13/03/2017 Stormont Today

Hello, and welcome to Stormont Today, on the day

in the recent Assembly election came up to the chamber

But with the future of the devolved institutions right at the heart

of the ongoing talks between the parties,

the future of this place is, for now at least, far from clear.

For some it was the first day of school, but old friends

I extend a particular welcome to those who are present in the chamber

for the first time. We would also like to put on the record our

appreciation to those colleagues from all sides of the chamber who

either decided not to run, return were not re-elected.

But none of the 90 MLAs present can get back to work until the current

None of this is easy, it is all very difficult, but what we are focused

on is about bringing back devolution to Northern Ireland and that is

where my focus is I hope it's for everybody else's is as well.

And joining me to share his thoughts on today's developments

is Professor Rick Wilford from Queen's University.

They may have been successful at the ballot box ten days ago,

but this afternoon it became official as 90 freshly elected

politicians came to Stormont to formally sign in.

won't see the inside of the Assembly chamber for another fortnight

when the deadline to propose a First and Deputy First Minister runs out.

But ceremony waits for no man, nor deadline.

Please take your seats. Before we proceed with today's business, I

would like to offer my congratulations to all of you

following the election. As well as welcoming back former members, I

extend a particular welcome to those who are present in the chamber for

the first time. I would also like to put on a record our appreciation to

those colleagues from all sides of the chamber who either decided not

to run, return or I will not be elected. We thank them for their

service. Item two on the order paper it is the signing of the undertaking

and the rule of membership. Before we proceed, members, they might find

it helpful if the undertaking is read into the record. Clark, please

read the undertaking. The undertaking is as follows, to

undertake to support the rule of law unequivocally in word and deed and

to support our efforts to oppose it, to work collectively with the other

members of the Assembly to achieve the society free of paramilitaries,

to challenge all paramilitary activity and associated criminality,

to call for and to work together with the other members of the

Assembly to achieve the disbandment of all paramilitary organisations

under structures, to challenge paramilitary attempts to control

committee -- communities, to support those who are determined to make the

transition away from paramilitaries, to accept no authority, direction or

control or political activities other than the democratic mandate

alongside my own personal and party judgment.

45 minutes - that's all it took - and now the chamber sits silent

There is a symbolic value to today's procedure but it doesn't remove the

bigger issues forward at all, does it? Noel, it is a necessary

procedure they have to go through. On the first day, normally would be

electing the speaker. That has been put back by common consensus. Today,

the Senate chamber, there was a session there. From all parties in

the UK and elsewhere. Two minutes, half a minute each for them today.

When they get through it we can go into gardening leave for a couple of

weeks. Those who are not engage in their ongoing talks, of course. We

have to tread water for the next couple of weeks until maybe there is

a chink of light. Wright lives get your assessment of that talks

process. Do you see any sign at all of significant progress -- progress

at this stage? No, I don't. Wright do you have any hope there will be

in the two weeks remaining, theoretically? We don't quite know

what might happen beyond the 27th of March, ostensibly the deadline for

this round of talks. There may be an extended round of talks. As far as

broken Jaya can exercise. They started roundtable talks. -- James

Brokenshire. I don't think there is any significant sign of forward

movement at all. We don't know, for example, the extent to which there

are red lines on which party are putting down which red lines. Not

just Sinn Fein amid EU people. -- DUP. That has been postponed as an

issue and less until we get some agreement on issues. One of the

things Sinn Fein have been at some pains to stress is that this is

about implementing agreements that were struck in the past. I vividly

remember and he recounted in his member of the talks process, George

Mitchell, it is one thing to reach an agreement but it is something

completely different are actually implemented. That is where we are.

Wright we are supposed to see nominations for the first and equity

First Minister on the 27th. Wright I don't think anyone is holding a

great deal of breath for that to happen. We should have the election

speaker on that day. It is not clear who that would be. Probably not be

current person? Most unlikely. He lost the confidence of the majority

of the House before we went into election. Wright what are the

options? There has been an agreement between Sinn Fein and the DBT retain

his speakership. They are going to have to look else where. Maybe the

SDLP, maybe Alliance. Wright B have pretty much ruled themselves out.

There are two former Deputy speakers in the elderly group may. It could

be one of them. We will hopefully see in the next fortnight. -- here.

Rick, thank-you very much, we'll hear more from

Among the 90 MLAs signing in today were several new faces,

including Ulster Unionist John Stewart.

I spoke to him shortly after he'd signed the register and I asked

if he felt he was perhaps arriving at Stormont just as

There is a sense of an pension, nobody knows what's going on. There

is frustration for myself and many of my colleagues he want to get down

and get work done. At the moment that is not possible. What is your

personal delight at being successful in East Antrim offset by the party's

overall poor performance? Bittersweet, when I gave my

acceptance speech he was standing down and it was sad to see. We are

any results -based game of which seats are seen as points and we

dropped seats and in that respect it wasn't a great election for the

Ulster Unionist Party. You say you lost to seats and a leader. How

significant is that the party at such a critical time? It is not

ideal. I think the party is in a position where it has to get

together and look forward and see what we have to do for ourselves. Do

you think that was right to stand down? He just advised his decision

rightly. He felt was the result was me performance he had been looking

for. Who are you backing for the leadership? There is a process

going. The AGM will be held on the eighth. The process is open to

anybody. I am not sure who else is put their name and forehead. At the

moment, I have signalled to Robinson on that I be giving my support. Does

he look like a very strong contender? He does indeed. He is

very strong in his policy. He resonates with the public and I

think you do a great job for the Ulster Unionist Party. Did you come

a school trip if you use a good because you were so inspired what

you start that he wanted to pursue a career in politics and maybe come

back Sunday as an NLE? I with your instrument Stormont was in the

special as well. We came up and handy for oil tour of the building.

We met with some of the politicians. I said to my teacher was something I

really wanted to do. I wasn't involved in politics than 16 years

later here we are. How did the day feel for you, the realisation of

that? It was nice, the first time I had sat in the gene and is 2000 when

I was last year. To go from that to being an actual MLE it was a

frightening moment. If there is another election, your seat could be

vulnerable. Is that a scenario that keeps you awake at night? Not at

all. Nothing keeps me awake but what I am thinking about is getting on

the ground in addressing the issues that constituents have brought to

me. I am not thinking about another election. I am not worried about it.

Every seat is up for grabs and will be fighting to hold onto what have.

Are you optimistic that the ongoing talks process will be successful and

the institutions will be up and running again sooner rather than

later? We have two. The public overwhelmingly gave politicians a

mandate to go out. There is an expectation from the public we have

to get things up and running again. I am optimistic and I think people

have to be. We have to get around the negotiating table.

And I'm now joined by another first-time Member,

Thanks for joining us. Congratulations on your success in a

Lagan Valley. You try to win a seat number of times before, your third

attempt at the Assembly. Did you really believe you can do it this

time? We went from a very loyal and increased early vote. We felt there

was always going to be belief and we felt it was possible. It was a case

of trying to engage people, show them we can do it and it was OK. You

backed yourself, that's the important thing. I did indeed. You

benefit from the cancer. His comment paid dividends? That is something

that has been going on. -- you benefited from the Ulster Unionist

Party ends. It worked the other way as well. A lot of constituents's

roads were gone to elect other members of the Assembly who are here

at the moment. It worked out fairly evenly. It was helpful to me in the

Lagan Valley that I got that cross community support. I remember on

Friday night, it just sort of happened when you interviewed me

just after the result has come in and I genuinely don't see... I want

to be representative of all of that one community I don't see too. That

is all this together trying to do better. Is that what you believe

your mandate as for Lagan Valley, to represent everybody in that

constituency, not just the SDLP? Absolutely everyone. I had an old

life, a life in bars. I didn't ask who came through the doors whenever

the Cayman in order to be served are looking for something to eat. We

have to be representative of everyone and take everyone's

concerns, worries and fears and bring them up here, thrash it out

and begin to deliberate. I look for are you this is an Assembly that can

get up and running and make a difference if it does get up and

running? There is a lot of fear in politics another Mallard isn't

really going anywhere at the moment. We're just treading water.

There is a fear there but I am ready to engage. I am more than ready to

go out there and do the hard work. To make Northern Ireland work. Every

door that a knock-on, I promise to do that I would go out to make

Northern Ireland work. It's my home and wants to be represented above.

I'm sure that the people that footage for me, I want to know is a

costly demand. -- I want to be known as the cost community man. I'm going

to run it like the business. That is what I promise was. It would be a

huge disappointment for you if this doesn't work. If it doesn't work, is

doesn't work. But it would be a huge is a bond for everyone. I wanted to

work. I genuinely want the PR image in Ireland today better. We deserve

better. The two largest things I believe are coming down is we have

Brexit and the health service. I would see that we are against. That

was the main concern on the doors. There are other parts of. There are

business people that need certainty. They need to see that they are

represented. Business itself is a volatile market out there. The world

is not waiting for us. It's outside. We've issue of the best. You very

much indeed. So, talks to restore

devolution are underway. It's been a week since the first

meetings between parties took place. James Brokenshire and Charlie

Flanagan have been on hand One of the issues that has dogged

every Assembly and agreement has been the past and how

to deal with it. Today is European Victims' Day

and earlier the DUP leader, Arlene Foster, took a break

from talks to meet with We'll continue with those talks are

today. Dealing with the past and with the legacy is only part of what

we have to deal with. It's a very aborted part and one which I

personally take a great interest and for obvious reasons. -- it's a very

important part. Some people take a very different opinion of things.

How do you square between giving people what they want and satisfying

Sinn Fein's demands. Is that about opinion, it's about fact. That's the

difficulty. Different narratives have arisen in relation to what

actually happened. I think we have to get back to the situation. That

is that 90% of those that were injured or murdered was by

terrorists from Ida Royalists Republicans. That has to be

recognised. -- from either royalists or Republicans. There can be no

rewriting of the past. One of the issues that we really need to deal

with is the definition of a victim. That still continues to cause a

great deal of pain and hurt to those people who are innocent victims

because on the current definition of a victim, that includes the

perpetrator, that is simply wrong. It should not be allowed to stand.

On the second week of these talks, what are the chances of a deal being

done? We still as a party remain committed to writing the return of

devolution because he believes it's the best thing for all of Northern

Ireland. We hope that everybody else enters the top with those -- the

talks with that focus. Does that in any way make life easier in terms of

what you are trying to do? None of easy. What we're focused on is being

backed devolution to Northern Ireland. I hope everybody else is

focused there as well. Arlene Foster telling Gareth Gordon

she's focused on the task ahead. However, when Sinn Fein spoke

to reporters earlier the talk wasn't The British Tories are on the verge

of triggering Article 50. That is going to take the north out of the

EU against the express wishes of the majority of people here. That is

also against the express wishes of the more majority of parties across

as Ireland. They are continuing to refuse to listen to the majority of

use and they are refusing to honour their commitments and agreements.

Brexit, as you stated on many occasions, will be a disaster for

the economy. For eyes, that increases the urgency for a

referendum. The people of Scotland... Brexit has increased the

urgency for a unity referendum. We believe that should happen sooner

than possible. It's very clear that a lot of conversation has moved on.

The wider population is discussing the future constitutional position

of the silent as a result of Brexit. -- of this island as a result of

Brexit. And away from Stormont

the big political story was Scotland's First Minister saying

she would ask for permission to hold a second referendum

on Scottish independence. You heard Michelle O'Neill say

there that Nicola Sturgeon's move had no bearing on Sinn Fein's

renewed call for a United Ireland. Over in the grounds

of Stormont Castle, the Irish Foreign Minister,

Charlie Flanagan, was here again for talks and he was asked

for his perspective on the issue. It's not something to which the

Irish Government will make a comment either way. On the basis that this

is entirely a matter for the people of Scotland and entirely an issue

for the British Government and the Scottish administration. However,

while I'm silent on the matter of Scotland, that does not pertain to

Northern Ireland, where of course I have a stakeholding. Irish

Government is cool, two of the Good Friday agreement. As far as a

consideration of border controls, these are longer term issues. It's

more potent to do with the urgent things. For instance, the

administration up and running here and the need to agree a budget. They

need to put together a programme for the Government for the people here

are not around. Also, the imminent withdrawal of the UK from the

European Union. Anything else is premature and for the longer term.

Charlie Flanagan talking to reporters this afternoon.

And Rick has rejoined me for a final word.

Is the renewed debate over Scottish independence likely to influence

events in this part of the world over coming months?

It's certainly going to give a bit of a sprint to the step of

nationalists that are keen to propose and ferment the idea of the

border poll. I miss you mean that when she asked for permission, --

I'm mushrooming of that when Nicola Sturgeon asks... They have turned or

see proposal. Interestingly enough, the polls in Scotland haven't

changed very much since the first referendum. For some time, there's

been a contingency about the UK as a state. We are a fluid state and not

a steady state. What this does is further warbles the extent to which

the union can hold. The centrifugal forces are recovered. Whether the

centripetal forces are, this will be a consequence of what the outcome of

the Brexit negotiations are. Chris saw it has a bearing on out? --

sultanate has a bearing on as you? Brexit is not just a small evidently

from it large elephant in the room. It dominates. Nobody likes an

election more than you and me. The chances of another snap election?

I'd be very surprised if Brokenshire takes that step. He has forgotten

his opportunity to go to the White House. -- he has forgotten his

opportunity. My best guess would be that we have an extended period of

talks beyond this. If they fail, I suspect... We will see. Thank you

for now. That is it for tonight. Our next scheduled

Stormont Today isn't That's the deadline

for the nomination of the First Meantime, I'll be back

with The View on Thursday night The very embodiment of the England

that must emerge. I have my own path to follow.

Destiny.