After all the sunshine and bonhomie of recent times the clouds descended on Northern Ireland towards the end of the week when the Executive reached a complete deadlock over post primary education. Almost exactly one year from the start of the devolved Executive the Sinn Fein Education Minister, Caitriona Ruane brought her proposals on a new system of secondary education to the Executive on Thursday.
The proposals had been ‘leaked’ the day before and contained an apparent concession by the Minister. Previously Ms Ruane had insisted that academic selection would not be allowed to continue after 2008. Now she was suggesting that schools could – during a three year transition period - have a ‘bi-lateral’ intake whereby 50% could be selected by academic selection in the first year, 30% in the second year and 20% in the third year. After that the system would switch to entirely comprehensive all ability schools.
The pro grammar lobby and the DUP were quick to reject this idea as a mere ‘stay of execution’. Following the St. Andrews Agreement any attempt to remove academic selection has to be done with cross community consent. This is highly unlikely to be forthcoming.
Ms Ruane seems determined to proceed without or without Executive or Assembly approval although it is unclear how she could do so. She may issue Guidelines, warn primary schools to stick to the official curriculum and attempt to tempt schools with promises of extra money for schools who collaborate under the new system.
The risk in this is that the new Finance Minister whoever that may be (Jeffrey Donaldson?) has the legal authority to essentially cut funding to a Department if he feels the money is being used in an inequitable manner.
With the pro grammar lobby, the Association of Quality Education, apparently planning to reveal details of their new test in June a continuing stand off seems extremely likely and court action possible.
Some, including Basil McCrea MLA, think this issue has the potential to bring down the Executive. Newspaper commentators such as Liam Clarke in the News Letter and Dan Keenan in The Irish Times think a compromise can still be found.
Friday, 16 May 2008
Robinson – champion of women and low paid Catholics?
Peter Robinson has raised the prospect that many low-paid civil servants may receive £100m in back-pay. He said he was prepared to deal with historic inequality in pay, affecting as many as 9,000 workers – who are mainly women and mostly Catholic.
Some have speculated that Mr Robinson was forced to rectify this situation, left unresolved by a succession of Labour Ministers, because of the threat of legal or trade union action. Mr Robinson said the £100m could come either from the Treasury or from the underspend in last year’s annual budget for Northern Ireland. It seems unlikely that the Treasury will cough up.
Some have speculated that Mr Robinson was forced to rectify this situation, left unresolved by a succession of Labour Ministers, because of the threat of legal or trade union action. Mr Robinson said the £100m could come either from the Treasury or from the underspend in last year’s annual budget for Northern Ireland. It seems unlikely that the Treasury will cough up.
Policeman injured and publicly named
Dissident Republicans attacked a police officer near Castlederg in Co Tyrone. They placed a bomb under his car which exploded wounding the officer in the leg. There was some controversy when the officer was named in the House of Commons – as throughout the Troubles there was a convention of not naming injured members of the security forces. It appears that the politicians were merely following the lead set by the newspapers in West Tyrone. The newspapers decided to name the officer, who hails from Omagh, as a deliberate rebuke to his attackers and to assert that the officer had the support of all sides of the community in West Tyrone.
Unionist politicians dream of their Holy Grail
It seems that virtually everyone who is involved in what passes for unionist politics is reared on the fantasy of wielding great influence in a ‘hung’ parliament. This week we heard rumours of the DUP negotiating for more ex army bases to be handed over gratis from the UK Government to the Executive in return for supporting Gordon Brown over his plans to introduce 42 day detention of terrorist suspects. Others mused about re-opening the old chestnut of a special lower NI Corporation tax in return for the support of the DUP’s nine MPs when Labour are next in a tight spot. Edwin Poots gave voice to the fantasy on Lets Talk and the Belfast Telegraph ran a story about a possible electoral pact to ‘maximise’ unionist influence.
It appears many do not consider the wider implications of such positioning. The unionists portray themselves as parties with no inherent beliefs or principles that cannot be traded for some passing influence. The irony of unionists determinedly staying outside the UK party system and willing to attempt to hold it to ransom is lost on these politicians. What consideration do they give to the resentment and distaste that this must build up within the Conservative and Labour parties? The two main UK parties have governed the UK – including NI - for the vast bulk of the past one hundred years with only brief interludes of ‘hung’ or coalition situations. Is this shameless willingness to prostitute oneself to the highest bidder likely to build empathy or understanding for the unionist position?
One might even be tempted to wonder if such activity is anti-Union.
There is of course probably two years until the next election and anything might happen. For the record, however, analysis of recent opinion polls and the recent local government election results show the Conservatives heading for a very comfortable majority. One leading commentator has noted that no Prime Minister has ever recovered from such poor local election results within a two year period.
One might argue that people in NI who support the Union might be better employed building genuine relations with which ever UK party they personally felt most affinity to rather than boasting about what great whores they are.
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story however… about that electoral pact.. where did I put that grail?
It appears many do not consider the wider implications of such positioning. The unionists portray themselves as parties with no inherent beliefs or principles that cannot be traded for some passing influence. The irony of unionists determinedly staying outside the UK party system and willing to attempt to hold it to ransom is lost on these politicians. What consideration do they give to the resentment and distaste that this must build up within the Conservative and Labour parties? The two main UK parties have governed the UK – including NI - for the vast bulk of the past one hundred years with only brief interludes of ‘hung’ or coalition situations. Is this shameless willingness to prostitute oneself to the highest bidder likely to build empathy or understanding for the unionist position?
One might even be tempted to wonder if such activity is anti-Union.
There is of course probably two years until the next election and anything might happen. For the record, however, analysis of recent opinion polls and the recent local government election results show the Conservatives heading for a very comfortable majority. One leading commentator has noted that no Prime Minister has ever recovered from such poor local election results within a two year period.
One might argue that people in NI who support the Union might be better employed building genuine relations with which ever UK party they personally felt most affinity to rather than boasting about what great whores they are.
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story however… about that electoral pact.. where did I put that grail?
Friday, 9 May 2008
Bertie and Ian meet at the Boyne
Bertie Ahern and Ian Paisley met on the banks of the River Boyne, swords in hand and surrounded by Jacobite and Williamite troops. Thankfully it was not another case of history repeating itself. Paisley and Ahern, in one more hurrah for the cameras, appeared in blazing sunshine to proclaim the past as history and to commit their respective followers to a future of peace and co-operation. Orangemen greeted the Tiaoseach in Irish and Baroness Paisley preached the Gospel of peace and love.
Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.
Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.
Ireland’s place on the American political agenda revealed
We like to tell ourselves that Ireland – north and south is important on the American political agenda – sure with all those Irish American and Scot-Irish votes to be won they daren’t ignore us. The truth was brought home in recent times.
President Bush speaking in a recorded address mistakenly called Nigel Dodds ‘Minister Dobbs’. In the pantheon of Bushisms – and there are books (plural) of them - this is hardly his biggest faux pas. However, we are not important enough for a live address it seems and no one even thought the ‘Dobbs’ mistake was important enough to say to ‘read that line again Mr President’.
To add insult to injury Bertie Ahern’s crowning glory, his address last week to the joint Houses of Congress – the home of the world’s foremost democracy and only superpower -turns out to have been a sham! Barely a dozen of the 100 members of the Senate and fewer than 50 of the 435 congressional representatives turned up for his address. The gaps left by this 10% turnout were filled by congressional aides and over 50 pages - the young messengers who occupy the lowest rung on the congressional staff ladder.
President Bush speaking in a recorded address mistakenly called Nigel Dodds ‘Minister Dobbs’. In the pantheon of Bushisms – and there are books (plural) of them - this is hardly his biggest faux pas. However, we are not important enough for a live address it seems and no one even thought the ‘Dobbs’ mistake was important enough to say to ‘read that line again Mr President’.
To add insult to injury Bertie Ahern’s crowning glory, his address last week to the joint Houses of Congress – the home of the world’s foremost democracy and only superpower -turns out to have been a sham! Barely a dozen of the 100 members of the Senate and fewer than 50 of the 435 congressional representatives turned up for his address. The gaps left by this 10% turnout were filled by congressional aides and over 50 pages - the young messengers who occupy the lowest rung on the congressional staff ladder.
Investment Conference
The media worked itself into a lather over the US Investment Conference. A handful of job announcements, local political leaders fawning over each other, and some marvelous weather seemed to do the trick in producing a ‘feel good’ factor. I do hope however that our visitors don’t go home thinking it’s like this all the time.
Gordon Brown apparently looked terrible and made several verbal slip ups – such as ‘the Good Friday Agreement reached at St Andrews’. He dismissed calls for a special lower rate of corporation tax from a leading industrialist (it was notable how the local politicos refused to be drawn into the debate). Mr Brown announced that if the Executive manages to sell off even more assets than it had previously planned it could keep the proceeds. Again local politicos mumbled but did not publicly criticise the PM.
Gordon Brown apparently looked terrible and made several verbal slip ups – such as ‘the Good Friday Agreement reached at St Andrews’. He dismissed calls for a special lower rate of corporation tax from a leading industrialist (it was notable how the local politicos refused to be drawn into the debate). Mr Brown announced that if the Executive manages to sell off even more assets than it had previously planned it could keep the proceeds. Again local politicos mumbled but did not publicly criticise the PM.
Lies, damn lies and statistics?
The Belfast Telegraph has been releasing the results of an opinion poll commissioned from Ipos MORI. Ipos MORI were one of the companies left with egg on their face following the London Mayoral contest but the results of the Belfast Telegraph poll were interesting none the less. Barely one in five voters rate the Executive’s performance as very good or fairly good. Given that the Executive has yet to make many difficult decisions it could be that this rating will only decline! An incredible 72% said the restoration of devolution has yet to make any difference to them personally. On the Health Service, perhaps the area which the Assembly has most influence (and certainly the area which it spends most on) 67% reckoned the health service was ‘much the same.’
The question on party political support was perhaps the most intriguing – with approaching one third – 28% - in the Undecided/Would not vote/Did not answer categories.
Overall the poll seems to suggest a modest increase in DUP support, a slightly bigger increase for the UUP, SDLP support static and a huge drop in support for Sinn Fein?
The question on party political support was perhaps the most intriguing – with approaching one third – 28% - in the Undecided/Would not vote/Did not answer categories.
Overall the poll seems to suggest a modest increase in DUP support, a slightly bigger increase for the UUP, SDLP support static and a huge drop in support for Sinn Fein?
DUP misses bigger picture?
The media carried several reports over the weekend of DUP MPs musing about a hung Parliament in which they have the balance of power. They obviously were so busy attending to MLA or MP or Ministerial business that they missed the local election results in England and Wales.
Perhaps even more bizarre was the claim in Financial Times that the DUP extracted the agreement that the Executive could keep all of the proceeds of extra assets sales in return for the DUP supporting Labour legislation on the 42 day detention of terrorist suspects.
The Conservatives, keen to work to the old maxim that the best time to kick a man is when he is down, are said to be furious. Surely the DUP would not risk offending the Conservatives in return for a financial package that may not, given the economic climate, be worth anything much at all? With the Conservatives increasingly ascent in the polls this would seem like a short sighted position for the DUP to adopt.
Perhaps even more bizarre was the claim in Financial Times that the DUP extracted the agreement that the Executive could keep all of the proceeds of extra assets sales in return for the DUP supporting Labour legislation on the 42 day detention of terrorist suspects.
The Conservatives, keen to work to the old maxim that the best time to kick a man is when he is down, are said to be furious. Surely the DUP would not risk offending the Conservatives in return for a financial package that may not, given the economic climate, be worth anything much at all? With the Conservatives increasingly ascent in the polls this would seem like a short sighted position for the DUP to adopt.
Global deal or giant fiasco?
Rumour has it that Sinn Fein are again suggesting one of their ‘global deals’ under which unionists get to keep academic selection in return for agreeing to the devolution of policing and justice / an Irish Language Bill / Maze Stadium.
The Secretary of State, Shaun Woodward, meanwhile remains determined to live up to the Labour Government promise have policing and justice devolved in May 2008. Only Mr Woodward believes this is possible.
The Secretary of State, Shaun Woodward, meanwhile remains determined to live up to the Labour Government promise have policing and justice devolved in May 2008. Only Mr Woodward believes this is possible.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)