THE dynamic duo of First Minister Peter Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness summoned bank chiefs on Wednesday to urge the four local banks to pass on interest rate cuts to their customers.
With the Bank of England slashing interest rates to first 3% and then 2% Ministers wanted the cut passed on to personal and business customers.
The Banks left the meeting to find a posse of press ready to doorstep them with a flurry of questions.
There followed a hasty explanation of the difference between base rate and the inter-bank lending rate…and how the local banks are doing their best.
And, one caller to local radio reminding all concerned that the majority of mortgages in Northern Ireland were with main land UK-based lenders….
Monday, 22 December 2008
A hero for our time?
Education Minister Cartiona Ruane managed to draw much unionist ire this week – twice.
Ms Ruane first announced the ending of the pilot Pupil Profile scheme, with parents dismissing it as vague and too politically correct. The profile was designed, long before Ms Ruane was handed the poisoned education chalice, to aid transfer to post-primary school without academic selection.
The Education Minister announced a return to old-fashioned school reports…and lo and behold a new row over academic selection boiled over.
As if this wasn’t enough for Ms Ruane, she then stepped into unionist sights when making a prize day speech at St Colm’s High School, Twinbrook. During her speech she said that the pupils should be thankful for the sacrifice of hunger striker Bobby Sands for helping pave a way to a better future for them.
Apart from the politics students picking up prizes, pupils might have wondered why their prize-giving attracted so much media attention.
Ms Ruane first announced the ending of the pilot Pupil Profile scheme, with parents dismissing it as vague and too politically correct. The profile was designed, long before Ms Ruane was handed the poisoned education chalice, to aid transfer to post-primary school without academic selection.
The Education Minister announced a return to old-fashioned school reports…and lo and behold a new row over academic selection boiled over.
As if this wasn’t enough for Ms Ruane, she then stepped into unionist sights when making a prize day speech at St Colm’s High School, Twinbrook. During her speech she said that the pupils should be thankful for the sacrifice of hunger striker Bobby Sands for helping pave a way to a better future for them.
Apart from the politics students picking up prizes, pupils might have wondered why their prize-giving attracted so much media attention.
Young Earth, old Earth, lottery money
After last year’s row over the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre, the National Trust’s proposal for a centre has moved a step nearer completion with news that the plan has been short listed for a healthy cash boost from the National Lottery.
Hopes are high that the cash for this World Heritage site development will be forthcoming soon. But where will this place Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister, Arlene Foster? With members of her party determined to have a Young Earth creationist explanation on the Causeway’s creation, will the National Trust include their explanation with the geologists’ account?
Hopes are high that the cash for this World Heritage site development will be forthcoming soon. But where will this place Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister, Arlene Foster? With members of her party determined to have a Young Earth creationist explanation on the Causeway’s creation, will the National Trust include their explanation with the geologists’ account?
Cross-party unity can only go so far
With the credit crunch temporarily set aside as X-Factor fever grabbed the nation, it emerged that the mandatory collation government of Northern Ireland can’t make real change.
Despite the backing of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, representatives of all the political parties and the media, Eoghan Quigg was defeated in the X-Factor final.
Political wrangling was shunted off the headlines as acclaim was heaped on the Dungiven teenager despite his defeat.
But it then emerged that many local callers to the Simon Cowell backed show couldn’t get through to place their vote…had the Assembly not been going into recess, a debate on the X-Factor conspiracy would have followed swiftly!
Despite the backing of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, representatives of all the political parties and the media, Eoghan Quigg was defeated in the X-Factor final.
Political wrangling was shunted off the headlines as acclaim was heaped on the Dungiven teenager despite his defeat.
But it then emerged that many local callers to the Simon Cowell backed show couldn’t get through to place their vote…had the Assembly not been going into recess, a debate on the X-Factor conspiracy would have followed swiftly!
Obituary – Conor Cruise O’Brien
This week saw the passing of one of the most controversial and at times influential political figures in Ireland, Conor Cruise O’Brien, aged 91.
The ‘Cruiser’ occupied a central role in southern politics for what seemed decades, and included in his CV – membership of the Labour Party and Dáil Éireann; Minister for Posts & Telegraphs and architect of the Republic’s censorship of Sinn Féin and the Provisional IRA; hatred for Charles Haughey; and even membership of the UK Unionist Party.
He left that party after he claimed that the real defeat of violent republicanism would come about when unionists willingly entered a united Ireland.
A diplomat, critic, author, essayist, politician, minister of state, newspaper editor – the likes Conor Cruise O’Brien are few in any generation, and it may be a long time before his like is seen again.
This week saw the passing of one of the most controversial and at times influential political figures in Ireland, Conor Cruise O’Brien, aged 91.
The ‘Cruiser’ occupied a central role in southern politics for what seemed decades, and included in his CV – membership of the Labour Party and Dáil Éireann; Minister for Posts & Telegraphs and architect of the Republic’s censorship of Sinn Féin and the Provisional IRA; hatred for Charles Haughey; and even membership of the UK Unionist Party.
He left that party after he claimed that the real defeat of violent republicanism would come about when unionists willingly entered a united Ireland.
A diplomat, critic, author, essayist, politician, minister of state, newspaper editor – the likes Conor Cruise O’Brien are few in any generation, and it may be a long time before his like is seen again.
The ‘Cruiser’ occupied a central role in southern politics for what seemed decades, and included in his CV – membership of the Labour Party and Dáil Éireann; Minister for Posts & Telegraphs and architect of the Republic’s censorship of Sinn Féin and the Provisional IRA; hatred for Charles Haughey; and even membership of the UK Unionist Party.
He left that party after he claimed that the real defeat of violent republicanism would come about when unionists willingly entered a united Ireland.
A diplomat, critic, author, essayist, politician, minister of state, newspaper editor – the likes Conor Cruise O’Brien are few in any generation, and it may be a long time before his like is seen again.
This week saw the passing of one of the most controversial and at times influential political figures in Ireland, Conor Cruise O’Brien, aged 91.
The ‘Cruiser’ occupied a central role in southern politics for what seemed decades, and included in his CV – membership of the Labour Party and Dáil Éireann; Minister for Posts & Telegraphs and architect of the Republic’s censorship of Sinn Féin and the Provisional IRA; hatred for Charles Haughey; and even membership of the UK Unionist Party.
He left that party after he claimed that the real defeat of violent republicanism would come about when unionists willingly entered a united Ireland.
A diplomat, critic, author, essayist, politician, minister of state, newspaper editor – the likes Conor Cruise O’Brien are few in any generation, and it may be a long time before his like is seen again.
Saturday, 13 December 2008
Energy price cuts wrangle
AFTER its hiatus from work, the Northern Ireland Executive has been plunging headlong into adopting a series of measures, which this week coming will see the focus shift to tackling fuel poverty.
The Executive proposals are expected to be aired during Monday’s Assembly plenary session, but SDLP leader stole some of the thunder by telling media outlets that energy prices are expected to fall by 20% for gas and 10% for electricity.
SDLP Leader Mark Durkan seemed to be trying to breathe life into the proposals submitted to the Executive by Margaret Ritchie, Social Development Minister and SDLP colleague.
It is understand that their will be an Executive statement on Monday announcing that a contribution in the region of £150 - £200 will be paid into the electricity accounts of the most vulnerable in Northern Ireland. This will cost approximately £13 million.
There are no shortage of pundits, listeners and fed-up punters across all the media outlets reminding us all that despite the cuts, prices will remain higher than this time last year…
Over the weekend expect researchers and advisers to be hastily scribbling crib notes for Monday’s debate all about ‘focussing on real issues’ and caring that something gets done. Of course the weather may much warmer when it does reach those that need help during the current cold snap…
The Executive proposals are expected to be aired during Monday’s Assembly plenary session, but SDLP leader stole some of the thunder by telling media outlets that energy prices are expected to fall by 20% for gas and 10% for electricity.
SDLP Leader Mark Durkan seemed to be trying to breathe life into the proposals submitted to the Executive by Margaret Ritchie, Social Development Minister and SDLP colleague.
It is understand that their will be an Executive statement on Monday announcing that a contribution in the region of £150 - £200 will be paid into the electricity accounts of the most vulnerable in Northern Ireland. This will cost approximately £13 million.
There are no shortage of pundits, listeners and fed-up punters across all the media outlets reminding us all that despite the cuts, prices will remain higher than this time last year…
Over the weekend expect researchers and advisers to be hastily scribbling crib notes for Monday’s debate all about ‘focussing on real issues’ and caring that something gets done. Of course the weather may much warmer when it does reach those that need help during the current cold snap…
460 education jobs to go
WITH the Review of Public Administration winding it’s merry, if slightly sluggish way in shaking off the bureaucratic clutter of governance in Northern Ireland, the latest RPA announcement was from Education Minister Catriona Ruane on the Education Skills Authority.
The proposal is to merge all five education and library boards into a single entity.
With news that up to 460 jobs may be lost, the Assembly second stage debate on the Education Bill drew the ire of trade unionists and new friends of the Tories, the Ulster Unionists.
NIPSA pledged to ‘fight the case for proper staffing levels’ while UUP MLA Basil McCrea was keen to end what he claimed was a Sinn Féin centralising agenda.
McCrea claimed the ESA would be the biggest quango in Europe. He did have a pop at his DUP fellow MLAs, saying they’d adopted a ‘soft approach’ but had had assurances no side deal had been done with Sinn Féin.
Which of course leads to all sorts of confusion when the ESA comes to look at maths: five into one goes how many times. Or five into three goes how many times? The Council for Curriculum Examinations and Assessment might start thinking about setting a new 11+…for MLAs.
The proposal is to merge all five education and library boards into a single entity.
With news that up to 460 jobs may be lost, the Assembly second stage debate on the Education Bill drew the ire of trade unionists and new friends of the Tories, the Ulster Unionists.
NIPSA pledged to ‘fight the case for proper staffing levels’ while UUP MLA Basil McCrea was keen to end what he claimed was a Sinn Féin centralising agenda.
McCrea claimed the ESA would be the biggest quango in Europe. He did have a pop at his DUP fellow MLAs, saying they’d adopted a ‘soft approach’ but had had assurances no side deal had been done with Sinn Féin.
Which of course leads to all sorts of confusion when the ESA comes to look at maths: five into one goes how many times. Or five into three goes how many times? The Council for Curriculum Examinations and Assessment might start thinking about setting a new 11+…for MLAs.
Euro vote already on the horizon
UP to a few weeks ago the general population could be forgiven for thinking that Northern Ireland had no MEPs, as their profile was, well they didn’t really have one (although Jim Allister has a profile for an entirely different reason).
But come May, we’ll all be going to the polls to select Northern Ireland’s representatives in the European Parliament.
And so the jostling has begun.
Opening salvoes have been fired. Jim Nicholson will be the joint Conservative/Ulster Unionist candidate, announced officially at last week-end’s Ulster Unionist Party Conference.
And now there is a good healthy row brewing over European issues. First there is the question of succession - what should happen should your MEP quit or die mid-term.
The NIO is pushing ahead with legislation to allow the MEP’s party to pick a replacement, saving all that tedious mucking about with by-elections.
The Electoral Commission’s proposal that a list of a possible substitutes should be made available to the electorate before polling day was ‘discounted’ and Jim Allister was less than pleased.
He suggested that under the government’s plans, a party (read DUP) could field a high-profile candidate and when successful they could step aside for a junior player. And he warned that this could be open to a judicial challenge. Well he is familiar with the courts after all.
But come May, we’ll all be going to the polls to select Northern Ireland’s representatives in the European Parliament.
And so the jostling has begun.
Opening salvoes have been fired. Jim Nicholson will be the joint Conservative/Ulster Unionist candidate, announced officially at last week-end’s Ulster Unionist Party Conference.
And now there is a good healthy row brewing over European issues. First there is the question of succession - what should happen should your MEP quit or die mid-term.
The NIO is pushing ahead with legislation to allow the MEP’s party to pick a replacement, saving all that tedious mucking about with by-elections.
The Electoral Commission’s proposal that a list of a possible substitutes should be made available to the electorate before polling day was ‘discounted’ and Jim Allister was less than pleased.
He suggested that under the government’s plans, a party (read DUP) could field a high-profile candidate and when successful they could step aside for a junior player. And he warned that this could be open to a judicial challenge. Well he is familiar with the courts after all.
Office? What office?
WITH members of the Assembly Committee of First Minister and Deputy First Minister visiting Europe for a chinwag on how Europe’s institutions are helping Northern Ireland, they walked into a ‘storm’ of criticism over the operation of the NI Executive’s office.
Jim Nicholson said the First Minister and Deputy First Minister had failed to ‘offer any political direction’ on how Europe should be handled, while Jim Allister said the situation was worse now than it had been under Direct Rule.
Nicholson also claimed that MLAs knew little about the dealings in Europe…saying one MLA had asked a question that was three years out of date. Whoops that MLA was on the committee and he was party colleague Tom Elliott!
Jim Nicholson said the First Minister and Deputy First Minister had failed to ‘offer any political direction’ on how Europe should be handled, while Jim Allister said the situation was worse now than it had been under Direct Rule.
Nicholson also claimed that MLAs knew little about the dealings in Europe…saying one MLA had asked a question that was three years out of date. Whoops that MLA was on the committee and he was party colleague Tom Elliott!
David Cameron and the party machine
Since the last update David Cameron has been and gone, with his ‘Messiah of the New Right’ speech at the Ulster Unionist Party conference.
Cameron, reading from prepared notes received an ovation and his appearance seems to have calmed the nerves of a few UUP MLAs who may have been wavering a little on the merger.
Although heavily trailed and consistent from the platform, the underlying message was that we’re in the ‘suck it and see’ phase.
But on the day the comparison with the normal NI party conferences and the machinery of a mainstream UK political party in action was clear as Cameron’s planned events followed a tight timescale but ‘kept’ them baying for more …breeze in, couple of media interviews, few quick pictures, speech, breeze out to the adulation of star struck youngsters and smiling not so young party members.
Not so much slick as hyper efficient…were our elected representatives of all shades taking notes?
Cameron, reading from prepared notes received an ovation and his appearance seems to have calmed the nerves of a few UUP MLAs who may have been wavering a little on the merger.
Although heavily trailed and consistent from the platform, the underlying message was that we’re in the ‘suck it and see’ phase.
But on the day the comparison with the normal NI party conferences and the machinery of a mainstream UK political party in action was clear as Cameron’s planned events followed a tight timescale but ‘kept’ them baying for more …breeze in, couple of media interviews, few quick pictures, speech, breeze out to the adulation of star struck youngsters and smiling not so young party members.
Not so much slick as hyper efficient…were our elected representatives of all shades taking notes?
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