:00:23. > :00:26.Hello and welcome to Stormont Today. You could say there are always
:00:26. > :00:29.plenty of smoke and mirrors up here on the hill to get our politicians
:00:29. > :00:32.to agree, but with legislation banning smoking in work and smoking
:00:32. > :00:42.in the pub the Health Minister wants to know what you think about
:00:42. > :00:46.
:00:46. > :00:56.stubbing out in the car? consultation will seek release from
:00:56. > :01:00.the public -- seek views from the public. And the man who was the
:01:00. > :01:09.voice of Folks on the Hill - Sean Crummey has died at 53. But how do
:01:09. > :01:16.his political victims remember him? I want to be a bit more light-
:01:16. > :01:18.hearted. I was frankly very flattered. And with me throughout
:01:18. > :01:22.the programme, Dr Carolyn Harper from the Public Health Agency.
:01:22. > :01:26.But first tonight, business was almost at an end for the day when a
:01:26. > :01:28.fresh controversy blew up. A familiar enough issue - emblems.
:01:29. > :01:33.But this time relating to the Prison Service. The topic came up
:01:33. > :01:35.during a debate on the recent Prison Review Report. The TUV
:01:35. > :01:39.leader Jim Allister asked if the reform of the Prison Service would
:01:39. > :01:47.mean that they would no longer be known as Her Majesty's Prisons.
:01:47. > :01:53.This is how the Minister David Ford responded.
:01:53. > :01:58.Jim Alistair referred to Scylla balls and titles as they applied to
:01:58. > :02:07.the present service. They are operational issues, but I believe
:02:07. > :02:13.if there is to be ended up to end reform, they cannot fail to
:02:13. > :02:22.consider the emblems and symbols. It is one of a range of operational
:02:22. > :02:26.issues that need to be considered. A transformed culture has to be
:02:26. > :02:32.delivered to an these issues need to be addressed, along with other
:02:32. > :02:37.issues relating to staff and estate. We need now is the chair of the
:02:37. > :02:42.Justice Committee. It all came out of the blue, thanks to Jim Alastair.
:02:42. > :02:47.It certainly did. David Ford has handled this badly. To say what he
:02:48. > :02:52.has said at the tail end of his beach at 6:30pm and the evening
:02:52. > :02:57.when business is coming to an end about such a symbolic and sensitive
:02:57. > :03:01.issue is a poor reflection on him as Minister. There were 29 officers
:03:01. > :03:07.murdered during the Troubles because of their uniform and a job
:03:07. > :03:14.that they did. What he has said will be an insult and offensive to
:03:14. > :03:18.their memories. I want David Ford to take this up the table
:03:18. > :03:23.immediately it and not hide behind operational decisions that this is
:03:23. > :03:27.for the Prison Service. That is a cop out and the minister and is to
:03:27. > :03:32.take responsibility for this and stop it. As we heard, he said that
:03:32. > :03:38.it is part of fundamental reform and it has already happened to PSNI.
:03:38. > :03:43.What is the big deal about this? good point. Nobody brought this up
:03:44. > :03:47.during the discussions we had previously. I am not aware of any
:03:47. > :03:51.other political party who have raised this and now David Ford has
:03:51. > :03:54.put it centre-stage of this reform programme and it is going to be a
:03:55. > :04:01.very difficult problem for him to handle, but he will have to deal
:04:01. > :04:05.with it. But he was responding to a point that Jim Allister had raised.
:04:05. > :04:09.He went to each member who had raised a point about prison reform.
:04:09. > :04:14.Would it not be going out to consultation anyway and we should
:04:15. > :04:18.not be concerned if we had as you like yours? It is a view to be
:04:18. > :04:24.concerned about because the minister is ducking the issue. He
:04:24. > :04:33.is saying it is a -- and operational issue four hour Prison
:04:33. > :04:38.Service. Any minister work their socks will not allow -- any
:04:38. > :04:42.minister worth their salt would have handled this differently. For
:04:42. > :04:49.David for to cop out in the way that he has done is unacceptable,
:04:49. > :04:56.and it will not wash with the public that this is an issue he
:04:56. > :04:58.will not take responsibility for. Thank you for joining us.
:04:58. > :05:01.The dangers of passive smoking, especially for children, were
:05:01. > :05:05.discussed at length in the Chamber today. A topic tonight's guest
:05:05. > :05:09.knows all about. Dr Harper from the Public Health Agency. What is your
:05:09. > :05:16.view on the debate we have today? Do you think we should have an
:05:16. > :05:26.outright ban, or a public awareness campaign regarding the danger of
:05:26. > :05:28.
:05:28. > :05:32.smoking in cars? I welcome the opportunity because it gives the
:05:32. > :05:37.public an opportunity to realise how harmful second-hand smoke is a
:05:37. > :05:43.two adults and children. In adults it increases the risk of heart
:05:43. > :05:47.disease and lung cancer by 25 %. In children it causes asthma, M
:05:47. > :05:53.infections and increases the risk of serious conditions like
:05:53. > :05:58.meningitis. To protect everyone, I would be keen to see a total ban on
:05:58. > :06:04.smoking in all vehicles. Dr Harper that is fine for now. Let us take a
:06:04. > :06:07.look at exactly what was said in the chamber. Sometimes government
:06:07. > :06:12.and disassembly has to take that lead. We have to stand up and say
:06:12. > :06:22.that this is right. It is right that the Assembly should legislate
:06:22. > :06:32.to send out that powerful message. -- sometimes government and
:06:32. > :06:32.
:06:32. > :06:41.Assembly. We took that stance with seat belts and now no-one would
:06:41. > :06:46.ever think to put it child in a car without using a seat belts. I feel
:06:46. > :06:51.that this would probably make some difference to people's smoking
:06:51. > :06:55.habits, but a public awareness campaign could do that. The
:06:55. > :07:05.minister needs to bring forward a public awareness campaign to make
:07:05. > :07:09.
:07:09. > :07:16.sure the message get out there. is up for debate whether there
:07:16. > :07:22.should be a complete ban or just in vehicles where children are present.
:07:22. > :07:26.We need it public awareness campaign to change people's
:07:26. > :07:31.perceptions of the dangers of passive smoking. A what about this
:07:32. > :07:40.issue of policing it? How difficult would that be? It would not be any
:07:40. > :07:45.more difficult than policing be seatbelt requirements. Countries
:07:45. > :07:53.that have introduced be banned have found that most people comply.
:07:53. > :08:01.Generally with the loss, whether it be seat belts, drink-driving, not
:08:01. > :08:05.smoking in public places, most people comply. Do these bans change
:08:05. > :08:08.smokers's habits, or does it make them feel more alienated? They are
:08:08. > :08:13.figures from the countries that have introduced the ban in public
:08:13. > :08:18.places, if anything there is a slight decrease in smoking rates,
:08:19. > :08:23.but this legislation is being introduced to protect people rather
:08:23. > :08:28.than reducing the rates. How do you see played out and what is the time
:08:28. > :08:32.frame? The Minister indicated that he is looking to start the public
:08:32. > :08:36.consultation early next year. The public will have the opportunity to
:08:36. > :08:40.give their views. The minister will take a view then in terms of how
:08:40. > :08:44.wide the legislation should go and then they will move forward from
:08:44. > :08:47.there. Thank you. A funding decision for part of the
:08:47. > :08:50.Maze-Long Kesh development should be decided in a matter of weeks,
:08:50. > :08:53.the First Minister revealed today during question time. The Maze is
:08:53. > :08:56.what might be called a pop-up topic - it appears and reappears on a
:08:56. > :08:59.regular basis. The Regional Development Minister also faced an
:08:59. > :09:02.urgent question on the A5 road project. But we start with the
:09:02. > :09:11.Maze-Long Kesh plan and the failure so far to appoint a development
:09:11. > :09:21.commission. Any application process brings for
:09:21. > :09:22.
:09:22. > :09:27.work those who are appointed ball and it leaves behind those of who
:09:27. > :09:31.are not needed. Whilst there are a number of people who are up a point
:09:31. > :09:38.of all, there is a requirement to have certain skills and competences.
:09:38. > :09:42.It is felt that it is somewhat like in private sector business and
:09:42. > :09:47.financial experience, it's there we will have to take that into
:09:47. > :09:53.consideration. We do have something to manoeuvre because whilst we
:09:53. > :10:03.originally sought to have a board of six members, we can increase the
:10:03. > :10:14.
:10:14. > :10:17.numbers be on that. -- beyond that. Please forgive me. I would like to
:10:17. > :10:23.thank the First Minister for his responses so far. Will he be in any
:10:23. > :10:30.position to give us any further information in respect of what the
:10:31. > :10:36.priorities for the development of Maze-Long Kesh will be? There will
:10:36. > :10:43.be two projects, Mr Deputy Speaker. The one that we are certain that we
:10:43. > :10:48.want to move forward with his the proposition that there should be a
:10:48. > :10:52.peace and reconciliation centre, call it what you may. We have a
:10:52. > :11:00.bright for funding from Europe and we should know the outcome of that
:11:00. > :11:08.before the end of this month heavily. We are also keen that the
:11:08. > :11:13.agricultural show would move from Belfast to be more agricultural
:11:13. > :11:22.setting up of the Lagan Valley. That would be a very strong anchor
:11:22. > :11:29.it to the site, it should it be chosen. Again, we heard that would
:11:29. > :11:37.form another key component to the site and Business and commercial
:11:37. > :11:46.units could be built there, generating hundreds of jobs.
:11:46. > :11:51.Another pop up topic - the shared future policy. The consultation
:11:51. > :11:59.found that a document drawn up by a minister in the past was more
:11:59. > :12:02.desirable than the one under the present administration. A welcome
:12:02. > :12:11.the positive contribution you have made and I would want to encourage
:12:11. > :12:14.that. I also work on the fact that on a cross-party basis, the junior
:12:14. > :12:19.minister and high have seen a positive comments coming from all
:12:19. > :12:24.the parties. It is not a time for points-scoring, but the Ulster
:12:24. > :12:28.Union and the SDLP had their chance to do this and they failed. They
:12:28. > :12:34.could not even get a document agreed to go to the Executive. I
:12:34. > :12:41.appreciate that it is hard for someone else to come along and
:12:41. > :12:45.actually do the job. To get a job that is universally agreed,
:12:45. > :12:55.including BA agreement from the Ulster Unionist Party and to put it
:12:55. > :12:55.
:12:55. > :13:01.Not a time for point scoring. On to regional development and an urgent
:13:01. > :13:06.question on the A5 funding issue. Given the amount of work, public
:13:06. > :13:13.consultation and money spent so far on the A5, all of this leading to a
:13:13. > :13:18.public inquiry, can the Minister assure the house that he has a
:13:18. > :13:24.reprofiling schedule for Aand not thinking of reallocating the moneys
:13:24. > :13:29.pledged to the A5? And when is the Minister next meeting with his
:13:29. > :13:36.counterpart Minister in the south given that the First and Deputy
:13:36. > :13:43.First Minister have already met with the to an shuk? I am grateful
:13:44. > :13:50.to the member for his is up -- Taoiseach? I am grateful to the
:13:50. > :13:57.would remind him I am the Roads Minister, and I'll look at the
:13:57. > :13:59.range of options available to utilise funding within the time
:13:59. > :14:06.frames of the current budgetary period. I think it's also important
:14:06. > :14:11.to state that as well as the A5 scheme, there is the position of
:14:11. > :14:18.the A8 scheme. I know that has a trans-European network route. Any
:14:18. > :14:26.delay in that will - would give rise to significant concern. Could
:14:26. > :14:34.the Minister confirm that the AE8 section between Lauren and Brussely
:14:34. > :14:41.is the only single carriageway section between the busy area of
:14:42. > :14:45.Lauren and Cork? Yes, I think the honourable member's geography is
:14:45. > :14:50.spot on. It does represent a significant scheme, and its
:14:50. > :14:55.completion would I think be part of completing that trans-European
:14:55. > :14:59.network system. The Roads Minister Danny Kennedy. The Education
:14:59. > :15:03.Minister says the decision on whether or not to close a Lisburn
:15:03. > :15:08.primary school will be made with the welfare of the children in mind.
:15:08. > :15:14.Parents, teachers and pupils from Knockmore Primary came to Stormont
:15:14. > :15:18.today to press for the school to remain open. It includes a unit for
:15:19. > :15:22.children with special needs. There are 9,000 signatures demonstrating
:15:22. > :15:25.why it's important to keep the school open. We're going to put it
:15:25. > :15:29.to the Northern Ireland Assembly. This will be delivered to the
:15:29. > :15:33.Education Minister. We want the Education Board to take note and
:15:34. > :15:37.later this week to stop their proposal to close the school
:15:37. > :15:41.because it provides a top-quality education service both for
:15:41. > :15:46.mainstream children and for those that are in the special units under
:15:46. > :15:50.the One School umbrella, fully integrated across educational and
:15:50. > :15:54.religious ability as well, so this is a school that is a model for how
:15:54. > :16:00.others should be delivering its service. It's vital it's kept open.
:16:00. > :16:02.These kids with special needs all find it very difficult to learn and
:16:02. > :16:07.settle in the educational environment. When they have settled
:16:07. > :16:10.so well within the school, surely with a we must do is keep them in
:16:10. > :16:14.that environment where they're learning and comfortable. You set
:16:14. > :16:18.up a new school with new teachers, new faces, everything new, the
:16:18. > :16:23.child is going to take months if not maybe a full school term to
:16:23. > :16:26.settle and start learning again, and this is kids haven't got that
:16:26. > :16:32.time. Time is of the essence for them.
:16:32. > :16:35.I await the outcome of the South- eastern Library Education Board's
:16:35. > :16:39.decision Sunday. If they do recommend the closure of the school,
:16:39. > :16:43.then I will sit down and meet with the parents and the representatives.
:16:43. > :16:48.I will debate and discuss all the issues around that development
:16:48. > :16:51.proposal. The key - the centre of the decision making of my process
:16:51. > :16:55.will be the future well being of the pupils attending that school
:16:55. > :17:04.and indeed the surrounding schools in the Lisburn area. May remember a
:17:04. > :17:11.couple of months ago we had the brave DUP MLA Wales in the studio
:17:11. > :17:16.who signed up as a programme to lose weight. 28 more took part to
:17:16. > :17:21.get us all to think more about our health. We caught up with a few of
:17:21. > :17:25.them to see how they have got on. feel I have got on, probably didn't
:17:25. > :17:28.lose as much as I would have liked, but I am happy I have lost two
:17:28. > :17:33.inches from around my waist. That's great. I am delighted about that,
:17:34. > :17:43.and generally speaking very happy with how it's went, brilliant
:17:44. > :17:44.
:17:44. > :17:47.support from the people at Safe Foods. I lost four pounds. I think
:17:47. > :17:51.I have possibly moved up and down a little bit in between. But I think
:17:51. > :17:55.the key thing is the weight I have lost I have kept off. I am pleased
:17:55. > :18:00.about that. If I let you into a bit of a secret, I am a qualified
:18:00. > :18:03.nutritionist. That's what I did my degree in. I should know better. I
:18:03. > :18:09.need the humiliation of being weighed in public to get me to do
:18:09. > :18:13.something about it. A disaster, unfortunately. I have lost no
:18:13. > :18:18.weight whatsoever, though I have managed to lose two inches around
:18:18. > :18:21.my waist, not a stunning victory. The lady from Cork who weighed me
:18:21. > :18:26.said I should walk to mass every Sunday morning. I haven't. Maybe
:18:26. > :18:29.that's the problem. I have been eating more healthily, but haven't
:18:29. > :18:33.been taking in exercise. Maybe that's why the overall weight
:18:33. > :18:37.hasn't gone down. I have spent most of my time being stuck in meetings,
:18:37. > :18:41.in a car or in press interviews, none of which are healthy. We're
:18:41. > :18:46.all aware of the fact if you have a lot of weight around the waist,
:18:46. > :18:50.you're in direct. There is a direct link between that and heart attacks
:18:50. > :18:54.and other conditions. We have to take this seriously and get out
:18:54. > :18:59.there and take a bit of exercise. Dr Harper, they were very brave
:18:59. > :19:03.signing up for it. Lots of the MLAs isn't take that step. How do you
:19:03. > :19:08.get the message across to take a bit more exercise and cut down on
:19:08. > :19:15.some of the unhealthier foods? Really, it's a constant message to
:19:15. > :19:19.try and get that - those positive messages across. It's not easy to
:19:19. > :19:23.lose weight. I certainly admire those who have. The advice is
:19:23. > :19:27.everything in moderation and try to make those healthy choices on a
:19:27. > :19:31.day-to-day basis. Try to keep your weight within the normal range. If
:19:31. > :19:36.you find you have put on a couple of pounds, cut back. Portion size
:19:36. > :19:40.really makes a big difference. It's ultimately a tiference between the
:19:40. > :19:45.number of calories you take in and the number of calories you burn. If
:19:45. > :19:48.you're controlling the portion size, making healthy choices and keeping
:19:48. > :19:52.active, whether through walking, dance or sport or play, then that's
:19:52. > :19:55.really the key to life-long maintenance of a normal weight.
:19:55. > :20:01.problem is, though, that everybody knows that is the answer, but if it
:20:01. > :20:05.was that easy, then everybody would be slim, so should we take more
:20:05. > :20:10.draconian action? Should we tax on healthy food? Certainly at the
:20:10. > :20:14.moment about 40% of the adult population are able to maintain a
:20:14. > :20:18.normal weight despite all the temptations around us. Undoubtedly,
:20:18. > :20:22.our lifestyles have changed. There is no doubt about it, if we had
:20:22. > :20:27.clearly labelled food products, if we had limits on what is advertised,
:20:28. > :20:32.if the food producers reduced the amount of fat, sugar, salt content
:20:32. > :20:36.of their food, for example, if we had policies whereby there is
:20:36. > :20:40.protected time within the schools to both teach children extensively
:20:40. > :20:43.about healthy choices, food production and cooking and
:20:43. > :20:48.protected time for exercise within schools, then that would all make
:20:48. > :20:55.it that bit easier to develop those healthy habits that might see then
:20:55. > :20:59.people right through their lifetimes. Not taxing, not taxing
:20:59. > :21:03.food? Tax on unhealthy food has been shown to reduce consumption of
:21:03. > :21:06.certain products. Again, that would be part of a total package of
:21:06. > :21:10.actions, and it's certainly something I would welcome a debate
:21:10. > :21:16.around. Thank you. Now, there was a real sadness around Stormont at the
:21:16. > :21:26.news of the death of Sean Crummy. He was the voice behind the Folks
:21:26. > :21:30.on the Hill that managed to poke fun at the goings on on the hill.
:21:30. > :21:37.He was also a guest on Stormont Live. Today many paid tribute to
:21:37. > :21:42.his talent. The Iron Curtain is gone. The
:21:42. > :21:47.Berlin Wall is gone but you just want to create new barriers.
:21:47. > :21:52.people have erected the barriers, not us, barriers in your minds.
:21:52. > :21:56.Some got too close for comfort. We started to wonder if he was reading
:21:56. > :22:01.the executive minutes or whether he had some informer inside. He could
:22:01. > :22:06.encapsulate in a very short cartoon something that was topical,
:22:06. > :22:10.something resonated with the public. I often went around schools during
:22:10. > :22:16.the period as First Minister to meet with school children who
:22:16. > :22:20.recognised me because of Folks on the Hill rather than because of
:22:20. > :22:27.Stormont Live. Mark, what are we going to do? I don't know, Alex.
:22:27. > :22:33.Maybe go for a cup of coffee? are we going to do as a party? Sinn
:22:33. > :22:38.Fein has outmanoeuvred us, outflagged us. As for protecting
:22:38. > :22:43.the environment, that is a whole other kettle of fish. He was one of
:22:43. > :22:47.nature's good guys, and everybody knew that about him. Everybody saw
:22:47. > :22:53.his public face, and he was mighty funny and all of that but his
:22:53. > :22:56.private face was of a wonderful, loyal, generous, big-hearted, big
:22:56. > :23:02.guy. Call back Gregory Campbell, who scored an impressive 15 points
:23:02. > :23:07.on the siege of Derry. Londonderry! Yes, sorry. I am trying to
:23:07. > :23:10.establish a new image. I want to be a bit more lighthearted, and I am
:23:10. > :23:16.looking for somewhere a bit brighter and jollier. I must say,
:23:16. > :23:20.this is just the sort of place I am looking for. It's a bit gloomy.
:23:21. > :23:26.Exactly. I, frankly was, very flattered about being portrayed by
:23:26. > :23:30.Sean and regularly Folks on the Hill would watch it and say, "We
:23:31. > :23:35.saw you Saturday night." I would say, "No, it wasn't me. It was an
:23:35. > :23:42.impersonation". It was the way it became almost an alter ego which
:23:42. > :23:48.was me. As far as the majority of the people there are concerned they
:23:48. > :23:51.have always been part of Belfast. As far as I am concerned that is an
:23:51. > :23:58.illegal majority created by a gerrymander. Lisburn should be part
:23:58. > :24:05.of a whole. It certainly is whole. Lisburn - you exaggerate a word,
:24:05. > :24:10.and that gives you a handle on his voice, as it were.
:24:10. > :24:14.Well, Alex Atwood is with us. You featured heavily in the programmes
:24:14. > :24:22.both on TV and radio. What did you think about it? Well, I think first
:24:22. > :24:27.of all that Sean Crummey was a great guy. Whatever - the public
:24:27. > :24:32.person - in private he was, as I said, warmhearted, big hearted,
:24:32. > :24:38.thoughtful, generous. Everybody knew that, that there was never any
:24:38. > :24:41.harshness in what he said that his humour was very cutting but never
:24:41. > :24:45.personally offensive. I think that's the great skill of a
:24:45. > :24:50.satirist, to tell the story of politics in the north that made
:24:50. > :24:53.people laugh when we needed to, but also told some home truths with
:24:53. > :24:57.never being personally nasty. you think it did influence
:24:57. > :25:02.political life and the peace process? Yes, I think it did. I
:25:02. > :25:05.think Jimmy Young 20, 30 years ago had that capacity to make us laugh
:25:05. > :25:10.at ourselves in very difficult times, and he did the same. He made
:25:10. > :25:13.us laugh at ourselves and made sure that politicians - because we - at
:25:13. > :25:18.the end of the day, we're big fish in a small fish bowls, and nothing
:25:18. > :25:22.more than that. He made us aware of our own limitations. I think that
:25:22. > :25:27.was very necessary over the last ten and 15 years. He did it with a
:25:27. > :25:31.big smile and a big heart, and we're all - we will all greatly
:25:31. > :25:34.miss him as a consequence. there a sense around Stormont that
:25:34. > :25:38.if you were in the programme, you were extra special and maybe if you
:25:39. > :25:42.weren't, your nose was a bit put out of joint? I think anybody that
:25:42. > :25:45.was in the programme didn't feel extra special, but I think that
:25:45. > :25:49.those who weren't in the programme thought that those who were in it
:25:49. > :25:55.were extra special. I think that's the right perspective to have on
:25:55. > :25:58.what he said and did over those years. None of us are big enough to
:25:58. > :26:02.take ourselves that seriously. There are serious issues, though,
:26:02. > :26:05.and just while you're here, I want to ask you about the programme for
:26:05. > :26:11.government we're hoping to see later in the week. In terms of the
:26:11. > :26:13.reform of councils, you're keen on 15. The DUP and Sinn Fein keen on
:26:13. > :26:18.11. What do you think is going to be written in the programme for
:26:18. > :26:23.government? We'll see what will be written, but what I want is for
:26:23. > :26:27.good government and fast politics to reveal, and that the
:26:27. > :26:33.overwhelming argument in terms of local council reorganisation is 15
:26:33. > :26:36.councils. It is the best value for money. It is the most efficient. It
:26:36. > :26:40.reflects local loyalties and identities, and if other parties
:26:40. > :26:44.can't see the weight of argument, that's a problem for them. Do they
:26:44. > :26:50.not say there won't be savings over the term of reform that you would
:26:50. > :26:54.get if you had cut it down to 11? Since a year ago when that argument
:26:55. > :26:57.was made, the councils themselves have come forward with proposals
:26:57. > :27:02.for sharing and collaboration between councils that will see
:27:02. > :27:08.hundreds of millions of pounds saved over ten and 20 years, so the
:27:08. > :27:13.game has moved on a year since last year when even I voted for 11. I
:27:13. > :27:18.want my Ministerial colleagues - DUP and Sinn Fein - to recognise
:27:18. > :27:23.the thing has changed that it has moved on, and that the overwhelming
:27:23. > :27:28.argument evidence and what I think will be popularly supported is a 15
:27:28. > :27:31.model, and we'll see on Wednesday whether good argument and wisdom
:27:31. > :27:35.prevails rather than the politics of compromise. We have to leave it
:27:35. > :27:38.there. Thanks for joining us. The executives programme for Government
:27:38. > :27:42.is its plan of action for how to spend the budget. But there has
:27:42. > :27:46.been no sign of it so far, but that may be about to change this week as
:27:46. > :27:49.our political editor told me earlier. Six months on from the
:27:50. > :27:53.election and still no programme for government. It has been a long
:27:53. > :27:57.delay and something you probably couldn't conceive of getting across
:27:57. > :28:01.in Edinburgh or London where the programme for government is
:28:01. > :28:03.followed very shortly after the election or even before in as far
:28:03. > :28:08.as they were manifesto promises. We have had this six-month period, but
:28:08. > :28:11.now it looks like we're going to get a certain amount of action here
:28:11. > :28:15.in Stormont with talk of a special executive meeting Wednesday evening
:28:15. > :28:19.followed by a special Assembly meeting Thursday. I asked the
:28:19. > :28:22.Finance Minister Sammy Wilson about this when he was my guest over the
:28:22. > :28:27.weekend on the Inside Politics programme, and he actually was
:28:27. > :28:30.playing down the importance of the programme for government. I am
:28:30. > :28:34.amazed at the infatuation there is with this programme for government.
:28:34. > :28:39.You know, it's as if this is some magic piece of paper which is going
:28:39. > :28:42.to transform what happens in Northern Ireland. The truth of the
:28:42. > :28:45.matter is, most people know because they saw where the budget
:28:45. > :28:48.allocations were made last year and what the budget allocations were
:28:48. > :28:54.made for and what the department said we were going to do with the
:28:54. > :28:58.budget and what we were going to do to live within a restricted budget
:28:58. > :29:01.- most people know what departments are doing. What do you expect to be
:29:01. > :29:05.in the programme? If he's to be believed, nothing terribly radical
:29:06. > :29:11.because he says most of the big decisions were already made when he
:29:11. > :29:15.set the parameters in the measures for the budget he passed. We'll get
:29:15. > :29:18.some numbers in terms of jobs executive hoes to attract in,
:29:18. > :29:22.various other targets in relation to justice and so on. We'll have to
:29:22. > :29:25.see how the executive deals with issues like local government reform
:29:25. > :29:29.where different executive Ministers are pulling in different direction,
:29:29. > :29:33.but it's not going to probably be the kind of dynamic documents we've
:29:33. > :29:36.seen in London or in Edinburgh, and I think that all goes down to the
:29:36. > :29:39.system of government we have here where you have this kind of haggle
:29:40. > :29:46.which lasts for months over a programme for government, and
:29:46. > :29:50.ultimately you come out with pliebt of lowest-common-denominator