devolving justice
Chris Thornton has an entertaining report in the Belfast Telegraph today documenting the to and fro between civil servants over whether Martin McGuinness is the Deputy First Minister, or (as it says in this excerpt from the our deputy FIrst Minister with a small "d".
This matter of state is important to our number 2, apparently, because sticking to a small "d" emphasises he is really not number 2, but joint number 1.
This follows shortly after the Irish News reported that our Education Minister wanted correspondence to be sent to her at caitriona.ruane@deni.eu, rather than her gov.uk address.
Is there a solution to the standoff over completing devolution here? Could we get a new department of justice, with a small j to appeal to nationalists and a gov.uk address to keep unionists happy? Perhaps it could be jointly led by a Justice minister and another justice Minister.....
I'm 
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Wouldn't gov.ni be more acceptable to all?
The problem with that, Patrick, is that .ni is already assigned to Nicaragua.
In fact, .ni, .nr, .ne, .nl, .na are all in use, leaving only .nn and .nd if you want the second letter to come from the word Ireland.
Of course technically, there's no reason why they (Nominet) can't make a .ni.uk available.
Mark
THERE ARE TOO MANY BIG Ds IN THE ASSEMBLY
To Capitalize or not to capitalise: that is the question? The angst in the Assembly over whether McGuinness has a little d or a Big D should not be taken lightly. It is important to him, for obvious reasons; it is important to Sinn Féin MLAs who don’t want be led by a big D.
The Belfast Telegraph can scoff all it likes about the hundreds of man hours expended on sorting out this Capital crisis, little realising that it could lead to an Assembly collapse. I might add, Mark, I think you’re being a bit cavalier about it as well. Can’t you see the dangers to the institutions if this Capital nut is not cracked?
So, as we approach the end of the first year of this Assembly’s existence I believe we should give the Parties space to solve this Capital Conundrum. There should be less carping from the media and the public about the Assembly’s FAILURES, for example:
· failure to introduce new legislation on anything;
· failure to stave off impending meltdown in education;
· failure to introduce a fair and equitable system for domestic rates;
· failure to prevent the introduction of unfair water charges;
· failure to take concerted action to reduce carnage on our roads;
· failure to curb gratuitous building development and dubious sales of publicly-owned land;
· failure to protect its citizens from violent, and in some cases, murderous hooligans;
· failure to take a united stand against IRA sanctioned murder and criminal activity;
· failure to introduce a satisfactory process for supporting Victims;
· failure to ensure that MLAs are transparent & honest in the claiming of expenses & allowances.
Quite rightly, our MLAs have concluded that these failures relate to low priority areas that can be dealt with in the fullness of time. For my part, I believe that, rather than addressing these failures, MLA’s should sort out once and for all who has a Big D and who has a little d. The future of the Assembly depends on it.
In the meantime, purely as an academic exercise, I’m going to draw up two separate lists setting out who I think are the Big Ds and the little ds in the Assembly. [Note to self: buy more foolscap sheets.]
Susie
Carryduff
22 March, 2008
In relation to Suzie who posted comment No 3 - Suzie you are definitely right in absolutely everything you have said. There is so much work to do by the Assembly and Executive it is incredible. For the Assembly not to introduce any legislation is totally staggering. We have politicians on all sides demanding action is taken on things that would improve their constituent’s lives. Have they delivered? No. Looking through the Assembly written answers for the past 2 weeks there is a lot of issues that are not resolved and do not look like being resolved in the next year if even. The following 18 I would imagine are only about 5% of issues that need addressed by the Assembly and Executive. These are
1. Maze Site - This issue will not be resolved because of Religious differences.
2. Policing and Justice Powers - again this issue will not be resolved because of Religious Differences.
3. Poverty Action Plan - Incompetent MLA's are doing nothing about this.
4. Child Poverty - MLA's don’t know what this is.
5. Victims' and Survivors' Commission - Is a joke which is a Government white elephant. Ken Dodds might as well be on this commission. At least that way laughter will be the best medicine. OFMDFM clearly passed the buck
6. Classroom Assistants - Will never be given a proper rise as the Minister will not get involved.
7. Civil Service / Servants - This is a huge issue which again will not be properly rectified. Until the inefficient managers retire / leave the civil service will continually be ruled by "yellow bellies" that will not rock the boat. Peter Robinson’s way of cutting back jobs and money only helps the public to see what an idiot Peter Robinson is.
8. Modernisation Programmes - These are only an excuse for the Government to privatise services.
9. Mental Health Support - The Government will not help those in need as they don’t have a clue as to why people get depressed and what help to give them. Consultants are unsure therefore Government is too.
10. Clostridium Difficile - Michael McGimpsey can’t stop the lowest paid workers spread infection.
11. Northern Ireland Water - Don’t know what do to as there is no Political Leadership.
12. Traffic Calming Measures - Nothing is being done until lives are lost. Then when they are it is pass the buck time.
13. Road Infrastructure - Is poor all over. The current M1 roadworks will need update after next year before the current project is finished.
14. Housing Executive - Government don’t know how the lower half live.
15. Social Housing Projects - The Executive need to realise that action is needed not just words to be spoken.
16. Fuel Duty - By Peter Robinson writing a letter to Gordon Brown was a waste of time. What will Gordon do? Nothing. He needs the money to fund his latest budget.
17. Anti-Social Behaviour - The Executive and Assembly should be ashamed of themselves that they have failed to protect the people. It is despicable that people have been killed and injured by thugs. It is ok for politicians to get police protection round the clock but what about the rest of society? DSD have nothing to introduce new legislation.
18. Transfer Test - This issue again falls into a category of a religious dispute. The only way it will be solved is a DUP - Sinn Fein deal.
In my opinion Journalists in this country are lazy. In England politicians are being exposed whereas here they can do as they please. Why don’t Journalists get up and ask these questions and let’s see the Stormont Circus put into action. To further prove this Mark on the 28th January you had a post up regarding pay within the Civil Service and also quoted comments Alan Shannon the DSD Permanent Secretary had made. I pointed out to you that Dominic Bradley (SDLP) on the 1st October 2007 asked the Minister for Social Development Margaret Ritchie to outline what she is doing to ensure that a reported 1,500 job losses within the Social Security Agency are averted? Margaret Ritchie's reply was as follows - I am continuing to put forward a strong, vigorous case in an attempt to secure the maximum amount of funding possible to avert any job losses as part of the comprehensive spending review. I look forward to the support of my ministerial colleagues to endorse the delivery of front-line services in social security offices, particularly the processing and payment of benefits, particularly to those who reside in disadvantaged, deprived and marginalised communities. I understand the need for efficiencies in the SSA, but I am not prepared to take measures that would result in the diminution of services to needy people (Comment ends) I asked can you explain what the situation is. No comment has come from you or the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú? Why? At the time Alan Shannon also said that in the DSD there were 540 vacancies. Since then in the written answers for the assembly I discovered that figures realised in an answer to Mark Durkan on the 20th September indicated vacancies off just over 500 in the DSD. Why then don’t you ask Margaret Ritchie to explain this situation? Quite clearly her speech writer hasn’t got a clue. Again this is just a further point of how incompetent this Executive is.
In relation to Suzie who posted comment No 3 - Suzie you are definitely right in absolutely everything you have said. There is so much work to do by the Assembly and Executive it is incredible. For the Assembly not to introduce any legislation is totally staggering. We have politicians on all sides demanding action is taken on things that would improve their constituent’s lives. Have they delivered? No. Looking through the Assembly written answers for the past 2 weeks there is a lot of issues that are not resolved and do not look like being resolved in the next year if even. The following 18 I would imagine are only about 5% of issues that need addressed by the Assembly and Executive. These are
1. Maze Site - This issue will not be resolved because of Religious differences.
2. Policing and Justice Powers - again this issue will not be resolved because of Religious Differences.
3. Poverty Action Plan - Incompetent MLA's are doing nothing about this.
4. Child Poverty - MLA's don’t know what this is.
5. Victims' and Survivors' Commission - Is a joke which is a Government white elephant. Ken Dodds might as well be on this commission. At least that way laughter will be the best medicine. OFMDFM clearly passed the buck
6. Classroom Assistants - Will never be given a proper rise as the Minister will not get involved.
7. Civil Service / Servants - This is a huge issue which again will not be properly rectified. Until the inefficient managers retire / leave the civil service will continually be ruled by "yellow bellies" that will not rock the boat. Peter Robinson’s way of cutting back jobs and money only helps the public to see what an idiot Peter Robinson is.
8. Modernisation Programmes - These are only an excuse for the Government to privatise services.
9. Mental Health Support - The Government will not help those in need as they don’t have a clue as to why people get depressed and what help to give them. Consultants are unsure therefore Government is too.
10. Clostridium Difficile - Michael McGimpsey can’t stop the lowest paid workers spread infection.
11. Northern Ireland Water - Don’t know what do to as there is no Political Leadership.
12. Traffic Calming Measures - Nothing is being done until lives are lost. Then when they are it is pass the buck time.
13. Road Infrastructure - Is poor all over. The current M1 roadworks will need updated after next year before the current project is finished.
14. Housing Executive - Government don’t know how the lower half live.
15. Social Housing Projects - The Executive need to realise that action is needed not just words to be spoken.
16. Fuel Duty - By Peter Robinson writing a letter to Gordon Brown was a waste of time. What will Gordon do? Nothing. He needs the money to fund his latest budget.
17. Anti-Social Behaviour - The Executive and Assembly should be ashamed of themselves that they have failed to protect the people. It is despicable that people have been killed and injured by thugs. It is ok for politicians to get police protection round the clock but what about the rest of society? DSD have nothing to introduce new legislation.
18. Transfer Test - This issue again falls into a category of a religious dispute. The only way it will be solved is a DUP - Sinn Fein deal.
In my opinion Journalists in this country are lazy. In England politicians are being exposed whereas here they can do as they please. Why don’t Journalists get up and ask these questions and let’s see the Stormont Circus put into action. To further prove this Mark on the 28th January you had a post up regarding pay within the Civil Service and also quoted comments Alan Shannon the DSD Permanent Secretary had made. I pointed out to you that Dominic Bradley (SDLP) on the 1st October 2007 asked the Minister for Social Development Margaret Ritchie to outline what she is doing to ensure that a reported 1,500 job losses within the Social Security Agency are averted? Margaret Ritchie's reply was as follows - I am continuing to put forward a strong, vigorous case in an attempt to secure the maximum amount of funding possible to avert any job losses as part of the comprehensive spending review. I look forward to the support of my ministerial colleagues to endorse the delivery of front-line services in social security offices, particularly the processing and payment of benefits, particularly to those who reside in disadvantaged, deprived and marginalised communities. I understand the need for efficiencies in the SSA, but I am not prepared to take measures that would result in the diminution of services to needy people (Comment ends) I asked can you explain what the situation is. No comment has come from you or the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú? Why? At the time Alan Shannon also said that in the DSD there were 540 vacancies. Since then in the written answers for the assembly I discovered that figures released in an answer to Mark Durkan on the 20th September indicated vacancies off just over 500 in the DSD. Why then don’t you ask Margaret Ritchie to explain this situation? Quite clearly her speech writer hasn’t got a clue. Again this is just a further point of how incompetent this Executive is.
In relation to my previous comment I feel that I need to clarify on point 10. Clostridium Difficile is not just spread by low paid workers it can be spread from anyone in a hospital from a patient to a visitor to a medic. This shows that we all have to be aware that our actions affect others.
In relation to Ms Ruane's email address, isn't it funny how after a highly public campaign by the newsletter et al that most of the MLAs still have not provided a biog on the Northern Ireland Assembly website, let alone provide an email address so their constituents can contact them. Or is that the point, so they cannot be reached?
On the point of the big D, who cares? If Martin did, surely he would tell his staff that it's a small d and that would be the end of it.
In reponse to artin above he states:
"2. Policing and Justice Powers - again this issue will not be resolved because of Religious Differences."
Explain to me what religion has to do with anything in this country? It is my experience that the majority are not the least bit religious. And anyway, are catholics and protestants not both christian, therefore how big are their differences? Surely it therefore boils down to political differences over the union.
Once that is resolved, what then? Civil arguments over tax, health service etc. The sooner people realise that their plight is futile, then we can move on to a potentially more prosperous future.
After all, someone has to be in charge and not everyone will be happy. Be thankful we're not ruled by a hitler type or (please god!) George W.
Comment No;7
Religion has everything to do with this country. What were the troubles all about? Regarding Policing and Justice Powers the DUP dont want this to be devolved Sinn Fein do. Who supports the DUP and who supports Sinn Fein? When you answer that you will then in turn answer your question.