A Youth Assembly and a Double Job
The Northern Ireland Youth Forum organised a question and answer session this afternoon with MLAS, at an interesting time given the focus on what young people make of the murders over the last few days.
I didn't detect any great sense of fear amongst the young people in the room, although that may have been simply because those present weren't keen to talk. A bit worrying for the authorities, perhaps, was the fact that our discussion of the shootings moved swiftly into complaints about the police from some youngsters who felt they were being harrassed (but given their admission that they sometimes did "a bit of wrecking" you could see why the police might take an interest).
There was a general consensus that there is not enough for teenagers to do to keep them out of trouble.
Some present expressed an interest in some kind of youth assembly. The Stormont Commission is keen on developing this idea, although it might not be every young person's cup of tea. Basil McCrea pointed out to those not interested in a debating society that he had organised a "rave" at Stormont which had been successful, despite (or maybe because of) a no alcohol rule.
Due to the rush of events and the demands of the 91Èȱ¬'s many network as well as local outlets I have let some of the usual stuff of Stormont politics pass me by this week. One debate which otherwise would have got more attention was the discussion on Tuesday of the controversial topic of dual mandates. You can access the transcript
The DUP put down a petition of concern on the Ulster Unionist motion requesting the UK government to bring forward legislation banning dual mandates. That meant it needed a cross community vote for it to pass.
Sinn Fein called the motion a "mischievious distraction". During the debate Raymond McCartney revealed that whilst Arlene Foster had declared her intention to prepare legislation ending dual mandates, her successor Sammy Wilson has dropped that pledge.
To the derision of some, Alliance announced its intention to back the DUP in the debate (nothing to do with an impending Justice job, I am sure). The UUP also faced criticism, because of the natural shrinkage of their Westminster team (Stephen Farry claimed they had been doing a good job on their own of ending dual mandates).
So when the matter of our "plane people" (as Mark Durkan dubbed himself and the other flying MPs) went to a vote, a DUP amendment was agreed. It noted that dual mandates, including council membership, were already being considered by the Assembly and Executive Review Committee and argued that a phased approach represented the best way forward.
I'm 
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