It's recess week so I am suffering withdrawal symptoms from my addiction to the Stormont canteen porridge. In order to distract myself from this ailment, I drove down to Dundalk today for a north south meeting featuring Messrs. Paisley, McGuinness and Dermot Ahern. The ministers expressed concern about the Seagate job losses, and Ian Paisley put on the record what we've all known for some time - that he and the Deputy First are off to the USA to lobby for investment before the end of the year. They are expected to pose for a photo with President Bush in the first week of December.
I had a weekend off so wasn't there for Margaret Ritchie's "no surrender" moment at the UUP conference. But my colleague Gareth Gordon told me she was definitely the star turn. All the UUP-SDLP talk of internal opposition may be a bit half hearted when their ministers are still in office, but it certainly seems to have spooked SF-DUP. Michelle McIlveen put out a statement headlined "Yes - Stranglehold on Executive exactly what DUP want" whilst John O'Dowd accused the SDLP and UUP of "living in an arrogant fantasy world of political denial".
If the SDLP and the UUP did pull out, would the whole notion of a mandatory coalition be holed below the water line? Or would both parties take a hammering from their traditionally moderate voters?
I shall leave you to ponder these thoughts for a while, as I am exploiting the opportunity afforded by recess week to take a couple of days' leave. If you see a forlorn character walking the streets pining for porridge, my advice is to cross the road and walk swiftly by on the other side.
I had just finished an interview for Talkback this lunchtime about today's North South Ministerial meeting, when the programme turned to more important matters - the proposal for a Great Britain football team in the 2012 Olympics.
Predictably the IFA and their Welsh and Scottish counterparts have given the suggestion a cool response. So in an attempt to be helpful I proposed a formula which I thought might preserve the associations' separate identities, whilst ensuring that 11 players take to the pitch in 2012. This was that the four GB teams should hold a one off "home international" tournament in the run up to the Olympics, and the winner should then represent Great Britain.
The football pundit Talkback had on didn't seem too impressed. But if the national associations continue to block the creation of a GB dream team, could a pre-Olympic tournament prove a possible compromise?
Later this week the Electoral Commission will start requiring local parties to report donations. However, as we have noted previously on the blog, the system will still not be as transparent as elsewhere in the UK, as donors will retain their anonymity. The Commission will know the identity of big donors but will have to keep it confidential for an initial period.
Coincidentally talks broke down last night between the major UK parties over Sir Hayden Phillips' proposals to reform party funding. Prior to the breakdown the SNP and Plaid Cymru had already protested about their exclusion from the discussions. Sir Hayden had proposed amongst other things that parties should get 50 pence for every vote cast for them in a Westminster election and 25 pence for every vote cast in a devolved or European election. Back in March I calculated that if the formula was applied to Northern Ireland the DUP would have earned Β£121,000 from the Westminster election of 2005, and Β£51,930 from this year's Assembly election.
The Scottish and Welsh parties claim the formula is discriminatory, both against them and against the NI parties. I am not quite sure I follow the logic, as I imagine an English politician who doesn't get the chance to stand in a devolved election might argue he or she is being discriminated against, as the devolved votes would be counted in addition to a Westminster tally. But I am happy to be corrected on this score. I am including the SNP/Plaid letter in the extended entry, together with some relevant quotes from Sir Hayden Phillips' report.
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My guest on this weekend's Inside Politics is our very own Iron Chancellor, Peter Robinson. He expands on what he is trying to achieve through this week's budget and responds to concerns raised by the Health Minister Michael McGimpsey. I also ask the DUP Deputy Leader about the murder of Paul Quinn and his spat with the Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie over her decision to axe UDA linked cash.
Inside Politics is broadcast at 12.45 pm on Saturday on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Ulster - and according to the latest RAJAR figures the show attracts around 50,000 listeners.
I have ummed and ahhed about whether to blog this one...but given the look of dismay on the Alliance Deputy Leader's face during this exchange I think it's worth highlighting this extract from yesterday's debate on the Programme for Government.
"Naomi Long: How long do the First Minister and deputy First Minister intend to dine out on the feel-good factor created on 8 May 2007? When will they back it up with substantive action to deliver on a shared future and make that hope a reality?
Some Members: Hear, hear.
The First Minister: I am sure that the honourable lady enjoys dining out herself...."
Overshadowed by the budget and programme for government, yesterday MLAs voted in favour of the government discontinuing all operations at the nuclear plant at Sellafield. Nationalists and the Alliance backed the motion, whilst unionists came over as decidedly more nuclear friendly.
Highlights included Brian Wilson telling MLAs that opposition to nuclear power was "one reason that the Green Party came into power". After chortling broke out in the chamber, the sole Green MLA had to correct himself by saying no nukes was a reason the Greens had come into existence, not power.
Another good moment was when the DUP's David Simpson reckoned that "were I to go around every MLA and ask each about his or her knowledge of nuclear physics, I would probably be met with a few blank faces." Mr Simpson also acknowledged that "yes, my face, too, would be blank, if asked my knowledge of nuclear physics. If a Member were to tell me that he or she had a degree in that subject, I would ask what the heck he or she was doing in the Assembly."
The Upper Bann MP's previous contribution to scientific debate has been to argue that creationism should be taught as part of the science curriculum. Let's just hope that the big bang remains a theory about the start of the universe, rather than anything to do with the future of Sellafield.
One government target which didn't last very long was the First Minister's pledge to ensure that 30% of school children receiving free school meals would obtain 5 or more GSCE passes at grades A* to C by 2011. My colleague Maggie Taggart phoned the Education Deaprtment to double check and they told her the target was actually 2 GCSEs. So no A* for someone then.
As I prepared for my Newsline 1.30 live contribution on the budget I surveyed the kind of scene that only Stormont can provide. At the bottom the steps around 100 North Belfast primary schoolchildren, dressed as Vikings, prepared to storm the Assembly building. They waved their swords and shook their shields as Nigel Dodds, Edwin Poots and Nelson McCausland looked on approvingly.
Some turbanned Iraqi politicians, appearing rather perplexed, stared down from the balcony. On the steps a group of local manufacturers held placards calling for lower industrial rates. Inside the building the Kosovo trade minister had just finished some talks with Nigel Dodds.
Inside the Chamber, our Finance Minister Peter Robinson did his impression of the Iron Chancellor, sternly warning about the need to slash waste and inefficiency, then concluding with a crowd pleasing freeze on the regional rate.
At least we now have a series of benchmarks by which to judge this Executive. If they don't create 6500 jobs in the next three years we will be able to ask them why not. Equally if they don't begin work on the Belfast rapid transit system by 2011 we will be able to wave our programmes for government in their faces.
If they deliver on all the promises, no doubt the voters will be happy. But if they don't, given our mandatory coalition system, it will prove difficult for anyone to vote them out.
We are swimming in a sea of promises at the moment as the First and Deputy First Ministers unveil their programme for government. There are pledges on job creation, free public transport for older people, school building and so on. With a delegation of Iraqi politicians looking down from the gallery, Martin McGuinness has described the ability of the sometimes divided executive to agree a draft programme for government and budget as "a remarkable day".
Inevitably not all MLAs see it that way. The SDLP leader Mark Durkan insists that the "saccharine language" does not hide what he sees as dressing up old priorities as new initiatives. He claims the Strategic Investment Board which the DUP and Sinn Fein previously critcised is now the centrepiece of their new policy. The Ulster Unionist Danny Kennedy tried to focus on what he reckons is the lack of a peace dividend from the Treasury. And Alliance's Naomi Long sarcastically suggested that some pages must be missing because the government programme did not mention tackling segregation or creating a shared future.
The First and Deputy First Ministers hit back. Of course they have special interests - the First Minister already qualifies for free public transport, whilst the Deputy First Minister should qualify in three years time.
Officials tried to make the lengthy speeches accessible, but inevitably it wasn't "never, never,never" tub thumping rhetoric. The First Minister had a bit of trouble getting through so many statistics. This might explain why at one point he promised to bring 520 million tourists here. Even if we all rent out our spare rooms I'm not sure we've got the space for that number of people.....
Back in July the blog commented on Gordon Brown's proposal for a new border police force, which appeared to be destined to operate everywhere except on the only land border the UK has. Now the Irish Times has reported on the demise of the Common Travel Area as Britain adopts an e-borders system. There will be no checks on the land border, but the days of no ID travel are numbered. To be honest most of the times I fly across I have to produce some kind of ID, although if I sail across with the car my passport-less offspring are not thrown overboard.
However Jim Allister is concerned that the e-borders plan could mean citizens of Northern Ireland being asked to show passports when they fly or sail to Great Britain. The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Office says there are no "immediate plans" for passport checks on passengers travelling from the Irish Republic to Britain. They are however exploring the potential for additional checks on passengers travelling within the Common Travel area, whatever that means.
Some information from Dublin suggests that when the British e-Borders system is fully developed it will necessitate all air and sea passengers being in possession of a valid passport to facilitate a journey within the CTA. I'm not sure whether that applies just to passengers from Dublin and Belfast, or if it implies that in the future a passenger flying from, say, London to Newcastle will need either a passport or one of the new ID cards. I shall keep you posted if I find out anymore.
UPDATE: A Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Office statement says "There are no plans to require domestic passengers to produce passports on all domestic air and sea journeys". So does that mean NI passengers won't have to produce one to sail to Stranraer?
First of all apologies to all of you who experienced difficulties posting comments yesterday. I had no joy making entries either, but the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ technocrats assure me that it's fixed now.
My computer woes prevented me from updating you on Stephen Farry's view of circus animals. Quite a few people think Stormont is a bit of a political circus, and the Alliance party were once dubbed "pantomime horses". But now the North Down MLA wants circuses featuring animals banned. The Alliance MLA has asked the Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew what consideration she has given to banning circuses featuring animals. The minister says she is considering the need for the regulation of circuses as part of a consultation on animal welfare legislation. It's not clear whether that will extend to a ban, either on circuses or on "pantomime horses".
No, not another raid, but this afternoon the Chief Constable made his way to Parliament Buildings to brief the 3 DUP Privy Counsellors on the Quinn murder. Afterwards Jeffrey Donaldson told us that the police aren't yet ready to endorse the Quinn family's view that the brutal killing was the work of the IRA. It's too early in their investigation, apparently, to be definitive. The Lagan Valley MP says his party won't fudge the matter, so let's watch this space.
Also this afternoon Gregory Campbell summoned Margaret Ritchie to the Social Development Committee to answer questions about axing funding to a UDA linked project. But if it sounded like a Kangaroo court in advance, the Committee turned into a "kiss and make up" session, with both politicians sounding like they wanted to move on when they spoke to us after the meeting. Perhaps the SDLP minister's critics are beginning to realise there are diminishing returns for them in prolonging this row.
I've arrived at Stormont today intent on covering statements on water charges, debates on abortion, and further twists and turns in the Margaret Ritchie affair. But given the news about the brutal murder of Paul Quinn it feels a bit like a parallel universe. In the old set up, I have a feeling we would already be camped outside Hillsborough Castle by now waiting to hear if the Secretary of State was about to sign a suspension order.
So far, although Mr Quinn's family has blamed the IRA, the DUP has sounded cautious about bringing the Stormont house down. I have heard of the offence of corporate manslaughter before, but it was a bit novel to listen to Jeffrey Donaldson talking about the ramifications if the IRA is found to have been "corporately" involved in Mr Quinn's death. His former colleague Jim Allister insists there must be no "phoney distinctions" made between acts by individual IRA members and the IRA as an organisation.
Conor Murphy says he's convinced republicans weren't involved. But his former colleague Jim McAllister says Conor should have talked to Mr Quinn's family before sounding so certain.
On the one hand the DUP will argue that they must await the evidence before jumping to conclusions. On the other, those of us who covered the murders perpetrated by IRA fronts like "Direct Action Against Drugs" know how reluctant the authorities can be in declaring clearly that the IRA sanctioned a particular crime when it is not politically expedient to make such a statement.
The Margaret Ritchie affair had looked as if it would tip us into a new politics with the DUP and Sinn Fein pitted against their executive partners. But now we have a horrible reminder of the old realities, and the biggest test of this kind for the Executive since devolution was restored.
It's worth checking out Ogden's comment on Executive Showdown 2 as I think his quote from "Yes, Prime Minister" is the most salient comment so far on the great Margaret Ritchie Stormont minutes controversy.
Today on Talkback, Sir Reg Empey rode to Margaret's defence on his white charger, although it might be a more potent intervention if he could find those notes which he left somewhere around his house. Sir Reg is a DIY fanatic so the notes are probably buried under a pile of rubble.
On tomorrow's Inside Politics, I suggest to the SDLP Leader Mark Durkan that the only way to go is to tape all future Executive meetings. He tells me that it may come to that. The Executive table doesn't have microphones, but I wonder if any of those note takers had a dictaphone running?
Aside from the technicalities, I do get around to asking Mr Durkan a few other questions, like whether he is contemplating marching into opposition.
The programme is on at 12.45pm on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Ulster tomorrow.
So after a day of listening to briefings that everybody's ruffled feathers would be smoothed over when the Executive gathered inside Stormont Castle, it became clear when the ministers emerged that personal relations are as bad as ever. On her way out, Margaret Ritchie accused the DUP and Sinn Fein of trying to control other ministers. Martin McGuinness said the Social Development Minister was "losing the run of herself".
The vote taken by the Executive didn't tackle the minister's decision to axe loyalist funding directly. Instead it concerned the minutes of the last Executive discussion of the matter. Those minutes back Peter Robinson's version of events, namely that Ms Ritchie agreed to forward her legal advice to other ministers and consult them before she made her move. The SDLP Minister contested the minutes, knowing that if they become the accepted record of events she will be vulnerable to a charge that she has broken Executive rules. The two UUP ministers voted with her, the rest voted to accept the minutes.
Although at one stage it seemed that confining discussions to the technical matter of the minutes might have defused matters, Ms Ritchie's departing comments made clear that the rift with her colleagues has escalated. She followed through with an explosive interview for the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's "Hearts and Minds" which didn't go down at all well back inside Stormont Castle.
So Margaret Ritchie is fairly isolated in the Executive, although her policy on cutting the UDA linked funding is popular with large sections of the general public.
In any ordinary cabinet we would be well past the point of no return by now. But of course the Stormont mandatory coalition isn't an ordinary cabinet. How things develop from here isn't clear. Will the SDLP head towards opposition or will the party's minister stick it out, distrusting both the minutes and her Executive colleagues?
Almost as an aside the Executive tackled water charges. Conor Murphy wouldn't give details ahead of a statememt to the Assembly on Monday. But it's thought ministers may have approved deferring charges for another year, taking the cash for water from the rates. However it's believed many of the elements of the recent independent review of water have not been agreed as unionist ministers don't agree with the review's support for basing water rates on the capital value of homes, or its opposition to water metering.
I am writing this up in the Assembly building, just before heading back down to Stormont Castle to catch up on today's Executive meeting. With water charges, the Irish language and Margaret Ritchie's decision to axe UDA linked funding on the table, the meeting promised to be hot and heavy. It began with disagreements over the minutes of what had been agreed previously by the Executive, and a short adjournment.
No doubt there'll be more later in the day, but my current understanding is that although things got a bit frosty between Ms Ritchie and Peter Robinson, there has not been the complete Executive meltdown which had seemed a distinct possibility. It looks like the Finance Minister is going go away and seek his own legal advice. Whilst some hacks are dubbing Ms Ritchie "the Terminator" because of her attitude to UDA linked funding, others have decided that the Finance Minister must be "Robbo Cop" because of his zealousness in policing the Executive protocol.
If ministers have been getting a bit crabby lately, maybe it's because we have been landing too many of the beasts on our shores. In my latest attempt to provide you with a fact you didn't know, I can divulge that over the past 12 months fishermen here caught just over 724 tonnes of brown crabs, worth more than Β£590,000. Thanks to the Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew and Sinn Fein's Willie Clarke for this interesting "snippet".
Which means "beyond the power". That's how Peter Robinson alleged Margaret Ritchie acted when she cut the UDA- linked Conflict Transformation Initiative this afternoon. On Stormont Live we watched as Ms Ritchie talked about not placing the law breaker above the law abiding. She also told MLAs about the personal pressure she has been under and what she described as "a sustained campaign of briefing against me".
But no sooner had she taken her seat than Mr Robinson was on his feet, expressing criticism of the UDA but claiming that Ms Ritchie had ignored the government's own lawyers in cutting the contract. He claimed Ms Ritchie may have broken her pledge of office and the ministerial code.
The proceedings were suspended amidst some disarray, whilst the Speaker sought legal advice. As I write the debate on the matter has just resumed and the temperature has not cooled down.
So Edwin Poots, as predicted, has brought the proposed Irish language act to a shuddering halt. That's despite 65% of those who responded to his department's consultation telling the minister they wanted the legislation. Mr Poots claims passing the law could have incurred the Northern Ireland Civil Service costs of Β£291 million over the next ten years, a cost he won't contemplate.
Gerry Adams reckons this figure is spurious and the move breaks commitments the DUP made in the St. Andrews' Agreement - something the DUP rejects. The Sinn Fein President also asked the minister to accept that the act would be passed one way or another.
This is a reference to Sinn Fein's view that if the Assembly won't pass the act, then Westminster must do so. This line of argument prompted some taunts from the unionist benches that Sinn Fein has switched from "Brits Out" to "Brits In".
So can Westminster pick up the baton, given that cultural matters have already been devolved? Informed sources say it's constitutionally possible, but would be highly unusual. Westminster has legislated on some devolved matters in Scotland using what are known as Sewel motions.
However the Assembly would, as I understand it, have to consent to the use of a Sewel motion. Given the mood amongst unionists there is no way that is going to happen.
So when Gerry Adams goes off to meet Shaun Woodward will he be pursuing a lost cause? Maybe, but of course there are some matters which are not yet devolved, for example, telecommunications and criminal justice, both of which can involve language issues.
So could we see the Secretary of State consulting on a Justice (Irish Language) Bill? Well I suppose it depends how long the DUP takes to agree to the transfer of policing and justice powers...
In between jousting over human rights and academic selection, MLAs got a chance to unite on one point today - admiration of the achievements of the Deputy SpeakerJohn Dallat in the Stormont weight loss club. Mr Dallat has lost ten pounds in the past fortnight. The Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader Danny Kennedy congratulated him on his "shrinking personage".
A certain amount of discussion here and elsewhere about what the parties promised about water charges during the Assembly election campaign. I can't vouch for every conversation on voters' doorsteps, or even every media interview. But for your information, read on for what the manifestoes of the four executive parties said....
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This weekend's Inside Politics' victim is the Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy. Most of the interview is about those new water charges..... sorry, they have been scrapped....it's about those new rates bills with a specific water element.
But we also find time to talk about the UDA deadline and why an abstentionist MP wants the Westminster parliament to sort out the Irish Language Act.
As usual, the programme is on at 12.45 on Saturday on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Ulster.
Forget Al Gore and his Nobel Peace Prize (although I'm sure our local lads wondered why they'd been passed over) how about a prize for the most camera shy public figure?
The other week when the Lord Chief Justice Sir Brian Kerr gave evidence to a Stormont Committee he managed to get into the building without having his arrival recorded on camera. And when still photographers asked for a picture of the unusual committee hearing their request came to naught. However, Sir Brian's committee appearance was captured on the video cameras installed in the Senate chamber.
But before presenting the LCJ with an award, one would have to take into account the Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, who may be still recovering from his recent grilling over Northern Rock by the Westminister Treasury Select Committee.
Earlier this week the Governor and the Bank of England's Court of Directors paid their first visit to Northern Ireland. My colleague Yvette Shapiro was keen to have a word with the Governor but neither he, nor the Court of Directors, nor the members of the important Monetary Policy Committee (which sets interest rates) would do interviews. Although the Governor's speech to the NI Chamber of Commerce was released to the media, he would not allow himself to be filmed delivering it at the Chamber's dinner at Belfast's Ramada Hotel.
On the evening, Yvette went along to the Ramada . The hosts, the NI Chamber of Commerce, had agreed she could film at their pre-banquet drinks reception and interview local business leaders for a "Hearts and Minds" film on the economy. But while she was in the hotel foyer making a live contribution to that night's Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Newsline, her camera crew and producer were thrown out of the drinks reception by the Bank of England's press officer and security men. The press officer told Yvette she was not allowed to film. When Yvette pointed out that the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ was not filming the Governor and was present with the agreement of the local Chamber of Commerce, the Bank of England finally backed off. All the while, Mr King remained closeted in a private drinks reception for VIPs, far from Yvette's camera.
Would international monetary markets have plummeted if the Governor had actually been pictured walking around a bit of Belfast?
So who gets the award - the LCJ who was captured on video but wouldn't agree to a still photo, or the Governor who issued an official still, but steered clear of any of those new fangled moving pictures?
This morning on Good Morning Ulster the NIPSA representative John Corey was asked about the possibility of the classroom assistants dispute going to talks at the Labour Relations Agency. He expressed some dissatisfaction with the education boards' offer of talks, on the grounds they have insisted they will only "clarify" their existing pay offer. Instead, NIPSA wants to negotiate a new offer.
That got me thinking about when I had heard this debate before. Then I remembered John Major and Albert Reynolds' Downing Street Declaration way back in the 1990s, before the IRA ceasefire. They insisted it was a "take it or leave it" document. But Sinn Fein wanted "clarification". Which eventually they got. And that was just the start of years of negotiations.
Which made me think that one man's "clarification" is another's "negotiation". And when it comes to a dispute having such a dreadful impact on children with special needs, it's hard to understand anyone, be they a union, employer or minister, standing firm on terminology before getting on with the business of dialogue.
The Assembly is looking for someone with a bit of security expertise who can provide it with 4 X-ray baggage scanners, 4 metal detecting archways and 8 handheld scanners. It's all to do with the hole in the ground, previously noted here, which is set to become an external search area. Since General De Chastelain's IICD team don't look as if they will be busy anytime soon decommissioning UDA weapons, maybe they could provide Stormont with a quote.
But not if your name is Caitriona Ruane and you are walking past the Chinese supermarket on Belfast's Ormeau Road. Earlier today a colleague spotted some graffiti on posters and lampposts there bearing the slogan "Caitriona, bristeoir na stailce", which they tell me means "strike breaker". So much for those unionists who, speaking in the Chamber this week, argued that Sinn Fein use the Irish language as a political tool. There's at least one Irish speaker out there who appears to be distinctly off message, at least when it comes to the classroom assistants' strike.
Over the last few days a geyser has been spouting outside Stormont from a hole dug to accommodate a new security checkpoint. It looked like a digger had hit one of the exposed water mains. I was rather hoping to do a live interview for tonight's Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Newsline with this temporary fountain in the background, given that the topic was a proposal to take any new water charges from the rates bill. The review of water charges is due to be published on Friday. Sadly, the geyser appears to have been quenched. So it's back to the usual Stormont backdrop...
Last month we reported that the Finance Department's best guess of what we might get in the Chancellor's Comprehensive Spending Review was a 3.7% increase in our budget. Allowing for inflation at 2.7% that equalled a 1% rise in real terms.
Yesterday when Alistair Darling opened his wallet, the Treasury told us we were getting an average 1.7% rise in real terms over the next three years. So that's 0.7% more. Gordon Brown said the cash was more than he had previously promised. Time to get out the glasses and order a crate of that Stormont crested wine?
Well maybe. However, according to the Treasury figures, we are trailing the other devolved nations. They say Scotland got a 1.8% rise in real terms and Wales got 2.4%.
Even so our politicians, who were all busy arguing about the Irish language when the Chancellor was on his feet, seem relatively content. In my e-mail box, I have a statement from the Alliance describing the spending round as "tight". But the SDLP say they find it "reasonably positive". The DUP Finance Minister Peter Robinson said it highlighted "the need for local departments to deliver efficiencies over the period to 2010-11".
This contrasts with the situation in Scotland, where both before and after the Chancellor's statement, the SNP has been crying foul. The Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond refuses to accept that he's getting 1.8% more. Instead he's told the Scotsman he's only getting a 0.5% increase.
Here are a few potential explanations for the different reactions for readers to choose from
1. NI politicians are better at maths than Scottish First Ministers (or vice versa)
2. The SNP has a direct political reason to deride Labour figures as Labour organises in Scotland
3. If our parties make a fuss about the Treasury handout it will only attract attention to the lack of a peace dividend
4. We can't work out our percentages because we were debating the Irish language at the time
UPDATE: Alex Salmond met Ian Paisley at Westminster this afternoon. He claims NI and Wales are just as upset as he is about the Comprehensive Spending Review and they intend to work together to try to get a better deal...
FURTHER UPDATE: This evening the Finance Department confirmed that Peter Robinson had discussed the spending review with his Scottish counterpart and they hope to meet the Treasury soon, either separately or together. Both ministers are concerned, apparently, about the way the funds are geared over the next three years.
Those who believe Stormont is nothing but a talking shop take note. Talk may be cheap but Assembly crested cuff links are more expensive. A series of written questions from the Ulster Unionist Leslie Cree reveal the turnover and stock of the Stormont shop, on the right after you make your way through the famous revolving door.
Back in January 2006 the shop generated a measly Β£61.30, but by June of this year it had net sales of a whopping Β£4232.10.
There are plans afoot for new goodies to tempt both tourists and MLAs. They include new chocolates, an assembly tie-pin and a Stormont brooch. Subject to assembly commission approval, there's also a proposal for Stormont crested wine, although I'm not convinced the First Minister will be ordering a crate any time soon.
"You put your whole self in, your whole self out". If anyone wishes to provide an Irish or Ulster Scots translation of this, or indeed of the term "hokey cokey" I will look forward to publishing it.
Today's Irish language debate was predictable in the main but surprising in part. Sinn Fein Junior Minister Gerry Kelly broke new ground by addressing the chamber in Ulster Scots. The Alliance's Stephen Farry tried out his Irish. The Ulster Unionist Ken Robinson treated us all to a bit of German.
David McNarry had tabled the motion calling on Executive ministers to refrain from using Irish. He pioneered his own form of "hokey cokey", pointedly leaving the chamber when nationalists responded in Irish, in particular when Caral Ni Chuilin called him "Daithi". Both Sinn Fein's Barry McElduff and Alban Maginnis raised his behaviour, and the Speaker Willie Hay has agreed to give a ruling on whether the "hokey cokey" is out of order.
P.S. The prize for shooting yourself in the foot has to go to the Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader Danny Kennedy who, in taking a crack at the Alliance's Stephen Farry, said his contribution showed people in Bangor can't spell. He quickly clarified that he was only referring to some people in Bangor. But this didn't stop Barry McElduff pointing out that Bangor was the only place where the UUP still has a Westminster seat. How much longer if the voters find out the party thinks they can't spell?
During question time yesterday, the First Minister indicated that if he could he would like to limit Freedom of Information enquiries aimed at the Executive. "On occasions" Ian Paisley argued "the requests are of a wide-ranging and detailed nature that requires many hours of research, and are sent in by lazy journalists, who will not do any work, but who think that we should pay them and give them the information that they want."
The SDLP's Declan O'Loan pointed out that he has been using Freedom of Information to probe the Causeway Visitor's Centre story, but the First Minister was spared from detailed questioning on that score when the Speaker ruled Mr O'Loan's digression out of order.
Of course, unlike "lazy journalists" the politicians don't always have to resort to FoI requests as they have their own system of Stormont written questions. The First Minister was unable to answer the Ulster Unionist Sammy Gardiner's question about how much supplying an answer to an MLA's enquiry cost. Back in 2002, Ruth Kelly estimated the average cost of a Westminister written answer at Β£75, when raising the maximum cost limit to Β£600.
Since May 8th the Education Minister Caitriona Ruane had had to deal with the most written questions (344), followed by the Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy (263) and the Health Minister Michael McGimpsey (251). The minister least in demand by his fellow MLAs has been Peter Robinson at Finance. He's dealt with only 86 questions.
A collective sigh of relief at Stormont as the politicians can forget about doing battle with each other and go back to being best buddies on the Executive. Ian Paisley had vowed to stand again, but it will be interesting to see if that position changes now an election isn't due until 2009. The UUP can forget about those pact talks with the DUP and concentrate on putting their own house in order by changing their rickety constituency rules. The SDLP didn't appear overly enthusiastic about an election, but they may have performed better in Foyle and South Down under the current boundaries than under the ones due to be adopted next spring.
It's not only the politicians who are relieved. Here at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ we were scratching our heads over how to cope with a campaign at short notice. We were gearing up for an overnight count, but hit an unusual snag. The studio which normally accommodates our election special was already booked out - to the Northern Ireland version of Sesame Street.
Personally I was quite looking forward to watching the Cookie Monster operate the swingometer, but others didn't seem too keen. Now we shall never know what this new departure in election programming might have looked like..
In the old days we all used to pore over ambiguous IRA statements trying to determine their meaning. Today we have this from the UDA, in the run up to Margaret Ritchie's decommissioning deadline.
"The UDA has always intended, as part of the continued process of consultation with its membership, and has agreed a course of action and a timetable for those actions. It will adhere to that timetable, no more and no less. Quis Separabit."
Are they being deliberately delphic? Or are there some words missing?
Well, will he or won't he? As Gordon Brown continues to prevaricate about calling an election, our local politicians have no option but to prepare for an election none of them seem enthusiastic about. I've just recorded Inside Politics with the Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey. Last time the UUP plummeted from 6 seats to only 1. can things get any worse for them this time?
We discuss the chances of a pact with the DUP, maybe taking in Fermanagh South Tyrone and South Belfast, and the longer term prospects for a merger between the two parties.
He also deals with the further education lecturers' pay dispute, tensions between students and locals in Belfast's Holyland and who lobbied him over the Giants' Causeway in the days when he was Tourism Minister.
Inside Politics is on, as usual, at 12.45 on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Ulster.
You'd think Margaret Ritchie had enough on her hands trying to get the UDA to disarm and trying to provide people with affordable homes. But, as Social Development Minister, she also has to worry about issuing licences to people who want to kill or deal in game. Apparently about 1200 people hold licences at a cost of Β£4 each. That might have been fairly expensive when the licences were introduced back in the 1960s. But, given inflation, it now costs more to collect the fees than the department makes from the scheme. Moreover there are thought to be around 12,000 game shooters out there - so the licences are not exactly doing their jobs.
What to do about the poachers and the gamekeepers will be discussed tomorrow by the Social Development Committee. I suspect Ms Ritchie will continue to concentrate on a different kind of gun altogether.
Those of us who covered the negotiations leading up to the Good Friday Agreement have distinct if not particularly fond memories of Castle Buildings, the place where the "hand of history" plonked itself on our shoulders. The DUP's Jim Wells doesn't like it much - he told the Committee for Office of the First and Deputy First Minister that about a week inside the rabbit warren like building was quite enough for him.
So pity the Public Appointments Commissioner, Felicity Huston, who has been stuck there for about a year. Officials giving evidence to the Committee seemed unaware that the Commissioner is suffering a bout of cabin fever. But Committee members appeared to be of the opinion that she wants out and also wants more independence so far as staffing her office is concerned.
How times have changed. Nine years ago Felicity Huston was a women's peace campaigner keen to get as close as she could to Castle Buildings. Indeed she and her two young boys presented Gerry Adams with an orange balloon with "Peace" written on it. Now she needs a hot air balloon to carry her away from the place.
It's Stormont's very own Kramer v. Kramer, although they're not a couple and they're arguing about the fate of the whole world, not just their kids.
In the Orange Corner, there's Sammy, a climate change sceptic who recalls writing essays about global cooling when he was at school.
In the Green Corner, there's Brian, an environmental campaigner keen to see the NI Civil Service set up its own carbon trading scheme.
If we are judging on public speaking ability, there's no question. Sammy wins every time.
But who is the better climatologist? Let's return to this blog in about fifty years time for a definitive judgement.
I am getting increasingly worried about mentioning the DUP's Jim Shannon in this blog. Previously we have noted his penchant for shooting and countryside sports. Now he is asking the Culture Minister Edwin Poots about funding for karate and taekwondo. Here we have an MLA who I fear may be able to kill you with his bare hands....
Discretion being the better part of valour, the blog will restrict itself in the future to paying tribute to his Ulster Scots rhetorical skills.
UPDATE: No sooner had I written that sentence than I came upon another Jim Shannon question I simply can't resist. He wants to know what action the Environment Minister Arlene Foster intends to take over the display of Christmas lights in vehicle windows. Mrs Foster says there are already regulations covering dazzling lights and she has no plans to introduce legislation on this score as "there is no indication from data provided by the PSNI that the use of Christmas lights on the windows of vehicles is a key factor in road traffic collisions."
And if you haven't got any lights, remember that there are only 81 shopping days until Christmas....
The Lord Chief Justice Sir Brian Kerr gave evidence to Jeffrey Donaldson's Assembly and Executive Review Committee this morning. He expressed surprise at media reports that he was due to face a grilling, adding that he was probably a rare person in the Senate Chamber in that he had given evidence previously from the witness box.
Committee member Raymond McCartney, a former leader of the IRA prisoners in the Maze, begged to differ, informing the LCJ that he also had experience of the witness box. Jailed for two murders in the 70s, the Foyle MLA had the convictions quashed by the Court of Appeal earlier this year.
Sir Brian used his appearance to suggest a more "hands off" model for the Courts Service than suggested so far by the NIO. The NIO envisages the Courts Service as an executive agency accountable to a future devolved Justice Minister. Instead Sir Brian proposes a "non-ministerial department" headed by a Board which he or his successors would chair, which would include a representative from the Justice Ministry. His board would submit a strategic plan to the Minister and provide the department with annual reports. The LCJ argued this model would mirror the one in the Republic of Ireland and one planned for Scotland. It would also require fresh legislation.
When invited by the DUP's George Robinson to comment on the appropriate timing of the transfer of justice powers, Sir Brian declined to stray into such overtly political waters. However, by suggesting a scheme which would require fresh legislation he may have unintentionally supplied ammunition to those in the DUP inclined to argue that this matter is so complicated that it cannot possibly be resolved by the NIO's target date of May 2008.
Last year Ian Paisley and Peter Robinson hosted a well attended fringe meeting at the Tory conference in Bournemouth. But this year the DUP is notable by its absence. Has Westminster's fourth largest party got something against Blackpool? Is this a fit of pique given the Tory recruitment of Lord Trimble?
Ian Paisley has to attend the funeral of a church elder. Jeffrey Donaldson has an important meeting of his Stormont committee, which is taking evidence from the Lord Chief Justice. Others have ministerial commitments.
However, given the speculation about a November election, it's a surprise that no MLA or MP was able to make the trip. So far I haven't found anyone willing to stand up a rumour going around Tory circles that some DUPers applied but had a problem with their photo accreditation.
There's been an outbreak of "foot in mouth" disease at Stormont as MLAs struggle to get their tongues around the veterinary terms concerning the latest animal diseases to afflict GB. Sinn Fein's Francie Molloy referred to "blue tooth disease" which appears to be a new hi-tec strain of the condition now blighting English cows. The Ulster Unionist Danny Kennedy paid tribute to Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew's ability to get her teeth around the term when she fails to pronounce the words "Northern Ireland". Ms Gildernew came back by asking if Mr Kennedy was suggesting that she was suffering from "greentongue disease".
We are always hearing about the fat cats up here at Stormont, but could some of them be about to get thinner? Following some sounds of hilarity emanating from one basement office I came across Downtown Radio's Eamonn Mallie weighing in Deputy Speaker John Dallat. It turns out that Eamonn is pioneering what he calls a weight lotto - a weight loss club intended to raise some money for charity. He got roped in by Assembly Broadcasting's Nora Anne Barron, whose original idea it was. Apart from John Dallat, they are also press ganging a number of other politicos, including Deputy Speaker Francie Molloy, Finance Minister Peter Robinson, Environment Minister Arlene Foster and my colleague Jim Fitzpatrick, all of whom I would have thought were pretty svelte. They hope the politicians will turn up for weekly weigh ins.
Come to think of it, Eamonn does bear a remarkable resemblance to Little Britain's Marjorie Dawes.
Before anyone asks I'm not joining. If I lost any weight I'd have to move next door to the Ulster Hospital.
I'm 