Monthly Archives: February 2015

To be fair, I nicked that headline from Derek Mooney, a former FF special advisor, so there is an evident and intended spin to it. And yet it contains more than just a grain of truth to it. Having nearly collapsed the Assembly [Aye right! – Ed] Sinn Fein accepted the outline of a deal it had originally co-produced with the DUP with very little clear detail on what extra money would be forthcoming. Courtesy of Gerry Moriarty in the Irish Times, Martin McGuinness was playing one of those eccentric word games SF is so fond of playing to suggest that somehow the tabling of amendments to the Welfare Bill was a case of dissident SDLP MLAs defying the party leader [Is that Gerry, or Al? – Ed]. “The SDLP dissidents are clearly now in charge of the party and are prepared to risk the collapse of the Stormont House Agreement – and thereby the … Continue reading →

The early stages of yesterday’s mammoth welfare reform debate focused on an extraordinary mass-veto of attempts to change the Welfare Reform Bill. The DUP tabled almost 50 petitions of concern against all but two amendments tabled by non-DUP members. Those petitions — which only the DUP can lodge without another party’s support, because of its numerical strength — forced a cross-community vote meaning that the DUP, with a majority of unionist MLAs, could stop each of the proposals. Despite that action, the debate on each of the amendments still went ahead. Green Party leader Steven Agnew condemned the widespread use of the controversial mechanism, likening the DUP’s actions to those of states such as North Korea, which circumvent the normal democratic processes. Mr Agnew, who tabled more amendments than any other MLA, told the Assembly that “49 petitions of concern are binding the hands and feet of this Assembly”. The … Continue reading →

The Ballynure bypass section of the A8 Larne to Belfast dual carriageway scheme has been officially opened by Transport Minister Danny Kennedy. The £130m project, which is expected to be completed this spring, involves upgrading 14.4km of the existing A8, between Coleman’s Corner roundabout and Ballyrickard Road, to dual carriageway standard. On Monday, Mr Kennedy cut the ribbon on 3.4km Ballynure bypass section of the scheme, which he said “represents a very significant stage in the overall works”. Speaking at the event, the Minister told the Times he was “very impressed” by the project and described it as “a major engineering feat”. The Ulster Unionist representative added: “This new bypass will remove traffic which travels through the village of Ballynure, and I think everyone will acknowledge the significant benefits this will bring to both the residents in Ballynure and the travelling public. “This will be a huge benefit to the … Continue reading →

Fianna Fáil and the SDLP have accused Sinn Féin of opposing austerity in the South but supporting it in the North, as the consideration stage of the welfare reform bill passes through the Northern Assembly. Sinn Féin opposition to British government welfare changes was the issue that almost brought down the Northern Executive and Assembly. The matter was resolved just before Christmas when Sinn Féin said it would agree to welfare reform based on commitments that additional money would be provided to cushion the worst affects of welfare change. Paul Murphy: ‘the prospect of me being imprisoned is zero’ European markets steady ahead of finance ministers meeting Martin McGuinness receives death threat from Continuity IRA Sinn Féin leaders including Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness were conscious their opponents in the Republic and Northern Ireland would seek to exploit the issue, and so it has proved with Fianna Fáil TD Niall … Continue reading →

Benefits fraudsters in Northern Ireland will face less severe punishment than in other parts of UK By Noel McAdam – 11 February 2015 People making negligent welfare benefit claims in Northern Ireland will face less harsh penalties than their counterparts in the rest of the United Kingdom, it has emerged. The new regime was revealed during an acrimonious eight-hour Assembly debate on welfare reform after a two-and-a-half-year delay. While claimants in Britain who fail to comply with job offers face losing their benefits for three years, the punishment here will be only 18 months. The Stormont Executive has also agreed not to introduce a civil penalty “for those who negligently make incorrect statements or who fail, without reasonable excuse, to tell DSD of a relevant change of circumstances”. It means on top of extra cash cushions to mitigate the impact of the national welfare reforms, the regime of sanctions here … Continue reading →