Find It Fix It

Assembly Ministers Peter Robinson and Michael McGimpsey must have felt like a pair of Jim’ll Fix Its today.
Mr Robinson sauntered into the Assembly and said “Now then, now then, what can I do for you today?”
Okay so it may not have been picked up by the diligent Assembly reporters (who I see from a recent interview published in a local daily, work in five minute shifts – high-fives to whoever negotiated those terms) who keep a note of the proceedings for Hansard, but all the parties did hear it and they fell over each other to tell him exactly what they wanted.
Basically each of the MLAs who took to their feet requested a review of the widely detested rates system, but it first took an hour of chatting about minutely detailed amendments before the matter was resolved and their collective wish was granted. Deprived of his trademark cigar, presumably due to the smoking ban, Peter’ll ‘Fix It’ Robinson then rose to his feet, and promptly said “No bother, and what’s more, all your amendments are welcome for consideration in my review too.”
This all took less than an hour and a half of debate. Given the timetable he set himself of presenting his plans to the Executive within a couple of weeks, and for the new system to have an impact before next April, it seems like it will not take long before the system is overhauled, and everyone is invited back to receive their Peter’ll Fix It medals.
Just a matter of hours later it was the turn of the Health Minister, the UUP’s Michael McGimpsey’s – A Sinn Féin motion calling for an investigation into the possible scrapping of prescription charges was granted, with Mr McGimpsey directing a team of Health Department officials to make a review their priority.
Then in probably the most significant motion of the day, the UUP MLA promptly agreed to implement the Bamford review into mental health and learning disability in full.
With "Fix It" medals being handed out left right and centre it would be pertinent for the MLAs to remember to be careful what they wish for, particularly in an issue such as rates where the bill has to be paid for by someone.