Martin McGuinness – Page 3 – Slugger O'Toole

Sinn Fein are all over the place in the North. Time for an open debate on new leadership

Brian Walker on November 24, 2016, 1:32 pm

| Readers 3175

We are accustomed to thinking of Sinn Fein as master strategists at best or cunning so and sos at worst. But current activity blurs the old image. It’s only to be expected that playing a half- effective role in government is inconsistent with the stance of a revolutionary movement or even as the default mouthpieces of the nationalist interest. Most of the time they straddle the two, but the strain is beginning to show. Why have Sinn Fein chosen this …

Arlene & Martin pen their first joint platform piece

David McCann on November 22, 2016, 4:04 pm

| Readers 1136

In their first platform piece for the newspapers, Arlene Foster & Martin McGuinness have penned their first platform piece on the Executive here. Some key passages I have highlighted but this looks like the continuation of two real alternatives in the government of Northern Ireland. DAY by day, slowly but surely, politics here is changing. And it’s for the better. The focus is increasingly now on policies and delivery – on finding the best ways to make people’s lives better. The …

Soapbox – Is the same-old same-old is going to put us in more bother than usual?

Soapbox on October 29, 2016, 9:00 am

| Readers 1326

MANY MONTHS AGO, Peter Robinson stepped down, his place taken by Arlene Foster. Thus, the Big House of unionism put their PR machine into overdrive to figure out how to make people vote for them, and came up with the idea of making Arlene look all progressive and friendly and able to take Northern Ireland forward … but without a single new policy to back any of the rhetoric up. That, of course, wasn’t enough.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny: “I need to know what it is that the Executive in Northern Ireland is actually seeking”

Pete Baker on October 19, 2016, 4:26 pm

| Readers 1497

With the Northern Ireland First Minister over-praising a letter of acknowledgement from the UK Prime Minister, and the deputy First Minister sounding off [again? – Ed] about his lack of trust in “this British government”, it’s worth noting this exchange between Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams in the Dáil yesterday high-lighting the dysfunctional approach of the NI Executive to the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. From the Dáil record 18 Oct. [The Taoiseach:] I want Deputy Adams to …

On dealing with the past, Brokenshire should demand Executive action or withdraw the money

Brian Walker on October 8, 2016, 1:24 pm

| Readers 966

James Brokenshire is at least the eighth secretary of state to utter warm words about dealing with the past. It’s almost two years since the abortive Stormont House Agreement described new structures headed by a new Historic Investigations Unit. £150 million will be made available by Westminster over the next five years to implement the full package. Brokenshire is the latest UK minister to acquaint himself of “the raw emotion, the pain etc” and to repeat the government’s pledge of …

The driving record of Sinn Fein’s publicly funded, off books ministerial drivers…

Mick Fealty on September 26, 2016, 9:48 am

| Readers 1234

Interesting curio from Sam McBride. The figures concerned are relatively small, but it seems that Martin’s driver is a tad accident prone… Mr McGuinness’s ministerial driver has been at fault for four accidents since 2011, costing the public purse £1,517 in repair bills. He was responsible for two accidents in March of this year, costing more than £600 of damage each time. On a further two occasions, the car was damaged due to vandalism, with the satellite navigation system being …

NI Executive agrees multi-million pound funding for City of Derry Airport

Kris Nixon (Belfast Barman) on September 16, 2016, 5:45 pm

| Readers 1013

Announced yesterday was the news that the City of Derry Airport, currently owned by Derry City & Strabane District Council, is in line to received an as yet unspecified sum (although Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said it was a multi-million pound deal, and that it had been signed off). Many will know that the airport runs at a loss to the ratepayers of the council of £2.145 million per year. Ryanair announced recently that they would be cutting their Derry-Stansted …

United approach to Brexit? Well done, Arlene and Martin.

Brian Walker on August 11, 2016, 12:41 pm

| Readers 2883

Rather out of the blue, this joint letter from Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness to the prime minister Theresa May changes the impression of a divided Executive heading for a fresh stand-off and is to be warmly welcomed. It is artfully couched in calling for no weakening of cross border measures to deal with crime and implies that border posts could create targets for dissident republicans and others – points that will hit home with the former home secretary. It …

US Consulate: “We anticipate that a US trade and investment delegation will visit Northern Ireland in the first half of 2017”

Pete Baker on July 9, 2016, 8:07 pm

| Readers 1442

The Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers, has, in effect, called ‘bullshit’ on Martin McGuinness‘ claim that a proposed US investment delegation to Northern Ireland has been postponed “directly as a result of the vote” in the UK-wide EU membership referendum. Unlike the Northern Ireland deputy First Minister, echoed by his party colleague, Conor Murphy, the Secretary of State named the source of her information …Theresa Villiers said that the US Special Envoy Gary Hart had blamed the decision of …

“The Irish Government will not be negotiating on behalf of Northern Ireland”

Pete Baker on July 4, 2016, 9:22 pm

| Readers 2951

In case you were wondering what the Brexit ’10-point plan’ was that the BBC reported the North South Ministerial Council agreed today, it’s in the final joint communique of 4th July [pdf file] FINANCIAL AND EU MATTERS [Implications of UK Referendum] 8. The Council had a detailed discussion on the potential impact of the UK referendum result to leave the EU. In order to optimise joint planning and engagement on key issues arising following the UK referendum result, the NSMC: …

French President Francois Hollande :”The negotiations will be conducted with the United Kingdom, not with a part of the United Kingdom”

Pete Baker on June 29, 2016, 8:23 pm

| Readers 1993

With the UK Parliament sovereign, and Sinn Féin’s calls for a border poll dismissed as an unwelcome distraction, quite where the “very special place” Martin McGuinness thinks Northern Ireland is in isn’t entirely clear. Nor whom he thinks he can press that “case” with in his attempt to ignore the UK-wide referendum result. He should remember, however, that neither he nor his party, alone, speak for the Northern Ireland Executive. He should also pay very close attention to the responses the Scottish First Minister is …

From selling fancy hankies to selling kids TV around the world – Sixteen South open new offices

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on June 29, 2016, 4:31 pm

| Readers 432

130 YEARS AGO One Clarence Street exported fancy hankies around the world, Today Sixteen South are creating kids TV shows that are sold to more than one hundred countries. Today they celebrated the opening of their new offices in Belfast, though a cloud of Brexit hangs over their industry.

Taoiseach on Border Poll: “There are much more serious issues to deal with in the immediate terms and that is where our focus is.”

Pete Baker on June 25, 2016, 5:29 pm

| Readers 1423

Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers, was, rightly, quick to dismiss Sinn Féin’s attempted distraction predictably opportunistic call for a border poll following the EU referendum result. Here’s what she told Radio Ulster listeners “The Good Friday Agreement sets out the conditions under which I am required to call for a border poll – those are when I believe that there’s a reasonable likelihood that there would be a majority for a united Ireland,” [Theresa Villiers] said. “There’s nothing to …

Operation Kenova: “I do not underestimate the huge task of establishing the circumstances behind how and why these murders occurred during those dark days.”

Pete Baker on June 13, 2016, 5:03 pm

| Readers 969

In a recent post Brian mentioned briefly the launch of the investigation into the activities of ‘Steaknife’ – the alleged British Army’s highest ranking informant within the Provisional IRA. Named in the media as Freddie Scappaticci, originally from west Belfast, Scappaticci has denied the allegations. Operation Kenova, as it’s been named, will be headed by Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, from Bedfordshire Police and, according to reports, is expected to last around five years and cost £35million. The BBC report notes [The] investigation into the alleged …

Self effacement from Martin McGuinness is a sign of maturing power sharing, not nationalist sell-out

Brian Walker on June 4, 2016, 12:34 pm

| Readers 1677

Was it only yesterday that conventional wisdom had it that a confident Sinn Fein were carrying all before them and that the DUP were left lumbering behind, cross and near to open rowing? The result ending in deadlock and near-breakdown? Two subtly written articles in the Irish News this week speaking with the voice of moderate nationalism have sounded notes of alarm that the boot may now be on the other foot and it’s feeling uncomfortable. The unsubtle version of …

Martin McGuinness announces new Sinn Fein ministerial team

David McCann on May 24, 2016, 4:19 pm

| Readers 3880

SINN FEIN ministerial team for May 2016 was announced today, ahead of tomorrow’s D’Hondt process. Martin McGuinness will be joined around the NI Executive table by colleagues Chris Hazzard, Megan Fearon, Michelle O’Neill and Mairtin O’Muilleoir.

Cartoon – The Northern Irish Open

Brian Spencer on May 23, 2016, 8:20 pm

| Readers 728

Rory McIlroy may have triumphed at the weekend but can Marlene win the Justice Minister Challenge? Brian SpencerBrian is a writer, artist, political cartoonist and legal blogger. Actively tweeting from @brianjohnspencr. More information here: http://www.brianjohnspencer.com/ www.brianjohnspencer.com/

Cartoon – ‘Marlene’

Brian Spencer on May 21, 2016, 6:08 pm

| Readers 1571

It has a satisfying and even harmonious ring, and the people have really taken to it. The portmanteau and new byword for the Executive Office – ‘Marlene’. While Jim Allister bequeathed it to a popular audience on BBC The View on May 19, it’s recognised that Paul Gallagher first coined the sobriquet back in January 2016. The First office has been abandoned by the small parties, and now they face an outbreak of belittling name-calling. Alliance won’t come to heel and the parties of …

Martin McGuinness: “We now wait to see if SDLP will stand by the principles of the Good Friday Agreement or follow the UUP into opposition…”

Pete Baker on May 12, 2016, 8:57 pm

| Readers 1900

The response of Sinn Féin’s new MLA for Foyle, Martin McGuinness, to being upstaged – at the moment of his re-appointment as Northern Ireland deputy First Minister – by the UUP leader Mike Nesbitt’s announcement that his party had unanimously agreed to go into official opposition in the NI Assembly, betrayed a confused, or forgetful, party lashing out at sceptics, and potential sceptics, alike. [Nobody puts Baby in the corner… – Ed] From the Sinn Féin press release [added emphasis throughout] Speaking after …

BBC NI Leaders’ Debate: more heat than light & then the leaders ran out of steam #bbcnidebate

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on May 3, 2016, 11:42 pm

| Readers 2400

At first feisty, but an ultimately uninspiring debate between five leaders who threw punches but all walked out of the ring with bruises. Relatively little discussion about policies or achievements. While parties won’t have lost votes, tonight’s debate will have done little to boost turnout.