Categories: Politics, Constitution, Devolved Government, Direct Rule, Local Government
Cost/Benefit Analysis of Devolution
by beano on 09 May 2008 at 16:33. Categories: Northern Ireland, Wales, Business & Economy, Devolved Government
They're coming from all sides today.
O'Neill's ever-watchful eye has picked up that Wales's GVA per head is only 77% of the UK average, (down from 79% when the Assembly was set up in 1999 and 84% back in 1991) despite receiving more than £1bn of EU ai… more »
Who's running scared?
by beano on 25 Apr 2008 at 15:43. Categories: Northern Ireland, Direct Rule, Local Government, Politics, Devolved Government
Elections to the 11 new councils won't take place until 2011.
NIO minister Shaun Woodward has announced that the local government elections due to take place in Northern Ireland in 2009 have been put back to 2011 at the request of executive ministers.… more »
Ruane Under Fire Again
It comes as no surprise to this blogger that our illustrious education minister, one Caitriona Ruane, has once again come under fire this week. Grammar schools have struck another blow against her policy of abolishing academic selection and this morning… more »
Report - must try harder
by Michael Shilliday on 23 Apr 2008 at 12:14. Categories: News, United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Lifestyle, Everything Else, Environment, Politics, Devolved Government
Everyone's favourite unelected legislator has had an idea.
I can't drive. I've just never bothered to learn. So lets say I get my licence next month and I drive to my girlfriend's parents in south Down. Alastair Ross will be very upset if I leave f… more »
Where we were in 1998
by Michael Shilliday on 23 Apr 2008 at 11:29. Categories: United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein, IRA, Politics, Devolved Government, History
I was recently required to do an analysis of an academic research paper. A colleague I was working with chose this one, which I hadn't read before. There are some fascinating things in the responses.
Page 6 of the PDF shows the huge swing in support… more »
Robinson Promises Fresh Approach
OK, so Peter Robinson is going to be confirmed as the new leader of the DUP on Thursday after being selected by the party's MLAs yesterday. Nothing unexpected there. I've been waiting for the day when Paisley would finally step down and I suppose what ha… more »
Democratic Republic of Ireland
Slugger has highlights from Iain Dale's picking up on the Irish Daily Mail getting hold of a copy of an email. The email was sent from a UK diplomat in Dublin following a briefing from the Irish government. It lists the various underhand methods the gove… more »
Shock: Local Politicians "Tribal"
You'd scarcely credit it but Sinn Fein's Alex Maskey is fuming with Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde and is demanding an apology after the chief of police allegedly claimed the policing board had "gone a bit tribal".
Supposedly Orde accused the elected m… more »
Dallat Backs Contestant 1 in Pissing Contest
So much to blog and so little time. It's like being off work and coming back to an inbox overflowing with emails. Let's start with this kerfuffle over flags in Kilrea.
Long story short, some folk erect tricolour on Protestant church. Some other folk d… more »
GAA - much more to do
by Michael Shilliday on 02 Apr 2008 at 14:39. Categories: Northern Ireland, Irish Republic, Lifestyle, Sport, Blogging, Politics, History, Gaelic / Irish language
Colm Bradley has outlined some ways he thinks the GAA can remove the barriers to Unionists joining. Just over a year ago I outlined that the GAA has a de facto ban in Unionists joining. Unfortunately Google hasn't cached it, so some of the substantive… more »