Parties – Page 61 – Slugger O'Toole

“Economic crises, however severe, will come and go…”

Pete Baker on December 1, 2010, 7:50 pm

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In The Guardian, Henry McDonald points out that the Economy, not unity, is Irish priority There is a great unspoken paradox about the current politico-fiscal crisis gripping the Republic of Ireland. The Irish people’s anger and disillusionment may have thrown a lifeline to Sinn Féin and rescued the party from total irrelevance in the Republic but its united Ireland project is more unrealisable than ever. Of course, as the Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, was telling us, and The Guardian, last July The …

“Although the delivery timetable for local government has not yet been finalised by the Executive…”

Pete Baker on December 1, 2010, 4:27 pm

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The Northern Ireland Environment Minister, the DUP’s Edwin Poots, may be introducing a Planning Bill to the NI Assembly next week – with the intention to absorb Planning Service within the Department of the Environment before transferring planning powers to local councils. And he may be seeking views “on proposals aimed at modernising and strengthening local democracy”. But as he admits in his press release, the timetable for the proposed “transfer of Development Plan and Development Management powers to councils” has yet …

ICLVR: “The results positively indicate that the remains are those of Mr Gerard Evans”

Pete Baker on November 30, 2010, 3:00 pm

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The BBC reports that the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains [ICLVR] have confirmed that the body found after a targeted search of bogland in County Louth in October is that of Gerard Evans, who was abducted, murdered and secretly buried in 1979. No organisation has admitted responsibility for his murder. But some have unreliable memories… Louth is, of course, the constituency where the [soon-to-be] former International Representative for west Belfast is hoping to be elected. Pete Baker

Fintan’s Enough is Enough petition is a better start for reform

Brian Walker on November 30, 2010, 12:14 pm

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Although no fan of Fintan O’Toole’s spasm of direct action, his headline political reforms are admirable. Once he’s won some support, he surely needs to transform the petition into a collective enterprise. Political reform is no solo run or quick fix. He will also realise he needs support from among those he has been slagging off or he’ll not get very far. For Irish reform, old ghosts should not inhibit a comparative analysis with the British experience. Ireland like Britain …

NI Assembly Speaker: “They are treating the House with contempt…”

Pete Baker on November 29, 2010, 9:43 pm

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Despite changes to the Standing Orders in June 2009, the Northern Ireland Assembly Speaker was forced to crack some heads together in the chamber today over MLAs’ attitudes to Question Time – as UTV reports here. Hansard records what the Speaker, Willie Hay, had to say [permanent link] Mr Willie Clarke is not in his place for question 1; that is another issue that I intend to deal with. Departments and Ministers spend a great deal of time and resources on Question Time …

Euro crisis: “This might be the last chance to bring stability back to the European’s financial system…”

Pete Baker on November 29, 2010, 4:43 pm

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The day after the details of Ireland’s bail-out were revealed, the BBC notes the markets’ reaction On Sunday, ministers reached agreement over a bail-out worth about 85bn euros ($113bn; £72bn). On Monday, the euro fell 0.8% to $1.3136, its lowest since 21 September. And Irish, Spanish and Portuguese bond yields remained stubbornly high, indicating the market is not convinced European debt problems have gone away. Meanwhile, major European markets were also lower in midday trade. The euro also fell against …

“It is believed overall goals include producing better informed elected Stormont representatives…”

Pete Baker on November 27, 2010, 10:25 pm

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The NIO vetoed the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission’s further access to US-based charity Atlantic Philanthropies’ largesse – which may have contributed to the Chief Commissioner’s announced early departure. Meanwhile, according to a Belfast Telegraph report, the NI Assembly is in advanced talks with Atlantic Philanthropies to fund a “political leadership” skills programme for NI Assembly members. From the Belfast Telegraph report According to Stormont sources, in the region of £1m could be provided for the MLA programme, which would run over …

Will Donegal create the bounce for Ireland’s Green Tea Party?

Brian Walker on November 26, 2010, 7:25 pm

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Mark is entitled to be pleased. But Donegal is only the sparring match. The stakes have now raised to a critical high for the main bout. If Sinn Fein can’t win big in the general election, they never will. The Donegal sideshow was in some respects, a gift. A blatant gerrymander in delaying the by election by 17 months, the appeal of the “burn the bondholders ” populist shout, a personable well-gelled young candidate with a good community record, I understand all …

Owen Paterson: “A settlement is precisely that – a settlement. It is not the opening round of a negotiation.”

Pete Baker on November 25, 2010, 11:00 pm

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You might have thought that when the Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers met yesterday with NI Secretary of State, Owen Paterson, and Treasury Finance Secretary, Mark Hoban, the first item on the agenda would be the still-to-be-agreed NI draft budget. After all, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness did tell us that the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, had assured them that the NIO and the Treasury would be re-examining the figures. Strangely, there’s no mention of that in the OFMDFM …

“I know there is a lot of genuine people who feel abandoned”

Pete Baker on November 23, 2010, 4:11 pm

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When the [soon-to-be] former International Representative for west Belfast announced his intention to disappear over the border to Louth, he assured the Dundalk Democrat that GERRY Adams will reside in County Louth if elected to Dail Eireann in this constituency. The Sinn Fein leader made the admission on a visit to The Dundalk Democrat on Monday. Many people had questioned his decision to run in County Louth despite not being from the area but Mr Adams said he will happily relocate …

Owen Paterson: “It is difficult for the Government to make further progress on a Bill of Rights in the absence of this consensus”

Pete Baker on November 23, 2010, 11:53 am

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I linked in passing last night to the speech by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State at the British Irish Parliamentary Association meeting in the Isle of Man. And as Mark Hennessy notes in the Irish Times, he had some important points to make on the troubled NI Bill of Rights. From Owen Paterson’s speech The Government remains committed to maintaining human rights protections in Northern Ireland The previous Government’s consultation on Next Steps on a Bill of Rights revealed deep divisions …

Owen Paterson: “in facing the challenges and exploiting every opportunity offered we function best when we are a team”

Pete Baker on November 22, 2010, 10:24 pm

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While the Irish Government struggles to cope with the game of geo-political hardball they are engaged in, the BBC reports that our own special little pleaders – the Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers – have issued a statement following a meeting of the UK Joint Ministerial Committee. In case you didn’t know The Joint Ministerial Committee is established by the Memorandum of Understanding between the UK Government and the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Its purpose …

Olli Rehn: ‘it is likely unfortunately to imply tax increases’

Pete Baker on November 22, 2010, 1:25 pm

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I’d wait for the detail, Brian, before declaring anything ‘safe’. RTÉ reports the latest comments from European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, Olli Rehn, on Ireland’s bail-out application. From the RTÉ report European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn has reiterated that Ireland would no longer be a low tax economy. When asked in an interview with RTÉ News if the corporate tax rate was now off the table for good, Mr Rehn said that by Ireland ceasing …

Owen Paterson: “This is absolutely pathetic…”

Pete Baker on November 20, 2010, 4:44 pm

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The Northern Ireland Executive met on Thursday, although you’d be forgiven for not noticing. Not that there aren’t plenty of items which are, or which should be, on their agenda. Most pressingly the still-to-be-agreed draft NI budget. And as economist Neil Gibson told the Assembly this week “I want to be clear that what’s in front of us is challenging,” [Mr Gibson] told members of the Finance and Personnel Committee. “I don’t want to underplay how hard it’s going to be to make savings, but …

Sir Reg to become a peer

Pete Baker on November 19, 2010, 3:08 pm

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Not entirely a surprise to hear that the former leader of the UUP, Sir Reg Empey, is to become a peer. Or that he was nominated by the Prime Minister, and Conservative Party leader, David Cameron. The BBC has the full list of new working peers announced today. Pete Baker

plus c’est la même chose…

Pete Baker on November 19, 2010, 2:37 pm

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Much of the media focus may be on the economic discussions in Dublin, and the former International Representative for west Belfast may be disappearing over the border… but some things don’t change. The 25-year-old man shot in both legs in west Belfast on Thursday was the third instance of a paramilitary “vigilante” shooting in the city this week. The two other shootings took place in north Belfast. A man in his 20s was shot multiple times by three men wearing balaclavas who …

“In hindsight…”

Pete Baker on November 18, 2010, 3:20 pm

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In the Irish Times Stephen Collins signs off with a line on the electoral prospects of Fianna Fáil that’s worth considering as the ECB and the IMF have those detailed discussions in Dublin. The voters who rewarded it for being so irresponsible in the good times are likely to be merciless now that everything has gone so badly wrong. Read the whole thing. Pete Baker

“If an allegation of sexual abuse is made against a Sinn Féin member…”

Pete Baker on November 17, 2010, 11:35 pm

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According to a BBC report A former Sinn Fein councillor and widow of one of the most senior IRA leaders in Belfast is to be charged with cruelty and sexual offences. The report doesn’t give a source – I’m assuming it was the Public Prosecution Service – nor an indication of when the charges will be put. The BBC report comes in the wake of a weekend report in the Irish News where the alleged victim, Mary Meehan, waived her right to …

“There is a bit of a split in the camp over it”

Pete Baker on November 16, 2010, 4:14 pm

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Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has denied reports of dissent in the party being imposed as a candidate in Louth following his sudden decision to leave west Belfast, and the UK, in a bid to hold onto the Dáil seat to be vacated by Arthur Morgan. He’s telling anyone who will listen that “The idea for me to stand . . . came from within the constituency. If you elbow yourself in somewhere you create havoc and it doesn’t help the party.” …

“I do think it would be seen as a failure of the assembly…”

Pete Baker on November 15, 2010, 11:01 pm

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The BBC reports the concerns of Northern Ireland Finance Minister, the DUP’s Sammy Wilson, about the potential need for an emergency budget if the NI Executive fails to agree a draft budget. From the BBC report Mr Wilson said some ministers had been co-operating with his department. “It would be wrong to blame everybody and I hope everyone doesn’t get tarred with the one brush,” he said. “I do think it would be seen as a failure of the assembly …