THE WEEK THAT WAS….
“The years spent in isolation have not equipped him with the tools necessary to judge right from wrong. He’s had no context. He’s been completely without guidance. It seems clear that his awareness of what we call reality is radically underdeveloped.”
So thought a psychologist of the leading character in Tim Burton’s 1990 movie, ‘Edward Scissorhands’. I don’t know so much about the finger-chopping Edward, but it sounds like a rather apt description of Northern Ireland’s body politic every time someone mentions the ‘N’ phrase – ‘National Debt’.
It will haunt the former Chief Secretary to the Treasury until he dies, but Liam Byrne’s naughty note to his successor was rather more succinct about the state of the UK’s finances than any economist could be:
“Dear Chief Secretary, I’m afraid to tell you there’s no money left. Kind regards – and good luck! Liam.” How many histories of the New Labour years will be shaped by that pithy insight? If you listen closely you can actually hear the phrase spur on the corrosive effects of time on the Iron Chancellor’s already rusty reputation.
Back home Northern Ireland was treated to a visit by the new PM, head of a previously unheard of party – the Liberal Conservatives – who bounded into town to reassure everyone that the Sassenachs weren’t coming to strip the place bare after all. Good job too, there’s not much worth stripping.
Too many local politicians, however, seem to have lost touch with reality, still plugging the line that Northern Ireland should be exempt from any cuts – certainly not any as far reaching as George Gideon ‘Scissorhands’ Osborne may have in mind.
Even Finance Minister, Sammy ‘Sound as a Pound’ Wilson, was eager to jump aboard the political life raft that devolved Assemblies could postpone this year’s cuts until next year, when no doubt there’ll be an even larger axe to be swung. Welcoming the news last night he argued that Northern Ireland had a different business cycle to the rest of the UK.
With Assembly elections looming, I wonder did he mean to say ‘election cycle’?
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Oral Answers
During a dull session, the Finance Minister confirmed that no Departments had sought extra funds to deal with pressures caused by migrants; he also tellingly agreed that the House had “evaded and avoided” the issue of water charges.
For once the Chamber sprung into life during Health Questions with North Belfast and Mid-Ulster MLAs getting increasingly incandescent about unavoidable closures of local A&E Units. The Minister also dealt with MS services, outlined plans to save £88m by proscribing generic rather than branded drugs and reveled in the fact that only Health had met its RPA targets. The DRD Minister, unsurprisingly, ruled out the possibility of a Bangor – Belfast motoroway.
Written Answers
OFMDFM is planning to trim 51 staff by 2011, the DCAL Minister produced his letter of congratulations to Tony McCoy on winning the Grand National and Education is spending £32.7m on the Girls’ Model school in Belfast.
DETI has estimated the initial loss of tourism pounds thanks to the Icelandic volcano at £1.8m and confirmed that the Executive’s sub-committee on the economy met for the first time yesterday.
DoE still doesn’t have a date for the public inquiry into the extension of Belfast City Airport’s runway, DFP noted that there are 285 Arabs living in Northern Ireland while Justice set out its aim to cut anti-social behaviour by 15% by 2011.
COMMITTEES
DARD contemplated the preservation of Sea Bass, Welfare Reform engaged DSD, while DEL was still trying to get those NEETs out of everyone’s hair. The IBOA banked on DFP support for their campaign against the sale of First Trust, DRD dug into the issue of Street Works while Education marked the report card of the Irish-medium sector.
Environment lit up the North / South Interconnector, DETI evaluated the NI Science Park while DCAL is still running round after its sport participation inquiry. Health considered its capital budget and Justice began getting its teeth into its first Justice Bill.
AND FINALLY….
All this talk of fiscal responsibility may have prompted a piece in the South Belfast News about how money has been spent on Belfast City Councillors. I know the public sector is often accused of flushing money down the toilet, but nobody really thought that was literally the case. Until….
Step up to the mark Clllr. Niall ‘the Can’ Kelly who apparently was dispatched to Birmingham for the ‘Loo of the Year’ awards at the grand cost of £406.09.
Talk about spending a penny!
