Stormont Assembly Elections 2017

[red hander]

I will retell this story.A few years ago,I witnessed the DUP Mayor of Craigavon welcome guests from its twin town Ballina,in Irish,away from the camera.We are still tied up in the zero sum redundant toxic allegiances to two sovereign states who neither want nor understand us.This results in paralysis,and prioritises a Language Act over more pressing needs like Health and Education.

Like it or not nationalist Ireland at the time of the GFA freely consented to British Rule in the North.The next logical step is to make this form of government effective and accountable.There is no alternative I'm afraid,only direct Tory rule with a distinct DUP tinge.

If you keep digging your utterly pointless hole you're going to come out in Australia very soon

[yellowcard]

Both sides lined their pockets on RHI.

One of the many reasons this place is fastly resembling a cesspit. Replace the violence with corruption at every corner and you get the idea

And fair play to them for lining their pockets. If someone gave me the same deal to heat my home, I'd have taken it. People are only looking after themselves. Nothing wrong with that. If there's a system there to be abused, abuse it.

And ultimately who will pay for this abuse?

If you're implying that it was taxpayers money that was spent on RHI, that's hardly accurate.

It was money. Not your tax money or my tax money, it was just money. If you work and pay tax, you have no say how much is taken from your wages. I'd imagine you're unhappy at the tax taken from you, but can you do anything about it? No. The mafia take their slice and there's feck all anyone can do about it.

So if there's 500 million spent on RHI, who gives a feck? It's not taxpayers money. It's just money. Not yours or mine. If RHI hadn't have happened, would the taxman have gave you and everyone else back a slice of that 500 million? No.

Like I said, if there's a system/scheme there to be abused, abuse it. Look after yourself, because those that govern you certainly wont!

Try telling that to all of the people who can't get a hospital bed or proper care for their sick relatives. The 'Sure as long as I'm alright Jack' attitude sums up a lot of what is wrong with society.

As for the RHI money not being taxpayers money, well I'm not about to start engaging in a basic economics lesson but that is just ridiculous logic. 

[Owen Brannigan]

Both sides lined their pockets on RHI.

One of the many reasons this place is fastly resembling a cesspit. Replace the violence with corruption at every corner and you get the idea

And fair play to them for lining their pockets. If someone gave me the same deal to heat my home, I'd have taken it. People are only looking after themselves. Nothing wrong with that. If there's a system there to be abused, abuse it.

And ultimately who will pay for this abuse?

If you're implying that it was taxpayers money that was spent on RHI, that's hardly accurate.

It was money. Not your tax money or my tax money, it was just money. If you work and pay tax, you have no say how much is taken from your wages. I'd imagine you're unhappy at the tax taken from you, but can you do anything about it? No. The mafia take their slice and there's feck all anyone can do about it.

So if there's 500 million spent on RHI, who gives a feck? It's not taxpayers money. It's just money. Not yours or mine. If RHI hadn't have happened, would the taxman have gave you and everyone else back a slice of that 500 million? No.

Like I said, if there's a system/scheme there to be abused, abuse it. Look after yourself, because those that govern you certainly wont!

Try telling that to all of the people who can't get a hospital bed or proper care for their sick relatives. The 'Sure as long as I'm alright Jack' attitude sums up a lot of what is wrong with society.

As for the RHI money not being taxpayers money, well I'm not about to start engaging in a basic economics lesson but that is just ridiculous logic.

It is taxpayers money but the bulk of the RHI scheme had it been implemented properly will be paid for by the treasury in UK.  The amount paid from our block grant increased as they threw money at the pellet burners.

How long will it be before the English media catches on to this cost produced by Arlene & Co.

However, the recent changes made to the payments before the assembly crashed have moderated the use of the boilers by those who installed them as income generators according the NIAO.  This greatly changes the overall cost of the scheme over the remainder of its 20 years.  In particular, the scheme will collapse in the medium to longer term as a pellet burner owner was expected to replace the equipment at least once or twice during the 20 year period.  There is not enough return in the system to allow this replacement to be an economic possibility.

[drillsergeant]

It's not looking good that Deal will be reached in time for Mondays deadline. I couldn't agree more with SF, both British & Irish Governments need to be more involved like they were previously with GFA & St.Andrews. Hopefully our elected folks can agree on some principles over weekend because at this stage Direct Rule would be disastrous under Tories/DUP relationship.

[T Fearon]

Are you for real? The British and Irish Govts are not going to ever get involved hands on again,because a) they do not care and b) have much bigger fish to fry.

SF are going to hand us all over to direct rule by the Tories/DUP.What a sorry state Northern nationalism is in.

[armaghniac]

For once SF are being pretty reasonable in anything they are asking for and this exposes the DUP.

[Gaffer]

For once SF are being pretty reasonable in anything they are asking for and this exposes the DUP.

True but the problem is the DUP will get away with it!

[armaghniac]

For once SF are being pretty reasonable in anything they are asking for and this exposes the DUP.

True but the problem is the DUP will get away with it!

They may "get away with it" in the short term.
But these are unstable times. The present path of Brexit might easily lead run into the ground. If it does not, then the Assembly could not have lasted anyhow.  A "hard" or chaotic Brexit puts an end to the entire GFA, so there would be strong pressure for special status, DUP or no DUP.  If Brexit runs into resistance and we end up with only a token Brexit then you could have an election. The DUP have drawn a lot of attention to themselves and will not be popular if the government in Westminister did change.

I'd say it is the unusual case of the unionists beating the Lambeg drum in the short term and having no long term plan at all.

[playwiththewind1st]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/theresa-may-20000-raf-plane-fly-arlene-foster-dup-leader-home-belfast-deal-a7819116.html

Not only does she screw up on RHI, but she hitches a lift back to Belfast with the RAF, after her deal with the Tories.

It just gets worse.

[yellowcard]

The problem with many within the DUP is that they feel the need to dominate. It's in their genes. They have a clear superiority complex and will never accept nationalists as equals. The symbolism of marching through nationalist area's was always about exerting their authority on people who they felt were beneath them. 

[T Fearon]

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/news-analysis/why-an-irish-language-act-would-be-a-total-disaster-for-irish-35887118.html. Excellent article on why an Irish Language Act is not needed and in fact would probably be detrimental.

Now SF should get back into the Executive and save us all from even light touch Tory/DUP Direct Rule,and deal with the real problems.The real inequality in the North is between the haves (i.e. Catholic and Protestant) and have nots (also catholic/Protestant)

[yellowcard]

Tories paid £20,000 to fly Foster from London to Belfast. Now they announce that political donations are only being published from July onwards. The DUP have them by the balls.

[armaghniac]

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/news-analysis/why-an-irish-language-act-would-be-a-total-disaster-for-irish-35887118.html. Excellent article on why an Irish Language Act is not needed and in fact would probably be detrimental.

Now SF should get back into the Executive and save us all from even light touch Tory/DUP Direct Rule,and deal with the real problems.The real inequality in the North is between the haves (i.e. Catholic and Protestant) and have nots (also catholic/Protestant)

Of course there are have-nots of all religions and political backgrounds. But a nationalist is a second class citizen even if he owns two houses.

[bennydorano]

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/news-analysis/why-an-irish-language-act-would-be-a-total-disaster-for-irish-35887118.html. Excellent article on why an Irish Language Act is not needed and in fact would probably be detrimental.

Good article, I've no idea why Irish has become such a line in the sand issue, are they really going to let Stormont fall (genuinely fall, not fake fall for a few months) over this when there are genuinely serious bread & butter issues being ignored daily. Their other line in the sand - Arlene's departure - soon shifted.

As for Nationalists being second class citizens, if you think like that then it's your own fault as it's a state of mind.

[omaghjoe]

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/news-analysis/why-an-irish-language-act-would-be-a-total-disaster-for-irish-35887118.html. Excellent article on why an Irish Language Act is not needed and in fact would probably be detrimental.

Now SF should get back into the Executive and save us all from even light touch Tory/DUP Direct Rule,and deal with the real problems.The real inequality in the North is between the haves (i.e. Catholic and Protestant) and have nots (also catholic/Protestant)

Only the Catholic haves (prob set setters, landlords, etc) are Catholics with a capital C