"Lairnin' Ulster Scots is Fun with Jim Shannon" normally features on the Friday blog when the Assembly grinds to a halt, but since I'm off work tomorrow, it's been moved forward a day.
This week Jim is talking about the Transformation Fund, which is the money required to support the development of professionalism in childcare and early education. I'm sure you'll agree that it's a fascinating topic to read about in English, well it's all the more exciting in Ulster Scots.
The reason for the speechmarks for the first paragraph is that the DUP MLA starts off 'quoting' an official document which I presume he translated.
Word of the day has to be "kent". Ken, as we learnt last week means 'know'. Adding a 't' to the end transforms it into the academically splendid 'cognitive'. Thus 'no kent' is clearly non-cognitive - it's all very logical.
Here's this week's homework - see how you get on:
"It micht be that tha benefits o' investin in weancare an afore schuill larning cud be a muckle better investmunt in larning than bein din at aa' later stage, gien that aa' lerge pert o' baith kent an no kent skills show themsels afore weans stert schuill."
This wus takin' frae aa' paper oan tha benefits o' early weancare in comparisin tae coast facter an is plain tae see that tae stert aa' wean aff oan tha richt fut is maist diffinently mony weel spent.
I was whinging last week about Jim's inconsistencies last week, which is admittedly a reflection of my ignorance rather than a short-coming in the dialect/language*, but fortunately I have the good news that help is at hand.
For today as the Ulster Scots Academy Consultation was discussed at the Committee for Culture, Arts, and Leisure, it emerged that there are plans to establish a permanent base in one of the local universities [they haven't decided which one yet], with outreach centres for the places where they speak the lingo [they didn't say where that was] and, best of all an Ulster Scots dictionary.
That puts an end to any suspicion that the allocation of £14 million (which was mirrored by an equal payment to Irish) from the GFA was a waste of tax payers' money then.
*delete according to whether you prefer hurling or shinty
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Funny Old Game
Deciding where a sports stadium goes is proving to be a funny old game, as the committee charged with scrutinising the decision making process seem to be as much in the dark about the detail of what is happening as the rest of us.
To shed some light on the matter Edwin Poots, the Minister who makes the call on where the muti-sports stadium is sited is being requested to attend a meeting of the committee for Culture Arts and Leisure for a frank discussion on, as the committee's deputy chair, David McNarry (who chaired the meeting as Barry McElduff is part of the mass-exodus to the Smithsonian festival in the sunnier climates of Washington) calls it, the "nitty gritty" of the debate.
In addition the committee are hoping to see a copy of the business plan for the proposed project for the H-Block/Maze site.
"There seems to be a reluctance of some of the departments to give the full information," Mr McNarry observed, and offered the drastic solution of resorting to issuing freedom of information requests if needed. However, he maintained, "We shouldn't have to go to those lengths."
The Committee is awaiting a response for the Minister's timetable for the progression of the stadium, and David McNarry fired a warning shot saying, "It would be clear to the committee that the Minister would be foolish, and therefore unlikely to progress without consulting this committee, when he reaches his decision of where he is going."
He also said that they were "anxious" that no decision would be made over when the Assembly goes into its month-long recess from July 7.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Civic Forum
As all the excitement today was over in Westminster with Blair handing the keys ovver to Brown there was little for the two journalists left remaining in Stormont to get stuck into. The one morsel of substance we had been promised on today's agendas, was a debate by the committee of the OFMDFM on the terms of reference for the review of the Civic Forum.
The Forum has come in for ridicule from the DUP just this week with Stephen Moutray describing it during OFMDFM Question Time as an “utter waste of time, money and resources."
The SDLP however believe it could flourish given that the Assembly will offer stability over the next four years. Alban Maginness was peterbed by Martin McGuinness' failure, as he sees it, to confirm it did have a future during Question Time and instead focus on the forth-coming review. Alban suspects that the Forum may have been sacrificed by the republicans in seeking a deal with the DUP on devolution.
However the debate was snatched from us as the draft terms of reference have not been completed by OFMDFM for the Committee to peruse and now they will not get their hands on it until the end of the summer recess.
It may however mean that Sinn Féin are kicking up a fight on behalf of the Forum if the draft is behind schedule. Possibly with this in mind, SDLP's Dolores Kelly today asked the committee chair to seek a reason for the delay: "Is the hold-up a lack of agreement or is it more to do with the pressure of workload?"
We'll have to wait at least until September to find out.
The Forum has come in for ridicule from the DUP just this week with Stephen Moutray describing it during OFMDFM Question Time as an “utter waste of time, money and resources."
The SDLP however believe it could flourish given that the Assembly will offer stability over the next four years. Alban Maginness was peterbed by Martin McGuinness' failure, as he sees it, to confirm it did have a future during Question Time and instead focus on the forth-coming review. Alban suspects that the Forum may have been sacrificed by the republicans in seeking a deal with the DUP on devolution.
However the debate was snatched from us as the draft terms of reference have not been completed by OFMDFM for the Committee to peruse and now they will not get their hands on it until the end of the summer recess.
It may however mean that Sinn Féin are kicking up a fight on behalf of the Forum if the draft is behind schedule. Possibly with this in mind, SDLP's Dolores Kelly today asked the committee chair to seek a reason for the delay: "Is the hold-up a lack of agreement or is it more to do with the pressure of workload?"
We'll have to wait at least until September to find out.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Reserve Judgment
Surprisingly there was middle ground to be found in today's debate over pension payments for members of the part-time RUC reserve. And it was the SDLP's Alex Attwood, a former member of the Policing Board, and his party colleague Dolores Kelly, who found it by supporting the motion. Just how middle that middle ground was, or even if it was the right place to be is of course a matter of opinion.
The West Belfast MLA said he supported firstly because he believed that P-T employees deserve equal employment conditions as F-T employees regardless of where they work, but also, and much more contentiously, he said that the reserve suffered disproportionately amongst the security forces during the conflict:
"Over the years of conflict," said Mr Attwood, "the part-time reserve suffered disproportionately to any other section of the old RUC, that when you look at the unfortunate and tragic statistics of the last 40 years, the number of part-time reserve officers who were injured and killed is far in excess of any other section of the security forces. [53 reservists were killed and a further 9 killed after they had retired.]
"The reason for that is simple. They were locally recruited, lived locally, were targeted locally and were killed locally. I think there is something particular about the part-time reserve, that this chamber should acknowledge by supporting the broad thrust of this proposal."
He proceeded to adopt the few bad apples stance saying that none of the above takes away from the fact that the "SDLP has grave reservations" about the "conduct of individuals and elements in the old RUC", and which remain "highly questionable." He then said that the new victims group headed by Denis Bradley and Arch-Bishop Eames should examine the activities of such individuals.
John O'Dowd of Sinn Féin said that on a practical level it would be impossible to assess pension rights since the British governemnt didn't keep the time-sheets. He said that the minimum that the reservist had to serve was two hours per month, and continued that he would be “mighty peeved” if he had been a reservist who had worked 90 hours a week and another who had only served much less got the same pension.
He was also outraged that unionists had argued that the part-time reservists protected all of the community "without fear or favour".
"I don’t know how anyone has the brass neck to come into this debating chamber after yesterday’s announcement [by the PPS] and tell us as a whole that the RUC as a whole was protecting us entirely," he seethed.
"I wonder if the families sitting in the Ormeau Road who lost loved ones in the [Sean Graham] bookmakers, and I wonder if Pat Finucane’s family is watching this? And I wonder if Brian Adam Lambert, the young protestant man who shot to death in Lisburn, if his family are watching this?"
John O'Dowd concluded by quoting an extract from the Stevens Report which concluded there was collusion in the Finucane and Lambert murders and asked, if part-time reservist were involved in these collusions should they receive a pension as well?
UUP's Danny Kennedy said that not only did John O'Dowd misjudge the issue, but he misjudged the tone of the House and had brought forward "his prejudiced views," and concluded, "John O'Dowd should be ashamed of his contribution here."
Not intending a pun Ian Paisley Jnr said that pensions for reservists was a 'reserved matter' and "with all the will in the world" it would remain a reserved matter. However he said that the OFMDFM would make representations to the Secretary of State on the issue.
The West Belfast MLA said he supported firstly because he believed that P-T employees deserve equal employment conditions as F-T employees regardless of where they work, but also, and much more contentiously, he said that the reserve suffered disproportionately amongst the security forces during the conflict:
"Over the years of conflict," said Mr Attwood, "the part-time reserve suffered disproportionately to any other section of the old RUC, that when you look at the unfortunate and tragic statistics of the last 40 years, the number of part-time reserve officers who were injured and killed is far in excess of any other section of the security forces. [53 reservists were killed and a further 9 killed after they had retired.]
"The reason for that is simple. They were locally recruited, lived locally, were targeted locally and were killed locally. I think there is something particular about the part-time reserve, that this chamber should acknowledge by supporting the broad thrust of this proposal."
He proceeded to adopt the few bad apples stance saying that none of the above takes away from the fact that the "SDLP has grave reservations" about the "conduct of individuals and elements in the old RUC", and which remain "highly questionable." He then said that the new victims group headed by Denis Bradley and Arch-Bishop Eames should examine the activities of such individuals.
John O'Dowd of Sinn Féin said that on a practical level it would be impossible to assess pension rights since the British governemnt didn't keep the time-sheets. He said that the minimum that the reservist had to serve was two hours per month, and continued that he would be “mighty peeved” if he had been a reservist who had worked 90 hours a week and another who had only served much less got the same pension.
He was also outraged that unionists had argued that the part-time reservists protected all of the community "without fear or favour".
"I don’t know how anyone has the brass neck to come into this debating chamber after yesterday’s announcement [by the PPS] and tell us as a whole that the RUC as a whole was protecting us entirely," he seethed.
"I wonder if the families sitting in the Ormeau Road who lost loved ones in the [Sean Graham] bookmakers, and I wonder if Pat Finucane’s family is watching this? And I wonder if Brian Adam Lambert, the young protestant man who shot to death in Lisburn, if his family are watching this?"
John O'Dowd concluded by quoting an extract from the Stevens Report which concluded there was collusion in the Finucane and Lambert murders and asked, if part-time reservist were involved in these collusions should they receive a pension as well?
UUP's Danny Kennedy said that not only did John O'Dowd misjudge the issue, but he misjudged the tone of the House and had brought forward "his prejudiced views," and concluded, "John O'Dowd should be ashamed of his contribution here."
Not intending a pun Ian Paisley Jnr said that pensions for reservists was a 'reserved matter' and "with all the will in the world" it would remain a reserved matter. However he said that the OFMDFM would make representations to the Secretary of State on the issue.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Doubting Thomas
Tommy Burns must have doubted if he'd ever get a straight answer at OFMDFM Question Time. The SDLP man had been thwarted a fortnight ago in his bid to score some party political points when he asked Ian Paisley if he agreed with Ian Jnr's disparaging remarks on the role of Junior Ministers.
On that occasion Da Paisley assumed that the question was about his son's remarks on gays and churned out a prepared answer that bore no significance to the question.
Today when Tommy asked Martin McGuinness a question at Question Time Mr McGuinness said:
"The short answer is that I haven't got an answer for your question because I was told before I came in today that you wouldn't be here."
As the laughter among the benches ensued and a bemused Tommy Burns looked around the chamber, waiting for Jeremy Beadle to jump out and tell him that it was all a wind up, the Deputy First Minister continued, "I have been very honest about all of that."
Just then a "quick-witted civil servant" came to Martin McGuinness' and Tommy Burns' rescue and presented him with the answer.
Shrine To Terrorism?
The DUP today looked to one of Ireland's best known living republicans to settle their in-fighting over the proposed multi-sports stadium in the Maze/Long Kesh.
As you doubtless know, Nigel Dodds on Friday threw a spanner in Edwin Pooot's best laid plans over the stadium by saying that the plans are tarnished by the presence of "a shrine to IRA terrorism" nearby.
During question time Jeffrey Donaldson asked Martin McGuinness to give assurances "that there will be no shrine associated with any stadium in Northern Ireland commemorating any cause or seeking to bring the past into the future."
This was interesting as it seems like in his haste to have any hunger-strike commemoration he is also ruling out 'a shrine' to the late great Georgie Best.
Anyway, unionists can now rest at ease as the republican says that there is no plan to build a shrine, but just an international centre for conflict resolution.
Phew, I hear Nigel Dodds and Edwin Poots collectively sigh in relief - that's that problem solved then.
As you doubtless know, Nigel Dodds on Friday threw a spanner in Edwin Pooot's best laid plans over the stadium by saying that the plans are tarnished by the presence of "a shrine to IRA terrorism" nearby.
During question time Jeffrey Donaldson asked Martin McGuinness to give assurances "that there will be no shrine associated with any stadium in Northern Ireland commemorating any cause or seeking to bring the past into the future."
This was interesting as it seems like in his haste to have any hunger-strike commemoration he is also ruling out 'a shrine' to the late great Georgie Best.
Anyway, unionists can now rest at ease as the republican says that there is no plan to build a shrine, but just an international centre for conflict resolution.
Phew, I hear Nigel Dodds and Edwin Poots collectively sigh in relief - that's that problem solved then.
Question Time
It seems like Martin McGuinness can't get away from people in Stormont bringing up his alleged former position as a senior IRA member.
Last week he was confronted by UTV's Insight programme over the whereabouts of Captain Nairac's remains, to which Mr McGuinness said he didn't know anything, but urged anyone who did to come forward.
Now today during his first Question Time as Deputy First Minister, he was asked by Mervyn Storey (DUP) thinking that he had found the question which would shake Stormont to its very foundations, "Which takes priority his ministerial pledge of office or his oath to the army council?"
Clearly grown tired of such questions he calmly replied, "I have many allegiances, my allegiance is to my family, to my religious beliefs, to Ireland, to the party that I represent, and to this Executive."
Just a few years ago this exchange would have resulted in the Sinn Féin MLA being jeered at and shouted down from the unionist benches, but today it was noticeable the episode barely caused a ripple on either side of the House. Maybe its a sign that Martin McGuinness will not have to answer such questions as often in the future.
Last week he was confronted by UTV's Insight programme over the whereabouts of Captain Nairac's remains, to which Mr McGuinness said he didn't know anything, but urged anyone who did to come forward.
Now today during his first Question Time as Deputy First Minister, he was asked by Mervyn Storey (DUP) thinking that he had found the question which would shake Stormont to its very foundations, "Which takes priority his ministerial pledge of office or his oath to the army council?"
Clearly grown tired of such questions he calmly replied, "I have many allegiances, my allegiance is to my family, to my religious beliefs, to Ireland, to the party that I represent, and to this Executive."
Just a few years ago this exchange would have resulted in the Sinn Féin MLA being jeered at and shouted down from the unionist benches, but today it was noticeable the episode barely caused a ripple on either side of the House. Maybe its a sign that Martin McGuinness will not have to answer such questions as often in the future.
Friday, June 22, 2007
You Learn Something New Part 4
Continuing our 'Learning Ulster Scots is Fun with Jim Shannon' series, this week we find out the DUP man's opinion on the new Libraries Bill:
Efter 25 yeirs o' gye bad unner fundin' an no bei' leuked aboot, hit's lang past the ti' at this 'Semmlie saen hoo important hit bes tae hae a library system at hes eneuch staff an catter in onie forrit an' richt thinkin' society. Tae knaw quhar ye ir heided a boadie furst hes tae ken quhar yin hes bein an this bes sae in Norlin Airlan es we see at the library isnae onie a place ferlearnin' bit bes aboot the celebration o' heirskeip an' history forebye. The Libraries Bill - quhair yin authority - at hes the input o' members o' the Depairtment o' Cultur' Airts an by tim' wul bae accountable an airted onie aa the bes' provision o' service to ivryboadie in the communiuty.
Did you noticed that last week he referred to Northern Ireland but this week its Norlin Airlan? I suppose it's a living, breathing language and from week to week new words are going to spring up.
Also, seeeing the word 'ken' got me thinking of Irvine Welsh (pictured above), who writes in a phonetic Edinburgh dialect - is that Ulster-Scots or just Scots-Scots? Is the author of Trainspotting and Marabou Stork Nightmare (which is the superior book in my humble opinion) the greatest living exponent of Ulster-Scots?
Staying with Ulster-Scots, questions tabled to ministers often illuminate a subject more than the answers do, and such is the case with Nelson McCausland's (North Belfast DUP MLA) recent query to the Minister for Education. He asked Catriona Ruane to itemise the total expenditure by her department in relation to Ulster-Scots in the year 2003-04, which amounted to £69.95!
Well I got a private briefing from a Department insider and can now reveal the extent of their purchases:
15 tartan scarfs
4 tartan pencil cases
1 bag from a set of bagpipes
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Time To Go? Part 2
Ian Paisley, while not exactly repeating John O'Dowd's sentiments on the need to rid the North of the NIO, he did echo them. This morning Mr O'Dowd had said that £1.7 billion could be freed up from unnecessary spending on the NIO and the MOD.
Speaking after an Executive meeting at Castle Buildings today, Ian Paisley did not broach the MOD issue but he did say that the days of the NIO were numbered in the long term and that they would be scaled down in the meantime.
"We do need a Northern Ireland Office until we have everything devolved to us. It is going to be a much smaller body that's needed."
Speaking after an Executive meeting at Castle Buildings today, Ian Paisley did not broach the MOD issue but he did say that the days of the NIO were numbered in the long term and that they would be scaled down in the meantime.
"We do need a Northern Ireland Office until we have everything devolved to us. It is going to be a much smaller body that's needed."
Down to Business
The most important thing to came out of yesterday's OFMDFM committee meeting may have been the blossoming personal relationship between the the First and Deputy First Ministers, but that doesn't mean a thing if results don't come from it.
Recognising this, Martin McGuinness likes to refer to it as a 'work-in, not a love-in, so let's take a quick look at the substance of what they hope to deliver with their programme for government - well as far as we can from yesterday's meeting.
The programme will run until 2011 but there were warnings that it will not all be smooth sailing as Ian Paisley said that there were indications that the comprehensive spending review would result in a "much tighter settlement" which would require the Executive to take "difficult decisions" and that it would not be possible to finance everything.
Mr Paisley also said that he has spoken to both the out-going and incoming British PMs about the proposed peace dividend. "They can't keep us hanging on a string," said Mr Paisley "we have got to know what we are going to have and how we are going to have it."
The programme for government will be reviewed annually and will, according to Ian Paisley, take a "fundamentally different approach to that of previous exercises" by direct rule ministers.
Mr Paisley identified five emerging priorities for government, but they were so broad as to be almost meaningless:
1. Growing to a dynamic innovative economy
2. Building a stable and just society
3. Investing to rebuild infrastructure
4. Delivering modern high quality public services
5. Protecting the environment
Mr McGuinness said they aimed to "equal and shared society for all" which meant targeting such issues as poverty and social exclusion.
He also broached the subject of the Victims commissioner saying, "In looking to the future we cannot ignore that we are emerging from conflict - we wish to give high priority to matters affecting victims and survivors" and that they would make an appointment before recess (which is July 7).
Also in terms of dealing with victims of the conflict Mr Paisley was somewhat ambiguous saying:
"These are matters which need to be faced, and faced honestly... There are certain things that we do have to leave aside because they have been looked at and nobody is going to be satisfied at the end of the day with the findings."
Mr McGuinness said that the victims issue has been one of the "out-standing failures of the process from as far back as 1998, and it has been a collective failure."
However he said that there are some indications that there may be some developments from the British government on how to deal with resolving it, which he awaits with interest as it sits outside the remit of OFMDFM.
In terms of suicide, Martin McGuinness stressed that since it required many different departments working together in "a joined-up approach". It was noticeable he didn't mention addressing it on an all-Ireland basis, which Gerry Adams favours.
Unionists are concerned with raising the profile of the East-West relationships but Ian Paisley said that there is no point having a British Irish Council meeting until Gordon Brown takes up his position as PM, "We must have the Prime Minister there - this is an important body!"
It clearly hasn't been an important body in the past but maybe it will be in the future.
However Mr Paisley re-iterated that the North would be working closely with the other Assemblies saying, "Westminster will not be happy because three devolved governments all coming together with one unifying note is going to be very hard to reject.
So there you have it, and now you can tick off their to-do list over the course of the next few years.
Recognising this, Martin McGuinness likes to refer to it as a 'work-in, not a love-in, so let's take a quick look at the substance of what they hope to deliver with their programme for government - well as far as we can from yesterday's meeting.
The programme will run until 2011 but there were warnings that it will not all be smooth sailing as Ian Paisley said that there were indications that the comprehensive spending review would result in a "much tighter settlement" which would require the Executive to take "difficult decisions" and that it would not be possible to finance everything.
Mr Paisley also said that he has spoken to both the out-going and incoming British PMs about the proposed peace dividend. "They can't keep us hanging on a string," said Mr Paisley "we have got to know what we are going to have and how we are going to have it."
The programme for government will be reviewed annually and will, according to Ian Paisley, take a "fundamentally different approach to that of previous exercises" by direct rule ministers.
Mr Paisley identified five emerging priorities for government, but they were so broad as to be almost meaningless:
1. Growing to a dynamic innovative economy
2. Building a stable and just society
3. Investing to rebuild infrastructure
4. Delivering modern high quality public services
5. Protecting the environment
Mr McGuinness said they aimed to "equal and shared society for all" which meant targeting such issues as poverty and social exclusion.
He also broached the subject of the Victims commissioner saying, "In looking to the future we cannot ignore that we are emerging from conflict - we wish to give high priority to matters affecting victims and survivors" and that they would make an appointment before recess (which is July 7).
Also in terms of dealing with victims of the conflict Mr Paisley was somewhat ambiguous saying:
"These are matters which need to be faced, and faced honestly... There are certain things that we do have to leave aside because they have been looked at and nobody is going to be satisfied at the end of the day with the findings."
Mr McGuinness said that the victims issue has been one of the "out-standing failures of the process from as far back as 1998, and it has been a collective failure."
However he said that there are some indications that there may be some developments from the British government on how to deal with resolving it, which he awaits with interest as it sits outside the remit of OFMDFM.
In terms of suicide, Martin McGuinness stressed that since it required many different departments working together in "a joined-up approach". It was noticeable he didn't mention addressing it on an all-Ireland basis, which Gerry Adams favours.
Unionists are concerned with raising the profile of the East-West relationships but Ian Paisley said that there is no point having a British Irish Council meeting until Gordon Brown takes up his position as PM, "We must have the Prime Minister there - this is an important body!"
It clearly hasn't been an important body in the past but maybe it will be in the future.
However Mr Paisley re-iterated that the North would be working closely with the other Assemblies saying, "Westminster will not be happy because three devolved governments all coming together with one unifying note is going to be very hard to reject.
So there you have it, and now you can tick off their to-do list over the course of the next few years.
Time To Go?
It must be a sweaty time for civil servants pushing paper in the NIO and for the squaddies wiling away the hours playing Texas hold 'em in safety of their barracks, for radical changes may be on the cards.
Sinn Féin's John O’Dowd today has made the first move by suggesting the scrapping of the NIO and cutting back on MOD spending, could release up to £1.7 billion for use by the local Executive in their future plans.
His comments come the day after Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness gave a loose indication of their plans for government in which the First Minister said that there would have to be hard choices made in the future as the comprehensive spending
review would mean that money would be tight.
What better way to finance the Executive's future plans than to shed dead wood, as John O'Dowd sees it. In fact Mr O'Dowd suggests that not only do the NIO contribute nothing, but they are actually keeping the work of the Assembly back.
“The reality is that much of the opposition to political progress has been directed by the spooks and spies operating from within the NIO. These are clearly people with a vested interest in blocking political progress because they recognise that as we move forward that their jobs will become superfluous."
I suppose the NIO's many non-spooks and spies will stand a good chance of picking up the new jobs within the Assembly and John O'Dowd will get to rub shoulders with them. As for the soldiers, well their paymasters in London have been busy over the course of recent years to ensure that there is plenty of work for them in sunnier climates.
Sinn Féin's John O’Dowd today has made the first move by suggesting the scrapping of the NIO and cutting back on MOD spending, could release up to £1.7 billion for use by the local Executive in their future plans.
His comments come the day after Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness gave a loose indication of their plans for government in which the First Minister said that there would have to be hard choices made in the future as the comprehensive spending
review would mean that money would be tight.
What better way to finance the Executive's future plans than to shed dead wood, as John O'Dowd sees it. In fact Mr O'Dowd suggests that not only do the NIO contribute nothing, but they are actually keeping the work of the Assembly back.
“The reality is that much of the opposition to political progress has been directed by the spooks and spies operating from within the NIO. These are clearly people with a vested interest in blocking political progress because they recognise that as we move forward that their jobs will become superfluous."
I suppose the NIO's many non-spooks and spies will stand a good chance of picking up the new jobs within the Assembly and John O'Dowd will get to rub shoulders with them. As for the soldiers, well their paymasters in London have been busy over the course of recent years to ensure that there is plenty of work for them in sunnier climates.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Just Good Friends
Seven weeks into devolution Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness faced questions [officially called give evidence] on their plans for government in the potentially volatile surroundings of the OFMDFM committee. Would this mark the first day of the start of "a-battle-a-day" policy? No chance.
The most startling thing to come out of the meeting, was not the vague aims they set themselves for government until 2011, but that Ian and Marty's rapport has moulded into what appears to be a genuine regard for each other, in fact it was more like a full-blown friendship. There were times that they looked as much at ease as life-long pals sharing a good old yarn, instead of being quized by a scrutinising committee.
Things turned from good humoured to downright jovial as Ian Paisley mentioned progress made with Alex Salmond on a new ship going from North Antrim to Scotland. Martin McGuinness said they were willing to "jointly captain the ship" which Ian, judging by the fact that we could count his molars, thought was the funniest thing he'd ever heard. He responded saying that Martin would want to take it to Rathlin and the pair went into convulsions.
Sharing in the astonishment of on-lookers, the committee chair Danny Kennedy (UUP), who is one of the few true comics of the Assembly, asked:
"What is the relationship between you guys?"
"It's not a love-in, it's a work-in," said Martin defensively, while Ian stayed quiet.
"Well, what do you have to say on the matter Mr Paisley?" stirred Danny.
"What it always was," smirked Ian, "no change, not an inch and no surrender!!" as the pair went into fits of laughter again.
The sideway, disbelieving glances of veteran reporters just stood to highlight that this another step in Ian and Martin's breath-taking transformation from adversaries to best muckers.
Even when the conversation turned to the very choppy waters of the 'Disappeared' and the McCartney murder, Ian held back, saying in a tempered tone that he had "very frank discussions" with Martin on the matters in private. In the past this would have been a launchpad for a prolonged out-burst punctuated by numerous "Sinn Féin/IRAs", but not today.
Likewise a question from one of Martin's Sinn Féin colleagues about a report showing that Catholics were two and a half times more likely to be unemployed than protestants didn't get a rise from the Deputy First Minister.
The chances of an outburst involving the phrase "800 years" from Martin were multiplied tenfold as Ian said that he didn't pay much heed to reports no matter where they came from as he could dig out reports showing equal discrimination against protestants.
The old Martin would have started regaling us about the time he didn't get a job as an apprentice mechanic in the capital of discrimination on the river Foyle because his surname was spelt differently from Ken Maginess' - but the new Martin diplomatically, (or if you prefer evasively) said he hadn't seen the report.
Bemused by the lack of fireworks Danny Kennedy pointed out that it was a serious matter and the report highlighting the discrimination had emanated from OFMDFM officialdom and had even bore Martin's signature, but still he got no rise from Martin.
As the meeting came to a close Ian said that he was glad his "friends in the press" were going away "biting the ends of their pencils" as they did not get their predicted "holy war", but little did he realise that we in the press room were scribbling frantically as we tried to keep track of this unholy alliance unfolding before us.
What this all means is hard to say at this stage. Will they tred so carefully to protect their relationship that they will be too willing to compromise, leaving them vulnerable to acusations of neglecting their beliefs/manifestos? Or will the whole arrangement just work?
As Danny Kennedy thanked all those for participating in the meeting, he made one last bid to spark a row by saying to Ian and Gerry Kelly - who had remained silent through out the two hour session:
"I'd like to thank the Juinior Ministers for their decorative value and their wisdom as well."
The most startling thing to come out of the meeting, was not the vague aims they set themselves for government until 2011, but that Ian and Marty's rapport has moulded into what appears to be a genuine regard for each other, in fact it was more like a full-blown friendship. There were times that they looked as much at ease as life-long pals sharing a good old yarn, instead of being quized by a scrutinising committee.
Things turned from good humoured to downright jovial as Ian Paisley mentioned progress made with Alex Salmond on a new ship going from North Antrim to Scotland. Martin McGuinness said they were willing to "jointly captain the ship" which Ian, judging by the fact that we could count his molars, thought was the funniest thing he'd ever heard. He responded saying that Martin would want to take it to Rathlin and the pair went into convulsions.
Sharing in the astonishment of on-lookers, the committee chair Danny Kennedy (UUP), who is one of the few true comics of the Assembly, asked:
"What is the relationship between you guys?"
"It's not a love-in, it's a work-in," said Martin defensively, while Ian stayed quiet.
"Well, what do you have to say on the matter Mr Paisley?" stirred Danny.
"What it always was," smirked Ian, "no change, not an inch and no surrender!!" as the pair went into fits of laughter again.
The sideway, disbelieving glances of veteran reporters just stood to highlight that this another step in Ian and Martin's breath-taking transformation from adversaries to best muckers.
Even when the conversation turned to the very choppy waters of the 'Disappeared' and the McCartney murder, Ian held back, saying in a tempered tone that he had "very frank discussions" with Martin on the matters in private. In the past this would have been a launchpad for a prolonged out-burst punctuated by numerous "Sinn Féin/IRAs", but not today.
Likewise a question from one of Martin's Sinn Féin colleagues about a report showing that Catholics were two and a half times more likely to be unemployed than protestants didn't get a rise from the Deputy First Minister.
The chances of an outburst involving the phrase "800 years" from Martin were multiplied tenfold as Ian said that he didn't pay much heed to reports no matter where they came from as he could dig out reports showing equal discrimination against protestants.
The old Martin would have started regaling us about the time he didn't get a job as an apprentice mechanic in the capital of discrimination on the river Foyle because his surname was spelt differently from Ken Maginess' - but the new Martin diplomatically, (or if you prefer evasively) said he hadn't seen the report.
Bemused by the lack of fireworks Danny Kennedy pointed out that it was a serious matter and the report highlighting the discrimination had emanated from OFMDFM officialdom and had even bore Martin's signature, but still he got no rise from Martin.
As the meeting came to a close Ian said that he was glad his "friends in the press" were going away "biting the ends of their pencils" as they did not get their predicted "holy war", but little did he realise that we in the press room were scribbling frantically as we tried to keep track of this unholy alliance unfolding before us.
What this all means is hard to say at this stage. Will they tred so carefully to protect their relationship that they will be too willing to compromise, leaving them vulnerable to acusations of neglecting their beliefs/manifestos? Or will the whole arrangement just work?
As Danny Kennedy thanked all those for participating in the meeting, he made one last bid to spark a row by saying to Ian and Gerry Kelly - who had remained silent through out the two hour session:
"I'd like to thank the Juinior Ministers for their decorative value and their wisdom as well."
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Plenty happened in the chamber today but nothing much in the way of headline grabbers which gave the politicans the chance to stake their claims as the next Bernard Mannings (okay, I accept that they are more politically correct than the late rascist no matter how incorrect you may think their politics are) make that the next Phil Kay.
Amidst the raucous debates the Deputy Speaker John Dallat, when asking Sammy Wilson to summarise the Assembly debate on teachers' induction year, jibed, "I call on Sammy Wilson to wind up the debate - not wind up the House."
It seemed that Sammy wound himself up, as when Basil McCrea tried to intervene, by asking the East Belfast representative to give way, he snapped, "I will give way in a minute, will you just sit there and wait!?!"
When MLAs continued to gulder over Sammy Wilson, the Deputy Speaker had to remind the members that they were not a "debate in some ancient school."
As the dust settled, UUP MLA Danny Kennedy introduced the riveting issue of carparking in Newry's Daisyhill hospital, and noting the mass exodus of MLAs from the chamber, he quipped, "I have made many moving speeches, but I don't know how many people are going to move out with this one."
Amidst the raucous debates the Deputy Speaker John Dallat, when asking Sammy Wilson to summarise the Assembly debate on teachers' induction year, jibed, "I call on Sammy Wilson to wind up the debate - not wind up the House."
It seemed that Sammy wound himself up, as when Basil McCrea tried to intervene, by asking the East Belfast representative to give way, he snapped, "I will give way in a minute, will you just sit there and wait!?!"
When MLAs continued to gulder over Sammy Wilson, the Deputy Speaker had to remind the members that they were not a "debate in some ancient school."
As the dust settled, UUP MLA Danny Kennedy introduced the riveting issue of carparking in Newry's Daisyhill hospital, and noting the mass exodus of MLAs from the chamber, he quipped, "I have made many moving speeches, but I don't know how many people are going to move out with this one."
Monday, June 18, 2007
Rock the Boat, Don't Rock the Boat Salmond
Alex Salmond has suggested that he, Mr Paisley and the future Welsh First Minister would be better off negotiating with Gordon Brown as one, rather than as individuals. Actually I am doing him a disservice as he has a much more poetic turn of phrase: "We take the view that three hands at the tiller steering in the same direction are better than one."
He indicated his interested in getting Scotland in on the act over the North's appeal to have our corporation tax of 30 per cent slashed to come into line with the South's attractive rate of 12.5 per cent.
Okay so as Mr Salmond said in his address to the Senate, we are divided by only a "thin band of water" but surely he recognises that the North's businesses are at a much greater disadvantage due to the divergence of corporation taxes, than Scotland.
Therefore we are in greater need of swift and significant movement on this matter. Mr Brown might consider giving the North some concession, although probably not the whole lot, and Mr Paisley today indicated that he has appeared more amenable of late, but if the future British PM thought that with every foot-up he gave to the North that he had to also give it to the other two, then each Parliament may well be worse off.
On the other hand, Labour didn't do very well in the Scottish elections, so would Gordon Brown be better served spending generously in his homeland where votes may be won back, rather than across the sea where they do not even stand? In that case it seems that the North would be better off clinging on to the tiller.
Another possibility is that Paisley, McGuinness and Salmond had to do and say something since the Scot had made the trip over and in reality their relationship was just to give something for the journalists to write. After all he mentioned that he was "pleased to sign a joint statement" but then they never released the contents of the statement.
Mr Salmond also said that "no two peoples in Europe had more in common," than bonnie old Ireland and the emerald Scottish isle.
Could he have meant our problems with sectarianism? Orange marches? Lousy weather? Fried food and alcohol obsessions? Heart disease?
Probably all the above, but I like to think he was referring to Ulster-Scots.
It seems that Jim Shannon's Ulster-Scots lessons are growing ever more popular with even the least likely of people becoming au fait with the language-dialect (delete as appropriate).
As everyone got their notebooks and dictaphones primed for a press conference today one journalist asked Martin McGuinness if he had any Ulster Scots, to which he swiftly replied, "Och aye!"
He indicated his interested in getting Scotland in on the act over the North's appeal to have our corporation tax of 30 per cent slashed to come into line with the South's attractive rate of 12.5 per cent.
Okay so as Mr Salmond said in his address to the Senate, we are divided by only a "thin band of water" but surely he recognises that the North's businesses are at a much greater disadvantage due to the divergence of corporation taxes, than Scotland.
Therefore we are in greater need of swift and significant movement on this matter. Mr Brown might consider giving the North some concession, although probably not the whole lot, and Mr Paisley today indicated that he has appeared more amenable of late, but if the future British PM thought that with every foot-up he gave to the North that he had to also give it to the other two, then each Parliament may well be worse off.
On the other hand, Labour didn't do very well in the Scottish elections, so would Gordon Brown be better served spending generously in his homeland where votes may be won back, rather than across the sea where they do not even stand? In that case it seems that the North would be better off clinging on to the tiller.
Another possibility is that Paisley, McGuinness and Salmond had to do and say something since the Scot had made the trip over and in reality their relationship was just to give something for the journalists to write. After all he mentioned that he was "pleased to sign a joint statement" but then they never released the contents of the statement.
Mr Salmond also said that "no two peoples in Europe had more in common," than bonnie old Ireland and the emerald Scottish isle.
Could he have meant our problems with sectarianism? Orange marches? Lousy weather? Fried food and alcohol obsessions? Heart disease?
Probably all the above, but I like to think he was referring to Ulster-Scots.
It seems that Jim Shannon's Ulster-Scots lessons are growing ever more popular with even the least likely of people becoming au fait with the language-dialect (delete as appropriate).
As everyone got their notebooks and dictaphones primed for a press conference today one journalist asked Martin McGuinness if he had any Ulster Scots, to which he swiftly replied, "Och aye!"
Friday, June 15, 2007
You Learn Something New Part 3
This week's installment of the 'Ulster Scots is fun' with the DUP's Jim Shannon is a little more advanced than usual. In fact, novices amongst you may need help in figuring out the proverb at the start, but not to worry, I'll provide the answer at the end.
Setting aside the debate over whether it is a dialect or a language, fair play to Jim for introducing his speeches with a smidgen of Ulster Scots - it definitely adds a bit of life and colour to proceedings, and his delivery is easy on the ear.
Anyway, as per usual, see how you get on deciphering this week's passage taken from Jim's address to the Assembly, which was on industrial rates:
As tha oul Proaverb saes, frae mickle sterts cum muckle things.
We er startin fae tha beginnin - aa' fresh slaet efter tha years o' neglect fae oor direct rool Givermunt en yeers ' heertacke an bluidshed fae wi-in.
It micht seem aa' moanumentil erdeael - tae tak Northern Ireland tae tha place whor it shid be, tae study it baith socially an economically, tae paint aa' new warl pictur o' Nth Ireland. Moving ut fae aa' war-torn state, tae tha real pictur o' aa' bonnie kintry, rich wi cultur, fu' o' warem foulk an ready tae step oot untae tha warl stage - aa' moanumentil er dael indded - but this sterts wi' mickle things aa' beleev that yin major-er muckle step tae be takkin is that o' studing oor economy by encouraging growth fae wi in.
The proverb: From small beginnings come great things.
Purely on a grammatical point, I presume the apostrophes are there to indicate that letters have been omitted, as is the case in English. If so, is Jim speaking in informal Ulster Scots, and is there a formal variety?
If any Ulster Scots aficionados are out there, please let me know - it’s just to satisfy my own sad curiosity. Mind you, since the unionist benches are such sticklers for insisting on formal attire, it may well be feasible that they could take umbrage with Jim for speaking informal Ulster-Scots.
Setting aside the debate over whether it is a dialect or a language, fair play to Jim for introducing his speeches with a smidgen of Ulster Scots - it definitely adds a bit of life and colour to proceedings, and his delivery is easy on the ear.
Anyway, as per usual, see how you get on deciphering this week's passage taken from Jim's address to the Assembly, which was on industrial rates:
As tha oul Proaverb saes, frae mickle sterts cum muckle things.
We er startin fae tha beginnin - aa' fresh slaet efter tha years o' neglect fae oor direct rool Givermunt en yeers ' heertacke an bluidshed fae wi-in.
It micht seem aa' moanumentil erdeael - tae tak Northern Ireland tae tha place whor it shid be, tae study it baith socially an economically, tae paint aa' new warl pictur o' Nth Ireland. Moving ut fae aa' war-torn state, tae tha real pictur o' aa' bonnie kintry, rich wi cultur, fu' o' warem foulk an ready tae step oot untae tha warl stage - aa' moanumentil er dael indded - but this sterts wi' mickle things aa' beleev that yin major-er muckle step tae be takkin is that o' studing oor economy by encouraging growth fae wi in.
The proverb: From small beginnings come great things.
Purely on a grammatical point, I presume the apostrophes are there to indicate that letters have been omitted, as is the case in English. If so, is Jim speaking in informal Ulster Scots, and is there a formal variety?
If any Ulster Scots aficionados are out there, please let me know - it’s just to satisfy my own sad curiosity. Mind you, since the unionist benches are such sticklers for insisting on formal attire, it may well be feasible that they could take umbrage with Jim for speaking informal Ulster-Scots.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
University Challenged
This afternoon the debacle over the disastrous collapse of the Springvale university campus came under the Stormont spotlight as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) grilled representatives from the Department of Education and Learning (DEL).
Back in 1998 then President of the US Bill Clinton, flanked by the political elite of these shores, cut the first sod at the interface site.
Little did he know that the hole he was digging wasn't for the cornerstone of a flagship building to signal the dawning of a new age of peace and prosperity for an area ravaged by the conflict, but a grave for millions upon millions of pounds which the Audit Office termed "waste".
Almost a decade on and the PAC have been trying to figure out where it all went wrong. It comes as no surprise then that they were annoyed that no one from BIFHE, who were supposed to play a key role in the university campus showed up, but DEL Accounting Officer Aideen McGinley was confident she could speak on their behalf.
PAC chair, John O'Dowd said that the failure of the campus resulted from lack of will.
He said that if the University of Ulster were not prepared to take on an on-going deficit they could have went to the political representatives across the spectrum in those areas, who would have lobbied successfully to ensure that the money would have been provided.
"I have no doubt about that," said Mr O'Dowd. "You don't have the President of the Uinted States and the British Prime Minister opening up any old proposal. The commuity were 100 per cent behind it and the political representatives were 100 per cent behind it.
"I have to ask myself the question why did the University not go to the political representatives? In relation to the Department why did they not let anyone know earlier that was the case?"
He said that he had strong suspicions as to why neither the University of Ulster or DEL spoke up earlier but his position as chair prevented him from airing them.
It is likely that after today's Q&A session, and having already spoken to the Audit Office in private last week, the PAC have heard enough to compile their report. Whatever the findings of that report it is likely that the Springfiled Road will have to continue making do with their £4 million further education outreach centre, rather than a £70 million campus.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
A Dummy's Guide to Question Time
So the first question time for the First Minister last Monday was a bit of a disappointment, with the time available for quizzing limited to a mere half an hour, and then there was then the debacle over Ian Paisley's failure to come even close to answering Tommy Burns' question about the role of junior Ministers and how he felt about his son's expressed position on the matter.
However MLAs will have another chance to pin the OFMDFM about whatever's on their mind again in a fortnight (June 25th). If you are new to this game, the way it works is this:
Question time occurs every two weeks and is rotated between the First and Deputy First Minister, so you'll only see Ian and Martin fending off tricky questions once a month.
If the Assembly's gaggle of MLAs were able to ask every question on their mind each Question Time would last longer than the Saville Inquiry, so only a chosen few are permitted to ask questions. They decide who gets to pose a question by lottery.
Gregory Campbell's name was pulled out of the hat first this week and he had the privilege of asking Ian Paisley the opening question on Monday. No-one realised how much of a privilege it was however until the First Minister (probably going a little over board) congratulated his party colleague for winning the right to ask a simple question saying, "Today is an historic day for him and me."
To save time the MLA doesn't bother asking the question, instead s/he simply says the number from the list, but politicians inevitably take an age to answer even the most straight forward of questions which renders the savings of the few seconds it would have taken to ask the question meaningless.
However the question is simply a way to broach the subject matter. The MLA will then generally launch a hostile attack through a supplimentary question, of which the Minister will not be notified.
Anyway since the questions have to be submitted well in advance, which means we have a sneak preview of the questions Martin McGuinness will have to field at the next session. Twenty questions are submitted for oral answer but they will never get through them all. MLAs' scheduled questions not answered in the chamber receive a written response.
Its a mixed bag but the following dozen questions will give you a flavour of what's coming up:
1. Anna Lo: To ask the OFMDFM what proposals it has to increase the number of young people appointed to the public bodies within its remit.
2. Thomas Burns: To ask the OFMDFM when the interim Programme for Government will be published.
3. Sue Ramsey: To ask the OFMDFM to outline what steps junior Ministers have taken to prioritise the cross-cutting issues of children and young people, and older people, since their appointment.
4. Barry McElduff: To ask the OFMDFM if Ministers will visit the Community House in Omagh
5. David Ford: To ask the OFMDFM what statistical basis will be used to measure progress towards the eradication of child poverty.
6. Mervyn Storey: To ask the OFMDFM what legal restrictions are placed upon their office.
7. Willie Clarke: To ask the OFMDFM to provide an update on the recommendations of the 'Study of Obstacles to Cross Border Mobility'
8. Stephen Moutray: To ask the OFMDFM what assessment it has made of the desirability of constituting a new Civic Forum.
9. Stephen Farry: To ask the OFMDFM what role it had in the Republic of Ireland's current National Development Plan.
10. Daithí McKay: To ask the OFMDFM if it intends to formulate a strategy to deal with continued occurrences of hate crime, such as sectarian, racist or homophobic attacks.
11. Samuel Gardiner: To ask the OFMDFM how many staff are employed within the department; and how this compares with the Office of the Prime Minister; the Office of the First Minister of Scotland; the Office of the First Minister of Wales; the Office of the Taoiseach; and the President of the United States of America.
12. Robert Coulter: To ask the OFMDFM what discussions it has had with the First Minister of Scotland.
However MLAs will have another chance to pin the OFMDFM about whatever's on their mind again in a fortnight (June 25th). If you are new to this game, the way it works is this:
Question time occurs every two weeks and is rotated between the First and Deputy First Minister, so you'll only see Ian and Martin fending off tricky questions once a month.
If the Assembly's gaggle of MLAs were able to ask every question on their mind each Question Time would last longer than the Saville Inquiry, so only a chosen few are permitted to ask questions. They decide who gets to pose a question by lottery.
Gregory Campbell's name was pulled out of the hat first this week and he had the privilege of asking Ian Paisley the opening question on Monday. No-one realised how much of a privilege it was however until the First Minister (probably going a little over board) congratulated his party colleague for winning the right to ask a simple question saying, "Today is an historic day for him and me."
To save time the MLA doesn't bother asking the question, instead s/he simply says the number from the list, but politicians inevitably take an age to answer even the most straight forward of questions which renders the savings of the few seconds it would have taken to ask the question meaningless.
However the question is simply a way to broach the subject matter. The MLA will then generally launch a hostile attack through a supplimentary question, of which the Minister will not be notified.
Anyway since the questions have to be submitted well in advance, which means we have a sneak preview of the questions Martin McGuinness will have to field at the next session. Twenty questions are submitted for oral answer but they will never get through them all. MLAs' scheduled questions not answered in the chamber receive a written response.
Its a mixed bag but the following dozen questions will give you a flavour of what's coming up:
1. Anna Lo: To ask the OFMDFM what proposals it has to increase the number of young people appointed to the public bodies within its remit.
2. Thomas Burns: To ask the OFMDFM when the interim Programme for Government will be published.
3. Sue Ramsey: To ask the OFMDFM to outline what steps junior Ministers have taken to prioritise the cross-cutting issues of children and young people, and older people, since their appointment.
4. Barry McElduff: To ask the OFMDFM if Ministers will visit the Community House in Omagh
5. David Ford: To ask the OFMDFM what statistical basis will be used to measure progress towards the eradication of child poverty.
6. Mervyn Storey: To ask the OFMDFM what legal restrictions are placed upon their office.
7. Willie Clarke: To ask the OFMDFM to provide an update on the recommendations of the 'Study of Obstacles to Cross Border Mobility'
8. Stephen Moutray: To ask the OFMDFM what assessment it has made of the desirability of constituting a new Civic Forum.
9. Stephen Farry: To ask the OFMDFM what role it had in the Republic of Ireland's current National Development Plan.
10. Daithí McKay: To ask the OFMDFM if it intends to formulate a strategy to deal with continued occurrences of hate crime, such as sectarian, racist or homophobic attacks.
11. Samuel Gardiner: To ask the OFMDFM how many staff are employed within the department; and how this compares with the Office of the Prime Minister; the Office of the First Minister of Scotland; the Office of the First Minister of Wales; the Office of the Taoiseach; and the President of the United States of America.
12. Robert Coulter: To ask the OFMDFM what discussions it has had with the First Minister of Scotland.
Monday, June 11, 2007
There's Gold on That Thar Hill
I could tell you all about Ian Paisley's comical first attempt at fielding questions from MLAs during today's debate. I could also tell you all about the puzzled look on Tommy Burns' (SDLP MLA) face as he wondered why Big Ian was talking about equality when his question was actually nothing to do with Ian Junior's remarks about gay people, but about the role of junior ministers - but I won't.
That question time was all showmanship (and brief at that as the First Minister was only on his feet for 30 minutes), and in the end advanced the position of people in the North not one iota.
However, arguably the most crucial substantive issue of the day received little attention from media circle outside the self confessed nerds - the Budget Bill made its first appearance in Stormont today, and yes it's boring stuff, but just like cod-liver oil tablets, it may be hard to swallow but it's good for you. Without the money to back it up, all the MLAs' promises are worthless so it is a little disappointing that more coverage hasn't been given to this crucial issue, but sure that's what this blog is for I guess.
Don't worry, I am well aware that the word budget has the same power as Derren Brown clicking his fingers whilst saying "And sleep!" so I'll keep it brief - the initial stages of the first Stormont budget's swift passage through the Assembly took place today.
In total the members in Stormont will have some £14.1 billion, to invest (or fritter away) in the various departments, with approximately half of this, at first sight, gargantuan, but on closer inspection, quite modest sum coming from Westminster.
Finanace Minister Peter Robinson enjoyed a relatively good natured and squabble free ride as he addressed the House on what was officially a motion about transfer of money from Westminster to Stormont but which in essence was a budget debate.
The softly softly approach by the House was in recognition of the fact that the East Belfast rep had inherited the budget from his direct rule predecessors, and was the architect of very little of it.
Despite the fact that it has to endure five stages before it become an act, on June 25, it is unlikely to meet with any resistence in what is essentially a rubber stamping exercise.
How this money has been provisionally allocated will become clear with the publishing of the Budget Bill on the Assembly's website (www.niassembly.gov.uk) tomorrow. Now I bet you can't wait to log on.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
You Learn Something New Every Day Part 2
The DUP’s Jim Shannon again addressed the Assembly in his native tongue of Ulster Scots, adding much-welcomed colour to the proceedings. Many people think they can’t speak Ulster Scots, but as we have seen from Jim's previous speeches you may surprised at how much you’ll understand.
See how you get on translating his latest Ulster Scots address, this time on the closure of post offices on Tuesday:
Hit wusnae sae lang sine at we met in this chammer an’ taaked aboot the ill daeins agin oor Poastal Service an hoo needfu’ hit wus tae houl oantae es monie poast offices es cud bae kep’. Well the situation bes the saime noo – gif hit isnae a baager hannlin – bit thair bes a bag differ.
Instead o’ a “Pretend ‘Semmelie” es yin member cried hit in the las’ debate aboot this issue in Janwerry aa the tim’ o’ the Transitional ‘Semmelie, we ir noo a devolved ‘Semmlie at bes fit tae maak a differ an’ pley a baag pairt no onie tae houl oantae oor Poast Offaices bit tae mak’ thaim betther.
See how you get on translating his latest Ulster Scots address, this time on the closure of post offices on Tuesday:
Hit wusnae sae lang sine at we met in this chammer an’ taaked aboot the ill daeins agin oor Poastal Service an hoo needfu’ hit wus tae houl oantae es monie poast offices es cud bae kep’. Well the situation bes the saime noo – gif hit isnae a baager hannlin – bit thair bes a bag differ.
Instead o’ a “Pretend ‘Semmelie” es yin member cried hit in the las’ debate aboot this issue in Janwerry aa the tim’ o’ the Transitional ‘Semmelie, we ir noo a devolved ‘Semmlie at bes fit tae maak a differ an’ pley a baag pairt no onie tae houl oantae oor Poast Offaices bit tae mak’ thaim betther.
Going for Gold
Mary Peters may remain one of the few locally produced Olympic gold medalists that you could name due to a chronic lack of funding into sports.
Sports NI were in Stormont today to impress upon the Committee for Culture Arts and Leisure the value of investing more money into this area. The committee had heard a similar presentation from the Arts Council last week so they were keen to hear how the amount invested into sport compared to the miserable £6.13 spent per person per year on arts.
Eamon McCartan, Chief Executive of Sports NI, surprised a few members by saying that sports were some 30 per cent worse off than the arts sector, with a mere £4.38 being spent per person, per annum. Mr McCartan was only warming up, as he was armed to the teeth with stats, the most impressive (and depressive) probably being that it is estimated that for an every Olympic Gold medal it takes some £1.6million of investment on top of a hernia enducing 10,000 hours of training.
Not to be outdone by depressing sports statistics Sinn Féin's Francie Brolly chipped in with some of his own, claiming that there are only seven publicly provided Gaelic pitches in the Belfast area compared to 62 soccer pitches, causing serious pressures on local teams, and stymieing the creation of new clubs. In response to his question about what they were doing about the shortfall, the Sports NI officials diplomatically said that they advocated the creation of multi-use pitches but it should be done as part of a community planning model.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Water Fight's A Damp Squib
The political headlines today were dominated, and rightly so, by the presence of the Sinn Féin contingency at the Policing Board meeting. By all accounts the anticipated fireworks at the meeting, (I'm sure there is a bum-on-press-gallery-seat to expected ruction ratio) failed to materialise - indeed it was apparently a "business-like" affair, aka drab.
Likewise for the few reporters remaining in the Assembly for today's round of committee meetings, the attention was all on the Regional Development Committee as they had the opportunity to grill the head honchos of NI Water over the forthcoming water shake-up. Pens were poised just billimetres from paper as we awaited Fred Cobain, Jim Wells, et al to launch into a ding-dong row with the civil servants.
However the closest that the meeting came to sparklers let alone fireworks was when Fred Cobain repeatedly asked whether it would not have been more prudent to get the unions on board before basing their business plan on the axing of 550 jobs before 2010. NI Water didn't seem too unduly concerned by Mr Cobain's fears of a potential "fist-fight" with the unions scuppering their plans, insisting that they were ahead of schedule with efficiency moves.
If today's "business-like" meeting dampened the journalistic spirits, there will surely be fireworks when the water bills, which must come eventually, regardless of how often they are deferred, finally pour through letter boxes throughout the North.
Having previously given off about the suitability of the press offices in Stormont , it is now only right that I acknowledge the improved state of affairs (thanks be to God). On returning from my recent travels I found that the grubby press room bunker now has internet access.
No longer do I have to sit in the main hall - the only authorised place in the building where my wireless internet connection would work - and attract the attentions of security staff curious as to why on earth I treating the visitor attraction like my own office. Thanks to the Press Office Staff, the Stormont Correspondents and Paul Butler, who also rose the issue on our behalf, for making the lives of the handful (actually less than a handful) of newspaper reporters who show up at Stormont regularly infinitely easier.
Likewise for the few reporters remaining in the Assembly for today's round of committee meetings, the attention was all on the Regional Development Committee as they had the opportunity to grill the head honchos of NI Water over the forthcoming water shake-up. Pens were poised just billimetres from paper as we awaited Fred Cobain, Jim Wells, et al to launch into a ding-dong row with the civil servants.
However the closest that the meeting came to sparklers let alone fireworks was when Fred Cobain repeatedly asked whether it would not have been more prudent to get the unions on board before basing their business plan on the axing of 550 jobs before 2010. NI Water didn't seem too unduly concerned by Mr Cobain's fears of a potential "fist-fight" with the unions scuppering their plans, insisting that they were ahead of schedule with efficiency moves.
If today's "business-like" meeting dampened the journalistic spirits, there will surely be fireworks when the water bills, which must come eventually, regardless of how often they are deferred, finally pour through letter boxes throughout the North.
Having previously given off about the suitability of the press offices in Stormont , it is now only right that I acknowledge the improved state of affairs (thanks be to God). On returning from my recent travels I found that the grubby press room bunker now has internet access.
No longer do I have to sit in the main hall - the only authorised place in the building where my wireless internet connection would work - and attract the attentions of security staff curious as to why on earth I treating the visitor attraction like my own office. Thanks to the Press Office Staff, the Stormont Correspondents and Paul Butler, who also rose the issue on our behalf, for making the lives of the handful (actually less than a handful) of newspaper reporters who show up at Stormont regularly infinitely easier.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Legacies and Limos
Having returned from over a fortnight's holiday away from the Assembly, I have been reliably informed that, save for David McNarry walking out of a debate on the Irish Language Act, and a somewhat controversial remark by Ian Paisley Jnr, not a whole pile has happened since.
It's not surprising really since the Assembly is still biding its time until meaningful legislation is drafted over the coming weeks and months (although the first significant action was seen on Monday as the Assembly passed a motion tabled by the Minister for Social Development, Margaret Ritchie to accelerate through the passage of the Welfare Reform Bill).
Meanwhile Ian Jnr's now infamous remarks about being "repulsed" by gay and lesbian relationships were seemingly cautiously approached by his father on Monday when during his 'I have a dream speech' he said that the OFMDFM was "totally committed to promoting equality and human rights."
The DUP are keen for this to be seen as a conciliatory gesture but it's unlikely that Paisley Jnr's critics on the issue, such as Dolores Kelly who described his comments as "a disgrace and a shame to the Assembly", will be pacified.
Regarding Paisley Snr's reference to Martin Luther King it's still surprising to see the octogenarian continue to redefine himself in the eyes of many by talking about a shared future - was this good natured speech made with one eye on Tony Blair's experience of having left it too late to sway many on what his legacy was? Was it made with an eye on future films? Was it just lip service?
On a totally unrelated issue, one way for MLAs to arm themselves for future battles, is to draft a formal question for a relevant Minister. The Minister is then required to answer within a specified period. Surely the quirkiest question posed so far goes to Sinn Féin's Paul Butler who asked the Minister for the Environment to provide a timescale for the introduction of legislation in relation to left hand drive limousines - maybe more has happened in the last fortnight than I thought and left hand limos are now one of the major political issues of the day.
It's not surprising really since the Assembly is still biding its time until meaningful legislation is drafted over the coming weeks and months (although the first significant action was seen on Monday as the Assembly passed a motion tabled by the Minister for Social Development, Margaret Ritchie to accelerate through the passage of the Welfare Reform Bill).
Meanwhile Ian Jnr's now infamous remarks about being "repulsed" by gay and lesbian relationships were seemingly cautiously approached by his father on Monday when during his 'I have a dream speech' he said that the OFMDFM was "totally committed to promoting equality and human rights."
The DUP are keen for this to be seen as a conciliatory gesture but it's unlikely that Paisley Jnr's critics on the issue, such as Dolores Kelly who described his comments as "a disgrace and a shame to the Assembly", will be pacified.
Regarding Paisley Snr's reference to Martin Luther King it's still surprising to see the octogenarian continue to redefine himself in the eyes of many by talking about a shared future - was this good natured speech made with one eye on Tony Blair's experience of having left it too late to sway many on what his legacy was? Was it made with an eye on future films? Was it just lip service?
On a totally unrelated issue, one way for MLAs to arm themselves for future battles, is to draft a formal question for a relevant Minister. The Minister is then required to answer within a specified period. Surely the quirkiest question posed so far goes to Sinn Féin's Paul Butler who asked the Minister for the Environment to provide a timescale for the introduction of legislation in relation to left hand drive limousines - maybe more has happened in the last fortnight than I thought and left hand limos are now one of the major political issues of the day.
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