Faux Pas Extraordinaire!!

I was reading the comments of one-time Sinn Fein enemy, Michael McDowell, on the subject of fireworks being used without a licence in the Irish Republic.  In that country a licence is a legal necessity, whereas in Northern Ireland (like the rest of the UK) it is not.  Consequently, people are flocking north of the border to purchase fireworks for occasions such as the New Year.  The most eye-opening part of McDowell's comments are re-printed below:

'The Tánaiste said he would prefer an all-Ireland approach, but he was not yet in a position to legislate for Northern Ireland.'

Care to elaborate on the 'not yet' bit, Mr McDowell?  You are not in a position to legislate for Northern Ireland - end of story!!!  And you'll never be in a position to legislate for Northern Ireland.  It is incumbent upon the Unionist parties to ask McDowell where he gets the supreme arrogance to even hint that he will ever be in a position to pass legislation for Northern Ireland.  We want answers.

Comments

Mr McCann

As someone who was born and raised in NI throughout the "troubles", I have witnessed many changes.

In 1969, we had:

Gerrymandering

A rigged electoral system

A Unionist local govt that was totally uninterested in the rights of Catholics.

The completely partisan B-Specials and RUC

The Orange Order able to march provocatively through Catholic areas at will.

In 2006, we have

10 out of 18 Westminster MPs are nationalist.

Many local councils have majority nationalist control. West of the Bann is effectively under Nationalist control.

The Catholic % of the population is 45% and rising.

The B-Specials, RUC and UDR/RIR are gone. We are gradually getting a police service that represents the whole community.

The Orange Order has to get permission for parades and are banned from certain Catholic areas.

The DUP are about to enter a local devolved assembly with Sinn Fein.

The RoI has direct input into the running of NI and has had since the Anglo-Irish agreement of 1985.

The UK govt are making it increasingly clear that they have no long term interest in maintaining the Union.

30 years ago, the current situation would have been seen as unattainable by Nationalists and unacceptable by Unionists.

"And you'll never be in a position to legislate for Northern Ireland."

Funny - over the years I seem to rememeber various Unionist leaders saying NEVER - Craig, Faulkner, Molyneaux, West, Brookeborough, Paisley.

And yet - all the changes above have occurred. So, you or anyone else saying NEVER is just so much empty rhetoric.

[Chris Gaskin]

10 out of 18 Westminster MPs are nationalist.

I count 8 (5 Sinn Féin and 3 SDLP), where do you get 10 from?

[iluvni]

I'm more concerned with this section of another of McDowell's speeches...

A question which the DUP often asks and frequently asked at St. Andrews is why is it expected to share power with Sinn Féin when many parties in this House would be unwilling to do so. The answer, of course, is that power sharing in Northern Ireland is not a voluntary matter. Everyone who passes the threshold of commitment to exclusively democratic and peaceful means is entitled, as of right, on the d'Hondt principle, to participate in Executive power under the Agreement.

---

yet, he, like every other Government minister, UK or Irish, hasnt the balls to say what should happen when one of the parties refuses to endorse, as they surely will, the policing arrangement and will therefore fail to pass the democratic threshhold.

[iluvni]

I'm more concerned with this section of another of McDowell's speeches...

A question which the DUP often asks and frequently asked at St. Andrews is why is it expected to share power with Sinn Féin when many parties in this House would be unwilling to do so. The answer, of course, is that power sharing in Northern Ireland is not a voluntary matter. Everyone who passes the threshold of commitment to exclusively democratic and peaceful means is entitled, as of right, on the d'Hondt principle, to participate in Executive power under the Agreement.

---

yet, he, like every other Government minister, UK or Irish, hasnt the balls to say what should happen when one of the parties refuses to endorse, as they surely will, the policing arrangement and will therefore fail to pass the democratic threshhold.

[Peter]

Actually Andrew, you do need a licence in NI for fireworks. This was legislated a few years ago and shops can no longer sell fireworks legally. But the usual suspects have stepped in to fill the gap and the fireworks law, like so many other laws here, is widely flouted.

However, things are still better than a few years ago when fireworks were legally on sale in every corner shop 365 days of the year and the firework "season" ran from late August to late November.

[kloot]

yet, he, like every other Government minister, UK or Irish, hasnt the balls to say what should happen when one of the parties refuses to endorse, as they surely will, the policing arrangement and will therefore fail to pass the democratic threshhold.

But iluvni, I thought this was a simple formulate. no guns..oops, sorry , no policing no government. Simple as that. If you dont sign up, the other side says no. Fair nuff.

as for McDowell, or McDull the minister for no fun as I like to call him. He is a muppet. We stopped listening to this guy ages ago....you would do well to follow us on this one. Bet ya didnt know that it was his grandad that tried to put off the 1916 rising, his grandad was the one that caused the consusion as to whether the thing was to happen or not.

[Reg]

"And you'll never be in a position to legislate for Northern Ireland"

Not for a wee while anyway ;)

[smcgiff]

'We want answers.'

No like, 'Ye want a sense of humour!'

[Andrew McCann]

The Catholic population is 44% and, given the remarkable changes in ethnic diversity since the Census, we are unsure as to whether the Catholic population has risen, fallen or remained relatively constant.

A significant proportion of Catholics also support the Union, a fact given credence in just about any academic book on the politics of NI.

The bit about the British government having no strategic interest, etc. was the phrase used by a government minister long since departed from the scene. It has absolutely no basis in law, nor does it appear in the Belfast Agreement, the St Andrews Agreement or in Acts relating to implementation.

Take it from me, chum. The Republic will never be in a position to legislate for Northern Ireland.

[kloot]

The bit about the British government having no strategic interest, etc. was the phrase used by a government minister long since departed
from the scene.

Andrew,

Are you saying that the British government does have a strategic interest in NI. Are you saying that if NI was...big if..was to vote itself out of the Union that the British government would take action to prevent it ? Do you see the government as being pro active for the union with NI ? If so, how so ?

On the point of the republic legislating for NI, fair nuff, I cant ever see the Republic writing legislation for NI. But I can, and this is only my little humble opinion, see some association existing between NI and the ROI in the future. An association of equals.

The union is slowly being picked away. Scottish, Welsh parliaments and now talk of an English parliament is encouraging the conditions where the UK becomes less relevant. I dont think that you can deny that there is, rightly or wrongly, alot more nationalism in the wind in the UK these days. This cannot surely be good for the long term future of NI.

[Andrew McCann]

The legal position is that Westminster, as the sovereign body, can veto an act of cession. As for the Union, it will only be unpicked once the various Acts of Union have been repealed.

Yes, there are stirrings of separatism in Scotland and Wales, but there were similar cries in the 1970s. As for NI/ROI association, you've got all you're going to get!

[kloot]

As for NI/ROI association, you've got all you're going to get!

Sorry andrew. Didnt mean to give the impression that the overtures for a further association would come from the ROI. I reckon they will come from north of the border. The ROI doesnt particularily need NI. Its done just fine without it for the last 90 years. NI features way down the list when it come to election time. NI however is in a position where its position or its status will always be in question. While the nationalist minority in NI will I believe participate and uphold the NI government, I dont believe that they will ever give up on their position of wanting a United Ireland of sorts. And they cant be forced to either.