Given the paucity of Executive business snaking its way through the Assembly these days, it is with some surprise to have to report some useful business emanating from Stormont’s ‘corridors of power’.
Ok, so the DSD Committee’s report into Town Centre Planning isn’t going to be up there in the Christmas charts with a slew of C-list celebrities’ ghost written memoirs recounting their first two years of adulthood, but it was actually a demonstrable piece of practical politics (and goodness knows they’ve been on short supply recently).
The 500-page report with its 17 recommendations is a useful marker in explaining why so many of our market towns are dreary, down-at-heel dumps. Having spent several formative (and evidently bitter) years living on the edge of one these aforementioned ‘aesthetically challenged’ blights, I sympathise with the authors’ findings.
Among the key conclusions were that regeneration was being hampered by the plethora of Departments which had a remit in the area; an absence of strategic direction; policy making which wasn’t evidence based and no evaluation structures. Sound familiar? You could replace the words ‘Town Centre’ with the ‘Workings of the NI Assembly’ and the findings would be just as applicable.
Unfortunately, we’ve been here before and a similar inquiry was published in 1999. It’s one thing to produce a nice sparkly report, but as any parent knows, the star birthday present can quickly disappear under a blanket of dust once the novelty has worn off.
That aside there really was very little to report, partly because all the real politics is being done behind closed doors and in Westminster over whether or not to devolve Policing & Justice powers. Does the public really care? I don’t think so. Should they? Probably. But with the prospect of the diabolical ‘Jedward’ twins winning X-Factor there are much more important things at stake.
Beware. As the DSD Committee noted, given the perilous state of some of our towns, they could be coming to a Christmas light turning on party somewhere near you.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Oral Questions
The Education Minister dodged questions on why Sinn Fein was unwilling to participate in cross-party discussions on the Transfer Test, responding that the only appropriate forums were the Executive and the Education Committee. Over at DEL Sir Reg hypothecated that more Catholic than Protestant students studying outside NI.
The DETI Minister expects some growth next year, but hasn’t yet ruled out a double-dip recession. She also reiterated her strong support for Credit Unions and mused that improved telecoms could form a viable basis for decentralizing public sector jobs.
Written Answers
OFMDFM revealed that wage costs for the Assembly’s PR machine currently stand at £3m, DARD noted that there are 114,208 dog licences in the Province and DCAL disclosed that archery receives more financial support than camogie.
The number of newly qualified teachers gaining full time employment has halved in three years according to Education while DETI provided figures showing that INI grants to companies linked to INI Board Members have tripled in five years. The Health Service, meanwhile, referred 55,000 people for treatment in the independent sector last year.
COMMITTEES
Among other things DARD considered Beet Seed Regulations, DFP discussed the Civil Service’s Equality & Diversity plans while DEL was briefed by the University for Derry (U4D) campaign.
DRD was still tramping through the sludge of the Water & Sewerage Bill, OFMDFM considered the CBI’s thoughts on SIB and Education was looking into Child Protection issues.
DoE was motoring along on the issue of lowering drink-driving levels, DETI called into AVX in Coleraine and Wrightbus in Ballymena, DSD was partially occupied by Neighbourhood Renewal, DCAL was getting into training for the 2013 World Police and Fire Games 2013.
THE WEEK AHEAD
Monday 9th November
Speaker’s Business: Public Petition for victims of institutional abuse
Question Time: OFMDFM / Environment
Motions: Health and Social Care Trust Efficiency Savings
Multi-unit development management companies
Tuesday 10th November
Speaker’s Business: Goods Vehicles Bill Consideration Stage
Department of Justice Consideration Stage
Question Time: Finance
AND FINALLY….
Barry McElduff (Sinn Fein, Mid Ulster) revealed this week that Sir Edward Carson actually played hurling whilst at Trinity in Dublin. Oh, to live in such times of cross-community cohesion.
Mr. McElduff made his comments as the GAA announced plans to plant thousands of trees in the Stormont estate to mark its one hundredth anniversary. Looks like Unionist fears about the ‘greening of Ulster’ were well founded after all!
