Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:09 pm Posts: 13868 Location: Norn Iron
Tony and Bertie are at it again:
ARMAGH (Reuters) - Britain and Ireland set a November deadline on Thursday for restoring Northern Ireland's regional administration in a final push to persuade the province's warring politicians to share power.
"The moment has come as we always knew it would for the ultimate decision," Prime Minister Tony Blair told a news conference in County Armagh, close to the Irish border with Northern Ireland.
Blair and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern unveiled plans to recall the Belfast assembly -- set up under 1998's Good Friday peace agreement to end 30 years of violence -- in May and give politicians six weeks to form a decision-making executive. They set an absolute deadline of November 24 for the re-establishment of power sharing between majority Protestants committed to links with Britain and Roman Catholic nationalists who favour a united Ireland.
Failure to agree would mean deferral of the assembly and continued direct rule from London. It would also result in the severance of assembly members' salaries -- which have cost 85 million pounds since the institution was suspended more than three years ago.
"At that point we close the chapter or we close the book," Blair said.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which represents much of the province's Protestant majority, said it was not happy with the proposal and would not be dictated to by Dublin.
"Entrance to government cannot be dependent on a date but only when terror and crime carried out by those allied to a political party is gone forever," DUP leader Ian Paisley said in a statement.
The DUP refuses to share power with Sinn Fein until it is convinced the IRA is out of business.
Sinn Fein chief negotiator Martin McGuinness said his party was considering its position, state broadcaster RTE reported.
DIFFERENCES
The Belfast assembly was put on ice in 2002 amid a dispute over the activities of the IRA, which has since pledged to down arms after a bloody three-decade campaign to end British rule in the province.
Ahern acknowledged differences that needed to be addressed but said he doubted whether Northern Ireland's elected representatives would want to see power slip away from them.
"I don't want to be here on November 24 thinking about another plan," Ahern said.
Breaking the political stalemate before the end of this year is seen as crucial as the Irish government will be tied up with a general election in the first half of 2007 and Britain could face a period of political transition if Blair steps down.
"If they could get the institutions up and running properly before Blair resigns then Northern Ireland will go down as a positive -- he can tick it off as one of the big political issues he did get sorted out," said John Curtice, politics professor at Strathclyde University.
Eamon Phoenix, politics lecturer at Stranmillis College in Belfast said it was unlikely the DUP would be in any hurry to bow to pressure from Blair or Ahern. "I think this is very much a gambler's last throw really," he said.
The latest bid by London and Dublin to push forward the peace process has been overshadowed by the murder of Denis Donaldson, a Sinn Fein official revealed as a British spy.
The body of Donaldson, a convicted IRA bomber, was found on Tuesday in a hideout in northwestern Ireland. He had been shot.
Ahern said Donaldson's "callous" murder was a brutal reminder of Northern Ireland's violent history and that Thursday's strategy was "about putting that past behind us once and for all".
This should result in an interesting few months. I wonder how the DUP will react? They can't exactly allow the assembly to be reformed when such "terror and crime" is being perpetrated by the party opposite, can they? Blair seems a tad desperate to have this as his legacy... we'll doubtless see if this is the last, desperate throw of the dice.
I hope those lazy bastards get their salaries taken off them. As a taxpayer I'm insulted that my money is being spent paying for them to argue with each other and grandstand on TV. This is Belfast, for fuck's sake, get a grip, start talking and get things sorted.
_________________
denverapolis wrote:
it's a confirmed fact that orangutans are nature's ninja.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:09 pm Posts: 13868 Location: Norn Iron
stuzzo wrote:
I hear the cops shot a guy in your neck of the woods last night.
Yeah indeed they did! Church Street was cordoned off because of it. Apparently the car was stolen. It was so strange to see my little town on the national news.
You always get bastards from Belfast stealing cars and then driving down to, say, Newcastle with them. And, of course, they drive through Ballynahinch to get to it. Once these lads crashed into my mum's new car outside our house one night. They managed to flee the scene, only to come back and taunt my parents when the police arrived (I was in Belfast). The prevailing view around here is that people are glad the guy was shot if he driving a stolen vehicle and didn't stop for police. Lots of "ifs" though.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:09 pm Posts: 13868 Location: Norn Iron
A light at the end of the tunnel? Just in case anyone's interested in Norn Iron's political landscape...
Parties to respond within a month
The prime ministers have set a March target date for devolution
Northern Ireland's political parties have less than a month to give their responses to the British and Irish governments draft devolution agreement.
The parties are back home after three days of talks in St Andrews aimed at restoring the political institutions.
The governments outlined their plans in the draft agreement and the parties now have until 10 of November to respond.
If the plans are accepted, the assembly could be up and running by 26 March next year.
The roadmap would see a first and deputy first minister nominated on 24 November.
At St Andrews, Prime Minister Tony Blair said there would have to be some form of electoral endorsement of the plan - either an election or a referendum.
TIMETABLE TO GOVERNMENT
10 November - parties respond to proposals
24 November - first and deputy first minister nominated
Electoral endorsement of plans
14 March 2007 - nomination of executive
26 March 2007 - executive up and running
Reaction to NI plan
He said the two key components of a plan were that all parties accept the police and courts and have a clear agreement on power-sharing.
"So those are the two essential parts of it," Mr Blair said.
"We've been through different parts of this process many times over the past few years but I think this is a sound basis to proceed."
The government's plan also envisages the devolution of policing and justice powers in two years from the creation of the executive.
However, this would be subject to a cross-community vote in the assembly.
A financial package is also included in the draft agreement.
One of the proposals is a cap on domestic rates under the new capital value system if the governments' plans are accepted by the parties.
It also suggests the possibility of further rates relief for pensioners on lower incomes.
Speaking after the governments revealed their plan, DUP leader Ian Paisley said Northern Ireland was at a crossroads and republicans had a choice and "delivery to make".
"Delivering on the pivotal issue of policing and the rule of law starts now," Mr Paisley said.
He said the DUP negotiators had dealt with a number of issues during the talks and that in the delivery of an overall package they "had retained the retention of academic selection" in the province's post-primary sector.
Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said that the plans needed to be consulted on, but restoring the political institutions was an "enormous prize".
"Common-sense political realism and the interest of all our people demand we achieve this," he said.
Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey said what had been agreed was the "Belfast Agreement for slow learners".
"Sinn Fein will sign up to the PSNI being the only force of law and order and Ian Paisley, or a colleague, will share the joint office of first and deputy first minister with Martin McGuinness in a mandatory coalition," he said.
SDLP leader Mark Durkan said welcome progress had been made towards restoring the power sharing institutions and pledged that his party would continue working towards this.
"We believe that we can move from the politics of stand-off to lift-off," he said.
Alliance Party leader David Ford said the outcome was a mix "of challenges and opportunities".
"Despite all that remains to be done, there is now at least a sense of hope for a shared future," he said.
The Northern Ireland Assembly was suspended on 14 October 2002 amid allegations of a republican spy ring at Stormont.
The court case that followed collapsed and one of those charged, Denis Donaldson, later admitted working as a British agent.
Direct rule from London was restored in October 2002 and has been in place since.
Security guards wrestled a handgun from Michael Stone
Convicted loyalist killer Michael Stone is being held after attempting to enter Stormont during a key debate to pave the way for restoration of devolution.
He was detained after entering the building with a gun, a knife and what police are treating as a suspected bomb. The building was evacuated.
In 1988, Stone murdered three men at the funerals of three IRA members.
The Stormont meeting was being held to hear if the DUP and Sinn Fein would indicate ministerial candidates.
The alert happened about 20 minutes into the proceedings.
It is understood Stone threw a bag into the hallway, was detained by civilian security guards and Northern Ireland politicians were quickly ushered out of the building.
Michael Stone was armed with a gun and a knife
Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain has ordered an urgent report from Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde into the breach of security.
Prime Minister Tony Blair said that despite the breach, the St Andrews Agreement remained the only way forward.
Speaking from Downing Street, Mr Blair said: "No move forward in Northern Ireland is easy, we've learned that over 10 years.
"It's not because the people, or indeed, the leaders in Northern Ireland want it to be so, but because each step towards a different and better future is taken alongside the memory of a wretched and divisive past."
BBC political correspondent Gareth Gordon said it looked as if the building would remain evacuated for the rest of the day.
It requires to be clarified as to whether or not we have witnessed a marriage or an engagement today
Sir Reg Empey
Ulster Unionist leader
Political reaction in full
Friday had been billed by the two governments as a "critical day", with politicians gathered to hear if the DUP and Sinn Fein would indicate their candidates for the first and deputy first minister jobs.
During the debate, Sinn Fein said Martin McGuinness was its choice for deputy first minister.
In his speech, Mr Paisley said the circumstances had not been reached where there could be a nomination or designation by his party.
"There can only be an agreement involving Sinn Fein when there has been delivery by the republican movement, tested and proved over a credible period in terms of support for the PSNI (the police), the courts, the rule of law, a complete end to paramilitary and criminal activity and the removal of terrorist structures," he said.
WHO IS MICHAEL STONE?
Stone murdered three men at the 1988 funerals of three IRA members killed by the SAS
He was released early in June 2000, under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement
"Clearly, as Sinn Fein is not yet ready to take the decisive step forward on policing, the DUP is not required to commit to any aspect of power-sharing in advance of such certainty."
UUP leader Sir Reg Empey challenged the Speaker, Eileen Bell, as to whether DUP leader Ian Paisley had actually indicated his party would nominate its choice for first minister.
"It requires to be clarified as to whether or not we have witnessed a marriage or an engagement today," he said.
Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams both addressed the chamber
However, Mrs Bell said that it was now a matter for Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain to decide.
SDLP leader Mark Durkan said: "There is as much hollow farce as there is historic significance in what we have witnessed this morning".
If all goes to the British and Irish government's plan, assembly elections will be held in March, with devolution restored later that month.
The DUP and Sinn Fein get to nominate first and deputy first ministers as they are the largest unionist and nationalist parties in the assembly.
For months the British and Irish governments billed 24 November as a make-or-break date.
But since last month's St Andrews Agreement, the deadline has been watered down, with no talk of the politicians' wages and allowances being cut.
Friday's meeting of the assembly was the first since legislation was passed to redesignate it as a transitional body which will be dissolved in January, to pave the way for elections in March.
Ahead of the meeting, Mr Hain warned that he was prepared to pull the plug on Stormont unless it seemed that progress could be made.
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 3:09 pm Posts: 10839 Location: metro west, mass Gender: Male
stuzzo wrote:
Sunny wrote:
northern ireland this summer = dark, cloudy, gloomy, cold. but friendly people and cheapest GBP.
too much hostility in belfast for me.
GBP?
What hostility did you encounter?
sorry. I meant the pound currency was cheaper than England and Scotland.
hostility = londonderry. wow. I told you about the 50ft tower of crates with the Irish republic flag, right? The next day, that tower was burned, and riots ensued. Petrol bombs were thrown at policemen.
_________________ "There are two ways to enslave and conquer a nation. One is by the sword. The other is by debt." -John Adams
northern ireland this summer = dark, cloudy, gloomy, cold. but friendly people and cheapest GBP.
too much hostility in belfast for me.
GBP?
What hostility did you encounter?
sorry. I meant the pound currency was cheaper than England and Scotland.
hostility = londonderry. wow. I told you about the 50ft tower of crates with the Irish republic flag, right? The next day, that tower was burned, and riots ensued. Petrol bombs were thrown at policemen.
The currency is exactly the same here, it's just your money goes further.
As for Derry, you were here over the 12th, right? That's pretty much par for the course, sad I know. I hate that shit, although it goes on in every loyalist area here over the 12th as some sort of symbol of Protestant superiority (it comes from the Battle of the Boyne, but don't tell them that it was a Dutch prince beating an English king in the Republic of Ireland or they'll be confused). I'm sure you found the people in Belfast friendly, and did you feel safe here? It's the safest city in the UK, by quite a long stretch, especially outside of contentious areas.
_________________
denverapolis wrote:
it's a confirmed fact that orangutans are nature's ninja.
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 3:09 pm Posts: 10839 Location: metro west, mass Gender: Male
Safe in Derry? No. I asked a man what that tower meant, and another came barged into our conversation and he was going fucking nuts. We split in no time.
Belfast was safe, but quiet as hell. Nobody around past 10pm. The bars were pretty sweet since they were so traditionally old-skool (dark, smokey, but friendly atmosphere and rugby games constantly on tv).
_________________ "There are two ways to enslave and conquer a nation. One is by the sword. The other is by debt." -John Adams
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