Missing the Penalty Point
During his first ever question time on June 11th the First Minister made a bit of a mix up when answering questions from the SDLP's Thomas Burns and Patsy McGlone. Both asked about the role of junior ministers in general, but the First Minister had been pre-briefed to fend off questions about his son's controversial remarks on gays. So he twice delivered answers on that topic anyway, even though they were non-sequiters.
Ian Paisley was on his feet again this morning, answering questions about the summer meeting of the British Irish Council. As ever, Ian Jr. sat by his father's side shuffling the papers the First Minister relied on to answer questions. However once again Ian Snr. hit a glitch, when his party colleague Ian McCrea asked about the progress that had been made on the mutual recognition of driving disqualifications between the UK and the Irish Republic.
Somewhat surprisingly, the First Minister answered "all I can say to that is that is a matter for the individuals concerned, and I personally would like to see a good relationship between both parts of this island and without any potential claims of jurisdiction by either one of us. We are not claiming that the south of Ireland should be part of the UK and I think they shouldn't claim that we should be part of the Irish Republic and I think we have to keep this...this is not a place for arguing constitutional positions, it's a place for arguing the best things for the ordinary people that can benefit from them".
Just in case anyone is tempted to learn this paragraph by rote, so they can repeat it to a speed cop on the M1 somewhere near Balbriggan, it appears this is not the official position of the Stormont Executive in regard to southern penalty points. Subsequently the SDLP's Alex Attwood tacked a further enquiry about the points onto a question about the Irish Sea. With the proper paper work to hand, the First Minister replied that British and Irish officials were working to achieve mutual recognition of penalty points as soon as possible.
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The company I work for does a lot of cross border stuff. Van drivers from the north who work down south would be inclined to keep southern speeding tickets by the bog, if at all. Even though the guards tell them to pay it or face arrest next time they are seen, it's generally taken as an empty threat.
However, if they are driving a vehicle with southern plates, they are tracked down, and letters are sent demanding payment of a fine. I'm not too sure if they have to pay them, but they are certainly hassled for them. Would they face extradition over a speeding ticket? Doubtful, but it's definitely more serious than a ticket issued to a driver of a vehicle with northern plates.
Now I don't want to encourage law breaking in any jurisdiction, but if you have a heavy right foot and are driving down south, keep the northern plates on.
Mark
DEVENPORT V. HANSARD: COMPARE & CONTRAST
I know Hansard is not always a verbatim transcript of what is said in the Chamber but your account of Dr Paisley鈥檚 response to a question by Ian McCrea (DUP) about driver disqualification differs significantly from the Hansard version.
路 Devenport Version
all I can say to that is that is a matter for the individuals concerned, and I personally would like to see a good relationship between both parts of this island and without any potential claims of jurisdiction by either one of us. We are not claiming that the south of Ireland should be part of the UK and I think they shouldn't claim that we should be part of the Irish Republic and I think we have to keep this...this is not a place for arguing constitutional positions, it's a place for arguing the best things for the ordinary people that can benefit from them.
路 Hansard Version
I would like to see a good relationship between both parts of this island without any political claims of jurisdiction by either one. We are not claiming that the South of Ireland should be part of the United Kingdom, and they should not claim that we should be part of the Irish Republic. That should be borne in mind. This is not a place for arguing constitutional positions: it is a place for arguing for the best arrangements for the ordinary people who can benefit from them.
Surely Hansard staff are not employed to provide a 鈥済et-out-of-jail card鈥 for Paisley every time he goes gaga or Junior slips him the wrong aide memoire. Thomas Curson Hansard must be spinning in his grave!
And what a sick-making intervention by Alex Attwood in providing a 鈥済et-out-of-jail card鈥 for Paisley by subsequently tacking on the McCrea question to a question about the Environment. The Stoop-Down-Low-Party is a fitting sobriquet for the SDLP.
This episode illustrates perfectly the artificiality of the Assembly Circus with its contrived and sterile debates masquerading as local democracy. What goes on in the Assembly Chamber is more akin to remedial classes for political cretins.
Susie
Carryduff