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Executive set to meet as public demands action on economy

By Noel McAdam
Tuesday, 18 November 2008

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Northern Ireland’s deadlocked Executive is set to be back in business this Thursday, it emerged last night.

The political deep freeze which has prevented the Stormont government meeting for more than five months is thawing.

And the first item to be dealt with if Ministers sit round the table this week is likely to be a fuel poverty action plan, according to senior sources.

The meeting could also attempt to boost the ailing construction industry by kick-starting a number of projects.

First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness will today brief the Stormont committee dealing with the transfer of policing and justice powers — the issue which has been at the heart of the 152-day impasse.

Barring a last minute setback, the private session should pave the way for a sequence of events clearing the way for a fully resumed Executive session on Thursday.

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams confirmed “some progress” has been made on policing and justice but a number of other issues — academic selection and the school transfer system, the future of the Maze national stadium project and legislation underpinning Irish language — have also been in the mix.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan said the DUP and Sinn Fein wanted a deal before senior members visit the United States in the near future and preferably before the BBC’s Question Time programme is broadcast from Northern Ireland early next month.

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Barry, you seem to be suggesting that if there was no GSTQ, Unionists would cease to be in a postion where you allege, they are letting nationalists know whose country NI really is.

By the same token, if GSTQ ceased to be NI's anthem, nationalists would would then be able to assume NI was their country too?

Ok Bazza, in order for this to work, lets hear YOUR suggestions for NI's new anthem. One which you would adopt as your own, along with NI itself.

I'm definitely all ears for this little gem.

Posted by mickey | 19.11.08, 11:15 GMT

"We also had the case of a lawyer giving false testimony - an incident which would be rare in Ulster."

Well then good doctor, not to spoil your idyllic rose-coloured, good old Ulster-vision, but not so very long ago lawyers and in your precious Ulster who were considered by the British Secret Services to be too good at their jobs were duly murdered. We had hundreds of people convicted in Supergrass trials solely on the word of paid murderers and liars...So you want the discredited Ulster justice model to be more widely adpoted, is that what you are saying?

Posted by Nigel | 18.11.08, 18:37 GMT

Mickey your ramblings are becoming more and more erratic. I think he makes quite a valid point about the national anthem of 'your wee country'. Why have the same anthem of a bigger country that clearly doesnt want 'your' little one and has been trying to wash its hands of it for years. The Welsh and the Scottish have their own and are quite proud of it. The decision to keep another country's anthem is pathetic. Not to mention outdated, outdated because it's clearly trying to be kept by the unionist community because they want those uppity nationalists to know who's wee country this really is (or was)

Posted by Barry | 18.11.08, 16:54 GMT

Armagh/Keady, in case YOU didn’t know it’s currently the anthem of Northern Ireland. You sound like you would prefer NI to have its own anthem?? Any suggestions?

You are correct, anybody that lives here - lives in Ireland, or in our case Northern Ireland. Guess what, we're both Irish, well Northern Irish to be exact.

Isn't that just bonkers?!

zzzzzzz

Posted by mickey | 18.11.08, 15:18 GMT

I will believe it when i see it !

Posted by Siobhan | 18.11.08, 12:48 GMT

I will believe it when i see it !

Posted by Siobhan | 18.11.08, 12:47 GMT

neill c, i am not having a laugh. world an oyster, thats a laugh all right. precious flag and irish honour. every day in my area, catholics and nationalists are still being constantly harassed and detained by the psni/ruc, on the road to work. please tell me how the gfa was good for irish peole, or nationalists. nothing has changed, only the men in suits getting a bigger pay packet.

Posted by Armagh/Keady | 18.11.08, 12:27 GMT

in case you didn't know mickey, GSTQ is the national anthem for england, so therefore another country can not legally have the same national anthem, therefore the question of legitimacy i was referring to! unless you are trying to say we are actually living in england. i can categorically state that anybody that lives here, lives in ireland.

Posted by Armagh/Keady | 18.11.08, 12:21 GMT

GFA sorted out all the legitimacy I need, Armagh. Opressed counties? are you having a laugh? the world is your Oyster if you're a Nationalist in Northern Ireland- all you are worried about is your precious flag and Irish honour. It's about time you grew up and looked at having that chip on your shoulder filled in

Posted by Neill C | 18.11.08, 12:13 GMT

Excellent news for us expats. Even though I'm a unionist I couldn't understand why Peter Robinson couldn't agree on a timetable for the transfer of justice and policing to the Executive. For the first time, I actually agreed with Gerry Adams' position. We survived yet another demonstration here in Athens yesterday and I only wish we had the PSNI here to show the Greek police how to do their job. We also had the case of a lawyer giving false testimony - an incident which would be rare in Ulster. Some 45 magistrates and judges have also been under investigation for taking bribes. Once again I could never believe this would happen back home. The academic selection issue will be harder to solve but it may once again be the time for a compromise, eg academic selection to disappear over 5 years, subject to review. As for the Maze project, of course it should go ahead. Come on Gregory, stop delaying and give Ulster a national stadium to be proud of.

Posted by Dr David Green | 18.11.08, 12:07 GMT

about time

Posted by Neill C | 18.11.08, 12:07 GMT

Ah, Armagh/Keady highlighting that "bitter pill" I was referring to with his "north-eastern part of our country", "6 counties" banter.

I also believe the national anthem of Northern Ireland is GSTQ. You sound like you would be all for a unique NI anthem?

Posted by mickey | 18.11.08, 12:05 GMT

Ulsterman

I don't believe Adams has any sort of ambition to be Taoiseach, he prefers to be the man behind the throne not the man on it.

Witness Marty, if Adams had designs on being the figure head he would be first minister not McGuiness

Posted by Sean | 18.11.08, 12:05 GMT

mickey would you wise up about legitimacy, you have not even got your own national anthem, therefore there is nothing legitimate about the north-eastern part of our country.

These 6 counties are the oppressed counties within the island of ireland.

The provisionals are giving the british government the opportunity to copper-fasten their hold over the irish people.

Posted by Armagh/Keady | 18.11.08, 11:35 GMT

i'm just relieved they're going to start talking again and doing something resembling an executive!

Posted by Strucker | 18.11.08, 10:28 GMT

Ulsterman, rarely have I read such tripe. If you think the average man on the street in Southern Ireland gives two hoots about Adams, you must be up a gum tree.

It may be a bitter pill to swallow at times for them, but they are to be congratulated for forming part of Northern Ireland’s Executive. This is the first step along a long and winding road for them finally accepting the existence and legitimacy of 'Northern Ireland'.

Posted by mickey | 18.11.08, 09:51 GMT

As I predicted only yesterday, SF will cave in once again to the uniounists. This was all a show for SF voters, to make them think SF are still a republican party. Of course, no one - even the hardest SF voter - believe that lie anymore.

Posted by no longer fooled republican | 18.11.08, 09:41 GMT

Anyone care to take bets on how long this one will last? I give it a year tops.
The two main parties will always dominate the politics here as long as it is a perpetual negotiation.

Posted by Jack Cade | 18.11.08, 09:10 GMT

Ẁhen will the electorate on both sides of the border realize Mr Adams has been working on a secret mandate for years ? To many outside Ireland it has been obvious and the real reason behind his manoeuvrings, especially in the United States. Both political parties in the Republic of Ireland are struggling, leaving the opportunity for Sinn Fein to take control of the Dail. When this inevitably occurs,Mr Adams will become the first man, born in Northern Ireland to attain the status of Taoiseach and hopefully in his mind achieve a country comprising of 32 counties. The question of course is: Will this be to the benefit of all the island's inhabitants ?

Posted by Ulsterman | 18.11.08, 09:04 GMT