Stormont Assembly Elections 2017

[Denn Forever]

What is the final sticking points that is delaying every thing?

[Applesisapples]

A lot of Stoops on here sniping at SF because heir own party make the Democrats in the US look like a well honed election winning machine. Nationalist voters are sick of the DUP's foot dragging on equality and parity of esteem. It is about a shared space where all can feel at home. The Unionists are so stupid that they can't see that this is the only hope they have of securing the union. I here others bleating on about services, these will happen with or with our Stormont. As for the DUP/Cons, DUP have them by the balls so nothing SF do at the assembly will have any influence. The DUP and Unionists generally are the biggest of brass necks hypocrites.

Its not just stoops I think most nationalists think SF were asleep at the wheel for years and it needed RHI and Liofa to anger the nationalist community enough to tell SF to wake up. The DUP have a brass neck because we let them. Until last March nationalists have not been bothering to vote and even in March we only caught up with Unionism some reporters would have you believe that nationalist turnout was way higher than unionists it wasnt they were about level. It also doesnt help that poll after poll suggests nationalists are happy with the status quo. That just tells the DUP to keep doing what they are doing. Nationalists deserve the situation they find themselves in and only have themselves to blame for being dumb. Oh good another month of orange fest to look forward to how ironic that it may require the English medias attention to tone things down a bit.

Wouldn't argue with most of that.

[red hander]

So arlene says one culture can not be allowed supremacy over another. How much funding does the orange order get again arlene...

I see in a city council meeting in belfast there was something about crumlin fc and some funding and that vile woman patterson declared they had links with the ira.

Bigotry has never really went away in this place in certain quarters - even with the gfa.

That's an absolute cracker from Arlene.  Surely the whole raison d'etre of unionism is cultural supremacy over themmuns??

She will never learn and her arrogance has no limits. The Orange Order, marching, flag waving is all about dominance and supremacy.

A situation that won't be helped any by ferrying the bitch about in her own RAF plane. Tbf fair to her, though, she's the only person to have been affected by the Troubles if you believe the west Brit Press...that c**k Harris was at it again on Sunday about her spotting a vase of sunflowers in the hallway at No.10 and how it was the favourite flower of her Da, who was shot at by those nasty fenians in Fermanagh 

[Avondhu star]

What is the final sticking points that is delaying every thing?

SF aware that most of their voters think the Assembly is a busted flush.

Or maybe they realise that winning seats is no good when the Dup can walk into Number 10 and start calling the shots. No pun intended

[T Fearon]

I am seriously fed up with it all now.We need politics and politicians to provide basic day to day efficient governance on things that matter,like Health,Education etc,not hoodwink the public on side issues like identity,language,inane parades and stupid bonfires,none of which ever invade my thoughts.

[Taylor]

If everyone stopped getting paid until a solution was found how long do you think it would take to get it sorted?

[T Fearon]

I think where there is an impasse and both tribes cannot agree it should be referred to the London and Dublin govts to make the final decision.Wont please everyone,but it would motivate the parties to reach agreement.

What is SF playing at? Like they are hardly under threat of losing votes to the SDLP,if they don't deliver,and they will never be in government in the South,so no need for optics.

[MoChara]

It beggars belief that they are taking the summer break when they've done f**k all this past ages


https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0704/887552-stormont/

[haranguerer]

''Next week will also witness the "Twelfth of July" - the key fixture in the Protestant loyal order marching season.

Negotiations were always unlikely to succeed if they stretched into mid-July, when they would be framed against the backdrop of the heightened community tensions that traditionally surround the Orange Order commemorations.''


From that article, and as is a universal fact - you can't talk to unionists round the 12th.

In 20 years we'll look back gobsmacked that they got away with this shite for so long.

[Applesisapples]

Whether or not there is an assembly will not impact on health, education etc. In fact direct rule ministers would have the freedom to make the hard decisions we will not allow or politicians to make regarding the provision of these services. Those people bleating about the return to Stormont (or mount as some say) need to consider the last 10 years when a McGuinness led SF appeased the DUP at every turn only to have their nose rubbed in it. Where was the reciprication for all that out reach? The denouncing of the dissidents as traitors etc... SF have no choice if they want to retain their vote. The DUP don't or won't get it. McCausland bleating about GA wanting to change NI, thats exactly the f**king point it needs to change. Tots like Paul Frew denying our right to be Irish. I said before this is exactly how to ensure the Union disappears. Any hope of securing it long term will founder on the denial of equality.

[Rossfan]

Will this week see the end of Stormont mark 3 2007 -2016??
Will it make any difference?
Does anyone other than the MLAs and hangers on really care?

[Orior]

Will this week see the end of Stormont mark 3 2007 -2016??
Will it make any difference?
Does anyone other than the MLAs and hangers on really care?

Seems to be following the Adams route. There is no way that direct rule would happen if McGuinness was still there.

[T Fearon]

SF obviously doesn't want to be seen to implementing Tory Cuts at Stormont.This presumably is to enhance its performance in the South,which can only be done by appealing to the middle classes thus shedding all pretence of socialism and radicalism.Also when Gerry steps down SF will split inevitably into Southern and Northern factions.

In any event none of the parties at Stormont are capable of delivering anything resembling competent government in any event,so no big loss

[yellowcard]

I think Stormont is a dead duck in the short term and not many people are overly bothered.

[armaghniac]

SF obviously doesn't want to be seen to implementing Tory Cuts at Stormont.This presumably is to enhance its performance in the South,which can only be done by appealing to the middle classes thus shedding all pretence of socialism and radicalism.Also when Gerry steps down SF will split inevitably into Southern and Northern factions.

This post is a bit confused. Cutting NI expenditure will give the wrong message from SF's perspective to their present 26 county "somebody else should pay" voters. If NI was more responsibly managed then it might improve SF in the eyes of regular voters in the 26 counties.

In any event none of the parties at Stormont are capable of delivering anything resembling competent government in any event

Local incompetents are less dangerous than London incompetents.