NICVA Live - Assembly Hustings event 7 April 2011

NICVA is hosting a hustings event to provide the voluntary and community sector with the opportunity to question MLA candidates from across the political spectrum on the subject of their manifestos. The event will be hosted by William Crawley, journalist and broadcaster.  The event starts at 9.30am lasting to 1pm. This will be a live blog so join in. On twitter use the hashtag #nicva11

To follow the debate and even take part just click on the coveritlive below and it will show you how things are progressing.

Kill Bill (the double jobbing one that is)

Dawn Purvis MLA has just published a press release regarding the progress of her Private Members Bill on double jobbing in the NI Assembly.  The Bill aims to end local Councillors being MLAs at the same time.  Dawn had discussed the issue of double jobbing at a NICVA event in 2009.

Dawn says that the DUP will try to use a veto to kill her bill on double-jobbing by tabling a Petition of Concern to prevent the bill from becoming law.

The Bill itself  has been through five stages of the legislative process.  After that all that is left for the Bill is the Final Stage (bet you are shocked at that!).  After the Final Stage the Bill then goes for Royal Assent.  Once Royal Assent is given then it will become law.

Dawn's objective is to reduce the practice of individuals holding more than one elected office at a time, an issue sometimes referred to as ‘multiple mandates’. The question of ‘multiple mandates’ has been debated by the Assembly on a number of occasions, including on 10 March 2009 which focused on dual mandates between the Northern Ireland Assembly and the UK Parliament. On 23 November 2009, the Assembly resolved:

“That this Assembly notes the recommendations of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, ‘Supporting Parliament, Safeguarding the Taxpayer’; calls on all political parties within the Assembly and Parliament to commit to an end to “double-jobbing”, including private sector employment, ideally by the time of the scheduled election in May 2011 or, failing that, by 2015 at the latest; and further calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to convey the opinion of the Assembly on this matter to the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.”

It should be noted that the Assembly does not have the authority to legislate on disqualifying its members from being MPs.

Dawn is very strong in her reaction and said that "This is an outrageous attempt to block this legislation and prevent this important reform from being implemented. It also sets an extremely dangerous precedent. The DUP is using this procedure –which should be used with careful consideration – to support their own interests as a political party.  I would call on Peter Robinson to support the final passage of the bill – after all he gave a commitment to bring an end to this practice of holding dual mandates."

Dawn says on her website that she will be making more comments on the issue soon.  The DUP have done it now!

No Government can be long secure without a formidable Opposition

So said Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield.

And Tom Elliott MLA, Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, has become Disraelian regarding this particular thought on oppositional politics.

Tom has outlined his concerns that the current political system at Stormont does not bode well for Northern Ireland's future. Whilst proud of the UUP’s role in delivering a more peaceful Northern Ireland he recognises that the institutions are far from perfect.

He explains that the institution's weaknesses “have been accentuated by the tribalism of Sinn Fein and the DUP, as they carve up power and ensure a silo mentality at the heart of Government. This situation was manageable in a time of plenty; however, as we head into a difficult period that will be defined by fiscal constraint, we require responsive Government.”

He goes on to say that "It is a long standing position of the Ulster Unionist Party that Northern Ireland needs a more normalised form of Government with a voluntary 'cross-community' coalition and an official opposition that is better able to hold the Executive to account. As we head towards the Assembly election, with issues surrounding the selection of First Minister and the danger of a tribal campaign, the Ulster Unionist Party is determined about the need for such reform. It is clear from the workings of the current Executive that it is no functioning like a proper democratic government. With five different parties, who have different agendas and policies, this type of government is not productive for the long term future of Northern Ireland. In the long run change by legislation is what is needed, in the short-term the principled following of democratic parliamentary principles by political parties may be what is required to improve governance in Northern Ireland."

Tom’s mention of heading “towards the Assembly election, with issues surrounding the selection of First Minister and the danger of a tribal campaign, the Ulster Unionist Party is determined about the need for such reform.” I would say this particular piece reflects the worry that the DUP run another 2007 type election which saw the UUP reduced from 27 elected in 2003 to only 18 elected in 2007. This is widely recognised as an upshot of the St Andrews Agreement and the changes made in it meant electioneering was driven on narrow lines of a Vote for the UUP is a wasted vote. As can be seen it worked, up to a point. The UUP is still strong enough to keep going and the DUP were not able to deliver that knock out blow. The boogeyman for Unionism this time is a Sinn Fein First Minister, which the DUP will capitalise upon (and I would expect them to do nothing less in order to increase their vote even more).

For nationalism the galvanising issue is less negative, as ever. Here Sinn Fein can really squeeze the SDLP by going to the polls saying they have a real chance to outshine intransigent Unionism by becoming the symbolic First Minister. Something to work for rather than against.

Alliance has always styled itself as the unofficial opposition, but that is now difficult as it is also a member of the NI Executive. That now means that out of 108 MLAs, 103 are ‘in government’.

So where would oppositional politics fit in? How would it fit in? How could it even get to that point?

It helps when the now Secretary of State, Owen Patterson, as the Shadow Secretary of State, 

promised to review the way in which the post of First Minister is awarded.  He did say that “There is no timetable on this and there is no hurry, but it has always been my party’s intention to negotiate the review mechanisms with all parties in Northern Ireland. This could be a long time coming but it would be done in close contact with all the existing parties and I think if it happens it would lead to a better Northern Ireland." He also clarified that “We would like to move towards voluntary coalition.”

So the UUP can say it still has some ideological links to the Conservative party, is this a sign of things to come?

In an opinion piece Jim Allister, TUV Leader, said, “Yet, at the core of mandatory coalition at Stormont is the denial of that basic right, compounded by the prohibition on having an opposition. Because it so defies the basic tenets of democracy, mandatory coalition can never be the basis for good and durable government. Its removal is a prerequisite. Likewise, at the top of government, workable authority is indispensable. The office of joint first ministers is an unworkable farce so it too must go. TUV is certainly opposed to terrorists in government but we are not opposed to shared government. The proper route to shared government, with every party in Northern Ireland being a minority party is voluntary coalition. By the practice of normal politics and negotiation after every election a government and opposition would evolve.”

Turgon over on Slugger O’Toole talks about the prospects of Voluntary coalition and has thoughts on voluntary coalition. There re also similar debates over on Open Unionism.  

The DUP have also set out their stall that they want voluntary coalition and have taken a very interesting step by consulting on it too.  Can't have a better way to crowd source ideas and make sure you have you electorate going in your direction. Read the questions on the page, I have and think they are very much of the moment.  One of the questions is "Would you prefer to see a voluntary coalition model of Government appointed?". 

So is it a goer? 

Well I believe the SDLP would be very, very cautious about such an issue and Sinn Fein will not go for it at all. This means that unless the voluntary coalition government of the UK forces it through, then voluntary coalition will remain an aspiration. That would also leave any party going into opposition going in as an unoffical opposition.

Is it a realistic option for the UUP? Perhaps putting it into the May election manifesto as a real option?  This may get round the issue that plagued the Party in 2007 over the question of  'to go into opposition or not' whilst working towards a credible electoral strength for 2015.  Opposition is a double edged sword and needs to be thought about carefully, especially in a democratic system that does not recognise an official opposition but does recognise institutional sectarian head counts.  It may also allow the UUP to be unconnected to the issue of who the First Minister will be.  If the DUP can not credibly reduce the UUP numbers even more it may leave them in a vulnerable position and possibly isolate their electorate with more strongly held views.  Could this strengthen the hand of the TUV any more? At the minute it does not look likely, but if they were to even get one or two seats that could cause problems in the longer term.

I love the way Unionism is so straight forward.

Is Pól Callaghan the 13th Warrior??

Who says social networking sites are not productive?

Pól Callaghan was the only one left in the race to replace Mark Durkan in the Assembly (see here for a little of what has happened to the Foyle SDLP).  

The official selection meeting was tonight and it has now been confirmed that Pól is the man for the job via the SDLP Facebook page. 

I wish him all the best.  I have known Pól for a while and I reckon he is up for the challenge.

Now, by my reckoning this makes Pol the 13th 'Warrior' or unelected MLA.  Unlucky for some, but I am sure Pol will pull it off.  

And all just in time for the SDLP conference this weekend in the Ramada Hotel, Belfast.

Assembly “internet speed” debate (on Twitter)

Just seen the BBC picking up on John O’Dowd’s tweets (Sinn Fein, Upper Bann) regarding the state of the NI Assembly internet connection.

John tweeted: "Between 12.30 & 2pm it is impossible to work through the medium of the Internet in the Assembly. I am told staff etc are on social networks." He did add that “I have no objection to anyone using their lunch break on social networks but surely the Assembly It system should be able to cope!”

He was then reassured everyone by tweeting "I am now reliably informed plans are afoot to deal with the Internet lull @ the Assembly that our friend social networking is not to blame."

In response to @whistlinpaddy who reminded him of his own precarious position vis a vis social networking John admitted "I am guilty as accused, a social network junky. It is the standard of the IT system letting us down not the users.”

A real wee piece of interactivity and conversation in the public domain that needs to be commended, especially in how both handled the conversation. 

I only hope he was not tweeting in the Chamber as Willie Hay, Assembly Speaker may have something to say about that.  On Tuesday he interupted the debating by warning members,

Before I call Dr Stephen Farry, I ask all Members to check that their mobile phones are switched off. A mobile phone, or phones, is causing a major problem to the amplifying system in the Chamber. If Members cannot switch their phones off, can they please put them on silent? As I said, a mobile phone is having a serious effect on the amplifying system.

So what does this tell us?

1. John knows how to use the phenomena of social media. Kudos!
2. John uses a Blackberry. It would be interesting to see the breakdown of devices used by MLAs (blackberry vs iPhone vs other)
3. John responds to other’s tweets. It is so easy to use web 2.0 in a 1.0 way and it really adds to the idea of politicians only being a tweet away. 

Conversational politics is vastly underused by our politicians, though more and more are learning how to use Twitter, Facebook and blogs to interact with their own constituents and the world at large.

I think though the best recent tweet from John was this beauty,

Genius, funny and disturbing all at the same time.

Northern Ireland Executive engages e-democracy

While the Northern Ireland Assembly have taken a fair lead in the online government stakes with Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Youtube, the Northern Ireland Executive is catching up. 

The NI Executive is finally embracing the social media phenomenon and have created their own presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr.

Northern Ireland is beginning to really take to the online world with more and more governmental institutions going online and we even have NIDirect as a kind of one stop online shop for the public facing side of government.  They are also on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.  NIDirect is also an excellent place to find the social media capabilities of the rest of government. Check out the Local Councils page to see what I mean.

A lot of local councils are also embracing social media as a conversational tool with constituents such as Belfast City Council who are also on Twitter and Facebook.

One of the best uses of social media for engagement is the PSNI Ards, PSNI Holywood, PSNI Ballymena and PSNI Bangor Facebook accounts. People really engage with what is going on and enjoy a bit of banter from the police accounts.  They especially enjoy hearing about criminals getting caught!

Even some Non Departmental Public Bodies like InvestNI and PBNI are on Twitter.

So the Executive is in good and growing company.

Perhaps we could show the World how online engagement can be done?  

SCOOP: Sainsbury's takes on 'out of work' MLAs

Two of our MLAs have taken this to heart!

In a stunning move, according to the Belfast Telegraph's Lindsay Fergus (Business Telegraph, page 36, Monday 22 March 2010), Justin King (the Chief Executive of Sainsbury) has employed two apparently out of work MLAs.


The MLAs in question are Billy Armstrong (UUP MLA for Mid Ulster) who has been a servant of the people since 1998 (Good innings, Billy), and Conall McDevitt (brand spanking new SDLP MLA for South Belfast) who had only just taken on the mantle in January this year (unlucky, Conall - times really are tough!).


How you may ask?


Well, Justin King has just completed a 32 mile run in aid of Sport Relief (Stephen Nolan, take note) by running a mile at 32 Sainsbury locations around the UK.  The Holywood store was the first mile.  In the picture Justin is pictured with the two aforementioned ex-MLAs where the caption states 

'He was joined by Sainsbury's staff'.

Well, I suppose Billy could supply the farm produce and Conall could do the price checks and in store promotions!


Or is it proof of lobby tactics by Sainsbury's gone mad??


Please excuse the quality of the pic below, proving the transfer.

Billy and Conall take a change of direction in their careers.

Prep me up.....

Education is becoming much more important to me now, as i have two girls growing up far too quickly for my liking i might add.  The eldest will soon be ready to enter that world of pain... I mean education, as she reaches the heady heights of 4 this year.  (I think the lack of sleep for the past three years has blanked out most of her growing up period).

The first stage of her inevitable education will be Primary School.  I remember my primary school, Kinnego Primary school in Co. Armagh, and do think back on the good memories (I know there will have been bad ones too but this is my flash back).  I was able to walk to school, or cycle, or get a lift down in the winter.  My parents were supportive and wanted me to do my best. I did the 11+, and just about passed.  I did not go to a prep school - my parents could not afford it.

So why should I wish to defend the funding system for Prep Schools when the Northern Ireland Education Minister said that this part of the UK will no longer fund Preparatory schools? On a principle of excellence and opportunity to attain that excellence.

I am a tax payer and my taxes are subsidising children going to a school that many would think they cannot afford.  Is it not just for the privileged classes?  I am by no means one of the privileged class.  Our family constantly look at our budget every month to ensure we can pay all the bills.  One of those major outgoings is the mortgage, the other is nursery places for our two girls.

Now, lets say I find a Prep school I would like my girls to go to and they charge £3,000 per year. 

Oh, that's got to hurt.  Yes it will, but I spend £1,200 a month for nursery places.  Not because I want to but because I have too. Any state sub for me? Er no. Apart from childcare vouchers which is part of a salary sacrifice scheme there is nothing. Yes, we get child credit but lets be serious, with both our 'on paper' salaries' its not much. 

So compare £6000 a year for two girls with what we are already paying, £14,400 a year.  A good education and cheaper at the price. Hmmm, getting more attractive.  So how does this impact on the removal of funding from Prep schools as it would still be cheaper than nursery?  The problem is that this issue is little more than an ideologically Marxist objective from an Education Minister who sends her own children to a British grammar school, while trying to reduce the quality educational output from Northern Ireland Schools.  

That's right, she has used her choice to send her children, who live in County Louth, to a grammar school in Northern Ireland.  Absolutely fine, Comrade Ruane, even though you may have bent the rules a bit to do so.  

Financially, removal of funding for Prep schools of about £800 per child, will increase the Education budget pressure to around £2000 per child.  Hmmm, do I get a rebate for the nursery places for my kids then? Thought not.  This means that there will be less money in the overall educational pot for the things that are funded now (about £5 million less), because the children going to Prep Schools will become part of the fully funded system.  As Bob Balls points out in his post 

If Ruane gets her way and destroys preps, more pupils will go to primaries. Which involves moving lots of children from the £808 funding bracket to the £2,911 bracket. If just a quarter of the prep population switches to primaries then the taxpayer would have to fork out an additional c.£5 million. This at a time when expenditure must be cut by £370 million and the onus is on cuts.

Like Catriona Ruane, I want the best for my kids.  I want them to have equality of opportunity, not an opportunity to be equal with everyone else.  They are not equal to everyone else, they will be more intelligent than some, and less so than others.  That is life.  I will encourage them and provide them with as much support as I can.  But that is my choice.  

Yes there are underachievers in our society, and we have to address that.  But by dragging down excellence to the lowest common denominator will simply not work.  If parents do not care about the educational attainment of their children, why cripple those parents who actually do care.  The real issue is how do we work to encourage children and adults in our society to achieve?  If we are all equal, creativity will be stifled, leadership will not be nurtured, entrepreneurial endeavour will falter, there will be no 'best'.  

Just as an example, my parents encouraged and supported me and my brother to work at our education.  We both went to Kinnego Primary School, we both went to the Royal School Armagh.  I went to University, my younger brother went to Upper Bann College for Further and Higher Education.  I have a degree, my brother has an HND.  I work in an office, my brother works in an engineering firm.  My brother earns more than me, and I could not weld for toffee.  I love reading books and have enjoyed my academic journey, while my brother enjoys making things.  The issue is not who did better, but what each persons' life skills are and how to encourage them to use them the the best of their abilities.  But you can not make them.  They have to take those opportunities for themselves.

With regard to the debate on Preparatory schools, I believe they are another opportunity for people and help to add to the diversity of an education mix that parents can choose from.  Those from middle economic backgrounds are essentially going have that choice removed through the removal of funding.  It will become a truly elitist education choice available to only the richest.  Maybe Catriona wants to move towards that system? I am not sure, but I do know it will reduce opportunity in the longer term.

In fairness though, it is not all black and white.  There was a debate on the removal of Preparatory school funding in the Assembly this week where the usual grand standing and political baiting were on full display.  However, the Sinn Fein amendment to the substantive motion, was put forward quite ably by John O'Dowd, who highlighted a report produced by the DUP controlled Department of Finance and Personnel that states as a recommendation, 

7.3 BCS has concluded that funding provision that can only be accessed by children whose parents can pay the requisite fee is not consistent with the principle of equity in the distribution of resources. We have therefore recommended that DE consider the withdrawal of such funding. 

7.4 The withdrawal of DE funding to preparatory departments is likely to have marginal impact on the education budget. We have concluded that the equity issue far outweighs the economic issue in relation to the overall decision to be made.

Catriona also referred to this, much to the annoyance of the DUP, and particularly Jonathan Bell MLA (Strangford) who was ordered from the Chamber for accusing the Minister for misleading the house.  Unfortunately the grand standing and abstinence from both sides of the debate has left much of the populace open mouthed.  It has also left little wriggle room for people to compromise and still save face.  (I see the full irony of my post in this context, especially how I started off)

I want an education system that will give my girls the opportunities they need to do as well as they can.

So........................., I have a cunning plan.  

If the Education Minister is determined to plough ahead then why not fully fund Preparatory school places, and allow them to keep their ethos and guarantee their existence for a period of time (say 10 years).  Currently this would affect 2,426 children, and as the Business Consultancy Service says  

equity issue far outweighs the economic issue in relation to the overall decision to be made

This would save the Prep school places, widen equality of opportunity, expand parental choice, not discriminate against anyone and might reverse Catriona's unpopularity.

Job done!

Working 9 to 5 (for your expenses)

Yes, it has been picked up elsewhere, but i thought it an interesting piece to bring up again.


The Belfast Telegraph picked up an interesting issue from the Irish Independent on the 'clock in, clock out' instituted in the Oireachtas.


From the beginning of March TDs and senators had to start clocking in for work.  This is part of the new expenses regime, requiring the representatives to clock in to claim allowances such as travel and overnight rates.


The Oireachtas politicians will now have a fob to tag themselves in at at Leinster House campus and they have to be on site 80% of the time in order to claim their allowances.


I love the tongue in cheek reporting from the Irish Independent.

It took a year to get this far on the issue, in the face of protests from some members.


The oireachtas chiefs have thought of everything, even closing the 'I don't know how to use the new system' loophole which may have cropped up. For those elected representatives who are technologically challenged, an old-fashioned way of signing in -- with a book and a pen -- will be available in the Leinster House 2000 extension.


Politicians should be advised that this is not a book of condolence for the recently buried political careers of Willie O'Dea, Trevor Sargent, Deirdre de Burca and George Lee. Neither is it a petition to get Taoiseach Brian Cowen to call an election or a recruiting post for the Tanaiste's newly founded Kildare Street branch of the Irish Feminist Movement.


Also unsubstantiated are rumours that Government Chief Whip Pat Carey asked for electronic ankle tags to be put on all TDs so he could pinpoint their precise locations. Mr Carey has had to put some manners on errant Fianna Fail TDs who have been missing for votes, such as Castlebar's finest, Beverly Flynn.

Great satire indeed.


I wonder if something similar is being looked at for our own Assembly? Would that help to increase the issue of public confidence in our political institutions?

Assembly to set up group on America in hope of free trips.

'Junkets to the USA'

Do you fancy a possible trip to the USA?

Looks like our MLAs do.  Our wee province has so many international issues to solve, one being relations with the USA, that wee country that we like to help out every so often by providing them a welcome foreign affairs distraction so they can quietly ignore domestic issues or places outside the US like Iraq.

We have provided many a US President with wonderful opportunities to get in touch with their 'Oirish' side, drink some Guinness for photo opportunities and grandstand on a massive media platform on how they can bring peace to the infighting natives.

So what does oor wee Assembly do? They set up an All Party USA Group. 

Its good to know that our MLAs will probably have set their sights on junkets fact finding missions in order to garner more information for the All Party USA Group.  This will bring the number of All Party Groups and All Party Assembly Groups to 18. 

Just so you all know All Party Assembly Groups are made up with a membership of Assembly Members only. All Party Groups has a membership open to both MLAs and non-MLAs (i.e. you and me).  Maybe a few wealthy Americans might be able to pay for the unavoidable trips to the States then.

The Nine sally forth

The BBC is reporting that the Conservatives and Ulster Unionist Party have agreed on nine of their joint candidates for the general election, still being touted as 6th May.


This will get things moving as they ready for a General Election.  however a minor headache would be if the rumours of an Assembly election in May were true.  This would come about if the wheels fell off the Hillsborough wagon (which they may yet)


The ominous number of the first swathe of candidates (i love Lord of the Rings) are

1. Mike Nesbitt (Strangford)
2. Daphne Trimble (Lagan Valley)
3. Danny Kennedy MLA (Newry & Armagh)
4. John McAlister MLA (South Down)
5. Harry Hamilton (Upper Bann)
6. Sandra Overend (Mid Ulster)
7. Ross Hussey (West Tyrone)
8. Bill Manwaring (West Belfast)
9. Trevor Ringland (East Belfast)

Nine more are to come. This should be interesting.

Is Mike the man (again)?

Mr Bob Balls and his investigative genius (my compliment will completely undermine his dignity now!) has found that Mike Nesbitt has been garnering lots and lots of friends on Facebook.

Doesn't matter too much, as i can very smugly say i have more than twice the number of friends he has. hehehe.

Mike also attended the Young Unionist Conference on 6th February, he was invited as a guest speaker to talk about being a Victims Commissioner.  Have to say the coverage from Mr Ulster was excellent and gave a really good flavour of the event.  Mike was, to my mind, strangely on a par with Brian Rowan, who i heard speak at the Healing Through Remembering event which i covered.

I know it seems to be stoking things up, but a bit of gossip is always a bit of fun.  

Go go PowerBalls!

Northern Ireland politics: the new electric thingy age

Bob Balls highlights what i believe is just the start of the 'new electric thingy age' for NI politics.

South Belfast Conservative candidate for the General Election, Peter McCann, has put together a facebook group called ‘Peter McCann for Parliament’. And while he seems to be more organised than most, he is not alone in using social media.

One thing though is how our politicians and budding politicians actually use social media.

Peter, like many, is using Facebook to promote themselves to the general public. He has both a private personal profile and the 'open to the public' campaign page.

Both can be used in conjunction to fully engage the public in a conversation.

I would like to pint out though that sometimes there is no point in being a politician on Facebook and just using a personal page. Another issue is the use of the suffix of an elected representative as a username, as during election time politicians are not allowed to use those suffixes (such as MP or MLA).

Some MPs have actively used Facebook to engage with the public, such as Steve Webb, Liberal Democrat MP for Northavon, who held a “drop in surgery” on Facebook.

He advertised the time in advance, to his 3,867 Facebook friends: “Steve will be online on Facebook Chat tomorrow (Thursday) between 11 and 11.30am. Log on and chat if you want to raise anything with me.” Around 200 of his friends – a mixture of constituents, party members and others – were online for the chat session.

In addition, using a political page also allows a politician to send out updates, including direct messages, to their followers. Political pages can be linked up to other platforms, such as Twitter, to cross post.

This is not an electoral 'panacea', but it does help.

There is also Twitter to consider. I have had a few good interactions with elected representatives through this wondrous little platform. During the Irisgate scandal, Twitter was awash with political hacks letting tit bits filter out. The main culprit for this was @Eamonnmalie. He is still pumping out teasers regarding the ongoing Policing and Justice negotiations.

There are lots of tools at a politicians disposal, even blogs (such as blogger), for them to take the social media bull by the horns. In the recent debate on compulsory voting it was noted by many of the contributors to the debate that there is a serious issue with lack of political engagement. Well, politicians could begin to engage more through the digital media.

We have Web 2.0, which is all about conversations. Politics needs to catch up.

Northern Ireland politicians need to embrace the new electric thingy age

After the 2009 and 2010 political scandals, would you vote?

Well, after a big build up on what was to come this weekend in the papers, it was a bit of a damp squib on one front and more disturbing on the other.

While it was a bit lacking on more scandal for the DUP, the heat was cranked up over the Adams family issue of who knew what, when and how it was handled. Susanne Breen, from the Sunday Tribune, interviews two women from two well known republican families on how they were sexually abused by republicans and of how that abuse was covered up by Sinn Féin and the Provisional IRA. Accusations of abuse of any kind, especially of children, will begin to put real pressure on Sinn Féin and how it has handled the allegations, and whether or not they advised victims to go to statutory agencies.

With the debate on policing and justice ongoing, it could be an issue for the public on how they view the capability of any political party to take on the job of Justice Minister. I think the 'community confidence' is much wider than the DUP interpretation. Does anyone have the confidence that our politicians could take on the role now?

There seems to be cover-ups all over the place and how are the public supposed to react to elected representatives when the media shine a light on shady goings on over the past number of years? Being an elected representative is a privileged position of trust where the politician must act in a moral and ethical approach to the duties they have to perform. They should bear in mind thoughtfulness for others, kindness in the community, honesty in their business, courtesy in society and fairness in all things. There is a fully functioning 'Code of Conduct (which i wrote about previously here)

The number of political scandals covering 2009 and 2010 so far does not seem to reflect the Codes of conduct. Nor will they instil trust in the electorate.

Political disengagement by the electorate is becoming a big danger.

So what would make anyone want to vote?

Well one solution is to make voting compulsory, as it is in Australia. Indeed it is a debate coming to the NI Assembly today.

Danny Kinahan (UUP MLA for South Antrim) has tabled

"That this Assembly notes the positive effect that compulsory voting has had on democracy in the Commonwealth of Australia; and calls on Her Majesty’s Government to consider introducing similar rules for elections in the United Kingdom."

This could be a way to staunch the loss in voting habit.

I have supported this for notion for a long time, but with the important proviso that there is an option for 'None of the above' on the voting slip.

There have been long winded debates about people should be able to exercise the option of voting or not. It is illegal not to be on the electoral register, so why not move that debate on and extend the legislation to cover the actual issue of voting as well.

The big danger is that if voting numbers continue to decline, government will become more and more focussed on the issues of those who actually vote. Why would they waste resources on people who do not vote? A politician is not going to worry about a non-voter - why would they?

People need to, no matter what the current political climate, go out and vote. Even deliberately spoil their vote at the ballot box to show their disdain. Otherwise the representatives elected will reflect a more extreme view of an electorate who have strong enough held views to actually go out and vote.

Politics impinges on all our lives and we must engage to make a difference.

A week is a long time in politics, er... a day, er....an hour?

Under the Northern Ireland Act 1998, Part III, Section 16 (5)

The holder of the office of First Minister or deputy First Minister may by notice in writing to the Presiding Officer designate a Northern Ireland Minister to exercise the functions of that office—

(a)during any absence or incapacity of the holder; or

(b)during any vacancy in that office arising otherwise than under subsection (7)(a);

but a person shall not have power to act by virtue of paragraph (a) for a continuous period exceeding 6 weeks

This has been enacted today by Peter Robinson to designate Arlene Foster, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, to exercise the functions of the office of the First Minister.

In relation to this Arlene, not Peter, is responding to the urgent oral question from Caral Ní Chuilín,

To ask the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to outline to the Assembly any possible implications for the OFMDFM in respect of allegations relating to financial matters made by the BBC Spotlight programme

Things are moving apace in our wee province.

Making a statement

Caral Ní Chuilín MLA, Sinn Fein, has tabled a question for an urgent oral answer today (MONDAY 11 January 2010).

To ask the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to outline to the Assembly any possible implications for the OFMDFM in respect of allegations relating to financial matters made by the BBC Spotlight programme.

Rt Hon Peter Robinson MP MLA, First Minister of Northern Ireland, is due to give an oral answer in the Assembly in reply to Ms Ní Chuilín at around 3.30pm today.

Having a bit of a cheeky wee go at the whole issue, Danny Kennedy MLA, UUP Deputy Leader, raised a point of order on whether the First Minister would be making the statement and if any resignations had been given. In retort, William Hay, Speaker of the Assembly, confirmed the First Minister will speak at 3.30pm and that he has received no resignations from any MLAs at the present time. He also stated that he does not want things like this dealt through Points of Order in future.

I don't think today will be the day when Peter resigns.

However, this whole saga, in combination with the Policing and Justice debate, is leaving Northern Ireland in a devolution predicament. Whatever the outcome for Peter, the matter of our current devolved government seems to be skating on thin ice (see what i did there? What with all the cold weather and all?? Oh forget it.)

If Policing & Justice can not be agreed, we could be going into a period of either suspension and/or elections earlier than the stated 2011. The Westminster government may wish to see the strength of feeling of the electorate, especially within unionism, and allow any logjam to precipitate an early election.

With regards to Peter's position, the DUP MLAs have just pledged their "unanimous" support for him as party leader and First Minister at a press conference in Parliament Buildings. This is a bit of good news for Peter, but for how long? With Ministers from the Free Presbyterian church calling for him to go, and Gregory Campbell saying in the Derry Journal that Peter should be given seven days to prove that he did not breach any rules over his wife's financial affairs, Peter may not be out of the woods just yet.

Though, any investigation that finds him innocent of misconduct will be a big, big boost to his stance of not backing down.