16/06/2014 Stormont Today


16/06/2014

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The SDLP backs Sinn Fein in its attempts to to stop Gerry Kelly

:00:25.:00:30.

The Finance Minister addresses comments from

:00:31.:00:33.

an HBO executive that Belfast isn't the most cosmopolitan of cities.

:00:34.:00:35.

And joining me in the studio with his thoughts is

:00:36.:00:38.

Did I break the law technically? Yes I did. That's why I accepted the

:00:39.:00:47.

informed warrant. The Finance Minister addresses

:00:48.:00:54.

comments from an HBO executive that Belfast isn't

:00:55.:00:56.

the most cosmopolitan of cities. Given the World Cup at the minute,

:00:57.:01:05.

when it comes to filming locations, we are not Hollywood, we are

:01:06.:01:09.

Northern Ireland. Well speak for yourself.

:01:10.:01:15.

And joining me in the studio with his thoughts is

:01:16.:01:17.

Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly was facing a five-day suspension from Stormont,

:01:18.:01:26.

A Stormont committee voted for the penalty after he was reprimanded by

:01:27.:01:31.

Mr Kelly had jumped on a police Land Rover

:01:32.:01:36.

Unionists said the informed warning from police

:01:37.:01:41.

wasn't enough, demanding he be charged with obstructing justice.

:01:42.:01:45.

But Mr Kelly's party and the SDLP have decided

:01:46.:01:48.

the suspension isn't appropriate and are using a petition of concern

:01:49.:01:53.

to vote down the decision by the Assembly's Standard's Committee.

:01:54.:01:57.

Here's the Speaker to explain there'll be a vote tomorrow.

:01:58.:02:08.

It was presented in relation to this motion. Order! Order! Order,

:02:09.:02:23.

members. The vote therefore will be in a cross-party basis and we will

:02:24.:02:29.

respond tomorrow. It will be the first member of, the first business.

:02:30.:02:36.

The motion relates only to the committee report and recommendations

:02:37.:02:42.

following complaints about an incident that took place in north

:02:43.:02:44.

Belfast on 21st June, 2013. So to explain just what all this

:02:45.:02:56.

means I'm joined by Alex, first of all,

:02:57.:02:58.

remind us how Gerry Kelly got into this situation, as he technically

:02:59.:03:02.

did break the law last year. Well, let's see what members made

:03:03.:03:05.

of it all today when He said he had to get on the vehicle

:03:06.:03:19.

and they said to stop that. I think they were concerned about the

:03:20.:03:23.

gathering around of the vehicle. I think Gerry Kelly got his informed

:03:24.:03:28.

caution, the driver got one, the young men banging on the window got

:03:29.:03:32.

one. I have no idea why the Assembly is even discussing this. I think

:03:33.:03:36.

unionists were concerned that this warning didn't even amount to a

:03:37.:03:40.

caution, so how surprised are you that the petition of concern has

:03:41.:03:45.

been tabled? I think you have to be concerned any party deciding what

:03:46.:03:52.

does and doesn't constitute justice. The process was carried through but

:03:53.:03:56.

the petition of concern kills off the debate. It is one of those

:03:57.:04:00.

things I don't understand. When you know a debate is not going anywhere,

:04:01.:04:06.

when it can't even be carried, the only consequence of continuing with

:04:07.:04:09.

it is that the two sides will do what they always do, the finger

:04:10.:04:13.

pointing and the name calling and we'll end up worse off tomorrow

:04:14.:04:18.

morning than we were today. So the 30-strong petition force as cross

:04:19.:04:23.

community vote, which means the majority of people have to agree to

:04:24.:04:29.

punish Mr Kelly? The petition of concern has only one purpose - to

:04:30.:04:34.

kill a debate or protect someone. Alex, thank you.

:04:35.:04:41.

Well, let's see what members made of it all today when

:04:42.:04:44.

It's very clear that unionists believe Gerry Kelly should be

:04:45.:04:48.

punished for his actions, while nationalists are leaning

:04:49.:04:49.

It follows that in committing the offence of impeding a constable in

:04:50.:05:01.

the execution of his duty Mr Kelly failed to uphold the law as required

:05:02.:05:06.

by the members' code of conduct. It states that members should promote

:05:07.:05:10.

and support the other principles by leadership and example in order to

:05:11.:05:13.

establish and maintain the trust and confidence of the people of Northern

:05:14.:05:16.

Ireland, and to ensure the integrity of the Assembly and its members in

:05:17.:05:20.

conducting business. The committee acknowledges that Mr Kelly did seek

:05:21.:05:23.

to demonstrate positive leadership on the evening in question. His

:05:24.:05:29.

intention had been to defuse a tense situation and he used his influence

:05:30.:05:37.

to direct the crowd and facilitate the passage of the police. However,

:05:38.:05:42.

he failed to show leadership when he obstructed the police vehicle. No

:05:43.:05:47.

matter what was happening that night I don't think there is any excuse

:05:48.:05:53.

for being on the bonnet of the PSNI Land Rover. You wouldn't catch me on

:05:54.:06:00.

the bonnet of a Land Rover. LAUGHTER Mr Speaker, while we are

:06:01.:06:03.

discussing the issue of the conduct of MLAs, I feel it necessary to put

:06:04.:06:08.

on record my grave disappointment at the level of DUP hypocrisy today.

:06:09.:06:17.

Hear, hear. When Ruth Paterson, a councillor... Order! We are straying

:06:18.:06:25.

away from the report. Let us deal with what's in the report and

:06:26.:06:30.

nothing more and nothing less. Mr Speaker, it is about inconsistency

:06:31.:06:40.

in relation to today's debate. When Ruth Paterson, a councillor from the

:06:41.:06:47.

DUP was charged... Order! Once again, the member will know this

:06:48.:06:53.

will be a very difficult debate. Help me to manage this debate. I say

:06:54.:06:58.

to all members of the House, really the member is straying into a

:06:59.:07:03.

different issue and a different incident. We really must come back

:07:04.:07:08.

to the report. I'm trying to help the member. I rise to oppose the

:07:09.:07:13.

motion. When you look and listen to the demeanor and attitude of the

:07:14.:07:18.

members opposite, had this is a farce, a charade, a pantomime. If

:07:19.:07:24.

you look at the laughs on and their faces and the guff airstrikes ws and

:07:25.:07:39.

the inter-- and the guffaws. I would suggest he is a bit confused, since

:07:40.:07:44.

he is more used to the back of a Land Rover than the front. It is

:07:45.:07:49.

uncome bent on every single one of us to ensure that tensions are

:07:50.:07:54.

calmed and that the heat is taken out of this summer. Just for the

:07:55.:08:00.

record, because I know there've been a number of heckles, I am the member

:08:01.:08:07.

from the SDLP is on the committee of standards and privileges. I did

:08:08.:08:11.

leave the meeting. It wasn't because I was spineless. If I was spineless,

:08:12.:08:16.

I wouldn't be talking right now. It showed that the police were trying

:08:17.:08:20.

to deal with this in a proportionate way, unlike the DUP and the unionist

:08:21.:08:25.

members of the Standards and Privileges Committee. So did I break

:08:26.:08:29.

the law technically? Yes, I did. That's why I send the informed

:08:30.:08:38.

warrant. But let me say this to all members here, especially members,

:08:39.:08:42.

some of which are sitting across the way, who have to deal with these

:08:43.:08:48.

difficult situations. You need the flexibility to make decisions on the

:08:49.:08:52.

spot which you think will help the situation. That's exactly what I was

:08:53.:08:56.

doing. No, I won't give way. That's what I was doing on the day. I

:08:57.:09:02.

listened to your heckling earlier. I wish you would shut up. Order!

:09:03.:09:05.

Order! The SDLP's Alban Maginness provided

:09:06.:09:11.

Sinn Fein with the signature it needed to complete

:09:12.:09:13.

its petition and stop Mr Kelly's Why are you riding to Gerry Kelly's

:09:14.:09:24.

rescue? We are not riding to his rescue, we are simply ensuring that

:09:25.:09:28.

there is fairness and due process in relation to the incident of 21st

:09:29.:09:33.

June of last year. It is very important to get things into the

:09:34.:09:38.

context where Gerry Kelly helped to defuse a very difficult situation

:09:39.:09:44.

involving the aftermath of the tour of the north and I think that the

:09:45.:09:50.

committee in its majority determination did not treat him

:09:51.:09:54.

fairly. But he did himself admit that he technically broke the law.

:09:55.:09:58.

He sits on the Policing Board. Surely he should be held to a higher

:09:59.:10:03.

standard? Well, the first point is he send an informed warning. That

:10:04.:10:08.

the prescribed by law. In other words he admitted that he

:10:09.:10:11.

technically broke the law, and accepted responsibility for that.

:10:12.:10:15.

That remains on his record for the next year. That's how the law deals

:10:16.:10:20.

with it and that's how the PPS proposed to deal with it and did

:10:21.:10:26.

deal wit. The second point is he was trying to defuse a very difficult

:10:27.:10:29.

situation. He should have been given credit for that. That was not

:10:30.:10:33.

credited to him by the committee. The committee sought to have him

:10:34.:10:39.

excluded for five days. That, we believed, was excessive. Anna Lo,

:10:40.:10:44.

incidentally, proposed in the committee he should be given the

:10:45.:10:48.

opportunity to possible to the Assembly in relation to this

:10:49.:10:51.

incident and that was voted down. Why don't you suggest that he

:10:52.:10:55.

apologise before you signed the petition of concern? Well, we

:10:56.:10:59.

discussed a number of issues, but the important thing was to meet the

:11:00.:11:04.

substance of the the report, which was presented to the Assembly. We

:11:05.:11:08.

thought that was important and to highlight the issue of

:11:09.:11:12.

proportionality in terms of the actual sanction that was imposed on

:11:13.:11:18.

Gerry Kelly. But members are required to uphold the law.

:11:19.:11:20.

Shouldn't there be consequences when they don't? Absolutely. What would

:11:21.:11:25.

you suggest is the appropriate address? I think in the

:11:26.:11:29.

circumstances, and I was there, by the way. I was a witness to what

:11:30.:11:34.

happened. I saw what Gerry Kelly. I myself and others tried to calm the

:11:35.:11:39.

situation as well. The point I would make is that any penalty imposed on

:11:40.:11:44.

him would have to be proportionate. A it wasn't and it was excessive.

:11:45.:11:52.

Would you be applying the same approach if Nelson McCausland... If

:11:53.:11:55.

there was a situation in which he was trying to defuse a situation in

:11:56.:12:01.

similar circumstances, where he received an informed warning and

:12:02.:12:04.

broke the law technically, I would be saying yes in those circumstances

:12:05.:12:09.

he should be given the benefit of the doubt and in fairness he should

:12:10.:12:13.

receive a lesser penalty than that proposed by the committee. OK. Thank

:12:14.:12:16.

you very much. It was good news that was supposed

:12:17.:12:22.

to be delivered today by Ministers, but the BBC was ahead of

:12:23.:12:25.

the game when it reported last week that the Open Golf Championships

:12:26.:12:28.

are returning to Northern Ireland. It didn't stop the Enterprise

:12:29.:12:31.

Minister heading to the North Coast Arlene Foster did have to give

:12:32.:12:33.

Question Time a miss though and sent in Simon Hamilton as a substitute.

:12:34.:12:46.

The Minister gave notice to the business committee last week that it

:12:47.:12:50.

might not be possible for her to return from official business

:12:51.:12:52.

outside Belfast in time for questions and the very good news, in

:12:53.:12:58.

terms of the Open would allow members to understand why that

:12:59.:13:02.

situation has arisen. The Minister of finance and personnel will

:13:03.:13:04.

therefore respond to questions on her behalf today. Since the

:13:05.:13:09.

abolition of air passenger duty, we've seen no additional

:13:10.:13:14.

destinations and, indeed, we've heard recently of the suspension of

:13:15.:13:18.

the only direct flight from the North to the United States. And I

:13:19.:13:23.

wonder if I could ask the Minister if the removal of air passenger duty

:13:24.:13:28.

has not been as successful as was first anticipated. I think it was

:13:29.:13:34.

successful, primarily in achieving its number one target, in terms of

:13:35.:13:44.

the long haul air passenger duty, and the Assembly subsequently

:13:45.:13:47.

reduced air passenger duty the long haul flights down to zero. It was

:13:48.:13:51.

successful and its primary purpose, to save the New York to Belfast

:13:52.:13:56.

route. I share the Minister's disappointment that that service is

:13:57.:14:00.

now going to move from a 12 month, year-round service, to a ten month

:14:01.:14:06.

service, which will affect me to mid-March of next year. --

:14:07.:14:14.

mid-January two mid-March. If there is a silver lining to the

:14:15.:14:18.

disappointing news, what I hope it does is make the route more

:14:19.:14:24.

profitable and, therefore, sustainable. I welcome the fact that

:14:25.:14:28.

united airlines have confirmed that the route is secure, albeit that it

:14:29.:14:31.

is going to be reduced to ten months. There is an interesting

:14:32.:14:37.

point of discussion following from this, into the ongoing work that my

:14:38.:14:42.

department and the Minister of enterprise and investment's

:14:43.:14:45.

department is doing in respect of our conductivity study, which is

:14:46.:14:49.

going to look at many things, including the impact that air

:14:50.:14:54.

passenger duty has on attracting roots and keeping roots in place. It

:14:55.:14:57.

is interesting to note that whilst we have ?0 in terms of air passenger

:14:58.:15:04.

duty for long haul flights, it hasn't been enough to keep it in

:15:05.:15:14.

place for 12 months. What is the Minister's view of the recent

:15:15.:15:18.

comment by an HBO executive who said it wasn't the most cosmopolitan city

:15:19.:15:24.

to spend half a year in Belfast. I'm tempted to, given the World Cup is

:15:25.:15:29.

on that there is an old saying in this part of the world, that we are

:15:30.:15:33.

not Brazil but Northern Ireland, but when it comes to filming locations,

:15:34.:15:37.

we're not Hollywood, we're Northern Ireland. I understand that the

:15:38.:15:41.

comments were made about being away for six months. I'm sure that

:15:42.:15:46.

anybody, no matter who you are, being away from your home and your

:15:47.:15:49.

family for six months is a difficult thing to do. I have to say, though,

:15:50.:15:56.

that the relationship between HBO and the Northern Ireland Executive

:15:57.:16:01.

has been incredibly productive. Seasons five and seasons six have

:16:02.:16:04.

already been secured for Northern Ireland, so it seems we are doing

:16:05.:16:10.

something right in respect of HBO. The golfer featured during questions

:16:11.:16:14.

to the regional development list as well but first, it was traffic

:16:15.:16:17.

calming measures and the issue of speed limits that took his

:16:18.:16:20.

attention. But the Minister confirmed that his

:16:21.:16:23.

department has no plans to implement the mad policy of traffic calming in

:16:24.:16:32.

town centres by opposing blanket 20 mph speed restrictions as have been

:16:33.:16:37.

suggested by some members of the Green Party and other fringe

:16:38.:16:42.

parties? The issue of the implementation of 20 mph schemes is

:16:43.:16:46.

being carefully looked out. We are bringing forward pilot schemes to

:16:47.:16:53.

better inform our view on that and I think that's a sensible approach,

:16:54.:16:59.

rather than a widespread change, implementing, perhaps, changes that

:17:00.:17:04.

we blame our communities are not quite prepared for. Can the Minister

:17:05.:17:08.

state what level of income the new super councils would hope to earn

:17:09.:17:12.

from having responsibility for such car parks and will they be in charge

:17:13.:17:19.

of arrangements, and local car parking charges? Over 303 and

:17:20.:17:23.

charged car parks will, as is envisaged, transferred to the

:17:24.:17:30.

councils, with an estimated value of some ?46 million. That is what

:17:31.:17:34.

they're worth, not what they earn. Let's be clear on that. Work is

:17:35.:17:40.

ongoing to determine a final list of car parks that will transfer, but I

:17:41.:17:47.

think in the region of ?8 million per year is generated. Will the

:17:48.:17:50.

Minister give a commitment to this House today that he will consider,

:17:51.:17:56.

given that he has time, putting investment to an even greater amount

:17:57.:18:05.

to the A26 and the railway line going to Portrush, and, of course,

:18:06.:18:09.

investment in the stations from Belfast to Portrush and from Larne

:18:10.:18:14.

to Portrush, to make sure the infrastructure is in place? I'm

:18:15.:18:19.

grateful to the Member for his question and it is tremendous news

:18:20.:18:25.

and I'm sure the whole house rejoices in the fact that it is now

:18:26.:18:36.

indicated that the Open will be held in Royal Portrush in 2019. We had

:18:37.:18:41.

the huge success of the Irish Open in 2012 and we are due to have a

:18:42.:18:47.

return visit of the Irish Open in Portrush even before 2019 and,

:18:48.:18:56.

indeed, to Royal County Down and the surrounding area in 2015. So I think

:18:57.:19:01.

it is very important indeed that overall infrastructure and transport

:19:02.:19:06.

infrastructure is improved. I'm very happy and proud to say, as an Ulster

:19:07.:19:13.

Unionist minister, that we will bring forward the scheme that will

:19:14.:19:22.

see the upgrading of the A26 with monies and with the good intent that

:19:23.:19:28.

my colleague indicated from his party. I look forward with

:19:29.:19:34.

confidence to getting more money to perhaps improve that network of

:19:35.:19:39.

roads further. And, of course, the member will no that the

:19:40.:19:47.

Coleraine-Londonderry line was saved and effectively rescued by this

:19:48.:19:50.

minister and by this political party, so we're very conscious of

:19:51.:19:57.

the role that we have. Getting to and around the north

:19:58.:20:00.

coast remained the focus for Benny in the chamber today as a motion was

:20:01.:20:04.

brought calling on the roads minister to invest in the area.

:20:05.:20:10.

Dual carriageway the whole way to Coleraine on a phased basis, the

:20:11.:20:19.

A37 roadster Coleraine, and the bypass would alleviate congestion

:20:20.:20:28.

and road problems. It is vital but I point out that the A37 is the rout

:20:29.:20:33.

used by emergency ambulances transferring patients to hospital.

:20:34.:20:43.

Therefore, improvement in journey times can be viewed as very

:20:44.:20:48.

beneficial to patient outcomes. I was looking last night at a brochure

:20:49.:20:54.

from the causeway coastal Alliance about it being one of the world's

:20:55.:20:58.

greatest road journeys and when you look at the roads from Derry through

:20:59.:21:03.

Coleraine, Barry Castle, all the way through to Larne, in the summer, in

:21:04.:21:12.

the peak period, for the world's greatest road journey, we only have

:21:13.:21:19.

two buses a day from Coleraine to Larne and vice versa. We need a

:21:20.:21:24.

proper bus service along that route, not only for local people but

:21:25.:21:29.

also for tourists, as well, and I think it's a case of "build it and

:21:30.:21:36.

they will come". I'm disappointed that nobody mentioned the ferry

:21:37.:21:41.

service between McGilligan and Greencastle and perhaps that is

:21:42.:21:46.

something that needs to be examined. With a long-term view to developing

:21:47.:21:52.

tourism, going both ways, because international tourism knows nothing

:21:53.:21:55.

about borders and partition. When I think of the contribution made to

:21:56.:21:58.

the north-west by the department of regional development, we often

:21:59.:22:04.

forget that North Coast community transport provides an essential

:22:05.:22:08.

service. It fills a gap for the many people who inhabit rural areas but,

:22:09.:22:12.

unfortunately, cannot readily access public transport services because of

:22:13.:22:18.

reduced mobility. The train service between Derry and Belfast is crucial

:22:19.:22:22.

and it is a wonderful service for those towns that are part of the

:22:23.:22:27.

route. However, the nature of the rail service is that they only serve

:22:28.:22:33.

towns where they stop. We should be looking to bolster this with an

:22:34.:22:37.

integrated transport system, which means that there is a simple way for

:22:38.:22:41.

people to travel to stations to catch the train, whether by private

:22:42.:22:46.

car or, more preferably, public transport. To go by public bus from

:22:47.:22:56.

Belfast to the Giant's Causeway, our prime tourist attraction, can take

:22:57.:23:00.

as long as 3.5 hours. That just should not be. And surely,

:23:01.:23:06.

particularly in the summer season, it is possible to have a better

:23:07.:23:11.

facility than that. I'm also mindful that the north coast is more than

:23:12.:23:13.

just a place to visit. Communities live there, businesses operate

:23:14.:23:20.

amongst that breathtaking scenery, and it's vital that we create

:23:21.:23:27.

high-quality local and regional transport connections to provide

:23:28.:23:33.

access to major towns. This ensures that goods and markets and workers

:23:34.:23:39.

and jobs can link seamlessly. I wish to see local businesses expand their

:23:40.:23:43.

markets across Great Britain and the Republic of Island and throughout

:23:44.:23:46.

the EU and beyond. Race relations and the treatment of

:23:47.:23:49.

ethnic minorities in Northern Ireland has been a huge issue in

:23:50.:23:53.

recent weeks and today, the Assembly took the opportunity to recognise

:23:54.:24:00.

Refugees Week and talk about the importance of people from other

:24:01.:24:05.

communities coming here. Mike Nesbitt brought the motion before

:24:06.:24:10.

the House. The theme for community relations week this year is building

:24:11.:24:17.

a united community, while Refugee Week focuses on different pasts,

:24:18.:24:22.

shared future. It is fitting that community relations week and Refugee

:24:23.:24:29.

Week coincide in 2014, providing us with a timely reminder that when we

:24:30.:24:34.

speak of uniting communities we must look beyond our two communities in

:24:35.:24:40.

our society. And if it is the case, Mr Deputy Speaker, that the Deputy

:24:41.:24:46.

First Minister has signed off on the racial equality strategy, let the

:24:47.:24:51.

measure of FM and DFM B, when it comes to the publication of that

:24:52.:24:56.

racy quality strategy, that it deals with all the issues that it needs to

:24:57.:25:00.

deal with one it comes to the issue of immigration. -- race equality.

:25:01.:25:06.

What needs to happen in areas where frequent racist incidents occurred

:25:07.:25:09.

to promote root jewel understanding and challenge sectarian attitudes.

:25:10.:25:17.

-- mutual understanding. We must encourage reporting, supporting

:25:18.:25:20.

victims in a way which demonstrates care and sensitivity, and ensure

:25:21.:25:25.

that perpetrators of hate crimes are brought to justice and face the full

:25:26.:25:33.

weight of the law. Both weeks are time for us to celebrate the ethnic

:25:34.:25:37.

and cultural diversity of our community and it is important to

:25:38.:25:40.

note that Long gone are the days when there could have been perceived

:25:41.:25:46.

to be two or three communities here. Ireland is changing and in a really

:25:47.:25:54.

amazing way. Growth in recent years friends challenges and

:25:55.:25:57.

opportunities. We either show a strong, united voice on this issue

:25:58.:26:01.

or create a vacuum in which people draw their own conclusions which can

:26:02.:26:03.

often end up with the most damaging consequences. In recent weeks, we've

:26:04.:26:09.

seen greater need to understand each other's backgrounds, not only

:26:10.:26:13.

Catholic and Protestant but those from other ethnic minorities living

:26:14.:26:16.

in Northern Ireland. The shared future has to be for all the people

:26:17.:26:21.

of Northern Ireland. Alex Kane has rejoined me. You aren't a football

:26:22.:26:26.

fan but what about the Gulf? By the time the Open gets here in 2019, do

:26:27.:26:30.

you think we will lead still talking about flags? -- we will still be

:26:31.:26:37.

talking about flags? I think we will be. That debate is going to roll on

:26:38.:26:43.

and on way past 2019. My colleague Mark Devonport was reporting last

:26:44.:26:45.

week that the talks will start next week and I was reading earlier that

:26:46.:26:50.

the talks are now going to start next week so it doesn't appear that

:26:51.:26:53.

anyone is in any hurry to get down to brass tacks. We've had talks

:26:54.:26:58.

about whether we were going to have talks and whether we would have

:26:59.:27:02.

talks after that. They're not agreeing on anything. They said it

:27:03.:27:05.

last week in the hope that it would buy them a bit of time. The very day

:27:06.:27:12.

after Robinson announced these, they were arguing over it. They need to

:27:13.:27:18.

agree upfront, sit down the template and the blueprint. If they don't

:27:19.:27:23.

agree, there is no point even announcing talks. It is hard not to

:27:24.:27:28.

go past what Peter Robinson said some time ago - that if it takes

:27:29.:27:31.

three weeks, three months or three years, it will take as long as it

:27:32.:27:35.

takes stop a lot of people think it is going to be three years.

:27:36.:27:40.

The optimists think it will be three years. You can't go on like that. It

:27:41.:27:45.

is absolute nonsense. When he became First Minister and said he could

:27:46.:27:48.

work with Martin McGuinness, it wasn't on the basis that it might be

:27:49.:27:51.

ten years before they do anything. He sold it on the basis they could

:27:52.:27:55.

resolve the big issues. They have done diddly squat. The two of them

:27:56.:28:00.

may as well go and play Gulf for the next three years because it has been

:28:01.:28:03.

a complete and utter dereliction of duty. The Queen is coming to Belfast

:28:04.:28:08.

next week. She's going to be Martin McGuinness, which is getting to be a

:28:09.:28:12.

bit of a habit. I think she's doing it deliberately, just to annoy the

:28:13.:28:16.

hell out of him. He can't get out of it now. He has to shake her hand, no

:28:17.:28:21.

matter how often or where she turns up. More power to her elbow. Let her

:28:22.:28:27.

enjoy it. I suppose it's a way of normalising these meetings, that

:28:28.:28:31.

people get bored of the whole thing. Nobody ever gets bored of politics

:28:32.:28:34.

in Northern Ireland. That's the tragedy and the joy and it keeps me

:28:35.:28:39.

employed. We'll let you get back to the World Cup that we know you love

:28:40.:28:41.

so much. Thank you. I will be back again at

:28:42.:28:44.

the same time tomorrow night. Until then, goodbye.

:28:45.:28:47.

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