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Northern Ireland election

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Signing On

  • Mark Devenport
  • 13 Mar 07, 03:01 PM

The 108 MLAs have now signed the roll. Alliance's 7 members joined the Green Party's Brian Wilson and the independent doctor, Kieran Deeney, in designating as United Community MLAs. The 9 intend to vote en bloc although they are not merging into a single party or angling for any ministerial office.

Stormont feels as if this is for real. Ian Paisley sounded very upbeat after meeting Peter Hain today - he said he had fallen out with some friends (now who was that a reference to?) but the electorate had backed him and this gave him room to manouevre. Senior Civil Servants who will be working with any new ministers believe it is "all systems go".

Who will those ministers be? I'm sure it wasn't an accident that Catriona Ruane accompanied Gerry Adams to the top table to sign the roll. One of Sinn Fein's leading women politicians, she is their candidate in South Down, a top target seat in any future Westminster election. By the same token, don't be surprised if Margaret Ritchie takes the only ministerial place open for the SDLP. I hear Mark Durkan does not want to combine being an MP and party leader with holding ministerial office. That way the party will be promoting a woman who is Eddie McGrady's heir apparent in South Down.

So far as the DUP is concerned Arlene Foster has to be in with a good chance. She is very able and hopes for greater things in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. Promoting Arlene might also be seen as a way of thanking Jeffrey Donaldson for the triple defection he led back in January 2004.

Comments   Post your comment

  • 1.
  • At 08:15 PM on 13 Mar 2007,
  • Pandora wrote:

Mark: When do you think the Sinn Fein leader will say to the DUP leader, the immortal words "Well done Ian" ?

  • 2.
  • At 08:55 AM on 22 Mar 2007,
  • Jim Cullen wrote:

To Pandora, The simple answer is ... when it is earned!

  • 3.
  • At 06:45 PM on 24 Mar 2007,
  • Jim Cullen wrote:

Quote: When do you think the Sinn Fein leader will say to the DUP leader, the immortal words "Well done Ian" Unquote.

I think this is a very simple and fair question. I think Northern Ireland is standing on the edge of a precipice in terms of its political and hopefully peaceful future. We have a situation where both the so called main parties have a chance to bring stabilization to the people of the province. If all goes according to plan Mr. Paisley of the DUP will be the first Minister and Mr. McGuiness will be second Minister.

Although Mr. Paisley has been known to voice his displeasure of anything pertaining to the Catholic religion from time to time, I have heard that on more than one occasion he has gone to bat as it were to help Catholic families in his constituency in their time of need and fought wholeheartedly for their rights. As a Catholic myself I was both surprised and proud to hear of this. We need more of this kind of representation and I think this is the type of leadership that the people of Northern Ireland deserve.

The new government must not only be for the people, but for all the people.

So, as to the question above, I think the 鈥淲ell done Ian鈥 or for that matter 鈥淲ell done Martin鈥 will be given freely, when it is earned.

  • 4.
  • At 12:28 AM on 28 Mar 2007,
  • Pandora wrote:

When I posted this question, I was referring to Gerry Adams' words to David Trimble in 1998 when he 'signed up' to the Belfast Agreement. Those words were "Well Done David".

Ian Paisley rebuked these words and commented that Gerry Adams would never say "Well Done Ian".

That is all...and one should NEVER say NEVER...as the James Bond song goes...

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