Guest writer Kev O'Higgins casting a critical eye over the achievements of the Stormont Legislative Assembly.

*****


(c) Steve Bell 2007, Guardian News and Media Limited
Source: Alan in Belfast

“They have no need to go elsewhere for programs and ideas, because the divided society has produced a political subsystem which produces in turn all the dynamics of the whole system in microcosm” - AJ Milnor

As 2013 draws to a close and the elected representatives at the glorified Council on the hill aka The Northern Ireland Assembly prepare for a winter holiday ordinary workers could only dream of 13 working days they call recess (yes, 13 working days Christmas holiday in addition to their two months off in the summer, 2 weeks at Easter and week at Halloween) - perhaps now is the time to review the hard work and real change they created during the days they focused on doing their job of legislating to make lives better in the NE of Ireland?

They are a Legislative Assembly and how better to review just how hard they’ve worked and embettered (as opposed to embittered) society than through the masses of Legislation they have churned out this year.

Well, it seems they’ve been twice as productive as last year. Managing to a substantive 10 Acts this Year. Admittedly you get more Acts in a 1st year English class studying Shakespeare but 10 is twice 5 and that’s what they managed in 2012.

For the cynic this may seem like a tiny amount of Legislation to transform our society for the better but maybe quantity isn’t the issue? Maybe it’s the quality?

Have these 10 Legislative Acts been profound and substantive? Driving change for not just us but our children and our children’s children? Improving a broken economy? Raising the most disadvantaged out of poverty? Stuff that really makes a difference?

Well here’s each Act and a brief synopsis of the impact on your life:

Superannuation Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to make provision for and in connection with limiting the value of the benefits which may be provided under so much of any scheme under Article 3 of the Superannuation (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 as provides by virtue of Article 4(2) of that Order for benefits to be provided by way of compensation to or in respect of persons who suffer loss of office or employment; and to make provision about the procedure for modifying such a scheme.

So that one reduces the compensation to Civil Servants being made unemployed? The Civil Servants thank you.


Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to make provision relating to an inquiry into institutional abuse between 1922 and 1995.

This sounds positive. However -

(5) The inquiry panel —

(a) must not rule on; and

(b) has no power to determine,

any person's civil or criminal liability.

And of course certain groups that would not be defined as ‘institutions’ will escape any investigation. So truth without justice and just for some. I suppose it’s a start.


Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to amend the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008; to transfer certain functions of the Department for Social Development to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland; and for connected purposes

Regulating Charities - great idea. However, it’s really just bringing Northern Ireland Legislation in line with that of Westminster from two years ago.


Budget Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to authorise the issue out of the Consolidated Fund of certain sums for the service of the years ending 31st March 2013 and 2014; to appropriate those sums for specified purposes; to authorise the Department of Finance and Personnel to borrow on the credit of the appropriated sums; to authorise the use for the public service of certain resources for the years ending 31st March 2013 and 2014; and to revise the limits on the use of certain accruing resources in the year ending 31st March 2013.

They decided how to distribute the money available to them from the British Treasury around various Departments.


Business Improvement Districts Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to make provision for business improvement districts and for connected purposes.

Introduced similar Legislation to Westminster from 2008. Essentially allows increased rates in defined areas of Councils for improvements. Think of it as a town centre tax where struggling business would have to pay the increase if the successful pushed it through.


Water and Sewerage Services (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to enable the Department for Regional Development to continue to make payments to water and sewerage undertakers for a limited period; and to make provision requiring certain notices to be registered in the Statutory Charges Register.

Self explanatory. Doesn’t life feel so much better?


Criminal Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to amend the law relating to sex offender notification, sexual offences prevention orders and human trafficking; to provide for the destruction, retention, use and other regulation of certain fingerprints and DNA samples and profiles; to provide for the release on licence of persons detained under Article 45(2) of the Criminal Justice (Children) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998; to amend Article 21BA of the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999; to abolish the common law offence of scandalising the judiciary; and to permit criminal proceedings on Sunday at certain times

This one is actual legislation.


Civil Service (Special Advisers) Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to amend the law on special advisers in the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

Jim Allister’s Fuck the Provos bill.


Budget (No. 2) Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to authorise the issue out of the Consolidated Fund of certain sums for the service of the year ending 31st March 2014; to appropriate those sums for specified purposes; to authorise the Department of Finance and Personnel to borrow on the credit of the appropriated sums; to authorise the use for the public service of certain resources (including accruing resources) for the year ending 31st March 2014; and to repeal certain spent provisions.

Another one on how they distribute money given to them by the British Treasury.


Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to provide for marine plans in relation to the Northern Ireland inshore region; to provide for marine conservation zones in that region; to make further provision in relation to marine licensing for certain electricity works in that region; and for connected purposes.

They’ll get round to making sure someone thinks about the sea water.

And ... that’s it.

Legislation from 108 people that means 2013 ends better than it began, and we face 2014 with a renewed confidence that our Legislators are working flat out to make those vital socio-economic decisions that are so needed.

Onwards and upwards … and to think people laughed at the Nationalist Party for only managing the Wild Birds Act 1931 during the whole 52 year tenure of the NI Parliament.

Additionally the NI Assembly also approves Legislative Consent motions - A Legislative Consent Motion (also known as a Sewel motion) is a motion passed in which it agrees that Westminster may pass legislation on a devolved issue over which it has legislative authority.

Legislative Consent motions - or agreeing to do as Westminster does - are more numerous than actual NI Assembly legislation,

Here’s one on the Antarctic Bill

So while you’re off on your permanent break from work due to unemployment, or looking forward to a few days with the family over Christmas - please, remember our politicians, the hard work they’ve put in throughout the year. The real changes they’ve made via Legislation. And don’t begrudge them the long holiday they are facing.

They’re just recharging the batteries for another year of sterling work making it so much better for us all.

Raise your glasses to the NI Assembly, it’s 108 MLAs and how much better your life is after their deliberations and ratifications.

Or ... laugh at how pathetic the entire sham is?

A Sad Statelet of Pointless Affairs

Guest writer Kev O'Higgins casting a critical eye over the achievements of the Stormont Legislative Assembly.

*****


(c) Steve Bell 2007, Guardian News and Media Limited
Source: Alan in Belfast

“They have no need to go elsewhere for programs and ideas, because the divided society has produced a political subsystem which produces in turn all the dynamics of the whole system in microcosm” - AJ Milnor

As 2013 draws to a close and the elected representatives at the glorified Council on the hill aka The Northern Ireland Assembly prepare for a winter holiday ordinary workers could only dream of 13 working days they call recess (yes, 13 working days Christmas holiday in addition to their two months off in the summer, 2 weeks at Easter and week at Halloween) - perhaps now is the time to review the hard work and real change they created during the days they focused on doing their job of legislating to make lives better in the NE of Ireland?

They are a Legislative Assembly and how better to review just how hard they’ve worked and embettered (as opposed to embittered) society than through the masses of Legislation they have churned out this year.

Well, it seems they’ve been twice as productive as last year. Managing to a substantive 10 Acts this Year. Admittedly you get more Acts in a 1st year English class studying Shakespeare but 10 is twice 5 and that’s what they managed in 2012.

For the cynic this may seem like a tiny amount of Legislation to transform our society for the better but maybe quantity isn’t the issue? Maybe it’s the quality?

Have these 10 Legislative Acts been profound and substantive? Driving change for not just us but our children and our children’s children? Improving a broken economy? Raising the most disadvantaged out of poverty? Stuff that really makes a difference?

Well here’s each Act and a brief synopsis of the impact on your life:

Superannuation Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to make provision for and in connection with limiting the value of the benefits which may be provided under so much of any scheme under Article 3 of the Superannuation (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 as provides by virtue of Article 4(2) of that Order for benefits to be provided by way of compensation to or in respect of persons who suffer loss of office or employment; and to make provision about the procedure for modifying such a scheme.

So that one reduces the compensation to Civil Servants being made unemployed? The Civil Servants thank you.


Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to make provision relating to an inquiry into institutional abuse between 1922 and 1995.

This sounds positive. However -

(5) The inquiry panel —

(a) must not rule on; and

(b) has no power to determine,

any person's civil or criminal liability.

And of course certain groups that would not be defined as ‘institutions’ will escape any investigation. So truth without justice and just for some. I suppose it’s a start.


Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to amend the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008; to transfer certain functions of the Department for Social Development to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland; and for connected purposes

Regulating Charities - great idea. However, it’s really just bringing Northern Ireland Legislation in line with that of Westminster from two years ago.


Budget Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to authorise the issue out of the Consolidated Fund of certain sums for the service of the years ending 31st March 2013 and 2014; to appropriate those sums for specified purposes; to authorise the Department of Finance and Personnel to borrow on the credit of the appropriated sums; to authorise the use for the public service of certain resources for the years ending 31st March 2013 and 2014; and to revise the limits on the use of certain accruing resources in the year ending 31st March 2013.

They decided how to distribute the money available to them from the British Treasury around various Departments.


Business Improvement Districts Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to make provision for business improvement districts and for connected purposes.

Introduced similar Legislation to Westminster from 2008. Essentially allows increased rates in defined areas of Councils for improvements. Think of it as a town centre tax where struggling business would have to pay the increase if the successful pushed it through.


Water and Sewerage Services (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to enable the Department for Regional Development to continue to make payments to water and sewerage undertakers for a limited period; and to make provision requiring certain notices to be registered in the Statutory Charges Register.

Self explanatory. Doesn’t life feel so much better?


Criminal Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to amend the law relating to sex offender notification, sexual offences prevention orders and human trafficking; to provide for the destruction, retention, use and other regulation of certain fingerprints and DNA samples and profiles; to provide for the release on licence of persons detained under Article 45(2) of the Criminal Justice (Children) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998; to amend Article 21BA of the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999; to abolish the common law offence of scandalising the judiciary; and to permit criminal proceedings on Sunday at certain times

This one is actual legislation.


Civil Service (Special Advisers) Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to amend the law on special advisers in the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

Jim Allister’s Fuck the Provos bill.


Budget (No. 2) Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to authorise the issue out of the Consolidated Fund of certain sums for the service of the year ending 31st March 2014; to appropriate those sums for specified purposes; to authorise the Department of Finance and Personnel to borrow on the credit of the appropriated sums; to authorise the use for the public service of certain resources (including accruing resources) for the year ending 31st March 2014; and to repeal certain spent provisions.

Another one on how they distribute money given to them by the British Treasury.


Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

An Act to provide for marine plans in relation to the Northern Ireland inshore region; to provide for marine conservation zones in that region; to make further provision in relation to marine licensing for certain electricity works in that region; and for connected purposes.

They’ll get round to making sure someone thinks about the sea water.

And ... that’s it.

Legislation from 108 people that means 2013 ends better than it began, and we face 2014 with a renewed confidence that our Legislators are working flat out to make those vital socio-economic decisions that are so needed.

Onwards and upwards … and to think people laughed at the Nationalist Party for only managing the Wild Birds Act 1931 during the whole 52 year tenure of the NI Parliament.

Additionally the NI Assembly also approves Legislative Consent motions - A Legislative Consent Motion (also known as a Sewel motion) is a motion passed in which it agrees that Westminster may pass legislation on a devolved issue over which it has legislative authority.

Legislative Consent motions - or agreeing to do as Westminster does - are more numerous than actual NI Assembly legislation,

Here’s one on the Antarctic Bill

So while you’re off on your permanent break from work due to unemployment, or looking forward to a few days with the family over Christmas - please, remember our politicians, the hard work they’ve put in throughout the year. The real changes they’ve made via Legislation. And don’t begrudge them the long holiday they are facing.

They’re just recharging the batteries for another year of sterling work making it so much better for us all.

Raise your glasses to the NI Assembly, it’s 108 MLAs and how much better your life is after their deliberations and ratifications.

Or ... laugh at how pathetic the entire sham is?

17 comments:

  1. Its all just one big ACT.

    Final Act.

    Will continue after the last act has been acted upon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Welcome to the blog Kev with a piece in its own right even though your comments have been insightful. This is a very interesting take; it gets to grips with things.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Itsjustmacker is correct it really is an act, a circus of clowns and bigots,well paid overfed bastards with as much interest in the peoples welfare as Thatcher had for kids and school milk.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I would agree with itsjustmackers it is an act minus the phrase and the Oscar goes too…?
    I am surprised they get anything done as the poor buggers have to endure all that paid time off but what else should we expect from a puppet government but puppetry.
    Meanwhile back in reality the ordinary person struggles to get by on meager benefits and those fortunate to be employed don’t get it much easier with the ever looming prospect of being handed their cards and certainly don’t enjoy the benefits of those hard done by politicians.

    Then we are not so innocent after all we elect these people who in turn divert our attention from socio-economic problems and replace them with the usual divisions that ensure the working-class and the unemployed never unite.

    And why would they want to make any noticeable change why would they risk their easy life of being overpaid along with all the perks that entails just to talk.

    It is one thing when they are sniffing for votes promising the moon and the stars but as Henry JoY suggests elsewhere power corrupts and when that lot is sitting on the hill looking down at us fools laughing knowing that the only change they will bring is personal beefing up their bank accounts and milking every penny they feel entitled to from the tax payer and even a few bob on side.

    It is food for thought Kev and the header says it all.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Stormont's primary function is to maintain the illusion that the political process bears any relevance to the workings of society or the economy and to disguise the reality that it does not. It's not just sovereignty then that resides with the Brits but political power itself. This place is a joke. We are talking here about British rule - nothing more, nothing less. The British rule while our politicians legitimise their actions, that's basically all their is to it. MLA's are there to provide a facade of democratic accountability when the true machinations of state power are the business of others unelected by anyone in Ireland. It's pathetic.
    Nothing has changed here that wouldn't have changed anyway. Republicans would have been better served building a democratic opposition to the continuation of British rule and its workings but instead they cosied up to it. In return they got privilege and status, plus the illusion of power. We the ordinary people though got fuck all. I'm not surprised at the legislative return of Stormont, the only thing that surprises me is that they even managed as much as they did. It's a talking shop designed to give the pretence of democratic accountability when the truth is British power in Ireland is totally unaffected and unaltered by any of the so-called changes made here. British rule is as undemocratic and unaccountable as it ever was.
    Worse still they now feel so comfortable with the current dispensation they are expanding their programme of repressive measures against those who refuse to do as Sinn Fein have willingly done and sit back and accept their lot. We all know by now I'm sure about Alec and the others. Will the Justice Ministry challenge this blatantly unjust, discriminatory, offensive abuse of power. Will the Executive or OFDFM highlight this threat to supposed hard-won civil liberties? Will even a lowly Assembly Member himself or herself use the platform their position provides them with to challenge the disgusting re-emergence of internment and the eroding of civil rights taking place on their watch? Of course not, because Stormont power is no power - only the power to meekly do what told by the master

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tain Bo
    I understand where you're coming from when you say, we voted for them. I don't. I would vote for an independent republican or a Socialist, but I would never vote for any of those fucking clowns on "The Hill". I heard that bastard "Flash" McVeigh on the radio today, as usual condemning "dissidents" etc. yawn, yawn, and saying that "people aligned to these groups" will be standing in next year's elections. So, following on from that horrible bastard Storey last time there were elections here (Storey tried to link Eirigi to "armed groups", which they're not), McVeigh is setting out SF's stall. The problem with singling people out like that is, unionist paramilitaries are at each other's throats at the minute and it could blow up into a full blown feud, and we all know what happens after they've finished killing each other (they normally kill a few "taigs", just to salve their conscience for having killed a few of their "fellow protestants"). I hope McVeigh and SF take that on board if anyone standing "against" them in the elections are murdered by unionist paramilitaries, though I doubt it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The government that represents the six counties is no different from any other in terms of their actions they carry out the orders of their paymasters, simple. What makes that establishment so utterly repulsive is the betrayal, the lies, the capitulation masquerading as victory. its impossible as a republican to look at Stormont and not feel despondent, dejected and ashamed. That is my emotions and i was not involved. When i think of the number of volunteers who risked their lives, lost their lives, where incarcerated like some contributors on this site just to see Adams and the like in suits talking shite about flags and pass non policies. It makes me sick.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Belfastgit,

    I was using the term “we” in a general sense I don’t vote and wouldn’t vote for any of them and would encourage others not to vote for them.
    I did make the attempt at voting back in 81 but the lines were redrawn I ripped up my ballot and was quickly arrested for disturbing the peace.

    I suppose on the opposite scale of not voting that has its drawbacks as it is letting the spoils go to the predictable usual victors.
    We do need to see more independents at least that offers people a better choice.

    Isn’t bashing the dissident’s part of their standard narrow lines though it wouldn’t surprise me if he was condemning them I can’t remember for sure but doesn’t he hold a masters in criminology or something along that line?

    Storey will repeat anything that numbskull Kelly says and the lot of them will not falter from protecting their leader.
    Even that whiner Marty Mc Guinness is content being second lieutenant to Peter.

    I agree the loyalists are feuding which is being played down by the media as small factions breaking rank and not sanctioned by their leadership what a yarn.
    Certainly it is on the cards and you are right if they have at it eventually it will be open season on taigs.

    I doubt SF would take anything onboard unless it is in their favour but they prefer to stir the pot by blaming dissidents for the mess they created and are now very creative about distancing themselves from the past.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sean Bres
    Yes, it's a fucking disgrace! I'm talking about both things you wrote about, the main part about what you said about the bollix on "the hill" was spot on. I'm also talking about Alec McCrory, Colin Duffy and Harry Fitzsimons getting interned. It's almost 2014 and the Brits are still at it! As I said on here before, the fucking idiots that put those three guys behind bars wonder why people join so-called "dissident groups". I also don't want to see or hear some mealy mouthed Shinner condemning their arrest and internment, because if they felt so strongly about it, then walk out of the bollix on "the hill". Oh, that's right, they're actively encouraging people to tout on Republicans, and if they walked out they might lose some of their "average industrial wage"!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Tain Bo
    Spot on cara. I don't know what "Flash" has a masters in (probably revisionism), you are also spot on about SF leaving us with this mess and now trying to pretend that they had nothing to do with it. I don't know if you seen my post on here a few weeks ago, but, I was at an election count a right few years ago, and someone had "spoiled" their vote by writing CUNTS across the ballot paper and, honestly, two candidates were arguing that they had been voted for because the bottom of the "C" was in his box, and the other was saying that the bottom of the "S" had ticked his! Just about sums this place up!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for the comments. The piece was not meant to be a critique of the legitmacy of Stormont. It was solely aimed at reviewing the actual work of a body constitutional nationalist claim is a stepping stone to unity.

    These nationalists will comment on the activity of traditional republicans both militarist and purely political as futile and counterproductive and those are legitimate arguments that should be addressed.

    However, I would contend the work they engage in, demonstrated above, is equally unlikely to achieve anything close to Irish unity nevermind a transformed unified socialist republic.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Belfastgit,

    nothing surprises me when it comes to squabbling over votes although that one is hilarious not to mention embarrassing as it was clearly a no vote spoiled ballot.
    You right, what else can we expect!

    It is well past time dissident and independent republicans band together and give a voice to the voiceless and an honest challenge at the status quo.

    ReplyDelete
  13. As an activist that attended many an election count I can attest that spoiled ballots do have an impact despite never making news. Each spoiled ballot is reviewed with the presiding officer, all candidates and their electoral agent. While some generate shared laughs, some despair at how a voter with an obvious intended vote cannot understand the system enough to make a clear vote, the main impact is the embarrassment felt when a candidate's core area returns a load of clear political F.U. spoiled votes. I'm aware of real concerns in SF when they saw sizable numbers of 'eirigi' spoils at the last Assembly election (when eirigi weren't even running) only outweighed by 'Fuck Ruane' type spoils when she was British Minister for Eduction in Occupied Ireland and making a total balls of equal education (the removal of selection).

    Those spoils helped see rising star Ruane dumped and concerted action to label eirigi dissident when they later ran council candidates.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Also note a name being mentioned in this thread that has little to do with the topic raised but I'll remind people if you ever meet Bobby Tohill he's a shell of a man now in no small part thanks to one of them.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Belfastgit
    Jim mc Veigh was aligned to an armed group. In fact, according to Michael Henry he still is, as he maintains Sinn Fein still have their guns?
    Jim has a Masters degree in criminology, I can't think why though as he apparently spends his time between the City Hall and SEPTU.
    Maybe he does a bit of detective work on his days off?

    Brilliant and funny as Kev's piece was the thought of going through another year with our politicans is quite depressing.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sorry that went without the comment.
    I don't understand what you are saying about Bobby Tohill because I know him a lifetime?

    ReplyDelete