Stormont Parliamentary Building
After a fortnight’s break to recuperate and regroup, it wouldn’t have been unreasonable to hope that the Assembly might return with a zing in its tail. Well you can forget that – Hansard reads more like Eeyore’s ‘Little Book of Gloom’ than the script for ‘Tigger the Movie; a point which an increasing number of MLAs are starting to realize.
Dolores Kelly (SDLP, Upper Bann) was on ‘Yawn Watch’ this week noting that:
“Executive business in the Assembly has practically dried up, leaving us with recycled motions worthy of a sixth form debating society.”
That may be a tad harsh on the debating skills of most 17-year olds.
This week we were treated to no Executive business and next week for our delight, the eleven departments have managed to muster together just one meagre morsel in the form of the Final Stage of the Presumption of Death Bill – although the most obvious thing dying on its feet round these parts is public interest in what happens in Stormont.
Nobody wants legislation for the sake of legislation, but if there are Executive Ministers who genuinely believe in”rolling back the state” it’d be nice to see some action on cutting back on the regulatory burden. Something? Anything? Please?
Debate fatigue has well and truly set in among the MLAs. In the worthy and necessary, but ultimately toothless debate on Educational achievement, not even 10 MLAs managed to make it into the Chamber after lunch to hear the Minister’s response; the Division Bells had to be rung to round up the stragglers from the corridors.
Meanwhile, the proposer of the motion on Social Housing also missed the start of the DSD Minister’s response and, if Hansard is to be believed, seemed to be absent for a large chunk of the debate.
Eeyore lost his tail, but the Assembly is in danger of losing its heart. If they can’t find the time to turn up to their own debates, why would anyone else?
DEBATES
Executive Committee
Legislation & Business
None
Ministerial Statements
OFMDFM Cross-Sectoral Advisory Forum
The 30-strong grouping has established sevens sub-groups such as planning, innovation and banking
DoE: Social Security – Strategic Review
Minister pledges no loss in front line services
OFMDFM Response to Barosso Task Force
Executive plans to engage more fully with the EU
Committee & Private Members’ Business
Motions
Call for a coherent and fully funded childcare strategy AGREED
Widespread agreement that childcare provision in NI is “woeful”. After 10 years of devolved strategizing though the situation remains as bad as ever
Nursing positions AGREED
Call not to cut 722 posts. Ding-dong row as the DUP seeks to pin blame on the UUP Health Minister whilst the UUP blames DUP inspired efficiency savings
Educational Underachievement AGREED
Rather like the childcare debate, the poor performance of NI’s under 11s is a perennial problem which appears lost in policy development
Social Housing AGREED
Passionate speech from Fred Cobain (UUP, North Belfast) stressing the need to rebuild social housing rather than refurbish existing “slums”
Adjournment
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Oral Answers
The First Minister was queried about the Equality Commission, noting that less than a third of its staff were from the Protestant community, and (reading between the lines) also had a pop at the Children’s Commissioner for her recent failed legal action against smacking. Mr. Robinson also confirmed, that unlike his Environment Minister, he believes Climate Change is a serious issue.
The DRD Minister tackled bus timetables, fly-posting and confirmed there is sadly no ”fairy godmother” to pay for NI Water’s infrastructure. The DCAL Minister would like, but can’t afford a regional art gallery, and remains committed to putting Ulster-Scots on an equal funding footing with Irish.
Written Answers
OFMDFM confirmed that Departmental advertising in the Belfast Telegraph totaled £2.9m in 07/08 and DCAL was non-committal about proposals for a new national stadium in East Belfast. Education noted that North Down tops the league for school leavers entering third level education (75.5%), North Belfast is the worst (42.8%).
DETI noted that last year Invest NI’s Dubai office was the most prodigious at generating visits (102), DFP revealed that staff costs for the Central Procurement Directorate are £12.4m and DSD started 1,136 new social home builds last year (target was 1,500).
COMMITTEES
DEL enjoyed a week-long study trip to the USA, DFP is running an inquiry into procurement while Education is still marking the Education Bill. DRD is doing a bit of train spotting on the Larne line.
Environment no doubt had a fun time with the Local Govt. Contracts & Compulsory Purchase Bill, DETI spent the day listening to woes about the recession from every man and his dog, DCAL is still investigating funding for the arts (good luck trying to persuade the DFP Minister to stump up anything extra) and DSD began laying the foundations for a draft Housing Bill.
THE WEEK AHEAD
Monday, 27th April
Executive Business: Presumption of Death Bill Final Stage
Question Time: Education / DEL / DETI
Motions: Steps 2 Work Contracts
Decline in Students Studying STEM Subjects
Tuesday, 28th April
Executive Business: None
Motions: Health Provision for Older People
Local Govt. Boundary Recommendations
Children Missing from Care
Adjournment: Non-acute Hospital Provision in Armagh City
AND FINALLY….
Apart from her little difficulty over apparently withdrawing funding for the “UDA”, the DSD Minister, Margaret Ritchie, could well be on her way to being an unlikely pin-up girl for loyalists.
At last year’s UUP conference she entertained the troops during her speech with a call of ”No Surrender”. This week she appealed to the UUP to realize the benefits of refurbishing rather than rebuilding social housing. As she reminded them, how does the song go again?
“It is old but it is beautiful”.
Not a phrase residents normally use to describe their run down Victorian housing in nationalist areas of North Belfast, but I suppose it’s all part and parcel of our brave new post-Troubles world…..
