24/11/2016 The View

He launched what he called the biggest shake-up in rates

for a generation, and now has a ?277 million bonus

from the Chancellor to spend on infrastructure.

Tonight on The View, I'll be asking the Finance Minister

how he's going to spend the cash, and if his DUP colleagues are

His plans to lift the rates cap for the most valuable homes

here could put him on a collision course with his DUP Executive

colleagues, so how does Mairtin O'Muilleoir plan

And is this just the first step on the road to Stormont raising

more of its own revenue in the years ahead?

Is it time for Tourism Ireland to level the playing field

with Dublin, and promote the International Airport

here as the world's gateway to the island?

There's no real comparison between Belfast Airport and Dublin airport

in terms of capacity or skill. I think it is clear that the agenda of

tourism Ireland has been very much focused on Dublin.

And MLAs are always watching their language at Stormont,

but what's been causing a stink in the Canadian parliament?

And, as fragrant and fresh as ever, our commentators

It's been a big week for the Minister charged

Mairtin O Mulleoir announced his plans to change the rating system

to raise more revenue - and he got the guts of an extra

300 million from the Treasury to spend on infrastructure.

But will it be enough to provide the strong capital stimulus

Indeed evening. The Chancellor allocated UN extra ?277 million

yesterday. That is all most ?70 million for four years. How are you

going to spend its? We put the Chancellor under pressure, myself,

the Chancellor dot-mac Finance ministers for Wales and Scotland as

well. When you speak for a 10 million people, it has an effect on

Westminster. We got part of the result we wanted. I was hoping to a

figure closer to 500 million. That is a boost and it will help others

as we approach this capital budget for four years. Around 5 billion

will have an economic stimulus. It is very important. Posterity is not

finished. The other requesters we made of the Chancellor is to bend

the sturdy agenda. Do not cut budgets. I am not surprise you want

to make that point. You have this cash windfall for want of a better

description. Will it go on existing priorities, the regional sports

stadium, the Belfast hub? Executive ministers will have to meet and

consider the entire budget. I been working very hard with the ministers

this week. We had clarity this week and we know at the Chancellor wants

to do. It will take the few weeks to come to some conclusions with our

figures. As they travel across the Jewish diction bat jurisdiction,

have had the pleasure of meeting many people. Everybody has a great

plan. We need to match that ambition. I've been in many areas

with great plans. Deri wants to create a new space. Look like you

are at a decline of Belfast of course. With the city of Belfast

benefit from that kind of spending? You could pay for that and still

have money left over. I do not use the term flying the flag any more,

that got me into trouble some time ago. I brought the 11 councils

together in the first finance minister did that. I said I wanted

to partner the dynamic councils if the all step up. That has been

transferred by most of the councils and for the first time ever, Liz

Burn Council has approached me and said they want to spend money on

infrastructure. The Azmi to match that. Will you? I had an interesting

conversation. We talked about it today. The First Minister is

thinking the same. There might be a lot of little projects that you are

spending the money on? I am also a great believer in the guy who

created central part in New York who said make no little plans. We do the

flagship projects, we have to deliver those. The mother and

Children's Hospital in Belfast, the roads, we will deliver those. We

need to make a big impact. I talked about the thunderclap of the

economy. We need to the cranes above the cities and above the villages

and towns right across the jurisdiction. Small is beautiful,

too. When I go into small places. We need a new fire station in one area.

Do I have the money at this stage? I do not know. I want to get positive,

transformative plans. I want people to see evidence of the peace

protest. -- process. I met some of you talking about pivotal Irish

language projects. Elek people to see evidence of these processes in

terms of new buildings in use. You're open to suggestions, you have

no fixed idea at the moment? I have a lot of ideas. You don't have a

fixed idea of how you're going to spend that money? Have some projects

that I will champion. The Government works according to criteria and

Harry Lester projects that are inescapable. They had to be business

plan approved. We are not just going to pick projects out of a hat. The

minister wants to spend ?80 million on the progress it you has

championed. We will need to sit down. The demands are infinite in

the resources are finite. You want to remove the cap on domestic rates

to raise about four and have million pounds for your department. This is

a start of a public conversation about revenue? Is the principal in

terms of property tax, if you can pay, you should pay. Let's have a

broader shouldering of the burden. It shouldn't just be those who are

in a middle class, the hard-working middle-class who don't get any help

with their rates, because they are not entitled to housing benefit. If

you live in a house valued over ?4000, filming is unreasonable to

say you should pay more according to the value of the home. -- ?400,000.

If it was ?1 million, we are not ask you to pay the full distance, it has

been eight or nine years that those larger houses have benefited from

the rate cap. I think in terms of citizenship people should pay more

if they can. Those who live in bigger houses can hopefully support

this. Is the DUP going to support it? Have you greeted with those

colleagues already? No. I have not agreed it with any of the Assembly

members, I said it to the Assembly members on Tuesday. These are my

thoughts. The DUP know what they are and it is a package. I think it will

transform our local economy. We have never partnered hospitality and

industrialism together. We have talked about it a lot. This is our

attempt to do that. I just want to be absolutely clear that you did not

agree in advance of your public announcement your views with the

DUP? No. The DUP is opposed to it, has not agreed to it and will

contest it. Is that your understanding? The DUP have to speak

for themselves. She has. I am confident that the proposals stand

up for supper daisy shake-up for the first time ever or, it has not

happened before. There was a red line in the DUP in St Andrews in

2006. We will come back to that. We have never tried in society to do

this, it is common in other countries. The University of Ulster

which reviewed our existing reach release schemes that they don't

work, they have no economic impact and we should try new things. What

I'm saying is I have unveiled a suite of measures, the DUP will

study them and hook onto a decision. Want to come onto those issues in a

moment. I have not finished with the rate cap, you don't mind. You'll

talked about those middle-class working class who will tap to pay

extra. If you look at previous pronouncements from the DUP in a

parody on retaining the cap is that has values are not necessarily a

reliable indicator of ability to pay. Do you accept that? The DUP

would have to speak to throw themselves about that policy. I'm

asking for your opinion. It is my considered view on the rates we ask

for from people. It is also the view of people who have studied this on

our behalf over the years who have said we need to raise more revenue.

If you live in a hazard is valued at ?1.2 million you should pay more.

Bill Gates in Washington owns a property that... Is not relevant.

Hammond houses worth ?1 million are the? If you let me tell the anecdote

than you can decide that is relevant or not. He pays property taxes of $1

million. If you lived in Belfast, those rates would be $5,000. If you

live in a greater value house what we're asking you is to make a

greater contribution, but we are going to new on the introduction of

that, not ask you to pay the full amount. I have to say of course that

my e-mail inbox has been buzzing with this. Generally I find that the

two constituencies affected and the people in that bracket are generally

willing to say they can contribute more and will do so. And MSP in your

constituency made the point in the house on Tuesday that a lot of

households affected by this removal of the cap will be families whose

budgets are already stretched and to pay for everything. The introduction

of an additional charge an annual budget would be very difficult.

These are tough times. Why make them tougher? I need these families and I

am aware of hard-working people and how tough things are. What we need

to do is raise more money to pay for services people are asking for.

Every time I listen to the radio people say I need to do more to help

services in health and if we don't raise more money as a society then

we cannot do that. That is interesting. Let me finish if I may.

When this process is finished, and I believe I will get the support of

the Assembly and of all parties, when that is finished, we will still

have lower rates than the hard in Scotland and Wales. Very quickly,

charity shops have to start paying their way. You wanted introduced

rates of 10%. Why is not been any conversation about farmers paying

rates? If it is OK for charities, why not charities? One at the time.

I had a big meeting this morning in north Belfast with representatives

of the charity sector. They accept reluctantly that if you have a place

on the high street as we would see, you need to make a small

contribution. I'm suggesting and I will be open to be led by the

consultation, that we give them 90% relief with a contribution. I

understand that, but why are former is still paying nothing? That is a

different situation. People want to bring that up, they can. You have

not introduced it. The proposition was about properties on the high

streets. That is a different conversation that no doubt will

happen but the agricultural industry. Our conversation for now

is to keep the relief in place and we should not have rates on forming

properties. Up cause there are reformers who live in homes that pay

rates. But they don't know it agricultural buildings. How

disappointed are you for it wanting to hold onto the generational rates.

If you were there you would be hopping mad. We are getting into

political football here which I am going to avoid. I certainly am. He

was at his local club earlier tonight. Do you welcome what he did

with regeneration? I will get to that. I want to pay credit to Paul

and he said he was travelling and I welcome that. He has an open invite

from me to visit and Irish language project. We have discussed this many

times. He knows my view on the regeneration of local councils and

he knows I am disappointed, but it is my belief that we would be

stronger partners. Part isn't convinced of that at the moment. I

work with cancelled everyday. I am continuing to work with them. Even

this morning we have 200 million pounds being spent on new offices in

Belfast. Canny patient changes mind? Are you going to continue that

conversation and persuade him he is wrong? I am going to tell the City

Council not to give up. I think the leadership of the City Council,

especially Belfast, is exemplary. They need to keep arguing for it.

They are not content to sit on their hands are neither am I.

Let's hear what our commentators Fionnuala O'Connor and

Do you get a sense that Sinn Fein and the DUP have discussed

this rates review behind closed doors?

Indeed. I don't know that the result would be any different from what we

have just hard. I always appreciate how fast he talks. I notice the only

time Winnie Pace fastened was when asked about farmers and he said

well, well, well. I think that Israeli telling. I think the

question about rates for farmers is the touchy question, as much for

Sinn Fein as it would be for a DUP minister. If you're serious about

raising more revenue and you decide you want to remove the cap on

?400,000 houses so people do the bit for the economy. Some people will

say, the same argument applies for farmers. It should. And for water as

well. It is not a lot in the grand scheme of things looking at the

demands made of him as a finance minister and the Executive. I would

be astonished if the DUP bought into this. I'm not saying they haven't

had the conversation, but I would be surprised if they have had it. What

worries me is the fact that all the way through that interview, he kept

saying that he had not really discussed it and we were still

talking about it. I would have thought the Executive should have

done. They knew something was coming and should have done forward

thinking. We have another incident where people don't know what to do

now. Four years down and now we will be asking for more money.

Interesting that there is clear water between Paul Givan and Mairtin

O Muilleoir here, is not happy with what Paul Givan has done. There is

bound to be gaps between them on lots of things. On south Belfast and

North Down, and would like to make a declaration of interest, I suspect

my house would be in this back -- bracket, and I would be more than

happy to pay and I think this is the sort of PR that Sinn Fein into

project. It is a big part of what is happening at the moment. It goes

down well with people and if the DUP block it that is exactly what you

want, in a sense. Thank you both, and we'll

hear more from you later The head of Belfast International

Airport has criticised Tourism Ireland and told

the Taoiseach that the all-island body needs to refocus its work north

of the border after the UK's The comments by Graham Keddie,

the airport's managing director, are contained in a strongly worded

letter to Enda Kenny which has been Here's our political

correspondent, Stephen Walker. The battle for tourists has always

been competitive. After all, it's a multi-million pound business that

generates tens of thousands of jobs. Brexit has taken that fight for

visitors into a new dimension. But what does all this mean for tourism

on the island of Ireland customer does this new economic and political

order mean it's time for change? Welcome to Ryanair, it's great to

have you back. Thank you. Graham Keddie is the managing director of

Belfast International Airport and was invited by end Kenny to the all

Ireland civic dialogue on Brexit but was unable to attend. In a letter

obtained by The View, he wrote to the leadership. He said a weaker

pound makes Northern Ireland a much more proposition for tourists from

Great Britain. The flip side is that a stronger euro makes the Republic

of Ireland much more expensive, and therefore much mirth -- less

attractive. The body responsible for promoting the island of Ireland

overseas is Tourism Ireland. Graham Keddie says changed economic times

means there needs to be a shift in emphasis. He wrote to the Taoiseach:

Mr Keddie claims Belfast is ideally placed to benefit. He added:

so, is Graham Keddie right? I think it's very clear that the agenda of

Tourism Ireland has very much been Dublin focused and here we have an

International Airport operating in Northern Ireland and its CEO

spinning out loud and clear that it wants a fair crack of the whip, and

once Tourism Ireland to do his job and do see Northern Ireland to the

Gateway into the island of Ireland not be Dublin airport. So the

criticisms Tourism Ireland fair? Should the body plays a greater

emphasis into matters north of the border? And does it make economic or

indeed practical sense for Belfast to be the Gateway into Ireland?

Earlier this month, US airline United announced it was to stop

flying between Belfast and New York. The only direct air link between

Northern Ireland and the United States. It came after a rescue deal

was backed by the Northern Ireland executive but Belfast International

Airport said the European Commission blocked the funding on the grounds

it was state aid. This we can only judge people on their past record

and we don't look have far back, to see that United air lines being our

only to Atlantic flight being lost, and then to make bold statements

such as that, in the heat of that, doesn't really have much

credibility, to be fair, and that's unfortunate. I would love to say

that that would be the day, but we do have, thankfully, Dublin

International Airport, and many of us have had to turn to Dublin as the

only route to such places as America. So how will Graham Keddie's

criticism be viewed in Dublin? Down south as it were, I think people

will be shocked at just how explosive the letter is because it

really lays down the gauntlet is not just at the tourism level but also

at a political level but it's quite partisan in the sense that it

appears to accuse Tourism Ireland of itself being partisan, that it

doesn't seem to promote Northern Ireland in the same way as the

Republic. When contacted by The View, a spokesman for the airport

said they had no wish to add anything to Mr Keddie's letter which

they described as constructive and helpful. In response, Tourism

Ireland said they will launch their plans to promote Northern Ireland in

2017, in Belfast next week. Building on the record growth they have seen

in 2016. Whilst there may be a difference of opinion over how

Ireland should be marketed abroad, politicians north and south are at

least agreed that Brexit has the potential to change the political

and economic climate on the island. The Republic is going to be severely

hit by Brexit, and it doesn't benefit us in Northern Ireland to

have a south of Ireland which is in economic decline, both of us have to

do well. We exported to the Republic and we want to see their economy do

well so that it is important that they do have success, and I think

that in the Republic of the media and the government are hiding the

fact from the people that in fact they are going to be severely hit

unless something is done quickly. Bringing more visitors here remains

an island-wide objective. This intervention by Graham Keddie may

not be universally supported, but it illustrates the tensions that exist

in the crucial all Ireland industry, a business that is looking for

certainty in the post-Brexit world. Joining me now is the Ulster

Unionist MLA Steve Aiken and in our Dublin studio,

the Director General of the British/Irish Chamber

of Commerce, John McGrane. Steve Aitken though I can you see

where Graham Keddie's coming from? Yes, I can, and I think it was

actually a very well-balanced letter that Graham wrote because one of the

key things we have seen out in particularly with the falling

sterling, with many routes coming into Belfast International and the

City Airport it is a great opportunity and we should help to

promote Belfast International Airport, Belfast City Airport and

above all Northern Ireland as the gateway to the island of Ireland,

and bearing in mind because you know, we give about the third of the

budget for Tourism Ireland, a third of their money should be spent in

Northern and is spent promoting Northern Ireland, but not just for

Northern Ireland but making it more of a Gateway, using the great value

for people, with hotel accommodation, great food, great

tourism destination, and then going across the whole island of Ireland.

When John and I worked together in the British Irish Chamber of

Commerce, I was pushing this idea of a gateway opportunity. Dublin is a

great gateway but so is Belfast International Airport. I think

Graham's letter was born that you are spot on. What did you make of

this proposition for the Gateway crawled the Ireland which has a big

thumbs up from Stephen here? Graham's letter is utterly sensible

from his point of view, and tourism in Northern Ireland is at record

levels and indeed Belfast International Airport and Graham

leadership is at record levels. 5 million passengers this year. That

doesn't make it the natural choice for the world's customers. Why not?

Here is the thing, we have 70 international routes, most of those

are two GB, and some international destinations, whilst Dublin brings a

million visitors to the island each year, with fantastic choice to

Northern Ireland is who can use either airport and Tourism Ireland

does a fantastic job to help get behind tourism north and south, so

if anyone wants the north to do better, including in the south, the

idea that that reaches into the view of Northern Ireland becoming the

gateway to everyone else, with a very much smaller base, is probably

pretty fanciful. I wish him well with the idea but it will not

happen. That's an interesting point but I think one thing we should be

looking at, particularly with Belfast International Airport and if

we can improve links to Belfast International Airport, and maybe I

know we have regrettably Yost the United flight, but getting more

North American routing to Belfast International, perhaps due to buy or

Abu Dhabi, it gives competition. And we all want that, and that is the

reason why both airports are doing well because they are providing

great choice to customers on the island, and our visitors, and come

at you know, the idea of saying we should give, you know, ?9 million to

one airlines to one routes, when actually Northern Ireland has

reduced its funding into the promotion of Northern Ireland 's

tourism proposition through not -- Tourism Ireland to just ?11 million,

now, a 5 million fall, over 30% since 2011. Why not use that money

to promote Northern Ireland rather than just one basket. I agree,

because one of the things we would like to see it is Air Passenger Duty

being removed, VAT is being reduced to the Irish public levels, and what

we should really be doing is look at promoting two great airports,

getting lots more passengers going in, and that's the way to do. I know

a thing or two about this apart from running the largest business

enterprise I can think of in the island, I am a tourist. We visited

many many areas recently of Ireland, and it is great value, and many

people are turning north to spend their tourism pound or euro. What is

your point? You are happy to do that, that is good value, that is

attractive, you are happy to say that, and bang the drum for tourism

in Northern Ireland. But... But that doesn't make it a Gateway for the

International island of Ireland? Well, it doesn't serve many places

beyond GB. John, we don't need one date, two dates are fine. One of the

things we can do... Nobody is objecting to that, and what we are

going to do significantly better, running really well today, and it

has to be able to live up to the mission it sets for itself and it

could not do it today. It only serves holiday-makers to the sun,...

What we want to see is more international routes, particularly

routes coming from North America to Belfast. The point is you can't even

hold on to the one Tran and I dig route that we have? That is what we

need to do, Mark, we need to bring that in and attract the money. This

United had an aircraft with an 80% load factor and you're telling me a

major international airline couldn't make money on that? That's what

United says? With respect, the difference is that Northern Ireland

wanted to pay that airline that kind of money out of taxpayer funds.

Dublin airport runs as a stand-alone business without any money from the

state, no money from taxpayers... All talk over each other. Dublin

airport is a state owned airline. It earns money for the state, which it

gives. It doesn't get any money from the state. But it also gets money

from the state money, for this new runway, for example. Private money!

And it is that which it should be done and a fantastic management team

doing a great job team offered choice for the whole island, and

international travellers. Tourism Ireland has bought around a

fantastic situation for Ireland's tourism delivering 900 travel agents

promoting Northern Ireland as a tourism destination. That is a

fantastic given to the business, and that is why tourism is booming. A

couple of sentences these close, Steve. I think the great point is

that Graham pointed out the fact that a vast international can be a

really good international link to Ireland, and what we do need is new

North American routes and new routes to the middle east. I think doing

that and also the prospect of being able to work closely across the

island of Ireland, bringing people in, that's good news for the entire

island. Thanks very much both indeed.

Time now to hear more from tonight's commentators, Fionnuala and Alex.

Does Graham Keddie have a point when he says Belfast is a better

gateway to the island than Dublin in this new political

I don't to be honest. It sounds fanciful to me, and it's a shot that

he's having a go, and why wouldn't he? Perhaps it could be, but I find

the airport as it is fairly hard to see is that kind of proposition. And

Dublin does have an image that Belfast doesn't have. It's

interesting, though, and it is interesting to hear a Unionist MLA

talking about the island of Ireland very un-subconsciously and talking

about it in the warmest way to stop it a good thing to hear, and in the

best thing of all is to hear the two tourist birds could walk together,

and focus on both bits of the island. Does this conversation

fundamentally underscore the need for people to reconsider a political

and economic landscape after June by a vote for the UK to leave the EU?

Evelyn has changed. All bets are off, because you talk about things

with the Gateway to Ireland. The problem is by the time we get to

2019, 2020 when we might have some idea or of what Brexit will apply,

you can't simply say that fly into Belfast and that opens up the entire

island, because we don't know if there is going to be a border, for

example. We don't know if there will be a battle between the euro and

sterling. They could be this huge battle. All the growth factors the

Executive have to pamper the airlines with is crazy. Talking

about the Sports Minister, Paul Givan, earlier. Playing football in

Lisburn today. What did you make of it? Lovely to see. The thing is that

anything like this is lovely to see. Is it politically significant? Yes,

in a sense. The last time I saw Paul Givan doing anything similar

committee was lighting a bonfire for the 12th. And, you know, pretty

enthusiastically lighting it. So, if he can do this, and helping the GAA,

for a long time, or something be you -- a Unionist as purely separate

from a purely sporting, so it is good to see a young, fit minister

behaving like a daddy, taking the blow, taking the ball is... LAUGHTER

I meant fit in a sporting sense. I was helping you come of there! There

he was doing dad football. It was dad football, but I'd like to see

the uncut footage. That's it from The View

for this week. Join me for Sunday Politics

at 11.35 here on BBC One. But before that, here's a snippet

from the Canadian Parliament, and over there, they don't

like the wind up 'em. Why isn't he in the structure

minister talking about how to implement in the structure front and

get in the structure workers back to work in Alberta? Why does this

government Street Alberta like a Fat in the room like nobody wants to

talk about or acknowledge? That is where my constituency has been at

with this government. And by the way, constituents, there are liberal

members across the aisle that are laughing at me and therefore you. I

want to question the use of this unparliamentary word that she used.

The word she used was Fat. Is my colleagues serious? I gave an

impassioned speech, and that is what the leader of the parties called me

up # It's a marshmallow world

in the winter... # Don't fear your kitchen

THIS Christmas.