It Must be Marching Season

[glens abu]

That's what the Politicians should be focussing on rather than that guff at Twaddell.

£40k a day to Gallaghers would soon keep all those people employed!

PS. Sinn Fein's stance on the Welfare Reform is disgraceful also. They need to get into the real world and realise that the Country's fucked and it's going to be hard for a while longer!!

Tories like you should be ashamed of yourselves,cut benefits to the disabled and the poor but look after big buisness.

Is your party not looking to reduce corporation tax? And there's no shortage of photo calls with the dFM at the announcement of new jobs supported by Invest NI grants.

Everyone seems to realise that welfare reform is needed except SF, well I am sure they know it is happening but are just grandstanding.

All the political leaders in the UK have said welfare reform has to happen, Labour have already said they would be introducing similar welfare reform, bar the bedroom tax, but yet it's easier to blame it all on "savage Tory cuts".

Anyone that doesent think there needs to be a reform of the welfare system is living in cuckoo land, and it doesent make you a Tory for seeing the need for welfare reform.

Kidder I have no problem with anything being reformed for the better and I am well aware of those who abuse the system but this is not reform this is CUTS and those suffering will not be the cheats but the old,sick and children.

Would it not be an idea to look for reform to get rid of the cheats? Maybe that would cost too many votes? As far as I can see the system is too easy for cheats to work so change the system would be a good idea. May not be too popular with a lot of voters though!

Yeah I would have no problem with that,but that is not what is happening.

[Kidder81]

I heard someone make a good point yesterday - nobody seems to complain about the cost of britain fighting in 5 or so wars in the past 10 years. Every Hellfire missile fired in Afghanistan costs about £38k

What the British decide to do with their spare cash is up to them At this moment they are claiming jurisdiction over OWC. OWC in fairness wouldn't last 2 seconds if we had to go it alone, although Rory McIlroy could probably buy us out. The British are at the stage where we are a cost burden and they are going to cut that budget bit by bit. If I was them I would do that too.

There is absolutely no evidence of the Brits being anymore severe on us than anywhere else in the UK,  in fact the cuts here have been nowhere near as severe as in other government  departments in Whitehall.

[charlieTully]

That's what the Politicians should be focussing on rather than that guff at Twaddell.

£40k a day to Gallaghers would soon keep all those people employed!

PS. Sinn Fein's stance on the Welfare Reform is disgraceful also. They need to get into the real world and realise that the Country's fucked and it's going to be hard for a while longer!!

Tories like you should be ashamed of yourselves,cut benefits to the disabled and the poor but look after big buisness.

Is your party not looking to reduce corporation tax? And there's no shortage of photo calls with the dFM at the announcement of new jobs supported by Invest NI grants.

Everyone seems to realise that welfare reform is needed except SF, well I am sure they know it is happening but are just grandstanding.

All the political leaders in the UK have said welfare reform has to happen, Labour have already said they would be introducing similar welfare reform, bar the bedroom tax, but yet it's easier to blame it all on "savage Tory cuts".

Anyone that doesent think there needs to be a reform of the welfare system is living in cuckoo land, and it doesent make you a Tory for seeing the need for welfare reform.

Kidder I have no problem with anything being reformed for the better and I am well aware of those who abuse the system but this is not reform this is CUTS and those suffering will not be the cheats but the old,sick and children.

Would it not be an idea to look for reform to get rid of the cheats? Maybe that would cost too many votes? As far as I can see the system is too easy for cheats to work so change the system would be a good idea. May not be too popular with a lot of voters though!

Yeah I would have no problem with that,but that is not what is happening.

it is happening already, everyone on DLA is having their case reviewed. Wether it weeds out the cheats remains to be seen.

[glens abu]

That's what the Politicians should be focussing on rather than that guff at Twaddell.

£40k a day to Gallaghers would soon keep all those people employed!

PS. Sinn Fein's stance on the Welfare Reform is disgraceful also. They need to get into the real world and realise that the Country's fucked and it's going to be hard for a while longer!!

Tories like you should be ashamed of yourselves,cut benefits to the disabled and the poor but look after big buisness.

Is your party not looking to reduce corporation tax? And there's no shortage of photo calls with the dFM at the announcement of new jobs supported by Invest NI grants.

Everyone seems to realise that welfare reform is needed except SF, well I am sure they know it is happening but are just grandstanding.

All the political leaders in the UK have said welfare reform has to happen, Labour have already said they would be introducing similar welfare reform, bar the bedroom tax, but yet it's easier to blame it all on "savage Tory cuts".

Anyone that doesent think there needs to be a reform of the welfare system is living in cuckoo land, and it doesent make you a Tory for seeing the need for welfare reform.

Kidder I have no problem with anything being reformed for the better and I am well aware of those who abuse the system but this is not reform this is CUTS and those suffering will not be the cheats but the old,sick and children.

Would it not be an idea to look for reform to get rid of the cheats? Maybe that would cost too many votes? As far as I can see the system is too easy for cheats to work so change the system would be a good idea. May not be too popular with a lot of voters though!

Yeah I would have no problem with that,but that is not what is happening.

it is happening already, everyone on DLA is having their case reviewed. Wether it weeds out the cheats remains to be seen.

Yeah very true and I know a doctor who sits on the review panels and it is getting extremely hard to stay on DLA,but I am always concerned as it appears cheats are a bit like criminals they are always ahead of the posse and it will be the genuine cases who suffer.

[armaghniac]

What the British decide to do with their spare cash is up to them At this moment they are claiming jurisdiction over OWC. OWC in fairness wouldn't last 2 seconds if we had to go it alone, although Rory McIlroy could probably buy us out. The British are at the stage where we are a cost burden and they are going to cut that budget bit by bit. If I was them I would do that too.

A choice between being ruled by Britain or Rory McIllroy, I'd have to think about that one. 

[Applesisapples]

I heard someone make a good point yesterday - nobody seems to complain about the cost of britain fighting in 5 or so wars in the past 10 years. Every Hellfire missile fired in Afghanistan costs about £38k

What the British decide to do with their spare cash is up to them At this moment they are claiming jurisdiction over OWC. OWC in fairness wouldn't last 2 seconds if we had to go it alone, although Rory McIlroy could probably buy us out. The British are at the stage where we are a cost burden and they are going to cut that budget bit by bit. If I was them I would do that too.

There is absolutely no evidence of the Brits being anymore severe on us than anywhere else in the UK,  in fact the cuts here have been nowhere near as severe as in other government  departments in Whitehall.

I didn't say that they were any more severe, however with the changing dynamic in Scotland, ther will be more and more cuts here. As Vince Cable pointed out the Tory's are a party of cuts. Labour look unlikely to get back into power anytime soon and a UKIP/Conservative Government is not an unlikely proposition, just watch what they'll do to the Paddies then.

[Maguire01]

The thing is, welfare is devolved to the Assembly, so the parties can do what they want with it. But if they want to break parity with GB and have a more "generous" system, they'll have to fund the difference from money that would otherwise be spent elsewhere. The idea that NI can breeze through without any cuts just doesn't stack up. SF and the SDLP need to either propose a solution, or say that it's acceptable to spend less on health, education, roads etc. to retain the current spending on welfare. It's one tough decision or the other.

And if the Assembly can't handle this, there's no way tax varying powers should be devolved. I'd have little faith that they could generate the investment required to balance the associated hit to the block grant.

[Kidder81]

Never worry, the geniuses on the hill have borrowed £100m to get us out of the mire 

[muppet]

I love the way Pearse says the SF alternative budget was 'once again costed by the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure'.

[foxcommander]

I see the apprentice boys are getting 4 million for a museum in Derry.
should have stopped this until long kesh got the green light.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-29660004

[Myles Na G.]

I see the apprentice boys are getting 4 million for a museum in Derry.
should have stopped this until long kesh got the green light.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-29660004

Disagree. Things are very positive in Derry - they seem to have cracked the whole parading problem up there. It would be foolish to throw that in the air for the sake of a bit of whataboutery.

[orangeman]

Poor Castledawson can't get a set of fairy lights. 

[foxcommander]

I see the apprentice boys are getting 4 million for a museum in Derry.
should have stopped this until long kesh got the green light.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-29660004

Disagree. Things are very positive in Derry - they seem to have cracked the whole parading problem up there. It would be foolish to throw that in the air for the sake of a bit of whataboutery.

That might be the case but it seems like when the orangemen are in the minority in an area they don't make as much of a fuss since they are getting their way.

If one side is willing to accommodate their history shouldnt they in turn support the other? This is part of history they are unwilling to preserve, just happens that they don't like it.

[Myles Na G.]

I see the apprentice boys are getting 4 million for a museum in Derry.
should have stopped this until long kesh got the green light.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-29660004

Disagree. Things are very positive in Derry - they seem to have cracked the whole parading problem up there. It would be foolish to throw that in the air for the sake of a bit of whataboutery.

That might be the case but it seems like when the orangemen are in the minority in an area they don't make as much of a fuss since they are getting their way.

If one side is willing to accommodate their history shouldnt they in turn support the other? This is part of history they are unwilling to preserve, just happens that they don't like it.

When nationalists / republicans are in a majority, compromise is possible, because unionists realise they have no choice but to cut a deal. In such circumstances, the outcome is usually quite favourable to unionists, probably much to their surprise. They are convinced that nationalists are engaged in cultural warfare, that they are determined to purge the land of every vestige of loyalist culture. They haven't grasped that it's not the culture itself that nationalists object to, but the notion of supremacy that goes with it, the idea that they're entitled to march where they want, when they want, and on their own terms. Once that particular bubble is burst, and proper respect is given to the rest of the community, nationalists are quite content for parades to go ahead.

[foxcommander]

I see the apprentice boys are getting 4 million for a museum in Derry.
should have stopped this until long kesh got the green light.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-29660004

Disagree. Things are very positive in Derry - they seem to have cracked the whole parading problem up there. It would be foolish to throw that in the air for the sake of a bit of whataboutery.

That might be the case but it seems like when the orangemen are in the minority in an area they don't make as much of a fuss since they are getting their way.

If one side is willing to accommodate their history shouldnt they in turn support the other? This is part of history they are unwilling to preserve, just happens that they don't like it.

When nationalists / republicans are in a majority, compromise is possible, because unionists realise they have no choice but to cut a deal. In such circumstances, the outcome is usually quite favourable to unionists, probably much to their surprise. They are convinced that nationalists are engaged in cultural warfare, that they are determined to purge the land of every vestige of loyalist culture. They haven't grasped that it's not the culture itself that nationalists object to, but the notion of supremacy that goes with it, the idea that they're entitled to march where they want, when they want, and on their own terms. Once that particular bubble is burst, and proper respect is given to the rest of the community, nationalists are quite content for parades to go ahead.

The deal should be scuppered at the 11th hour unless they compromise on Long Kesh.
Theres enough in the apprentice boys who could influence a decision.

no room for charity right now nor handing over 4 million to an "exclusive" organization without a little goodwill the other way.