Wednesday 19 June 2013
There can be advantages to being in a minority, as the 13 MPs from Northern Ireland who sit in the Commons know. The Speaker, John Bercow, is very keen on making sure a diverse range of voices are heard: women and men; small parties as well as large; Ulster, Scottish and Welsh voices, as well as English.
Mark Durkan recalled his days as a minister in the Executive during the debate on same-sex marriage.
Forty years ago tomorrow – May 30, 1973 – elections to the 26 'new' councils saw the first use of PR voting since the 1920s. Coming a few months after a White Paper which set out proposals for power-sharing and a few weeks before elections to an Assembly tasked to determine Northern Ireland's future governance, these were the most important elections since the creation of the state.
From underneath the shadow of the Republic's holy mountain, Croagh Patrick, to the hyper-trendy, hi-tech quarter of south inner-city Dublin, the mantra remains the same: no hikes in taxes on the world's most famous corporations.
Old seadog John Coulter, now a sprightly 85, was just a boy of 14 in wartime August 1942 when he stood on the quay at Pollock Dock B in Belfast to watch the first American GIs disembarking from the good ship Gripsholm.
A young media studies student asked me recently what I had learned about the communications trade over my long career.
As the eyes of the world start to shift towards Northern Ireland, with the imminent arrival of the G8 leaders, no doubt our local and national politicians will be dusting off their stock phrases, extolling the successful transition from conflict to peace.
The last revaluation of business properties in Northern Ireland was in 2003 and was based on 2001 rental values. Last year, following calls from the business community, the Executive gave the go-ahead for a revaluation in April 2015, based on 2013 values.
The Police Ombudsman's Office deals with more than 3,000 complaints each year about the conduct of members of the PSNI. These include complaints of the gravest nature.
So, the lives of 120 babies would be saved each year if only heedless, careless parents listened to those decisive, consistent medical experts and stopped taking their babies to bed with them?
Rejection of gay marriage divorces us from rest of UK
The actress Penelope Keith must be happily married. Only the happily married have the audacity to pass judgment on those who might feel miserable or trapped.
In conversation with a close friend the other day, he mentioned that when recently negotiating a one-off service for a new client, a financial institution, in quoting his fee he said, 'And of course there'll be VAT on top of that', to which they replied, 'Ah sure, we'll just pay cash up front and not bother will all that tax nonsense'.
I'm about to launch a campaign to stop Channel 4 taking Countdown off the screen.
Life can be a wee bit cruel – even when you shoot yourself into sporting history by scoring the winning goal in a Cup Final.
If showband legend Dave Glover were alive today he would thoroughly approve of the tea dances for older types who are still young at heart which are taking place at the Waterfront Hall on Saturday, June 8 with the first from noon until 2.00pm and the second taking place between 3.00pm-5.00pm.
Paul Shane, star of television sitcom Hi-de-Hi, who has died at 72, began his career as a comedian at the old, lamented Empire Theatre in Belfast in the early 60s.
It is important to say at the outset that I am sorry for any stress and anxiety caused over the last few weeks to any older person currently residing in our statutory residential care homes and their families.
Belief in witches was a significant part of Irish culture, while Scottish and English settlers in Ireland often accused each other of witchcraft. It is commonly assumed that the European witch-craze of the 16th and 17th centuries, which claimed tens of thousands of lives, never reached Irish shores.
All sides who took part in the Cardiff talks aimed at defusing marching season tensions certainly deserve praise for their endeavours.
Gerry forces Sammy into Mexican wave
Rapturous reception for Andrea
We want you to get snapping!
Pubs, clubs and parties
Thousands turn out in the rain
Thousands of demonstrators have flooded into a square in Brazil's economic hub, Sao Paulo, for the latest in a historic wave of protests against the state of public transport, schools and other public services.
Google has sharply challenged the US government's gag order on its internet surveillance programme, citing what it described as a constitutional free speech right to divulge how many requests it receives from the government for data about its customers in the name of national security.
Hollywood superstars have joined Israeli and global leaders and local celebrities to honour president Shimon Peres for his forthcoming 90th birthday, reflecting world respect for one of the country's peace pioneers.
British and Irish Lions lock Geoff Parling admitted the first tour defeat Down Under "hurts like hell" after Warren Gatland's side were edged out by the Brumbies at Canberra Stadium.
Andy Carroll is on the brink of joining West Ham permanently after passing a medical with the Barclays Premier League club.
Andy Carroll will have a medical with West Ham on Wednesday as he moves closer to a permanent move from Liverpool, Hammers chairman David Gold has confirmed.
Terminator 2 star Edward Furlong has been charged with assault after a May 21 incident in which his girlfriend called police and reported he attacked her.
Apprentice candidate Alex Mills plays the role of a nightmare date - as a team leader steps down for the first time in the history of the BBC One show.
Los Angeles police have confirmed Justin Bieber struck a pedestrian with his car in Hollywood.
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