Society

The £100million plan for development of a Titanic tourist project in Belfast’s docklands area was heavily publicised in the media yesterday.. and the BBC report is online here. With a nice drawing too. But reading closely, there is no breakdown of the figures for private/public funding and, despite the reported unveiling of the plan by Belfast City Council and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board in the article, it currently only has the backing of Tourism sub-committee – the proposal, and …

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The Police Service of Northern Ireland have decided to issue fire blankets to Catholic families in the North Antrim village of Ahogill to help protect them from ongoing arson attacks by British loyalists. A PSNI spokesman told the BBC the action was “unprecedented”. However, it was taken after fresh intelligence suggested more attacks were imminent. George

A year on from the referendum to change the Irish Republic’s citizenship laws, it has been revealed that 477 people have been refused entry from Northern Ireland to the Irish Republic in the first six months of 2005, an increase of nearly 250% over a year. Thanks Seamus for this even if it’s a little late.A special Garda immigration unit based in Dundalk stopped the people in the first six months while in the same period last year, they refused …

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RTE reports on how the proposed changes in the public lending right payments system will affect public libraries, but as Irish author Philip Casey points out on his blog “The cheque will hardly be worth collecting for 99% of authors”. He suggests that the Artists’ Resale Right payments system, and the commitment to enforce intellectual property rights [details at the DETE site], will have a greater impact. The Irish Examiner seems to agree – “The plans will include greater protection …

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The UVF, according to reports, have forced some residents to leave a Belfast estate, claiming – in the midst of the ongoing feud – that they had LVF links. Police may be “very much present”, as the quote in the BBC article puts it.. but who exactly are they serving? And what has our part-share Sectretary of State to say? Btw, if anyone thinks the heading is in anyway an endorsement.. read this previous post on the ubiquitous use of …

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Robin at Perfect.co.uk has more on developments in London. And, as searches continue, the BBC has a revised report that pulls together the available information on the terrorist attack yesterday, the police have also released CCTV images of the suspects. Pete Baker

If NI gets a smoking ban, it’s more likely to be total than partial. At least those were direct rule minister Shaun Woodward’s candid thoughts today. He’s not expected to make a decision until 2007, but this is the clearest indication yet that he favours a total ban. Consultations with unions follow. But considering their stance on the Republic’s ban, it’s unlikely there will be substantial opposition from that quarter. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written …

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Via Newshound, Newton Emerson picked up on the statement by Sinn Féin MLA Willie Clarke on the drive-by shooting in Newcastle on Monday – “We need the community to get involved” – which I noted at the time, and asks “what does he mean by the community, exactly?”As Newton points out, the ubiquitous community label is too readily used in an attempt to legitimise and disguise other agendas – Because community implies grassroots legitimacy it is an ideal disguise for …

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Three underground stations in London have been evacuated after what are described as “a series of incidents”.. very sketchy details at the minute, although the Guardian Newsblog has a SkyNews report that “at 1254. A passenger’s backpack blew apart, but did not cause further damage”. Update More from the Guardian Newsblog Update again Four minor explosions it seems, with possibly only the detonators exploding, including one on a bus. Only one person, it is reported, has been injured. More Today …

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Christian Churches in Ireland have suffered because of a lack of ecumenism, Church of Ireland primate Most Rev Robin Eames has told the McGill Summer School in Donegal. “Christianity in Ireland has suffered because of our total allegiance to denominationalism. In the naked sectarianism of Northern Ireland, ecumenism for some is a sign of failure, surrender and weakness,” he said.Eames says religion in Ireland is now divided into two parts – north and south – with the Catholic Church commanding …

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The appointment of former RTE DG Bob Collins as NI’s Equality Commissioner has caused something of a political storm, coming as it does on the heels of a decision to appoint another non-Unionist Professor Monica McWilliams as Human Rights Commissioner. Dan McGinn was one of the first to interview Collins, who is keen that people should not judge him by his general background alone.By Dan McGinn, PA Ireland Political Editor The incoming head of Northern Ireland’s Equality Commission tonight insisted …

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There almost seems to be a concerted effort to play down the extent of the violence in Ardoyne on 12th July.. and other attempts at causing destruction over the past week.. possibly for an obvious reason. So, from Thursday’s Irish Times, Gerry Moriarty’s eye-witness account of the riot in Ardoyne is worth noting.. as is his comment – “Sure, there is global terror and suicide bombers on our London doorstep but that must not interfere with our ancient hatreds.” Riots …

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The Irish Times has an excellent article by Dennis Tourish, co-author of On the Edge: Political Cults Right and Left, in which he, [perhaps] ostensibly, asks, “How could such [seemingly ordinary] people have callously bombed dozens of their fellow citizens into oblivion?”.. and his answer – “The surprise, really, is that we can be so easily surprised.”He, firstly, addresses the impression that psychological disorder might be a factor [all emphasis is added] – In truth, throughout history ordinary people have …

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Perhaps in response to another report in the same paper – “The IRA will not disband but will have no role other than to pursue the goal of a united Ireland by purely peaceful means, in the scenario now being considered by republican leaders.”, the Irish Times leader today [just] manages to avoid the Godot reference.. but the connection seems to be there – Waiting for the IRA to go awayFrom the Irish Times leader column – Thousands of words …

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Despite the rumours of his imminent demise.. Malachi O’Doherty, in today’s Belfast Telegraph, on the “Riots billed in advance like country ceilidhs” – “The apprehension of what is to come will excite the testosterone-charged young men on both sides but it will hang like a stale cloud over the heads of everyone else who is either stuck in one of those areas or committed by principle to being there. And behind them will be the political manipulators working out what …

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The Guardian’s Donald MacLeod looks at how London has been the target of terror attacks before.. a point which, undoubtedly, was in many minds yesterday. He notes that – “There were 36 bombs in London in 1973.” The experience of Londoners over those decades will inform many of the reactions to yesterday’s attack.Another point worth noting, and in contrast to the comments in the Irish News article, the Guardian report also points out that, the choosing of financial targets was …

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New Health Minister, Shaun Woodward, is making a habit of grabbing headlines with set piece speeches. Today he announces the imposition of fines on Health Trusts who fail to ensure all patients receive surgery within 12 months. Philip Weir