With tickets for Barack Obama’s inauguration trading for several hundred dollars on e-bay, it seems that at least one political chief in Northern Ireland will be there on Tuesday.
Gerry Adams has snagged a precious place at the event.
All the rest will have to do without Bono and Beyonce and the hyperbole that is already reaching fever pitch. We’ll just have to settle for the TV highlights.
Monday, 19 January 2009
The villains of the piece?
Bank bosses were once again up at the Assembly when the Finance Committee called the bankers to see what more they could do in the credit crunch.
The British Banker Association were keen to point out that it was a global crisis and they were doing all they could to help their customers.
Ian Paisley Jnr warned the bankers that the public perception was that they were the villains of the piece.
There is no truth, of course, that bank officials turned up wearing black capes, masks and carrying bags marked swag.
The British Banker Association were keen to point out that it was a global crisis and they were doing all they could to help their customers.
Ian Paisley Jnr warned the bankers that the public perception was that they were the villains of the piece.
There is no truth, of course, that bank officials turned up wearing black capes, masks and carrying bags marked swag.
Bob the (Assembly) Builder
As if Plenary Sessions weren’t exciting enough it seems the speaker William Hay is going to make sure that he’s building towards yet more fun in the chamber.
Previously, whoever was in the speaker’s chair called MLAs to speak according to party strengths and the ordering of debates.
Now the speaker plans to call members when they wish to speak.
This means the Assembly could be like Westminster with members bobbing up and down to draw the attention of the speaker, waving their order papers.
The implications are massive replacement surgery for all the arthritic joints of older members trying to keep up the bobbing pace.
Previously, whoever was in the speaker’s chair called MLAs to speak according to party strengths and the ordering of debates.
Now the speaker plans to call members when they wish to speak.
This means the Assembly could be like Westminster with members bobbing up and down to draw the attention of the speaker, waving their order papers.
The implications are massive replacement surgery for all the arthritic joints of older members trying to keep up the bobbing pace.
Job gloom...that’ll be the employment minister then
With the global economic crisis impacting local employers this week, FG Wilson, Seagate and Nortel were among those making announcements the week ended with Employment Minister Sir Reg Empey warning that up to 20,000 jobs could go in Northern Ireland .
Given that there were 550 job losses this week alone, this could be an under-estimate at best. Empey warned that by 2010 the unemployment rate could be as high as 50,000.
So, when things are tough its time to see Gordon Brown. Empey, together with the First and deputy First Ministers are off to beg the PM to, in the words of the employment minister, show a sense of compassion.
They’ll also be asking for help in the Presbyterian Mutual Society crisis.
The shopping/wish list gets bigger, but will Brown be impressed?
Given that there were 550 job losses this week alone, this could be an under-estimate at best. Empey warned that by 2010 the unemployment rate could be as high as 50,000.
So, when things are tough its time to see Gordon Brown. Empey, together with the First and deputy First Ministers are off to beg the PM to, in the words of the employment minister, show a sense of compassion.
They’ll also be asking for help in the Presbyterian Mutual Society crisis.
The shopping/wish list gets bigger, but will Brown be impressed?
You wouldn’t rate that!
WITH the credit crunch in full swing ministers are hard at it trying to prove their worth.
Coming quickly on the heels of fuel payments being fast-tracked and housing boost, it was time for Nigel Dodds to make another announcement.
He this week promised to help, if he can, local councils struggling to keep rates bills down.
Dodds said he had only limited scope to lend a hand, but he was waiting for officials to see what could be done to help out councils faced with the prospect of cutting services or hiking bills.
The Finance Minister promised an announcement was imminent as councils across Northern Ireland said rates could rise by up to 10%.
With less than a month until councils have to hike their rates, more than a few councillors will be sweating that Mr Dodds won't wait too long for that imminent announcement - not to mention ratepayers!
Coming quickly on the heels of fuel payments being fast-tracked and housing boost, it was time for Nigel Dodds to make another announcement.
He this week promised to help, if he can, local councils struggling to keep rates bills down.
Dodds said he had only limited scope to lend a hand, but he was waiting for officials to see what could be done to help out councils faced with the prospect of cutting services or hiking bills.
The Finance Minister promised an announcement was imminent as councils across Northern Ireland said rates could rise by up to 10%.
With less than a month until councils have to hike their rates, more than a few councillors will be sweating that Mr Dodds won't wait too long for that imminent announcement - not to mention ratepayers!
Torpedoing debates - surely not!
When a week starts it seems that there is a sweepstake running to see how many minutes/hours/days it is before Education Minister Catriona Ruane steps into a row.
This week it was Tuesday morning, when Ruane was in the middle of a muddle disguised as a controversy.
The Assembly had been scheduled to debate on rural school closures during Tuesday’s plenary session.
Lo and behold late on Monday the education department published its Sustainable Schools policy, which specifically sets out the criteria for closing schools.
With various members describing the policy publication date as strange timing, there was a sense that the New Year was really underway with Ruane embroiled in a row and Wilson wading into his own officials!
This week it was Tuesday morning, when Ruane was in the middle of a muddle disguised as a controversy.
The Assembly had been scheduled to debate on rural school closures during Tuesday’s plenary session.
Lo and behold late on Monday the education department published its Sustainable Schools policy, which specifically sets out the criteria for closing schools.
With various members describing the policy publication date as strange timing, there was a sense that the New Year was really underway with Ruane embroiled in a row and Wilson wading into his own officials!
High rise rows in the city centre
Pity the poor planning officials; first there was the Giant’s Causeway visitor centre row, then there was the PPS14 debacle, then came the John Lewis Sprucefield fiasco. They must have thought that 2009 should provide a quieter 12 months.
That was until Environment Minister, Sammy Wilson spoke out on Monday and he wasn’t exactly holding back.
His own officials were in the firing line for rejecting an application for a high rise development on Belfast ’s Great Victoria Street .
The 390m Aurora Building project got the rejection stamp because officials said it "did not pay due regard to the character of the site and the surrounding area".
Wilson, their boss, said the 37-storey development would have real economic benefits for the city and claimed that his officials in planning had scuppered it.
This, of course drew the ire of public service trades union NIPSA, and led, for once to officials saying, ‘No, Minister’. Wilson is hoping that when it comes to the planning appeal officials will remember the BBC programme and say loudly and clearly ‘Yes, Minister’.
That was until Environment Minister, Sammy Wilson spoke out on Monday and he wasn’t exactly holding back.
His own officials were in the firing line for rejecting an application for a high rise development on Belfast ’s Great Victoria Street .
The 390m Aurora Building project got the rejection stamp because officials said it "did not pay due regard to the character of the site and the surrounding area".
Wilson, their boss, said the 37-storey development would have real economic benefits for the city and claimed that his officials in planning had scuppered it.
This, of course drew the ire of public service trades union NIPSA, and led, for once to officials saying, ‘No, Minister’. Wilson is hoping that when it comes to the planning appeal officials will remember the BBC programme and say loudly and clearly ‘Yes, Minister’.
Friday, 9 January 2009
20 year service badge
IT has been all change this week in Sinn Féin, with the party announcing that long serving vice president Pat Doherty is to stand down as part of a proposed reshuffle.
The East Tyrone MP and MLA – who will continue to represent the constituency - held the post for 20 years. Dublin MEP, Mary Lou McDonald will stand for election as vice president during next month’s Ard Fhéis.
While local focus was on Doherty’s stepping down from the prominent post, new faces at the proposed new Sinn Féin top table will see more Republic of Ireland representatives.
Gerry Adams paid tribute to Pat Doherty’s contribution as party vice president, while at the same time it emerged that Adams would be once again standing for party president.
Of the new faces, in addition to McDonald, Declan Kearney will run for party chairperson, Dawn Doyle for general secretary and Maurice Quinlivan and Rita O'Hare as joint party treasurers.
The East Tyrone MP and MLA – who will continue to represent the constituency - held the post for 20 years. Dublin MEP, Mary Lou McDonald will stand for election as vice president during next month’s Ard Fhéis.
While local focus was on Doherty’s stepping down from the prominent post, new faces at the proposed new Sinn Féin top table will see more Republic of Ireland representatives.
Gerry Adams paid tribute to Pat Doherty’s contribution as party vice president, while at the same time it emerged that Adams would be once again standing for party president.
Of the new faces, in addition to McDonald, Declan Kearney will run for party chairperson, Dawn Doyle for general secretary and Maurice Quinlivan and Rita O'Hare as joint party treasurers.
We won’t forget…
US Special envoy, Paula Dobriansky was this week on her farewell tour to Northern Ireland.
She promised that when President George W Bush steps aside for Barack Obama, Washington will continue to be committed to ‘wee Norn Iron’.
Ms Dobriansky said the US has always had a great interest in Northern Ireland and the positivity was pouring as she said that despite the global economic downturn Northern Ireland had a lot to offer.
While some might question whether Obama will have any time after his inauguration on 20 January to remember Northern Ireland faced, as he is, with the chaos surrounding Gaza, Ms Dobriansky said that the Northern Ireland experience could be applied…well at least our politicians only fire words at each other.
She promised that when President George W Bush steps aside for Barack Obama, Washington will continue to be committed to ‘wee Norn Iron’.
Ms Dobriansky said the US has always had a great interest in Northern Ireland and the positivity was pouring as she said that despite the global economic downturn Northern Ireland had a lot to offer.
While some might question whether Obama will have any time after his inauguration on 20 January to remember Northern Ireland faced, as he is, with the chaos surrounding Gaza, Ms Dobriansky said that the Northern Ireland experience could be applied…well at least our politicians only fire words at each other.
I’ll take your quarter and raise you three quarters
WITH the rows over the Finance Bill and Margaret Ritchie claiming her social housing budget had been raided, Minister Ritchie announced some good news for Housing Executive tenants who will be allowed to buy their homes in stages rather in one lump sum.
As house prices soared during 2006 and 2007 before last year’s slump, many tenants had been unable to make the leap to being homeowners.
As Ritchie was making the announcement on the House Sales Scheme, DUP and Sinn Féin were continuing their sniping, reminding Ms Ritchie that under the previous Executive, SDLP ministers were telling everybody else that consensual Government meant everyone should be abiding by the consensus.
They were, of course, implying that it was non-DUP Sinn Féin members that were the Executive seat holders not in consensus.
Whether it was a tactic to distract from the social housing announcement is, of course, open to interpretation. Suffice to say that tenants can now, after five years start buying their homes with a 25% initial stake, rising to 100% in increments of 5%.
Of course this raises the question as to who is going to lend anyone money in the current credit crunch and, after five years will MLAs be able to start buying Stormont?
As house prices soared during 2006 and 2007 before last year’s slump, many tenants had been unable to make the leap to being homeowners.
As Ritchie was making the announcement on the House Sales Scheme, DUP and Sinn Féin were continuing their sniping, reminding Ms Ritchie that under the previous Executive, SDLP ministers were telling everybody else that consensual Government meant everyone should be abiding by the consensus.
They were, of course, implying that it was non-DUP Sinn Féin members that were the Executive seat holders not in consensus.
Whether it was a tactic to distract from the social housing announcement is, of course, open to interpretation. Suffice to say that tenants can now, after five years start buying their homes with a 25% initial stake, rising to 100% in increments of 5%.
Of course this raises the question as to who is going to lend anyone money in the current credit crunch and, after five years will MLAs be able to start buying Stormont?
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