The government's back.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-51071827
how about, I'm just spit ballin here, the First and Deputy first ministers come from the parties that came 3rd and 4th? Couldn't be any worse (I know they could) and they wouldn't be so big that there members would not be forcing red lines on them.
Hold a minute I have feed my Unicorn.
I love the bit where the fkn Orange Order says it has "serious concerns about the Irish language provisions and it cant support the deal".
Is gaire cabhair Boris ná an doras.
Michelle O'Neill has no problem with the Gaeilge
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/new-executive-appointed-as-stormont-returns-after-three-years-of-stalemate-38852879.html
It's great to see them all back. Now the actual work begins.
I would give it 6 months, tops.
Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 11, 2020, 10:14:34 PM
I would give it 6 months, tops.
As long as they sort out Casement, flyover at the M2 westlink, education, and more importantly the health services. Then they can f**k off
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on January 11, 2020, 10:45:32 PM
Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 11, 2020, 10:14:34 PM
I would give it 6 months, tops.
As long as they sort out Casement, flyover at the M2 westlink, education, and more importantly the health services. Then they can f**k off
It's slightly incredible that a man who, only a few short months ago, wanted to spend the traditional "more time with the family", suddenly performs an about turn & takes on the Health Department - possibly the worst job of them all. That doesn't quite stack up. Plus, it doesn't look like you need to have been in Stormont at all to become a Minister nowadays. Two of the new Ministers have been at Stormont I'd say for at least a week. Do you get the impression now that the RHI report has been watered down in the interim & that Foster thinks she won't be getting her P45?
Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 12, 2020, 12:23:35 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on January 11, 2020, 10:45:32 PM
Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 11, 2020, 10:14:34 PM
I would give it 6 months, tops.
As long as they sort out Casement, flyover at the M2 westlink, education, and more importantly the health services. Then they can f**k off
It's slightly incredible that a man who, only a few short months ago, wanted to spend the traditional "more time with the family", suddenly performs an about turn & takes on the Health Department - possibly the worst job of them all. That doesn't quite stack up. Plus, it doesn't look like you need to have been in Stormont at all to become a Minister nowadays. Two of the new Ministers have been at Stormont I'd say for at least a week. Do you get the impression now that the RHI report has been watered down in the interim & that Foster thinks she won't be getting her P45?
It will be well watered down and both DUP/SF will be in cahoots on that
No doubt MR2 and Playwiththewind1st will inform us what the report said before it was watered down and why the independent investigators will have changed their report?
The evidence was held in public so there isn't going to be any big surprises. Anybody expecting a smoking gun would do well to pinpoint the smoking gun in the public evidence that they are relying on.
Basically we have to anticipate a milder version of McBride's book. After all McBride has all the same evidence but is a (damn good) journalist with a book to sell rather than a judge.
Quote from: smelmoth on January 12, 2020, 02:11:53 PM
No doubt MR2 and Playwiththewind1st will inform us what the report said before it was watered down and why the independent investigators will have changed their report?
The evidence was held in public so there isn't going to be any big surprises. Anybody expecting a smoking gun would do well to pinpoint the smoking gun in the public evidence that they are relying on.
Basically we have to anticipate a milder version of McBride's book. After all McBride has all the same evidence but is a (damn good) journalist with a book to sell rather than a judge.
It's no secret that the report was shown to certain people, quite a while back & they had the opportunity to ahem 'comment' on the proposed contents. I believe it was Robert Maxwell kicked this all off years ago, with a legal challenge.
Quote from: BennyCake on January 11, 2020, 10:51:04 PM
Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 11, 2020, 10:14:34 PM
I would give it 6 months, tops.
I'll give it 6 weeks.
Who knows.
SF and DUP can do this with the other 3 parties or possibly as a duopoly if they can agree on the Justice portfolio.
Neither wants an election. Impossible to conceive of any election not resulting in both parties getting a reduced number of seats.
It is finally dawned on some within DUP that their electoral success is built upon a coalition of extreme bigots (which TUV aside will always vote and always vote DUP) and pragmatic unionists who vote for the likely winning unionist ticket (who won't keep voting for the current shambles). The latter group only have to drift from DUP by the amount of the seat winning margins. Seat winning margins have got a lot smaller as the centre have rallied around Alliance - especially younger voters.
SF have had to wake up to 4 key issues;
1. Running away from government in NI doesn't help you convince the RoI electorate that you are a viable alternative.
2. Power sharing in NI has to work for a UI to be a possibility. The RoI referendum on a UI isn't going to vote in favour of taking on a problem.
3. Power sharing has to work beyond a UI. You don't want to set the precedent and blueprint for fecking about with power sharing for truculent unionists to follow.
4. Right here and now the nationalist electorate won't keep voting for SF to do nothing.
SF and DUP have probably finally worked out that politics isn't just about elections and salaries
Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 12, 2020, 02:24:23 PM
Quote from: smelmoth on January 12, 2020, 02:11:53 PM
No doubt MR2 and Playwiththewind1st will inform us what the report said before it was watered down and why the independent investigators will have changed their report?
The evidence was held in public so there isn't going to be any big surprises. Anybody expecting a smoking gun would do well to pinpoint the smoking gun in the public evidence that they are relying on.
Basically we have to anticipate a milder version of McBride's book. After all McBride has all the same evidence but is a (damn good) journalist with a book to sell rather than a judge.
It's no secret that the report was shown to certain people, quite a while back & they had the opportunity to ahem 'comment' on the proposed contents. I believe it was Robert Maxwell kicked this all off years ago, with a legal challenge.
By "certain people" you no doubt mean everyone criticised in the report. Standard practice in any inquiry.
By "comment" you no doubt mean be given the opportunity to mount a legal challenge to the criticism via judicial review prior to publication. Again standard practice.
Are you inferring that something untoward is at play??
Well Snarlene is certainly looking fairly chipper & somewhat more smug than she has any right to be, given her trials & tribulations.
Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 12, 2020, 03:28:53 PM
Well Snarlene is certainly looking fairly chipper & somewhat more smug than she has any right to be, given her trials & tribulations.
You are not seriously claiming that from that you concluded that the report is being watered down??
Quote from: smelmoth on January 12, 2020, 04:14:36 PM
Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 12, 2020, 03:28:53 PM
Well Snarlene is certainly looking fairly chipper & somewhat more smug than she has any right to be, given her trials & tribulations.
You are not seriously claiming that from that you concluded that the report is being watered down??
Maybe there are other reasons why she is feeling satisfied? 🤔
https://sluggerotoole.com/2020/01/12/the-orange-orders-complex-relationship-with-the-irish-language/
Quote from: seafoid on January 13, 2020, 05:46:42 AM
https://sluggerotoole.com/2020/01/12/the-orange-orders-complex-relationship-with-the-irish-language/
If that's written by Mick Fealty then at some point it's the Shinners fault.
Interesting to hear Farmer Poots rowing back slightly on the Irish language act this morning with fat boy Nolan in that it was indeed the Presbyterians who were at the forefront to reviving it back in the day.
Interesting that the SDLP avoided Health and the reason given TV yesterday was that the extra money for the Health Service here wasn't guaranteed for the long term.
Quote from: johnnycool on January 13, 2020, 11:31:34 AM
Quote from: seafoid on January 13, 2020, 05:46:42 AM
https://sluggerotoole.com/2020/01/12/the-orange-orders-complex-relationship-with-the-irish-language/
If that's written by Mick Fealty then at some point it's the Shinners fault.
Mick isn't responsible for this one. He does have it in for the Shinners, which is often deserved, although in recent times they've been well behind Arlene's gang.
Quote from: johnnycool on January 13, 2020, 11:31:34 AM
Quote from: seafoid on January 13, 2020, 05:46:42 AM
https://sluggerotoole.com/2020/01/12/the-orange-orders-complex-relationship-with-the-irish-language/
If that's written by Mick Fealty then at some point it's the Shinners fault.
Interesting to hear Farmer Poots rowing back slightly on the Irish language act this morning with fat boy Nolan in that it was indeed the Presbyterians who were at the forefront to reviving it back in the day.
Are you Squinter? lol
Colum Eastwood been blindsided by SF already. Good start to cooperation.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-51089376
Quote from: GetOverTheBar on January 13, 2020, 12:39:26 PM
Colum Eastwood been blindsided by SF already. Good start to cooperation.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-51089376
Is anyone surprised. The carve up continues.
Quote from: trailer on January 13, 2020, 05:06:04 PM
Quote from: GetOverTheBar on January 13, 2020, 12:39:26 PM
Colum Eastwood been blindsided by SF already. Good start to cooperation.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-51089376
Is anyone surprised. The carve up continues.
Carve up? Isn't the concept of the biggest parties having the biggest representation not the whole idea of democracy?
If Colum was so interested in the 'top jobs', why did his party (once again) refuse to take on the Health Ministry, having based their entire campaign around the issue of health?
Is the Alliance party so devoid of talent that they have to put Naomi in for any and every position they have available? She was made party leader, then became their European election candidate, their East Belfast candidate in the GE and now has taken on their sole Ministerial position.
You have to wonder does she just not trust anybody else? Or is she believing her own hype a bit too much? Or does she or the rest of her party deep down believe they have no other capable representatives beyond her? Or could she be just trying to get into every well paid position she can?
Its just a big show its all theatre.
Quote from: Snapchap on January 14, 2020, 09:25:49 AM
Is the Alliance party so devoid of talent that they have to put Naomi in for any and every position they have available? She was made party leader, then became their European election candidate, their East Belfast candidate in the GE and now has taken on their sole Ministerial position.
You have to wonder does she just not trust anybody else? Or is she believing her own hype a bit too much? Or does she or the rest of her party deep down believe they have no other capable representatives beyond her? Or could she be just trying to get into every well paid position she can?
They have an MP, they won the Strangford seat, she is from East Belfast (Mersey Street) and won the seat of Robinson way back so only natural she went for that seat again, was Lord Mayor and natural candidate to take over the leadership of the party, she speaks very well and comes across as a nice person, how that works in politics is a different matter.
Well paid, what does a Justice minister get these days?
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on January 14, 2020, 10:34:18 AM
Quote from: Snapchap on January 14, 2020, 09:25:49 AM
Is the Alliance party so devoid of talent that they have to put Naomi in for any and every position they have available? She was made party leader, then became their European election candidate, their East Belfast candidate in the GE and now has taken on their sole Ministerial position.
You have to wonder does she just not trust anybody else? Or is she believing her own hype a bit too much? Or does she or the rest of her party deep down believe they have no other capable representatives beyond her? Or could she be just trying to get into every well paid position she can?
They have an MP, they won the Strangford seat, she is from East Belfast (Mersey Street) and won the seat of Robinson way back so only natural she went for that seat again, was Lord Mayor and natural candidate to take over the leadership of the party, she speaks very well and comes across as a nice person, how that works in politics is a different matter.
Well paid, what does a Justice minister get these days?
North Down, I presume you ment.
Alliance's hand was forced in North Down when Sylvia unexpectedly stood down as they weren't going to field a candidate there and at that point Naomi was their only real candidate.
Farry is a capable enough individual, but where do they go after that to fill roles?
Well Nordies, Bozo breezed in for the photo shoot, patted MichelleArlene on the heads, says there'll be lots of money and everything will be fine.
Then breezed off without signing any cheques.
I'm sure ye all feel so much better now.
Quote from: Rossfan on January 14, 2020, 10:46:15 AM
Well Nordies, Bozo breezed in for the photo shoot, patted MichelleArlene on the heads, says there'll be lots of money and everything will be fine.
Then breezed off without signing any cheques.
I'm sure ye all feel so much better now.
What is the exact point you are making with this type of post?
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on January 14, 2020, 10:34:18 AM
Well paid, what does a Justice minister get these days?
The hourly rate of the last one was through the f**king roof.
It was tending toward infinity at one point there...
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on January 14, 2020, 10:34:18 AM
Quote from: Snapchap on January 14, 2020, 09:25:49 AM
Is the Alliance party so devoid of talent that they have to put Naomi in for any and every position they have available? She was made party leader, then became their European election candidate, their East Belfast candidate in the GE and now has taken on their sole Ministerial position.
You have to wonder does she just not trust anybody else? Or is she believing her own hype a bit too much? Or does she or the rest of her party deep down believe they have no other capable representatives beyond her? Or could she be just trying to get into every well paid position she can?
They have an MP, they won the Strangford seat, she is from East Belfast (Mersey Street) and won the seat of Robinson way back so only natural she went for that seat again, was Lord Mayor and natural candidate to take over the leadership of the party, she speaks very well and comes across as a nice person, how that works in politics is a different matter.
Well paid, what does a Justice minister get these days?
Fair enough for her to be standing as MP in her own area, and no qualms about her becoming party leader when she is clearly their most popular/capable rep. It just strikes me as poor for the optics when she is the only one to be given the big roles. I actually forgot about Belfast Mayor role too.
At a time when her party is on the crest of a wave, it seems odd that she is content to appear as the only one in the party that can be trusted to take all of on the big roles.
Quote from: Snapchap on January 14, 2020, 11:39:10 AM
At a time when her party is on the crest of a wave, it seems odd that she is content to appear as the only one in the party that can be trusted to take all of on the big roles.
Yeah, they are not exactly doing much to grow the profile of other party members.
Like it or not - the electorate are more comfortable with someone they recognise over a significant time period - despite how good or bad that person is - case in point - Bozo.
Quote from: RadioGAAGAA on January 14, 2020, 03:12:06 PM
Quote from: Snapchap on January 14, 2020, 11:39:10 AM
At a time when her party is on the crest of a wave, it seems odd that she is content to appear as the only one in the party that can be trusted to take all of on the big roles.
Yeah, they are not exactly doing much to grow the profile of other party members.
Like it or not - the electorate are more comfortable with someone they recognise over a significant time period - despite how good or bad that person is - case in point - Bozo.
It appears to be the Naomi show.
The elephant in the room is that we have thousands of civil servants in safe jobs pushing paper around and not doing anything particularly productive. Anyone working in frontline education can verify that. Plus, sadly many families expectations are a life on welfare and many people are actively trying to get disability diagnosis to secure benefits. Harsh truth which no one dare speak publicly of. Therefore the North will continue to be riddled by self-inflicted financial waste of taxpayers money, with absolutely no prospect of the parties having the desire or balls to challenge it.
It is a massive vote winner for political parties to advise and assist people to get and obtain the maximum amount of benefits. They employ many people in each constituency office to process social welfare claims all paid for by the public purse which quite frankly is not their job and should not be publicly funded.
It is depressing to see parents actively and vociferously advocating disability diagnosis and a life of dossing for their offspring when they should be inspiring them to reach for the stars.
Quote from: Sportacus on January 15, 2020, 01:00:14 PM
The elephant in the room is that we have thousands tens of thousands of civil servants in safe jobs pushing paper around and not doing anything particularly productive. Anyone working in frontline education can verify that. Plus, sadly many families expectations are a life on welfare and many people are actively trying to get disability diagnosis to secure benefits. Harsh truth which no one dare speak publicly of. Therefore the North will continue to be riddled by self-inflicted financial waste of taxpayers money, with absolutely no prospect of the parties having the desire or balls to challenge it.
Fixed that for ye.
Absolutely right. The civil service needs cleared out and completely reformed - their "working" practices are embarassingly shite.
The civil service is full of people who wouldn't get jobs in the private sector. Incompetence, laziness and chaos reigns.
https://www.joeofarrellblog.com/blog/2020/1/6/getting-to-the-truth?fbclid=IwAR2k-_wuwgRF6QkXW4o90Bsb9pgrIQp6l2e5LxXMopC4Tmp1_KQWhOMd9BI
Interesting reading
Has Casement been built yet?
Quote from: whitey on January 15, 2020, 04:04:28 PM
https://www.joeofarrellblog.com/blog/2020/1/6/getting-to-the-truth?fbclid=IwAR2k-_wuwgRF6QkXW4o90Bsb9pgrIQp6l2e5LxXMopC4Tmp1_KQWhOMd9BI
Interesting reading
;D
Quote from: trailer on January 15, 2020, 10:46:06 AM
Quote from: RadioGAAGAA on January 14, 2020, 03:12:06 PM
Quote from: Snapchap on January 14, 2020, 11:39:10 AM
At a time when her party is on the crest of a wave, it seems odd that she is content to appear as the only one in the party that can be trusted to take all of on the big roles.
Yeah, they are not exactly doing much to grow the profile of other party members.
Like it or not - the electorate are more comfortable with someone they recognise over a significant time period - despite how good or bad that person is - case in point - Bozo.
It appears to be the Naomi show.
Similar to the Eastwood show - I see him here, I see him there...I see him everywhere!!!
He was the one crying about the need for a 'local' SDLP to be leading from Stormont now he's in London, he thinks it's ok for the London leader to run things in Stormont.
He must be back in Belfast after he stopped Brexit but I wonder when he'll tell us all that he stopped Brexit. I await the announcement.
Quote from: BennyCake on January 15, 2020, 04:04:56 PM
Has Casement been built yet?
Nope but seen another minister at Casement with let's get it built poster! Where have you been ffs! It's another photo opportunity and hey we still vote them in!
Two Ministers no less.
Fionn you are right that people swing the lead in many organisations but in my company (several thousand people) if you were at the shite I hear about in the silly service you'd be out the door. Difference we have is no unions defending the indefensible.