Month: August 2008

DUP Assembly Member, Mervyn Storey, has moved to reassure parents and pupils on the eve of the new school year. The North Antrim MLA said today:

“The Education Minister’s tenure in office has been characterized by confusion and disarray. Due to the Education Minister refusing to deal seriously with the need for acceptable new transfer arrangements, as pupils return to school many are still uncertain about the future.

The transfer issue is of significant interest to many people, and despite the Minister’s threatening language, everyone can be reassured that for those seeking and suitable for who want a grammar school education, it will still be available. That is the legal position and there is nothing that Sinn Fein can do to alter that. Had this position not been secured at St Andrews by the DUP, it is clear we would now be on an irreversible path towards a wholly comprehensive system.

Academic selection has been secured. The confirmation that more than thirty schools will use an independent form of assessment to match pupils to the most appropriate school, while not perfect, establishes a baseline position which we can build upon. The approach adopted by the Minister unfortunately made the development of an alternative form of academic assessment outside the Department inevitable. This is not the ideal situation and in our view it would be better for the Department to take responsibility for the assessment. We will continue to work to achieve the optimal outcome. We still maintain consensus could still be achieved on the transfer issue but it would require a genuine commitment from the Minister to find a realistic accommodation in the context of the confirmed legal position.

In the mean time more information about the new test will be published shortly and the dozens of schools who will operate academic selection will be holding meetings to explain the procedures fully. Also, the DUP will be producing a new education document in the first few weeks of the new term. Parents can ignore the threats from those who for some ideological reason are wedded to opposing placing pupils at the most appropriate schools. Academic selection cannot be removed without the consent of the DUP. The Minister has persisted with her tired rhetoric despite even a leaked internal Sinn Fein memo acknowledging that selection could not be abolished. Rather than grasp the nettle, she has left everyone in limbo.

While much recent debate has focussed around grammar schools, it is essential that secondary schools and indeed primary schools receive the same level of focus. Our secondary schools must be protected, particularly at a time of falling pupil numbers, by only permitting grammar schools to admit pupils reaching a certain academic threshold.”

Sinn Fein’s ludicrous attempts to force their own way by issuing threats and running to Dublin and London will not work. Mr. Dodds said it was time for Sinn Fein to accept the political reality that the DUP has made no commitment to the devolution of policing and justice powers until such time as the Unionist community was confident to allow the same to occur. Speaking today the DUP Deputy Leader said:

“It is regrettable that some people in Sinn Fein seem to be labouring under the illusion that if they repeat a lie often enough it will become a reality. They are mistaken. The Democratic Unionist Party made no commitment whatsoever to assent to the devolution of policing and justice powers by any date. Any commitments that were given by the Government to Sinn Fein are a matter for the Government, but the DUP made the situation perfectly clear before we left St Andrews, that we had not agreed to any dates for the transfer of powers. The central component of devolving these sensitive powers to Stormont is sufficient community confidence in the Unionist community to support such a move. The triple lock we secured on this issue stands.

The recent petulant behaviour of Sinn Fein raises serious questions about community confidence. Does Gerry Adams or his friend from the Irish Republic seriously believe that threats to destabilise the transaction of Executive business will assist in boosting confidence in the unionist community? It is entirely counter productive.

The DUP has said that we are willing to engage with all parties on a range of issues but we are not in the business of delivering on a republican agenda. And Sinn Fein need to know we will not allow the good governance of Northern Ireland to be held to ransom by a party trying to deliver some party political shopping list.

As Ministers in the Executive we are there to provide good governance for the people of Northern Ireland. The Ministerial Code details the legally binding obligations which all members of the Executive have to abide by. Sinn Fein need to realise that by engaging in, what boils down to, childish tantrums they are actually eroding the same confidence which is necessary for the devolution of policing and justice powers.”

Responding to comments from Jim Allister, Peter Weir said:

“Question-evader Jim Allister seems to be labouring under the misapprehension that Sinn Fein not getting their way over Policing and Justice Powers is a bad thing. We do not. Thanks to the negotiating efforts of the DUP, we have a veto on the devolution of Policing and Justice Powers. There will be no movement on this issue until such times as there is sufficient confidence within our community to allow devolution to occur. It is sad to witness Mr. Allister doing Sinn Fein’s work of attacking fellow-Unionists and spreading Republican propaganda rather than turning his wrath on those at fault – Sinn Fein. That’s says a lot about where his priorities lie.

The alternative forms of government that Mr. Allister has advocated are continued Direct Rule, which would deliver for Sinn Fein on a plate, those things which we have vetoed at Stormont – an Irish Language Act, the abolition of academic selection and increased North-South co-operation or a single super-council governing all of Northern Ireland, which would also include Sinn Fein. His specious arguments are fooling nobody and his constant attacks on other Unionists are as boring as they are predictable.”

DUP Assembly Member for Strangford Simon Hamilton has questioned why Jim Allister appears so reluctant to answer simple questions concerning his office expenses and allowances. The Strangford MLA compared Mr. Allister’s demands for openness and transparency with his refusal to answer the question put to him by Mr. Hamilton over a week ago. Commenting, Simon Hamilton said,

“It seems truly strange that Mr. Allister is so unwilling to answer the list of questions that I have posed to him. They are perfectly legitimate questions and they will not go away. Mr. Allister of course has crafted for himself a public image as the guardian of transparency and openness in government. Indeed when Mr. Allister was firing Freedom of Information requests and questions at other people he boldly declared:

“It will be no answer to try and divert attention by attacking me the messenger, let’s have utter transparency, honesty and candour.” (Source: Jim Allister’s Website. 15 January 2008)

With such a strong track-record in the pursuit of transparency, honesty and candour it seems strange that my posing of simple questions to Mr. Allister should have been described as mud-slinging. It is no answer for Mr. Allister to attack the messenger, let’s have utter transparency, honesty and candour from him. Only just over a fortnight ago did Mr. Allister admit that his family owns his constituency office, now he must answer some further questions about where his expenses are being allocated. I will continue posing these questions to him until they are answered in a full, open and transparent way.

1. How much did Mr. Allister claim for travel expenses from the European Parliament since his election?
2. How much is each individual employee/service provider in his office paid from European funds?
3. Does Mr. Allister pay European funds to any family members? If so, what for?
4. Who administers his website? How much are they being paid for that?
5. How many trips has Mr. Allister taken since election to the European Parliament?
6. What was the total cost Mr. Allister claimed back from the European Parliament for travel expenses?
7. Have European Funds ever been used to pay office rent to the owner/owners of his office at any time?

These are questions that every Assembly Member, Member of Parliament and Councillor in Northern Ireland has to answer. Let’s see if Mr. Allister applies the same standards of openness and transparency to himself as he does to others.

His spurious defence that he has answered questions from legitimate watch-dogs seems strange coming from a man who has repeatedly used the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act to ask questions of others. Full answers to the above list of questions are not provided on Jim Allister’s website. The public have a right to know what Mr. Allister is doing with public funds. Let’s see a full disclosure in answer to all of these questions in the interests of fairness and transparency, which of course Mr. Allister believes in strongly. Only transparency, honesty and candour will suffice.”

The DUP’s Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson has responded to comments made by Sinn Fein Dail Leader Caoimhghin O’Caolain where he threatens that Sinn Fein will pull its Ministers out the Executive. Responding to the Sinn Fein comments Mr. Donaldson said,

“This outburst from Sinn Fein’s Southern leader, overflowing with threatening language, is not in anyway constructive or helpful. Indeed, I would suggest that it would be more befitting for O’Caolain to keep his focus on Sinn Fein’s affairs in the South and leave issues pertaining to Northern Ireland to those who are elected here to deal with them.

Whilst the DUP has made it clear to the Sinn Fein leadership that we are committed to working through outstanding issues and bringing them to a resolution, such language, as has been used by this Sinn Fein representative, begins to cast significant doubt on Sinn Fein’s commitment to making progress in Stormont.

The DUP’s position on the devolution of Policing and Justice has always been crystal clear. O’Caolain well knows, as it was made very clear on the last day at St Andrews, that the May date, for the transfer of Policing powers, was a target date put forward by the Government and the Irish. Indeed, the DUP made it very clear on that occasion that we had not agreed to any date for the transfer of these sensitive powers.

Progress on outstanding issues is based on there being sufficient community confidence to support any advancement. Sinn Fein can assist in the building of this confidence by their public display of commitment to Policing and the rule of law and their cooperation with the Police in apprehending those who continue to engage in acts of terrorism. However, the issuing of threatening statements suggesting that Sinn Fein Ministers will walk away unless their demands are met is not the way to make progress.

The DUP has said repeatedly that it is a unionist ideal to have the policing powers back in Stormont as it was our unionist forbearers who first exercised the powers in the building. Therefore our commitment to making progress, in keeping with our electoral pledges, cannot be questioned.”

DUP MLA Arlene Foster has launched her unity campaign to keep the Enniskillen council seat in Unionist hands. Below is an extract of her address delivered to supporters and well-wishers in Enniskillen District Hall on Thursday evening. Mrs. Foster said:

“We were all deeply saddened by the passing of Joe Dodds. Joe was a dedicated public servant held in high regard by people across the political spectrum and his death has caused a great deal of sadness throughout our community. What has compounded that sense of hurt in the Unionist community is the behaviour of Bertie Kerr who objected to a co-option to fill Joe’s seat and has forced us into the position where Sinn Fein could steal a seat they otherwise wouldn’t win in a full election. I am contesting this poll to keep the seat held by Joe Dodds for many years in Unionist hands.

Many Ulster Unionist voters who I have been speaking to have told me that they are deeply offended by what Mr. Kerr has done. In this election people will be suspending their traditional party allegiances. Enniskillen people know that we all need to pull together in order to retain Joe’s seat and stop it from falling to a Republican.

In the last election I polled more than 2,000 votes: the Ulster Unionist candidate came in with roughly 500 and failed to be elected. Only 49% of the votes cast in the last election were for Unionist candidates and it will take close co-operation to win. The figures show that it is only the DUP that can keep this seat in Unionist hands.

I have been pleased that people are rallying to the theme of our unity campaign and I hope that we will be able to retain Joe Dodds seat in Unionist hands. That would be a fitting tribute to our dear friend.”

North Antrim DUP Assembly Member Mervyn Storey has praised Northern Ireland’s GSCE students as they once again outperformed the rest of the United Kingdom. Statistics published today by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) show that 74.5% of Northern Ireland pupils gained A* – C grades compared to a figure of 65.7% for the mainland. Mr Storey said:

“Firstly, I wish to place on record my congratulations to our Northern Ireland GCSE students who have once again turned in the best results in the United Kingdom. To those pupils who achieved the results they were hoping for I offer my heartiest congratulations and to those who were disappointed with the outcome of their exams I would urge them not to panic there are lots of options available.

These results are a vindication of the hard work and dedication of our secondary and grammar schools. They demonstrate the importance of protecting those parts of the education sector which are delivering top results whilst at the same time focusing our attention on those parts which are not doing so well. The DUP is committed to the delivery of a truly holistic educational sector which delivers the best for all of our children. A blanket ban upon academic selection as proposed by the Education Minister will not help to achieve that.

I also welcome the fact that we have seen an increase in the number of pupils undertaking Biology and Chemistry at GCSE level. Increasing the number of pupils taking so-called STEM subjects – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics has been identified as a priority in the Programme for Government and it is good to see we are making progress in this field.”

The DUP’s East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell has responded to the latest attempt by some Parties to raise the issue of multiple mandates.Mr. Campbell said,

“Those who are struggling to create a market for themselves in the Northern Ireland political landscape are bereft of ideas if they believe that the issue of multiple mandates is a burning one in the minds of voters. People are concerned that their politicians help to sort out issues such as the credit crunch, affordable housing, economic matters and educational, health and sporting matters. The irony of any political party reading lessons on multiple mandates will not be lost on the wider community particularly when their own performance is now brought under scrutiny. This does however allow everyone to examine the track record of ‘single mandate’ members particularly in the light of some UUP elements trying to raise this in the context of Arlene Foster’s decision to run in the Fermanagh Council by-election caused by the unfortunate death of Joe Dodds.

The facts are beyond dispute and are freely available on independent websites which monitor the performances of all MP’s at Westminster. The members who have spoken most often at Westminster are ‘multi mandate’ MP’s. Compared to single mandate MP’s they are a considerable distance ahead. On voting at Westminster, those of us who have more than one mandate are again ahead of single mandate MP’s.

The tabling of Motions and obtaining of both adjournment and opposition day debates on the matters that the general public are concerned about show that those of us who have more than one mandate are very active, the same cannot be said of ‘single mandate MP’s’. Comparing the pre 2001 situation when the UUP single mandate MP’s were more numerous to the situation since shows the same trend.

It is also possible to ascertain the expenses of each MP. Again because of the economies of scale multi mandate MP’s on average spend less on staff than single mandate MP’s. The salary of an MLA who isn’t an MP is also three times greater than a ‘multi member’.

It is difficult to see what merit there is in advocating a system in the current economic plight that, if successful, would mean less effective MP’s costing more in salaries and expenses at a time when the general public are expected to suffer a more difficult financial climate.”

DUP Assembly Member for Strangford Simon Hamilton has said that Jim Allister has serious questions to answer concerning his expenses claimed as a Member of the European Parliament. Mr. Hamilton has called for a full disclosure from the maverick MEP as to the level of expenses claimed from the European Parliament. Commenting, Simon Hamilton said,

“Mr. Allister has chosen over the course of the last fourteen months or so to set himself up as the guardian of transparency in government and the champion of openness. His frequent recourse to Freedom of Information requests is well-documented. Yet strangely, Mr. Allister enjoys a privileged position. As an MEP he is not subjected to the same Freedom of Information legislation that he has deployed against others. He does not have to provide the same details as every other holder of public office in Northern Ireland.

2. How much is each individual employee/service provider in his office paid from European funds?

3. Does Mr. Allister pay European funds to any family members? If so, what for?

4. Who administers his website? How much are they being paid for that?

5. How many trips has Mr. Allister taken since election to the European Parliament?

6. What was the total cost Mr. Allister claimed back from the European Parliament for travel expenses?

7. Have European Funds ever been used to pay office rent to the owner/owners of his office at any time?

These are questions that every Assembly Member, Member of Parliament and Councillor in Northern Ireland has to answer. Let’s see if Mr. Allister applies the same standards of openness and transparency to himself as he does to others. Recently he tried to palm off questions regarding these issues by claiming he provides answers on his website. Full answers to the above list of questions are not provided on Jim Allister’s website. The public have a right to know what Mr. Allister is doing with public funds. Let’s see a full disclosure in answer to all of these questions in the interests of fairness and transparency, which of course Mr. Allister believes in strongly.”

South Belfast DUP MLA Jimmy Spratt has condemned the comments made by Dame Nuala O’Loan in which she claimed Protestants had been “taught as children that they could not trust Catholics”. Commenting after receiving calls from outraged constituents, Jimmy Spratt said:
“Nuala O’Loan’s comments have caused great offence within the Protestant community. To slur the entire Protestant population in the way she has is entirely unacceptable. As someone who previously held a very sensitive public post one would expect better behaviour from a past Police Ombudsman. It is entirely untrue for Mrs. O’Loan to claim she was untrusted because of her religion. She was not trusted because of her bias.
For many this latest outburst will come as no surprise considering Mrs. O’Loan’s track record. Her bigoted comment highlights why for many within the Protestant and Unionist family, she was an inappropriate appointment as Police Ombudsman. Thankfully now that era is over, and such sectarian baggage is no longer a factor in the Ombudsman’s office.
It seems that generalisations of sectarianism against the Protestant community are becoming common. We all remember the disgraceful sectarianism Mary McAleese indulged in when comparing Protestants to Nazi’s. Such comments are false and must cease immediately.
Sectarianism is a major problem in our society. Self-indulgent nonsense such as this from nationalists does nothing to help create a shared future. Nuala O’Loan should apologise immediately and without any caveats for her disgusting outburst.”