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Northern Ireland parties fail to avert crisis
Executive fails to meet First Minister’s deadline
Thursday, 18 September 2008
enlargeStormont's power-sharing government was today tipping towards crisis as the biggest row since the return of devolution kept the Executive in deep freeze.
The prospect of an end to the three-month gap between Executive meetings faded as Sinn Fein refused to give the necessary go-ahead for a scheduled session this afternoon.
Instead the party was holding out for the DUP to at least indicate some kind of timeframe in which they envisage the transfer of policing and justice powers can take place — as Prime Minister Gordon Brown demanded earlier this week.
The refusal to relax their boycott will bust First Minister Peter Robinson’s deadline, after which he warned of “serious consequences for the good government of Northern Ireland”.
Senior sources today indicated the DUP leader will hold back on any immediate action — such as initiating a High Court case accusing Sinn Fein Ministers of breaching their code of office — in the hope a meeting will still happen.
The DUP that believes it would have to go to court, and win its case, before it could ask the paramilitary watchdog, the Independent Monitoring Commission, to adjudicate on the conduct of Sinn Fein Ministers.
Behind-the-scenes talks between the DUP and Sinn Fein continued this week with some progress being made on the future of the Maze national stadium project, Irish language and even, according to some sources, the almost intractable primary to secondary school transfer proposals.
But, while there also appears to have been movement on the modalities of policing and justice — the way a new Department would work — no advance has been made on the core issue of when the responsibility might switch from Westminster, now almost five months after the British and Irish Governments’ target date in the St Andrews Agreement.
Secretary of State Shaun Woodward and the Republic’s Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern were keeping a watching eye on developments at Stormont as they met at Hillsborough Castle this morning for talks on a range of issues, including policing and justice.
The stand-off came as the DUP appeared gloomy over the outcome of the Fermanagh council by-election, where its senior figure, Arlene Foster, is facing a strong challenge from Sinn Fein.
There were early indications the final result could be close after a bitter battle sparked after Ulster Unionists refused to agree a co-option following the death of veteran councillor Joe Dodds, the father of Finance Minister Nigel Dodds.
Meanwhile up at Stormont the DUP’s six ministers, including Junior Minister Jeffrey Donaldson, were expected to attend a mock session in the Executive’s office, to discuss growing concerns over the cost of living and energy price hikes, though it was unclear whether they will be joined by their Ulster Unionist and SDLP partners.
Such a meeting would have no legal status and could not conduct any business but is being viewed as a means of attempting to isolate Sinn Fein, who in turn will dismiss it as a stunt.
As the face-off between the two main Executive parties continued, there was speculation a meeting could be convened by early next week, although both Mr Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness are expected to attend a breakfast event at the Labour Party Conference in Manchester next Monday.
An exchange of letters between Mr McGuinness and Mr Robinson late yesterday failed to achieve any progress for a meeting today.
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Comments
30 Comments
It amazes me to this day, the size of the shockwave felt through England's decision in the 1920s. The amount of tragedy that could have been averted if they'd stuck to their initial plan to set the entirety of Ireland free to its own independence. The lives that could hajavascript:setPluginAction('incoming',%20'accept')ve been spared, the amount of bloodshed prevented.
When recent history of Ireland is taught to students here in the United States, the students often have the same question -" They're both white and they both believe in the same God. Why would they fight for?" We know the answer, 6 counties that were kept by the British government. The question is - will a day ever come where Britain detatches from NI outright and returns it to being part of the Republic?
Posted by Randy | 22.09.08, 17:37 GMT
We the people need to get these two parties out of OUR government. They have done nothing but argue since the assembly opened. We need to take action now!
Posted by Niall | 22.09.08, 01:05 GMT
One party claims to have the triple lock veto on progress namely the DUP. The DUP should see the error of their way and agree with the majority to lift their veto on Justice & Policing being transferred to Stormont, then perhaps we could get on with everyday living.
Posted by eamon | 19.09.08, 18:37 GMT
"Northern Ireland doesn't exist except in the minds of English politicians and unionist dinosaurs. There is a fictitous border imposed by a foreign country and a mini-statelet that is no longer even viable in the mind of the British PM."
I love reading posts like this. The bitterness and resentment and pain just shines through in these befuddled ramblings!
Northern Ireland - WE EXIST! Put that in yer pipe!
Posted by mickey | 19.09.08, 11:01 GMT
Ulsterman, Northern Ireland doesn't exist except in the minds of English politicians and unionist dinosaurs. There is a fictitous border imposed by a foreign country and a mini-statelet that is no longer even viable in the mind of the British PM.
Posted by JerryF | 19.09.08, 06:20 GMT
"Patrick" - you got that absolutely right!
Posted by Centaur | 19.09.08, 01:35 GMT
One half of the chuckle brothers is gone. The neo-cons from both sides remain in power but aren't laughing anymore. Meanwhile, we the people, face food, heating, petrol, housing crises. Westminster should start to fine the wastes of space who claim to be in Govt at Stormont. If ever there was a time for a non-sectarian, working class alternative to the sham parties who feather their nests and holiday homes in Donegal while we suffer, it is now. Monica McWilliams once threatened to create a local Labour party after the end of the WC. Now is the time. The Trade Union movement should take the initiative and get rid of these people in Stormont
Posted by Petesy | 18.09.08, 17:43 GMT
Great! They don't want to be ruled by London or Dublin and they don't won't work together in the Executive. Where does that leave the ordinary person who is looking for solutions to day-to-day problems?
Posted by Jayne | 18.09.08, 17:13 GMT
Simple formula for resolving the present impasse. No executive action no salary.
Posted by Dom Maguire | 18.09.08, 16:42 GMT
Maybe some computer whizz can put a petition on the internet wherby we can all sign up to close the Assembly down?? It seems the general consensus is that the whole thing is a joke that we are paying for!!
Posted by stephen | 18.09.08, 16:24 GMT
Our boys are spoilt children who don't want to share their toys.
Take away their toys.
Stop their pay and return power to Westminster for the next 10 years.
That will save everyone a lot of money and allow all the double-jobbers at Stormont to concentrate on being councillors, MPs, MEPs, doctors, farmers, ...
Posted by David from Finaghy | 18.09.08, 16:16 GMT
Cancel their salaries, we've paid through the nose for these selfserving idiots to hide behind the tribal barricades of Loyalist/Nationalist.
Even Gordon Brown couldn't make a bigger hash of Goverment. Gerry and Peter cosy, the rest of us - buggered, of course we deserve it - we voted them in.
Posted by madcap | 18.09.08, 15:53 GMT
Are we really paying these people to "work" if so stop the money and see what happens
Posted by Margaret | 18.09.08, 15:26 GMT
Northern Ireland's stupid and childish politicians seem to have united the population as nothing has before!
Posted by Patrick | 18.09.08, 15:12 GMT
Pay attention Sinn Fein and DUP.
I do not know which parties I will be voting for in the next election, but I do know which two I shall NOT vote for!
I am also sure that I am not alone in my disgust at the constant bickering and squabbling going on in our so-called corridors of power. I have heard more sense from a flock of starlings than from that lot in Stormont!
Posted by Centaur | 18.09.08, 14:51 GMT
The kettle keeps calling the pot black. The two extremes of the political & RELIGIOUS divide could be likened to oil and water. One is equally as bad (or as black) as the other. Robinson's clique see "The Pope" behind every suggestion from Adam's mob and his lot continually refuse to accept such a place a NORTHERN IRELAND really exists ! PAY THEM ALL OFF !!!
Posted by Ulsterman | 18.09.08, 13:27 GMT
Sure if it collapses the Government in London are just as good as never sorting out important issues that concern NI so what difference does it make!
Posted by Frank | 18.09.08, 12:17 GMT
Each in their own way, we have two petty fascist parties who ultimately are concerned only about themselves. They're already overpaid and overfed for all the good they do - it's high time they started to do their job of serving 'we, the people' instead of serving their own interests!
And IF the Assembly does collapse then ALL pay cheques and expenses should cease IMMEDIATELY!!!!
Posted by Andy | 18.09.08, 12:04 GMT
Close the whole farce down!
Posted by Joe Smith | 18.09.08, 11:41 GMT
Cancel their wages until they start working!!!
Posted by Liam | 18.09.08, 11:24 GMT
30 Comments