Draft Programme for Government: Reform
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Progress is promised on reforming education and local government after long delays. Apart from health and libraries, the last Assembly term was largely a missed opportunity for “Delivering High Quality and Efficient Public Services”. The draft Programme for Government’s reform plans, under that title, will be judged on whether education and local government are streamlined. Social clauses are due to be the first achievement of reform, introduced in 2012-2013. The most tangible benefit should be better access to life-enhancing drugs. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, inflammatory...[full story]
North/South: New Irish President
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Michael D Higgins has taken over from Mary McAleese as Irish President, while Irish citizens in Northern Ireland will not receive voting rights for the foreseeable future. Meadhbh Monahan reports. Michael Daniel Higgins, the first intellectual and poet to reside at Áras an Uachtaráin, was elected Ireland’s ninth President on 27 October, receiving 701,101 first preference votes, which increased to 1,007,104 with transfers. This equated to a 39.6 per cent share of the total vote, well above Cavan entrepreneur Sean Gallagher’s 28.5 per cent. Gallagher came second with 628,114 first...[full story]
Energy: Assembly party policy summary
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011A summary of energy policies advocated by the Assembly parties. DUP Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister: Arlene Foster MLA Westminster Energy and Climate Change Spokesman: Jeffrey Donaldson MP Assembly Enterprise, Trade and Investment Spokesman: Robin Newton MLA The DUP’s 2010 Westminster manifesto supports the 40 per cent target of electricity from renewables, and states that farmers should be assisted in helping government meet this target without increasing the cost of electricity. It commits to expanding incentives for home energy efficiency measures, supporting...[full story]
Europe: Bairbre de Brún – greening the recovery
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011Europe’s economy will be left behind without a green recovery, according to Bairbre de Brún. Extra investment is needed in the environmental sector but her fellow MEPs want more corporation tax. Climate change is a key interest for de Brún who is this month representing her GUE/NGL group at the UN climate change conference in Durban. GUE/NGL, which stands for the Confederal Group of the European United Left – Nordic Green Left, is the Parliament’s sixth largest group with 34 MEPs. The aim at Durban is to get progress on a replacement for the Kyoto protocol, although the USA refuses...[full story]
Europe: Diane Dodds – time for an exit
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011Rising costs and interference mean the UK is better off outside the EU, according to Diane Dodds. The DUP MEP discusses Northern Ireland’s place in Europe and her priorities with Peter Cheney. Diane Dodds is in the conflicting position of wanting the best financial deal for Northern Ireland in Europe and also wanting the UK to quit the EU, therefore cutting off those funds. However, she sees no such contradiction when the point is put to her. As part of a net contributor, Northern Ireland must “get more back out of Europe than it currently does” and leaving the EU would ultimately...[full story]
Europe: Jim Nicholson – Europe and enterprise
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011Jim Nicholson wants to promote a new narrative about Northern Ireland, with more businesses exploring European opportunities. Peter Cheney asks him about his current impressions of the EU. Europeans still associate Northern Ireland with conflict but a single visit makes visitors want to come back. That’s what Jim Nicholson found when he organised a regional tour for the bureau of his European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group. MEPs were “highly impressed” with Parliament Buildings despite the September rain, took a trip to the North Coast “and they really loved the scenery...[full story]
