Galileo Gallagher
The assembly returned to Sammy Wilson's decision not to back the UK wide "Act on CO2" advertising question. A series of MLAs from the SDLP, Greens, Ulster Unionists, and Alliance lined up to take pot shots at Mr Wilson. The only problem is that, as a veteran political prize fighter, the minister seems to enjoy such bouts more than his tormentors and always gives back at least as good as he gets.
On the receiving end today was the SDLP's Tommy Gallagher, who Sammy dubbed the Stormont "Carbon King" and "Christopher Columbus" because his mileage claims suggested a propensity for travelling around the world. This was a mite unfair as Tommy Gallagher lives in Belleek, about as far away from Stormont as you can get, and the minister's suggested public transport alternative would probably ensure he never got to a committee or assembly session on time.
Given the question mark over Mr Wilson's respect for scientific orthodoxy, we were then treated to a bizarre lecture on the teachings of In describing the ending of the Ice Age Mr Gallagher maintained this came about beacuse "the sun moved closer to the earth". Mr Wilson retorted that Mr Gallagher should acquaint himself with the findings of Galileo, who determined that the earth orbited the sun, not vice versa. It was a rare instance of the DUP lining up in favour of the enlightenment and against religious fundamentalism.
When the minister asked the Fermanagh MLA which scientist's work he had read as the basis for his views on the end of the Ice Age there was an uncomfortable silence. Like Tommy, I am short on academic authority for the Pleistocene era, but I have seen
I'm 
Comments