Fresh Start

Another few words of sense about dealing with the past that the politicians refuse to face.

Brian Walker on November 14, 2016, 12:32 pm | Readers 539

Chris Ryder, veteran reporter and specialist on police matters, is given space in the Irish Times to repeat the case for halting all pre- Troubles cases and leaving them to historians. Although he is known as a critical friend of the police, he makes a fair and balanced case which should be considered entirely on its merits. This was an approach I ran with to support Arkiv, a group of historians who wanted to take it on, initially encouraged by the …

“rather than trying to pretend that essentially, testing does not exist”

Pete Baker on September 7, 2016, 4:00 pm | Readers 1017

As the BBC notes, the Northern Ireland Education Minister, the DUP’s Peter Weir, has reversed the department’s previous position prohibiting the use of academic selection to decide what post-primary school pupils transfer to. That position was set out in 2008 by then NI Education Minister, Sinn Féin’s Caitríona Ruane, and upheld by the subsequent Minister, Sinn Féin’s John O’Dowd. From the BBC report A circular sent to school principals on Wednesday removes any prohibition on using academic selection to decide what post-primary school pupils …

Can we finally wind up the paramilitaries by consent? The panel report has been delivered

Brian Walker on June 8, 2016, 11:51 am | Readers 1094

Striking a balance between recognising where local power lies and the aim of bringing paramilitarism to an end is the fiendishly tricky approach of the report to the two governments and the Executive of the three- person panel headed by John Alderdice. In the jargon the strategy is about Demilitarisation, Disbandment and Integration (DDR). The panel set up under Fresh Start was asked to produce a one-off report. It wasn’t a standing body like the International Monitoring Commission (IMC), of which …

Is a two party stitch up the nearest thing to powersharing we’re likely to get?

Mick Fealty on April 20, 2016, 5:45 pm | Readers 1420

HNIW45 from The Detail on Vimeo. Right, so. Great analysis here from both Newton Emerson (and whoever who does his graphics). Under Fresh Start there is now a negotiation period for the new Programme for Government of two weeks, but Arlene Foster admitted in February she’s started working on it already (ie before the election). A two party stitch up. Well, I never? The big fault with all of the Programme for Government negotiations is that they are done in …

Evason’s timebound benefit tapering means losses kick in after the Assembly election …

Mick Fealty on January 21, 2016, 12:58 pm | Readers 1542

Nothing demonstrates the zero gravity of NI politics more than the nationalist reaction to the Evason report. The SDLP who fought a rearguard action on welfare cuts welcomed it even though it contains for the first time, time bound benefits. They reason that she has implemented some of the measures they proposed but were blocked by joint Sinn Fein and DUP action. Sinn Fein on the other hand have said nothing, except to put out this presser (under the bylines of …

McGuinness pays Colum Eastwood the complement of a full bore counterattack…

Mick Fealty on December 3, 2015, 6:40 am | Readers 2016

EASTWOOD STINGS: One old political rule which has served SF well over the years is to avoid talking about your opponent too you are giving them and not yourself publicity. Sinn Fein has paid him back the compliment. Did something the SDLP leader said SF sting internally?

Unite: “The recent deal between the parties ties the hands of the Northern Ireland Executive…”

Pete Baker on November 28, 2015, 5:32 pm | Readers 840

Unite protests against Fresh Start: The Unite union holds protests against the ‘Fresh Start’ deal outside offices of the NI parties responsible – DUP and Sinn Féin.

“Sinn Féin has, at best, walked off the pitch. At worst, it is an enormous act of political cowardice.”

Mick Fealty on November 26, 2015, 5:58 pm | Readers 2096

DING DING: Joan Burton with a rolling haymaker at Gerry Adams over his party’s deliberate equivocation over a welfare deal it helped to move and shape. “At the first sign of a major political challenge, Sinn Féin has, at best, simply walked off the pitch. At worst, it is an enormous act of political cowardice.’’

Much of the ‘new’ #FreshStart money is now no longer required…

Mick Fealty on November 25, 2015, 2:57 pm | Readers 1092

So, no need for that new money to offset the cuts in Universal Tax Credit. George Osborne left it to the last minute and then deemed that the offset cash was not necessary because he wasn’t going to make the cuts anyway (with it goes the illusion of a better Stormont deal)… The Chancellor has said that his previously announced cuts to tax credits will not go ahead. The changes would have meant 121,000 Northern Ireland households losing an average …

Just who has the powers over Welfare in Northern Ireland?

David McCann on November 23, 2015, 11:13 am | Readers 940

WHO HAS THE POWER? We all got a bit distracted over the resignation of Peter Robinson as DUP leader, but until we get announcement of a new First Minister and party leader, it’s back to the main issues at hand.

Is it time to reduce the number of our MLAs?

David McCann on November 22, 2015, 11:20 pm | Readers 1452

CUTTING THE MLAS: Tomorrow the Assembly will debate this motion brought forward by the Alliance party. The party claims that if this measure is introduced by the next election that it could see a saving of £11 million over the course of the next assembly term.

#FreshStart: “You can’t always get what you want…”

Mick Fealty on November 20, 2015, 11:48 am | Readers 601

SQUARE ONE: If you keep sticking your head in a vice, then it’s going to come out in an odd shape. It’s good the deal is done, and we can move on to the next false, short termist, er, crisis. Once more with feeling…

#FreshStart critics are failing to see the wood for the trees…

Soapbox on November 20, 2015, 11:18 am | Readers 1207

FRESH START: The document isn’t perfect, but it’s better than direct rule and Tory cuts. Its also important to see this document as a base to move forward, this isn’t the end of the negotiations on the economic situation within Ireland.

A Fresh Start: How does it add up?

David McCann on November 17, 2015, 10:49 pm | Readers 1769

MONEY GAME: Most of the new money is dedicated to issues that are Northern Ireland specific.
A total of £188m will be made available for security-related spending. The PSNI will get an unconditional £160m over the next five years to tackle dissident republicans and other paramilitaries.