Friday 27 February 2009
Money making the world go round…
IT was almost all about money this week as politicians vied to claim the headlines, batter down opponents, give it away, stop giving it away and admit claiming some of it!
Giving it away
Do you live on pension credit and own your own home? Then you might have been miffed when the pre-Christmas fuel poverty payment wasn’t coming your way.
Then only those on pension credit and income support could claim the cash. But an ever generous Executive have said that if you are on pension credit and own your own home the cash could be coming your way.
That means that an extra 50,000 people in Northern Ireland will benefit from the whopping £150 cash injection…with 900 litres of home heating oil clocking in at just under £280 earlier this week, 50,000 households will be whooping with joy, or just feeling underwhelmed…and asking why this is coming along when the weather has gotten that bit milder. Timing appears to be a skill the Executive has yet to learn.
Then only those on pension credit and income support could claim the cash. But an ever generous Executive have said that if you are on pension credit and own your own home the cash could be coming your way.
That means that an extra 50,000 people in Northern Ireland will benefit from the whopping £150 cash injection…with 900 litres of home heating oil clocking in at just under £280 earlier this week, 50,000 households will be whooping with joy, or just feeling underwhelmed…and asking why this is coming along when the weather has gotten that bit milder. Timing appears to be a skill the Executive has yet to learn.
Cash queue MLAs
MANY farmers went to extraordinary lengths (some queuing overnight) to get in line for the cash handouts promised by an eager Executive in the pre-Christmas giveaway.
Last week hundreds of farmers across Northern Ireland descended on Department of Agriculture offices for the opportunity to apply for grants to modernise their farms (and as they would have to part fund the developments themselves it wasn’t that generous). However, the £6 million on offer was only available on a ‘first come, first served basis’ with the first 1200 applicants getting the full grant.
Cue pictures of queues, grumbling from an EU official, and a huffing Rev William McCrea implying that Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew should hang up her ministerial wellie boots.
All fun and games…until it emerged that there were MLAs who had applied for the grant scheme.
The DUP’s William Irwin and the UUP’s George Savage had entered into the queue lottery for farm cash.
Both were open and honest in the Assembly debate on the issue, and no-one in the chamber dared compare the plight of farmers finding ways to fight off financial ruin through investment with MLA farmers earning £40,000+ for sitting at the Assembly.
Which of course raises the question…did the aforementioned Assembly members queue, use a postal vote/application or have an underling do the queing.
Last week hundreds of farmers across Northern Ireland descended on Department of Agriculture offices for the opportunity to apply for grants to modernise their farms (and as they would have to part fund the developments themselves it wasn’t that generous). However, the £6 million on offer was only available on a ‘first come, first served basis’ with the first 1200 applicants getting the full grant.
Cue pictures of queues, grumbling from an EU official, and a huffing Rev William McCrea implying that Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew should hang up her ministerial wellie boots.
All fun and games…until it emerged that there were MLAs who had applied for the grant scheme.
The DUP’s William Irwin and the UUP’s George Savage had entered into the queue lottery for farm cash.
Both were open and honest in the Assembly debate on the issue, and no-one in the chamber dared compare the plight of farmers finding ways to fight off financial ruin through investment with MLA farmers earning £40,000+ for sitting at the Assembly.
Which of course raises the question…did the aforementioned Assembly members queue, use a postal vote/application or have an underling do the queing.
Money on the mind
THE Eames Bradley ‘Let’s all be friends now’ report had recommended cash for the families of victims of the Troubles.
£12,000 was to be paid, whether the victim was a member of the public, a terrorist/combatant/freedom fighter (delete as applicable according to your historic prejudice) or a member of the security forces.
Righteous indignation followed from the camp that said ‘bombers’ and their victims were unequal, and from the camp that said screw the cash we want the truth.
In classic British Government fashion the initial response was…”We’ll think about it”. Roughly translated this means “we’ll stick a dampened finger in the air and see what way the political wind blows”.
In another epic piece of classic ‘yes, minister’ double talk, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Shaun Woodward announced on Wednesday that the recognition payment proposal was not to be implement, because ‘the time was not right’. Which, of course begs the question, what time will it be right? Half past, quarter to, ten past?
The Consultative Group on the past front men, Eames and Bradley caught on quick when they stated that their report was more important than the recommendations.
Woodward must have missed that bit when he said that there were 31 recommendations that really bear looking at.
Keeping in mind the mounting legal bill of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, Woodward said he was keen to look at the group’s recommendations on public inquiries into the past.
We can definitively refute any claims that the Secretary of State was heard to say “You bog-trotters cost a fortune”. That is simply untrue and Mr Woodward definitely did not say “did any of you paddy’s notice there’s a global crisis going down here.” Instead he may have just hinted that barrister’s retirement fund parties may be drawing to a close.
Eames was content that at least some of the recommendations from the Consultative Group might be taken on board with regards to victims.
The Victims Commissioners (x4) meanwhile took time off from getting their knickers in a knot over the issue.
£12,000 was to be paid, whether the victim was a member of the public, a terrorist/combatant/freedom fighter (delete as applicable according to your historic prejudice) or a member of the security forces.
Righteous indignation followed from the camp that said ‘bombers’ and their victims were unequal, and from the camp that said screw the cash we want the truth.
In classic British Government fashion the initial response was…”We’ll think about it”. Roughly translated this means “we’ll stick a dampened finger in the air and see what way the political wind blows”.
In another epic piece of classic ‘yes, minister’ double talk, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Shaun Woodward announced on Wednesday that the recognition payment proposal was not to be implement, because ‘the time was not right’. Which, of course begs the question, what time will it be right? Half past, quarter to, ten past?
The Consultative Group on the past front men, Eames and Bradley caught on quick when they stated that their report was more important than the recommendations.
Woodward must have missed that bit when he said that there were 31 recommendations that really bear looking at.
Keeping in mind the mounting legal bill of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, Woodward said he was keen to look at the group’s recommendations on public inquiries into the past.
We can definitively refute any claims that the Secretary of State was heard to say “You bog-trotters cost a fortune”. That is simply untrue and Mr Woodward definitely did not say “did any of you paddy’s notice there’s a global crisis going down here.” Instead he may have just hinted that barrister’s retirement fund parties may be drawing to a close.
Eames was content that at least some of the recommendations from the Consultative Group might be taken on board with regards to victims.
The Victims Commissioners (x4) meanwhile took time off from getting their knickers in a knot over the issue.
Sinn Féin and the banks
HERE comes a massive change for any political party…Sinn Féin said what we are all thinking!
At last week’s Ard Fheis Mary Lou McDonald called for corrupt banker types to face jail terms. Of course, this was on a weekend when 100,000 people were on the streets of Dublin protesting at the Government’s handling of the economic crisis as the Celtic Tiger breathed its last.
Sinn Féin representatives joined in (rather too joyously at times) for the fat cats to have their teeth and salaries capped while serving jail time.
But, could it be that McDonald has a cunning plan? With the barristers staring gloomily at the end of the inquiry/tribunal gravy train, the newly anointed Sinn Féin Vice President was actually extending a helping a hand to the barrister retirement fund.
At last week’s Ard Fheis Mary Lou McDonald called for corrupt banker types to face jail terms. Of course, this was on a weekend when 100,000 people were on the streets of Dublin protesting at the Government’s handling of the economic crisis as the Celtic Tiger breathed its last.
Sinn Féin representatives joined in (rather too joyously at times) for the fat cats to have their teeth and salaries capped while serving jail time.
But, could it be that McDonald has a cunning plan? With the barristers staring gloomily at the end of the inquiry/tribunal gravy train, the newly anointed Sinn Féin Vice President was actually extending a helping a hand to the barrister retirement fund.
Final whistle sounds
WE all knew that no injury time goal or penalty shoot-out was going to save the Maze Stadium project.
The ending of direct rule saw to that. Culture minister, Gregory Campbell, blew the final whistle at an Assembly committee meeting.
Staying with the week’s theme of cash, Campbell told the Culture Arts and Leisure Committee that there would be a net loss to the economy totalling between £156m and £193m which could not be made up in “non-monetary benefits”.
But kind hearted minister that he is, Campbell insisted that he would help soccer/football, rugby and GAA out with their stadium needs. A new stadium, would have been nice, but alas…
This came at the same time that concerns were raised about crumbling walls at Crusaders Seaview FC and other Irish League grounds, worries about safety at GAA’s Casement and RFU’s Ravenhill. What stadiums was Campbell talking about then?
On the bright side ice hockey’s the Belfast Giants are doing reasonably well this season. Their stadium? The Odyssey Arena.
The ending of direct rule saw to that. Culture minister, Gregory Campbell, blew the final whistle at an Assembly committee meeting.
Staying with the week’s theme of cash, Campbell told the Culture Arts and Leisure Committee that there would be a net loss to the economy totalling between £156m and £193m which could not be made up in “non-monetary benefits”.
But kind hearted minister that he is, Campbell insisted that he would help soccer/football, rugby and GAA out with their stadium needs. A new stadium, would have been nice, but alas…
This came at the same time that concerns were raised about crumbling walls at Crusaders Seaview FC and other Irish League grounds, worries about safety at GAA’s Casement and RFU’s Ravenhill. What stadiums was Campbell talking about then?
On the bright side ice hockey’s the Belfast Giants are doing reasonably well this season. Their stadium? The Odyssey Arena.
What’s in a name?
Well the Tories and the UUP set up the committee, chatted, deliberated and cogitated before coming up with a name for their alliance/coalition.
Seems that the long hours of debate have come up with the name…’The Ulster Conservative and Unionists – New Force’. Note the dropping of the title ‘Party’ from the new moniker.
Seems that the long hours of debate have come up with the name…’The Ulster Conservative and Unionists – New Force’. Note the dropping of the title ‘Party’ from the new moniker.
Back to Business
No not a plea for MLAs to do some work, rather the announcement that South Antrim MLA David Burnside is to quit the Assembly to concentrate on his business interests.
Which means that there will now be invoked an arcane selection procedure for the UUP (or should that be Ulster and Conservative Unionists) candidate to take his place.
Once, the next man or woman on the party’s list automatically took the seat. Now it is party that decides on the replacement and in this instance the party leader, Sir Reg Empey. Will he go mad and select a woman. The Ulster Unionist have no women MLAs in the chamber (we counted the members of the legislative chamber twice and the answer was still nil). An opportunity…
Which means that there will now be invoked an arcane selection procedure for the UUP (or should that be Ulster and Conservative Unionists) candidate to take his place.
Once, the next man or woman on the party’s list automatically took the seat. Now it is party that decides on the replacement and in this instance the party leader, Sir Reg Empey. Will he go mad and select a woman. The Ulster Unionist have no women MLAs in the chamber (we counted the members of the legislative chamber twice and the answer was still nil). An opportunity…
Back to Business
No not a plea for MLAs to do some work, rather the announcement that South Antrim MLA David Burnside is to quit the Assembly to concentrate on his business interests.
Which means that there will now be invoked an arcane selection procedure for the UUP (or should that be Ulster and Conservative Unionists) candidate to take his place.
Once, the next man or woman on the party’s list automatically took the seat. Now it is party that decides on the replacement and in this instance the party leader, Sir Reg Empey. Will he go mad and select a woman. The Ulster Unionist have no women MLAs in the chamber (we counted the members of the legislative chamber twice and the answer was still nil). An opportunity…
Which means that there will now be invoked an arcane selection procedure for the UUP (or should that be Ulster and Conservative Unionists) candidate to take his place.
Once, the next man or woman on the party’s list automatically took the seat. Now it is party that decides on the replacement and in this instance the party leader, Sir Reg Empey. Will he go mad and select a woman. The Ulster Unionist have no women MLAs in the chamber (we counted the members of the legislative chamber twice and the answer was still nil). An opportunity…
Tribute
A final word – a mention of the tragic death of the former Ulster Unionist MLA James Leslie this week. James died during a holiday.
The former Ulster Unionist MLA briefly served as a Junior Minister under the Trimble/Durkan leadership of the Assembly. He did not contest the 2003 Assembly election and joined the Conservatives in 2006, unsuccessfully standing for the party in the 2007 Assembly election. He played a central part in forging the new Conservative/Ulster Unionist grouping.
Liked and respected across the political divide, his passing will be a sad loss to the political life of Northern Ireland.
The former Ulster Unionist MLA briefly served as a Junior Minister under the Trimble/Durkan leadership of the Assembly. He did not contest the 2003 Assembly election and joined the Conservatives in 2006, unsuccessfully standing for the party in the 2007 Assembly election. He played a central part in forging the new Conservative/Ulster Unionist grouping.
Liked and respected across the political divide, his passing will be a sad loss to the political life of Northern Ireland.
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