Sinn Fein? They have gone away, you know.

[Maguire01]

Shinners have lost the plot. This is a fit of petulance because our Jarry was pulled in. I'd be more worried about the growing acceptance by "nationalists" of NI and its place in the union if I was them.

Apples you come out with some s###e,how have you discovered that more nationalists now accept the union and SF are fighting the welfare cuts in the North and fighting austerity in the South on a daily basis.

They've done nothing in the north, they've stopped nothing. They've just passed the cuts destined for welfare onto the other departments. They also joined the DUP in passing the Public Service Pension Bill - http://socialistpartyni.net/workplace/assembly-politicians-savage-workers-pensions/#.VCB1QytdWKw

[armaghniac]

They've done nothing in the north, they've stopped nothing. They've just passed the cuts destined for welfare onto the other departments. They also joined the DUP in passing the Public Service Pension Bill - http://socialistpartyni.net/workplace/assembly-politicians-savage-workers-pensions/#.VCB1QytdWKw

The most striking thing about that link is that it states that there are 250,000 public servants in NI! In the 26 counties there are about 280,000, which some people consider an unreasonable number, although these are probably wrong.

[Applesisapples]

Thats another isuue, far too many especially in the health service. I stand by my original remarks, nothing anyone has posted has altered my belief.

[AZOffaly]

They've done nothing in the north, they've stopped nothing. They've just passed the cuts destined for welfare onto the other departments. They also joined the DUP in passing the Public Service Pension Bill - http://socialistpartyni.net/workplace/assembly-politicians-savage-workers-pensions/#.VCB1QytdWKw

The most striking thing about that link is that it states that there are 250,000 public servants in NI! In the 26 counties there are about 280,000, which some people consider an unreasonable number, although these are probably wrong.

That can't be right. What's the population of the 6 counties? 1.5 million? If you take away children and retirees, there can't be much over 1 million of a workforce. How can 28% of them be public servants?

[armaghniac]

They've done nothing in the north, they've stopped nothing. They've just passed the cuts destined for welfare onto the other departments. They also joined the DUP in passing the Public Service Pension Bill - http://socialistpartyni.net/workplace/assembly-politicians-savage-workers-pensions/#.VCB1QytdWKw

The most striking thing about that link is that it states that there are 250,000 public servants in NI! In the 26 counties there are about 280,000, which some people consider an unreasonable number, although these are probably wrong.

That can't be right. What's the population of the 6 counties? 1.5 million? If you take away children and retirees, there can't be much over 1 million of a workforce. How can 28% of them be public servants?

"For Q4 2013, Northern Ireland has the highest public sector employment as a percentage of total employment (27.9%) followed by Wales (24.0%) and then Scotland (22.1%). England had the lowest percentage in public sector employment (17.4%)." (http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/compendiums/compendium-of-uk-statistics/economy/index.html)

Now Public Sector is a bit broader than Public Service, but not that much, gas, electricity etc in NI are privatised, maybe things like Translink?

[johnneycool]

The british government did a better job of decentralising the civil service than was managed by the Dublin centric one in the 26 counties, with some services done for the entire UK processed here in NI, a bit like Swansea doing all the car taxation, registrations, licensing and so on.

IIRC the vast majority of Passports are issued either from Belfast or Liverpool for the whole of the UK.

Our cheaper labour rates than in Great Britian helps and probably skews that high percentage of 29%.

Granted there's a fair few wasters in public services in the North at all levels.

[armaghniac]

The british government did a better job of decentralising the civil service than was managed by the Dublin centric one in the 26 counties, with some services done for the entire UK processed here in NI, a bit like Swansea doing all the car taxation, registrations, licensing and so on.

They didn't really, most of these jobs only got as far as Belfast.

Our cheaper labour rates than in Great Britian helps and probably skews that high percentage of 29%.

Are these public jobs paid at a similar low rate?

[charlieTully]

Thats another isuue, far too many especially in the health service. I stand by my original remarks, nothing anyone has posted has altered my belief.

Far too many in the health service? Far too many managers maybe, certainly not far too many front line staff. You been in an ED recently?

[johnneycool]

The british government did a better job of decentralising the civil service than was managed by the Dublin centric one in the 26 counties, with some services done for the entire UK processed here in NI, a bit like Swansea doing all the car taxation, registrations, licensing and so on.

They didn't really, most of these jobs only got as far as Belfast.

Our cheaper labour rates than in Great Britian helps and probably skews that high percentage of 29%.

Are these public jobs paid at a similar low rate?

Public service workers in the North would on average be paid 10% less than equivalent positions in Great Britain from some of the stats I've seen in the not too distant past.
This is due to our lower cost of living allegedly.

[Tony Baloney]

How does Shinnernomics plan to pay for everything?

[Applesisapples]

Thats another isuue, far too many especially in the health service. I stand by my original remarks, nothing anyone has posted has altered my belief.

Far too many in the health service? Far too many managers maybe, certainly not far too many front line staff. You been in an ED recently?

thats what Imeant to many non frontline staff.

[Rossfan]

to avoid messing up the Border Poll thread which seems to have turned into a Sinn Féin thread -
SF "are the only party that will restore Roscommon A & E" they tell us.
They didn't add how it would be paid for unfortunately 

[Maguire01]

to avoid messing up the Border Poll thread which seems to have turned into a Sinn Féin thread -
SF "are the only party that will restore Roscommon A & E" they tell us.
They didn't add how it would be paid for unfortunately 

Wasn't Bairbre DeBrun health minister in the north when the decision was taken to close acute services in Omagh?

[Ulick]

to avoid messing up the Border Poll thread which seems to have turned into a Sinn Féin thread -
SF "are the only party that will restore Roscommon A & E" they tell us.
They didn't add how it would be paid for unfortunately 

Wasn't Bairbre DeBrun health minister in the north when the decision was taken to close acute services in Omagh?

She was and she replaced it with new South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen.

[Maguire01]

to avoid messing up the Border Poll thread which seems to have turned into a Sinn Féin thread -
SF "are the only party that will restore Roscommon A & E" they tell us.
They didn't add how it would be paid for unfortunately 

Wasn't Bairbre DeBrun health minister in the north when the decision was taken to close acute services in Omagh?

She was and she replaced it with new South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen.

Yes, it also replaced the Erne. It was part of the rationalisation of acute services. No different to what has happened in the south. Why would SF support re-opening an A&E in Roscommon but not Omagh?