Parties – Page 58 – Slugger O'Toole

NI Water: Draft PAC report says IRT conclusion “too general” and “deficient”

Pete Baker on January 18, 2011, 7:04 pm

| Readers 15

UTV has seen a leaked copy of the draft PAC report into the NI Water saga. From UTV [added emphasis throughout] The draft document, which was prepared by Audit Office staff over the past six months, has criticised the composition of the team formed last January to examine procurement problems at the water company. It says the Department should not have appointed individuals to the Independent Review Team who “could be perceived as having a conflict of interest.” The draft report …

Scottish Labour: “Minimum unit pricing was rightly rejected by MSPs because it is effectively a tax on the poor”

Pete Baker on January 18, 2011, 4:19 pm

| Readers 13

The UK’s coalition government has announced proposals to introduce minimum unit pricing on alcohol sold in England and Wales. But with it being a devolved matter, Northern Ireland doesn’t have to follow. Nevertheless, the NI Social Development Minister and the Health Minister have joined forces to announce their intention to launch a public consultation on the issue. Although there is already a wrinkle evident “I am meeting the Irish Minister for Justice and Law Reform Dermot Ahern in Dublin in the …

“The prize of going down in history as the government that brought about the end of Eta must be tempting”

Pete Baker on January 18, 2011, 1:58 pm

| Readers 5

The Irish Times‘ Paddy Woodworth reports on the latest developments following ETA’s declaration of a “permanent, general, and internationally verifiable” ceasefire. From the Irish Times report A document leaked to the Spanish newspaper El País at the weekend appears to confirm that Eta is still locked into the dogma that “armed struggle” will remain an essential element in the pursuit of Basque independence. According to the paper, a resolution passed by the group, following an internal debate after its initial ceasefire declaration …

Micheál Martin shows his hand

Pete Baker on January 16, 2011, 9:50 pm

| Readers 6

Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s ‘back me or sack’ challenge to his party has drawn out his first serious challenger. The Irish Foreign Affairs Minister, Micheál Martin, has tendered his resignation and has said that Fianna Fáil should change its leader before the Irish General Election. From the RTÉ report [Micheál Martin] said that he has reluctantly concluded that Fianna Fáil should change its leader before the General Election. He welcomed the Taoiseach’s announcement this evening to table a vote of confidence in his leadership. However, …

“Next time they might try openness and joined-up thinking”

Pete Baker on January 15, 2011, 4:37 pm

| Readers 4

I was somewhat blunter in my initial assessment of the Northern Ireland Executive’s spending plans, but I get the impression Patrick Murphy, in The Irish News, agrees. Their budgetary plans tell us three things – departments do not talk to each other, few of them know what a customer is and most ministers do not expect to retain their posts after the election. The information you wanted to know – details of how the cuts will affect you – will …

Apparently, T-shirts have already been printed…

Pete Baker on January 15, 2011, 3:58 pm

| Readers 22

For sheer entertainment value I feel obliged to share this account of the clash between Conservative MP, Mark Pritchard, and Mr Speaker… Mark Pritchard, a Tory MP described “as mild mannered” in the way that serial killers are usually described as mild-mannered until the lampshades made of skin are found in the basement, apparently impeded the movement of Speaker Bercow, who was progressing through the palace like a small medieval king mounted on a skateboard. “The courtesy of the house is …

“We do not want foreigners in here” – Redux

Pete Baker on January 15, 2011, 3:33 pm

| Readers 10

And on a somewhat related note, Miriam Lord spots a report of comments by Fianna Fáil TD, Ned O’Keeffe, who, as they say, has form on the topic… From Miriam Lord’s Week Our thanks to reporter Brian Moore of the Avondhu newspaper in Mitchelstown for bringing us this update from Ned, who is doing the nation some service by keeping a beady eye on troop movements in the Far East. In the course of a wide-ranging interview on Cork local …

“It was the choice of the successive governments, and their voters…”

Pete Baker on January 15, 2011, 3:27 pm

| Readers 2

In a lengthy interview in the Irish Times senior European Central Bank official, Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, makes a point previously noted here. From the Irish Times article A lean Italian in his mid-50s, Bini Smaghi is a ranking member of the ECB executive board and was a key figure behind the scenes in the drama that saw Ireland seek an EU-IMF bailout two months ago. He is the first senior European official to publicly describe in detail, from the perspective …

Michael Somers on Anglo Irish Bank: “they weren’t essential for normal day-to-day banking”

Pete Baker on January 14, 2011, 4:56 pm

| Readers 19

At the Guardian’s Ireland Business Blog, Lisa O’Carroll spots another wrinkle in the Anglo Irish Bank saga [Michael Somers, the former head of the NTMA] is a bit like the governor of the central bank, Patrick Honohan, when it comes to media. Composed, mild-mannered and long on integrity. In short, a credible witness. Somers explained that the NTMA had, at any point, between €5bn and €10bn to place among 100 banks around the world. Anglo only got €40m of that, …

Bullshit, and joined-up government…

Pete Baker on January 14, 2011, 3:04 pm

| Readers 8

Some four weeks after the departmental allocations were agreed and all Northern Ireland Executive departments have, to a greater or lesser extent, finally published their spending plans. Don’t worry, though. There’ll be an extra week of that public consultation… Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland Finance Minister, the DUP’s Sammy Wilson, is complaining that the UK Treasury has “swiped” £300million of NI departments’ yearly underspend – rather than allowing it to be drawn down in the subsequent year. The NIO has issued a statement …

SF MLA Paul Butler to stand down

Pete Baker on January 13, 2011, 2:35 pm

| Readers 470

Sinn Féin MLA for Lagan Valley, Paul Butler, has announced that he will not contest the May Assembly elections after only one term as an MLA. He resigned from Lisburn Council last month, as the Antrim Times reported. “I am standing down,” confirmed Mr Butler. “The Party’s position on this is that anyone who is a councillor and an MLA should only have one job.” The BBC reports that Paul Butler has “denied he was retiring from party politics because of disappointment …

Platform for Change launches major Assembly reform, gambling on underlying public support. Are they right and how will the parties respond?

Brian Walker on January 12, 2011, 6:49 pm

| Readers 11

After lying low for months, the campaigning group Platform for Change has now come out with a Big Bang approach to reform for the next phase of the Assembly, hoping to make a major impact on the forthcoming election campaign. The Programme will be debated at a meeting at Queen’s on Saturday. At the time of writing it has not yet been posted on Platform for Change’s website. Sweeping changes to the present system of powersharing (often misleadingly called “mandatory coalition”) …

Executive spending plans delay “treating the public with contempt”

Pete Baker on January 12, 2011, 1:14 pm

| Readers 4

According to the BBC report the following Northern Ireland Executive Departments have yet to publish their spending plans. Office of the First and Deputy First Minister Agriculture Education Health Regional Development That’s despite the departmental allocations being agreed on 15th December and an ongoing public consultation on those plans. The report quotes Alliance Party MLA, Stephen Farry Stephen Farry of the Alliance Party said the ongoing delay was “treating the public with contempt”. And from a separate report A member of the …

Take it steady for political reform – why not adapt from the Brits?

Brian Walker on January 11, 2011, 3:59 pm

| Readers 3

Following up my comments on the supposed “ gridlock ” on political reform in the Republic, three elements from recent UK political and constitutional reforms should be considered before throwing the whole system up in the air and creating a potentially dangerous state of flux. This is quite dry stuff and not as much fun as “panic don’t panic, ” melodramatic despair and the usual battles over history, but they could be a lot more effective. No doubt this is …

“Budget Allocations are not the end, but the start of the process”

Pete Baker on January 10, 2011, 9:21 pm

| Readers 5

When the departmental allocations of Northern Ireland’s draft budget were finally revealed on 15th December the public consultation was also set in motion – even though the detail of each minister’s spending plan was not yet known. That consultation is due to end on 9th February. But, as the NI Finance Minister, the DUP’s Sammy Wilson, has pointed out to UTV, the majority of NI Executive Ministers have not yet published their spending plans. “So far despite the fact the information was supposed …

“Surely it can only strengthen our democracy…”

Pete Baker on January 9, 2011, 2:05 pm

| Readers 7

The Guardian report on the UK government’s declared intent to extend Freedom of Information laws includes this quote from Hugh Orde. The Acpo president, Sir Hugh Orde, welcomed the proposals. He said: “Any organisation that operates as part of a key public service should be accountable and open to public scrutiny. “The Association of Chief Police Officers has been asking to be included under the act and welcomes the extension of authorities that it offers.” They also intend to enact …

Professor Hillyard: “We prepared the reports and they’re still sitting on somebody’s shelf somewhere”

Pete Baker on January 7, 2011, 5:31 pm

| Readers 131

A timely reminder from the chairman of the Independent Water Review Panel [IWRP], Professor Paddy Hillyard, of the results of the recommendations contained in the two strands of his previous review of NI Water. From the BBC report The review was set up by the assembly in 2007 after direct rule ministers advised that water services should be privatised. Among its recommendations were that water charges should come in. [Adds – and “be clearly and separately identified on their rates bill …

Updated: “The second part of the investigation will be produced by two individuals appointed by the First Minister and deputy First Minister…”

Pete Baker on January 7, 2011, 12:37 am

| Readers 12

We now have the details of that “yet another expensive review” of NI Water, as annonunced by the Northern Ireland Executive. Despite concerns about the Utilities Regulator’s role expressed by, amongst others, the NI Consumer Council, that part of the review – proposed by the NI Regional Development Minister – stays in place. But they’ve added a second layer. And in time honoured fashion they don’t appear to have been able to agree to appoint a single person to review the Regulator’s review, …

Breaking the deadlock over academic selection

Brian Walker on January 6, 2011, 12:28 pm

| Readers 9

In England, choice and localism in education are being encouraged by the spread of academies and ” free” schools, while Northern Ireland seems to be to heading off in other direction, through greater centralisation by the long delayed Education and Skills Authority. This seems all the more inappropriate as the Assembly is no nearer to agreeing a policy on secondary education. A bureaucratic body functioning without clear political direction is a recipe for trouble. While we can expect little sense to emerge from the parties this …

“This minister doesn’t appear to accept any responsibility for anything”

Pete Baker on January 5, 2011, 3:35 pm

| Readers 7

A BBC report includes this pertinent comment from UUP MLA Fred Cobain, chairman of the NI Assembly’s Regional Development Committee, on the NI water crisis. Ulster Unionist Fred Cobain is chair of the Regional Development Committee, which is to meet on Thursday to discuss the crisis. He said “the issue rests with the minister and not Mr MacKenzie”. “At the end of the day in all of these issues the individual who leads the department is responsible and I have to …