10/12/2013 Stormont Today


10/12/2013

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Hello. Welcome to Stormont Today. Coming up: MLAs go on the attack

:00:26.:00:33.

over the lack of a Sexual Orientation Strategy. . I find the

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DUP's attitude in this particular position to be Seine phobic,

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homophobic and claustrophobic. The Road Racing Bill passes its final

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stage. On this occasion I am very happy to be a member of this

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Assembly because we've done something positive, constructive. We

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operated the committee system in the way it should be. I am joined by

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Gerry Millar to look at the final sitting of the Assembly before

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Christmas. Yet again the Assembly was divided

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on an issue involving the gay community. The office of the First

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and Deputy First Ministers was accused of dragging its heels on

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producing a Sexual Orientation Strategy. Some MLAs singled out the

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Dup. It is about the absence of

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discrimination. About ensuring people are treated the same

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regardless of difference. From home phobic bullying in schools to tragic

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incidents of hate crime and suicide, far too many lesbian, gay, bisexual

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and transgender people are subjected to discrimination because of their

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sexual orientation or gender identity. This is as outdated as it

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is wrong. Junior minister Newton in 2010 suggested to the House that a

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strategy was imminent. Then on 18th June last, his successor made clear

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it was an intention to publish a revised Sexual Orientation Strategy

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by the end of last year. There seems to be a commitment to test opinion

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on issues about the right to live a free life, free of intimidation and

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fear. I do not believe, given the section 75 of the Northern Ireland

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Act that we need to test those opinions. Let's get on and support

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the strategy. No-one is above the law. To that end, there is in the

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document a commitment to publishing a Sexual Orientation Strategy aimed

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at ensuring that people of the community are not subjected to such

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crimes. This House should be acquainted with the stage we're at

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in this process. I would refer everyone back to a question answered

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by Jonathan Bale in Question Time on the 13th October this year. I quote

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- a consultation document that will inform public consultation on the

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strategy is under consideration in the department. That strategy will

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be published once the consultation process has been completed. I

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noticed that Miss Lo asked the question - is it two parties not

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agreeing. I think it is. It is obviously Sinn Fein stand on issues

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of equality. It needs to be pointed out that it could ring hollow to

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some that it is being brought forward by the Alliance Party.

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Some have failed to show up to vote. However, Sinn Fein has been highly

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supportive of the community. It is obvious where the blockage is on

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this issue. This is about delivering for those people in our society who

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have been left behind, because far too often this House tells them they

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are not a full member of our community, that they don't have a

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right to play their full part in our society. It is about time that we

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started sending them a different message. I find the DUP's attitude

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in this particular position to be Seine phobic, homophobic and claws

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-- zenophobic, homophobic and claustrophobic.

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I want you to rule on that, Deputy Speaker or the speaker to rule on

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it. It is out of order, in my book. I have never been home phobic to

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anyone. The member has his remarks on the record. Can I remind members

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that members are allowed to be critical. I just do not get it. Why?

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One particular section of the community, somehow is to be elevated

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to this special status - this privileged position, where they are

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to be given for themselves some specific strategy that doesn't apply

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to anyone else. That is inequality. It is worth noting since devolution

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in 2007, not a single penny has come from them to support groups working

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with LGBT community and trying to help them to exercise their rights

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and to fight and to tackle discrimination. Not a single penny.

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I think that is an indictment of this Assembly and of OMFD. The

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motion was carried by 48-30. I am joined nour by the journalist --

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joined now by the journalist Gerry Millar. It seems the DUP,

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apparently, out of step with the other parties? The public are losing

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confidence. So much log jam. Mike Nesbitt pointed out one of the

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issues, one of the subjects held in the log jam is a way to solve the

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log-jam. It has gone on too long. As we know, some of the things

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mentioned today, the problems people are suffering, problems of hok

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phobic bullying or hate -- homophobic bullying or hate crimes.

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It may have taken place thousands of miles away, but the celebration of

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the life of Nelson Mandela today caused a bit of division in the

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House. Personally, I am surprised that maybe the First Minister or

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maybe a senior unionist is not going to the funeral. We know that peace

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talks were hosted in 1997. He was central to the peace process here.

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It is like an early Christmas present to Sinn Fein that they will

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take all the press attention with Martin McGuinness going.

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Let's hear from a member of the executive who was asked a question.

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He made it clear, he wanted answers to key questions about who was

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representing the executive and Northern Ireland in South Africa

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this week. Let's hear what he had to say. Many people, I think, across

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Northern Ireland will understandably feel it is not appropriate for the

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Deputy First Minister to attend alone, pro-purporting to represent

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-- purporting to represent Northern Ireland. I find myself sympathetic

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to that position, given we learn that Gerry Adams will attend, does

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not improve that situation. I am not aware whether the First Minister

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declined an invitation and whether he agreed to the Deputy First

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Minister representing or the people of Northern Ireland. Danny Kennedy,

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not a bit happy with how things worked out as far as the

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arrangements are concerned. What is your best guess as to how that

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situation came about? E-Prince Charles will be there. -- Prince

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Charles will be there. Sinn Fein officials will be there. I

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think it is a sort of event, if you can call it an' vent, a sad event,

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that your political leaders should be there. I am surprised. On the

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other hand, there is an argument you do the Pope and I do the Queen. They

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do divide certain duties among themselves, to whatever fits best.

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Interesting to see if we do get any more information about what exactly,

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how it worked out, the way it did. One last issue on the road racing

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bill, which we will see more about in just a moment. Showing MLAs can

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get things done when they put their minds to it. 24 days - an accelerate

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accelerated Bill, if you excuse the pun. The other thing I am amazed

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probably so few people sit and watch a real debate, but when you do, how

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pleasant, effective and how respectful everybody is.

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Particularly with members of the opposing political parties. It was

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very effective and how we want to see our politicians work. Thank you

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very much. The Assembly often comes in for criticism for the pace it

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works at. Today, our MLAs proved they can really get motoring when

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they want to. Just three weeks after it was introduced, the Road Racing

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Bill was passed. It will become law in March, in time for next year's

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Northwest 200. After an accelerated passage through the House. That yuz

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not to say there was -- that is not to say there was not some

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disagreement along the way. It has been integral to bring the bill to

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this stage. The key facet with us to bring it through the accelerated

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passage process in order that it would progress through the Assembly

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and receive Royal Assent before 31st March, 2014. This could not have

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happened without the support of the committee, who the minister must

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seek approval of, understanding order 42 and the support of this

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House when the motion on accelerated passage is debated. Consequence of

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approving the motion was that the committee stage was removed from the

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legislative process. This is, as I have said, integral to the passing

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of this Bill because it saved a significant time period. Meryvn

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White and his 800 colleagues who work on this deserved the outcome

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that they have got and most certainly if the process had been

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derailed, then they would not have deserved that. I am very, very

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happy. On this occasion, I am very happy to be a member of this

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Assembly because we've done something, absolutely positive,

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constructive. We operate the committee system and the way it

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should be. We've got the support of the minister who exercised extreme

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wisdom and how he handled it. I am very happy, Mr Speaker. The

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regional development committee not xablly known as the most overworked

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committee in the build building did drop the ball on this piece of

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legislation and it is quite obvious that it dropped the ball the very

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fact that the only real scrutiny this that Bill came under ended up

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come from these benches and especially from Mr McAllister. That

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was the only scrutiny that came. This Bill, Mr Speaker, would have

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gone through this House unamended. This Bill, in its final form, is not

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all I would have wished it to be. I would have wished its pro-decktion

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of -- protection of Sunday to be stronger. Undoubtedly it emerges

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through the processes of this House as a better Bill than what it

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entered as, by virtue of amendments made. And I am grateful to have had

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the opportunity to make some contribution to that and equally

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grateful that, for the evolution of support, which eventually made some

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of those changes possible. I welcome the fact and have no issue with the

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fact that the amendments that have been incorporated now into this bill

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I think will give comfort, particularly to both the member

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members of congregations and churches who exist on the course of

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the north-west 200 and indeed churchgoers in that general area.

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The Regional Development Minister, Danny Kennedy, welcoming the new

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road ras racing legislation. Ulster Bank has asked for a postponement to

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appear before computer problems. There was a briefing requested for

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tomorrow. The committee member Daithi McKay joins me now. Just to

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recap, that was another embarrassing episode for the Ulster Bank last

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week. It was. It has damaged their reputation once again. It is not

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something they want to see in the committee, not something the public

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want to see. The idea of inviting the bank to the committee was so the

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bank had an opportunity to provide some assurances to customers and to

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give us a rough idea of where they are going in terms of their IT

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system. There has been some indication that they are going to

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decouple some of the IT system from RBS. I believe that's the way to go

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and something that wants to be looked. Do you accept that when

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executives do appear in the New Year they will be better placed to answer

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some of the questions than they would have been if they appeared at

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such short notice? When it comes to that coming before committees this

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kind of excuse comes up again and again, when the Ulster Bank or any

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other witness is under pressure sometimes it is better to play it

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safe in terms of trying to postpone for a few weeks. I am disappointed

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they are not coming before the committee tomorrow. There is a

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history of some avoiding coming before committees. The Ulster Bank

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will have an opportunity to come before the committee to answer

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questions in relation to that. We also have time to prepare some other

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questions and to some very concerned in there and there is the Ulster

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Bank, the GRG, controversy that emerged a couple of weeks ago as

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well. Theish shoo u was debated in the -- the issue was debated last

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week. It was suggested the Ulster Bank could be separated from RBS. Is

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that something that should be looked at? Is that something your committee

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has a view on? Well, the committee would not have a view on that as

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yet. It is something we are concerned about and there is a

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variety of views with regards to the banks. I met with some business

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representatives today. They believe that banks, access to finance are

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some of the biggest issues facing the local economy here at the

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moment. It is in everyone's interest the Ulster Bank should get back to

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where it should be. Ultimately that is what we all want to see in the

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months and years ahead. Can I ask you about one final issue. You

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tabled a debate on the state of Ballymena bus and train station. Are

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facilities really that bad that they need to be discussed on the floor of

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the Assembly? Ballymena is the station that translink forgot. I use

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it on regular occasions. It has not been updated -- upgraded since 1981.

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Ballymena passengers there are entitled to a good service. First

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class, 21st century service. Ballymena, unfortunately has been

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left behind. It is up to the RD menster and translink to answer the

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question as to why it is the question. If it did not get a

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satisfactory answer from the minister there today. It is

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somethingly be pursuing in the near future. Daithi McKay, thank you. It

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has been a long time coming, but the Social Development Minster told the

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Assembly he hopes to bring the welfare Welform Reform Bill forward

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in the New Year. Before he discussed welfare reform,

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he faced a tough time over the Housing Executive. Mr Speaker, I

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acknowledge the minister's answer. It was a question about whether he

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had apologised or planned to apologise to the four contractors

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who he said had overcharged by an estimated ?18 million.

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If the minister is not going to apologise, could he give us an

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assessment of the damage both in finances and reputational to those

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four companies from quoting a figure, on 10th June, which he

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realises was wrong? I am not sure whether the member was

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actually listening to what I said. It may be necessary to repeat for

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his information the fact that the figure quoted initially was provided

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by the chair of the housing executive. The second figure was the

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figure quoted and produced in the report by Campbell Tacal. There is a

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piece of work still on going, whereby the contractors and the

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Housing Executive together need to come to a final figure as to the

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level of repayments that will be required. The question was and

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again, I find this difficult to deal with because the members don't seem

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to listen. There was nothing to apologise for and therefore there

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would not be an apology. We know from the report that it came with a

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very severe caveat because that report confirms that it was given as

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a broad-brush estimate in need of refinement as more evidence is

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generated. Why did the minister give no mention

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to that in his rush in this House to headline the ?18 million figure? I

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made it clear at the time this was p only an estimate. The fact is, and I

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have said this already this afternoon - it doesn't matter

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whether it is ?5 ?10 - when there are millions overpaid by the Housing

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Executive to housing contractors, any responsible person will firstly

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recognise it is a serious issue and any sensible person will recognise

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the minister in the relevant department has a responsibility to

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make it known to members of this aaccept be. There would have been

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cries from all quarters if there had not been a report like this T I did

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the right thing to make --. Like this. I did the right thing to make

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the information available. Does the minister believe the Welform Reform

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Bill would have made any progress before the end of the year?

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Considering the deadline of the New Year, when they said that the

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devolved situation here will have to face bills of ?5 million per month?

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At the last meeting of the xufive, oh -- executive, a meeting has been

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scheduled for 16th December. It really is a one-item agenda. I don't

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know what else there'll be on the agenda other than one item. That is,

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how do we move this forward. I hope we can make progress after that

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meeting next Monday. Given the Christmas recess, the earliest any

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Bill can be brought back to the executive for decision would be 16th

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January. If we meet that deadline, then I could expect the Bill to

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receive Royal Assent by March/early April.

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The Regional Development Minister, Danny Kennedy, was also on his feet

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today - bus passes for pensioners, rural transport and European money

:20:37.:20:43.

were on his agenda. Despite an extension being granted to do so

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presents the executive with a stark reality. That is simply, use it or

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lose it. The latter option must nt be allowed to happen -- must not be

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allowed to happen. That n that respect, my department

:21:00.:21:04.

has a proven track record in drawing down and spending out European

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funds. My department has recently been approach approached - they are

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trying to put it to in projects. The work of the enterprise would be, I

:21:18.:21:22.

suppose, the most significant, project that is potentially

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available to us. I am, however, aware of others and I believe there

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is a scheme being brought forward by the sthorts in the republic --

:21:35.:21:40.

authority in the Republic of Ireland.

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They will always have special significance to us here. Late

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lamented comedian James Young said, we won the battle, but they got the

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river. At least they are looking after us. Would the minister agree

:21:54.:22:00.

that in many rural areas a translink bus is as usual as an ice train if

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it is not linked with community transport. Is he satisfied with the

:22:08.:22:12.

level of co-operation to make the integration more complete? Better

:22:13.:22:17.

collaboration. Better integration of services because, you know, the

:22:18.:22:23.

rural community can, in many ways, be isolated. It is important that we

:22:24.:22:28.

make strenuous efforts to improve that and to en ensure that our

:22:29.:22:36.

public transport systems are not just urban-based or particular

:22:37.:22:41.

particularly Belfast-based. If the minister was listening to Radio

:22:42.:22:45.

Ulster this morning, he would have heard of the sincere worries from

:22:46.:22:51.

senior citizens to the threat of their senior smartcard. Will the

:22:52.:22:54.

minister support the hands-off campaign? Will he give a cat gor

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ribbing guarantee that the smartcard will remain, come high or hell

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water? Let me say, under my watch, let me be clear - under my watch - I

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don't intend to fundamentally overhaul the concessionary scheme

:23:14.:23:17.

that we have. Danny Kennedy lending his support to current arrangements.

:23:18.:23:22.

The Education Minister said both he and the Health Minister recognise

:23:23.:23:27.

the need for co-copration around special education. He was --

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co-operation around special education. The motion was tabled by

:23:32.:23:38.

the DUP. To tackle underachievement the earlier you tackle it in a

:23:39.:23:42.

child's development, the better it was for the child in the long-term.

:23:43.:23:49.

And the thing that really was very startling was you almost need to

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tackle it at birth. We know that a child from a socially disadvantaged

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background is more likely likely to not achieve. When I started in the

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committee, almost the first matter that I remember being discussed. Was

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early years. And that is now 20 months ago and we are still nowhere.

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We need the joined-up solution. We need a lead department. We need it

:24:21.:24:24.

for those with special education needs. I have a list of ten

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questions that were submitted to me by a parent. If I can raise a few of

:24:31.:24:34.

them. The parent that asked, why was my request for extra help on

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assessment denied for five years? Why was my child subjected to years

:24:43.:24:50.

of bullying, being called "stupid" and "thick" and other little girlsle

:24:51.:24:55.

would not let her -- girls would not let her join in with the play? Why

:24:56.:25:00.

was the special needs teacher allowed to teach the main capable

:25:01.:25:06.

children and hand my daughter paper and crayons and told her to sit

:25:07.:25:11.

quietly at the back of the classroom and colour in? In 2010, as a

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researcher for the MLA I Saturday in a party for children and young

:25:20.:25:22.

people and was presented with the strategy by an official. When I

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asked the question, what collaboration has been there been

:25:29.:25:33.

with the Department of Health? I was told this is a Department of

:25:34.:25:39.

Education strategy. Now, this was an early years strategy - 0-6. It meant

:25:40.:25:45.

it started at age three. It was a strategy that was going to miss out

:25:46.:25:50.

three years of the development of our children's lives. The questions

:25:51.:25:56.

posed by Mr Newton on behalf of a current - I can not validate the

:25:57.:26:02.

authenticity of the questions. You don't need to change the legislation

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to protect that child's rights T school in question is failing that

:26:08.:26:11.

child. Under skurnlt legislation. Snoo if he comes to speak to me

:26:12.:26:16.

privately and identifies the school to me, which he claims as allowing

:26:17.:26:24.

the child to be bullied in the playground and a teacher feels it is

:26:25.:26:30.

appropriate to exclude that child at seven, I can assure the member I

:26:31.:26:38.

will deal with that personally. That is unacceptable. That legislation

:26:39.:26:42.

has to be implemented on the ground. I believe that the Department of

:26:43.:26:45.

Health and the Department of Education are working very well

:26:46.:26:49.

together in relation to supporting our young people with special

:26:50.:26:53.

educational needs. Of course we can improve the services on the ground.

:26:54.:26:57.

When there are failings they need to be corrected. If it is the will of

:26:58.:27:02.

the House, as we are processing the same legislation to place a

:27:03.:27:05.

co-operation clause in the legislation and it is there for the

:27:06.:27:10.

benefits of young people, then I can assure they will not face any

:27:11.:27:15.

resistance from myself. Gerry Millar is with me once again. The last day

:27:16.:27:19.

of the Assembly today before the Christmas break. Some interesting

:27:20.:27:24.

performances? I think more than interesting performances. Very valid

:27:25.:27:28.

issues. Their were discussing how best to identify children with

:27:29.:27:32.

problems between the ages of 0-6. It is what we want a politician to do,

:27:33.:27:39.

to perfect legislation or solve it actually internally. One issue about

:27:40.:27:43.

that is it is unclear, I think the minister pointed it out, it is

:27:44.:27:47.

unclear whether it can be resolved by legislation or through better

:27:48.:27:51.

practise, or making better practise into common practise, which is what

:27:52.:27:56.

someone suggested today. It is great to see politicians spending hours

:27:57.:28:01.

debating these issues. Dr Haass is back in Belfast. He started to talk

:28:02.:28:06.

to the parties again. Do you expect he'll reach a resolution before the

:28:07.:28:13.

Christmas break? He discusses the most contention one and he seems to

:28:14.:28:18.

be making progress on it. We suspect our politicians will have to work

:28:19.:28:21.

over Christmas, which nobody is complaining about. I think a few

:28:22.:28:25.

journalists may have to as well. I think everyone needs a break.

:28:26.:28:31.

Deadlines here - nobody can stick to deadlines. I would not be surprised

:28:32.:28:35.

if Dr Haass were to stay over Christmas. Our politicians will take

:28:36.:28:42.

advantage of that. Thank you. That's it for tonight. We will be back for

:28:43.:28:47.

the first day of the new term on 13th January. Make a point for

:28:48.:28:56.

joining me for the View. Enjoy the of Christmas break. Goodbye.

:28:57.:29:00.

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