councillor for the area, was at the scene. He told the BBC that 60-100 masked men fully dressed in camouflage gear have been attacking homes. And from the same report Police are at the scene and community and youth workers have been trying to defuse …

Police to step up “stop and search of ‘suspicious’ cars and people” in Oldpark area

Pete Baker on June 17, 2011, 4:54 pm

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According to the North Belfast News, “police have agreed to step up their stop and search of ‘suspicious’ cars and people” in the Oldpark/Ardoyne area of North Belfast. Apparently at the request of the local Marrowbone Residents Group. According to the report, John McAlea from Marrowbone Residents Group said, “After talking about the drugs problem with police they have agreed to boost their stop and searching in the area,” he said. “We are really pushing them on the issue because we …

“there has never been any formal agreement between Ireland and the United Kingdom on the delimitation of a territorial water boundary…”

Pete Baker on June 15, 2011, 5:03 pm

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The Northern Ireland Marine Task Force have, in their own words, been “actively campaigning for effective marine legislation for Northern Ireland through the UK Marine Act and Northern Ireland Marine Bill since 2004.” The UK Marine Act arrived here in 2009, via a legislative consent motion in the NI Assembly, with a NI Marine Bill promised in 2012. Last week NIMTF welcomed the renewed support of MLAs from Alliance, SDLP, DUP and Sinn Féin. And yesterday some 200 schoolchildren arrived at Stormont …