:00:29. > :00:32.Coming up in the next half hour: A bill designed to protect victims or
:00:32. > :00:41.discriminate against former prisoners? The Special Advisers Bill
:00:41. > :00:48.was before the House for further consideration. There is a prisoner
:00:48. > :00:50.elite who think that they have got higher entitlements than any of the
:00:50. > :00:53.rest of the citizens in this part of the world.
:00:53. > :01:02.The Health Minister says the care of patients is much more important than
:01:02. > :01:08.party politics. I could not care less where I look to. I will work
:01:08. > :01:10.with Dublin or whatever else is to ensure we deliver the best possible
:01:10. > :01:20.service. And our political reporter, Stephen
:01:20. > :01:21.
:01:21. > :01:24.Walker, is here to cast an eye over Back before the Assembly today was
:01:24. > :01:26.Jim Allister's Special Advisers Bill. It was originally brought
:01:26. > :01:29.forward after the controversial appointment of Mary McArdle who was
:01:29. > :01:33.a Special Adviser to the Sinn Fein Culture Minister. She had been
:01:33. > :01:36.jailed for her part in the murder of a judge's daughter. In a moment,
:01:36. > :01:41.we'll get a flavour of the debate, but first, I'm joined by our
:01:41. > :01:50.political reporter, Stephen Walker. Remind us what this Bill is all
:01:50. > :01:56.about. This is the work of Jim Allister. If passed, this Bill would
:01:56. > :02:01.ban anyone convicted of a crime which carried a jail sentence of
:02:01. > :02:07.five years or more of being appointed to a Special Adviser. As
:02:07. > :02:15.you said in the introduction, this is a direct case, following the
:02:15. > :02:23.appointment of Mary McArdle. There was a blaze of publicity. One of
:02:23. > :02:27.those who criticised that decision was and Travers, whose sister was
:02:27. > :02:32.murdered in 1984. Jim Allister has championed this Bill and said if
:02:32. > :02:37.this Bill went through, it would be a landmark piece of legislation. It
:02:37. > :02:46.really has divided the party is up here. It has. It broadly got support
:02:46. > :02:55.from Unionists. There was fierce criticism from nationalists and
:02:55. > :03:02.republicans. The SDLP wanted to amend some of the wording. Sinn Fein
:03:02. > :03:06.'s position was slightly starker. Stephen, thank you. Well, let's have
:03:06. > :03:09.a look at what MLAs had to say about the Bill and, as we'll see, it was a
:03:09. > :03:18.series of amendments put forward by the SDLP that largely took centre
:03:18. > :03:26.stage. No matter how much the SDLP might like to massage these works
:03:26. > :03:32.and say they mean something they don't, the reality waves -- the
:03:32. > :03:40.reality is, they merely require regret couched in language which
:03:40. > :03:50.utterly undermines any suggestion that there is contrition. The member
:03:50. > :03:52.
:03:52. > :03:57.will have to admit that contrition has to be interpreted. I do realise
:03:57. > :04:06.that contrition is a very Catholic words, and perhaps the panel will
:04:06. > :04:12.have to draw on the services of an imminent Catholic theologian to
:04:12. > :04:18.divine contrition and decide whether or not a particular applicant was
:04:18. > :04:25.contrite. Obviously, they will not go to that extent, but the point I
:04:25. > :04:35.am making, that at the end of the day, the interpretation is
:04:35. > :04:45.
:04:45. > :04:49.objective. I certainly think that contrition is something we can all
:04:49. > :04:59.experience and express. Overall, the STL P amendments would substantially
:04:59. > :05:07.
:05:07. > :05:11.weaken the Bill. They would diminish the protection for victims. The
:05:11. > :05:18.easier you make the appointment for a serious criminal, the more you
:05:18. > :05:23.diminish the right of the victims. If this Bill passes, I want this to
:05:23. > :05:28.be seen as a landmark piece of legislation that, amongst the first
:05:28. > :05:33.times, demonstrates that victims have a right to be heard, a right to
:05:33. > :05:43.have a say and a right to be heeded. The SDLP's amendments are
:05:43. > :05:48.brought forward. I see more with trying to be in agreement with Sinn
:05:48. > :05:54.Fein on this matter and trying to protect some people. It is evident
:05:54. > :06:04.to me that if somebody has been guilty of a crime, they should not
:06:04. > :06:10.
:06:10. > :06:20.take the post. I have to say, I take exception with the member was trying
:06:20. > :06:26.
:06:26. > :06:33.to do this to Sinn Fein. They haven't even got an amendment down.
:06:33. > :06:41.The amendments which we have down today seek to remove the
:06:41. > :06:51.retrospective element of the Bill. The purpose of which is to remove
:06:51. > :06:51.
:06:51. > :07:36.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds
:07:36. > :07:46.indication that there was concern to kill off this Bill. That is the only
:07:46. > :08:03.
:08:03. > :08:09.way the STL P can actually do that. Don't try and pretend this is
:08:09. > :08:19.anything but an attempt to stop ex-prisoners from getting employers
:08:19. > :08:24.
:08:24. > :08:33.-- employment. If the proposal... In my opinion, this Bill should be
:08:33. > :08:39.stopped. There is a prisoner elite who think that they have got higher
:08:39. > :08:45.entitlements than any of the rest of the citizens in this part of the
:08:45. > :08:48.world. Released early, millions of pounds from Europe, millions more
:08:48. > :08:56.going towards prisoners groups over the next period of funding and so on
:08:56. > :09:04.and so forth. I would like to begin by mailing the suggestion that this
:09:04. > :09:13.Bill picks out and discriminates against what had been terms
:09:13. > :09:21.political ex-prisoners. There never were political prisoners. Even if
:09:21. > :09:30.one stretches to understand the concept, this Bill does not
:09:30. > :09:37.discriminate against that perceived group. This bill applies equally to
:09:37. > :09:42.everyone with a serious criminal conviction. Be that person a rapist,
:09:42. > :09:52.fraudster or a conflict. Joining me now is the SDLP MLA,
:09:52. > :09:53.
:09:53. > :09:59.Dominic Bradley. All of your amendments failed today. We were
:09:59. > :10:06.disappointed. We have put a lot of work into it. We came forward with
:10:06. > :10:12.amendments at the consideration stage. They had limited success.
:10:12. > :10:16.Unfortunately, they were not successful. We are disappointed
:10:16. > :10:25.about that, but we are pleased we have made every effort we possibly
:10:25. > :10:33.could to make this Bill into good law. Jim Allister says your
:10:33. > :10:39.amendments would not have been good for victims. We disagree totally for
:10:39. > :10:43.that. We stood for victims and good law. We reject Jim Allister 's
:10:43. > :10:47.allegations in that respect. We have worked very hard in this Bill and
:10:47. > :10:51.are amendments would have got to a stage where we could have supported
:10:51. > :10:56.it. The argument against your amendments was made in the House
:10:56. > :11:00.today that it would have made it easier had they been taken for the
:11:01. > :11:08.appointment of a serious criminal to the position of Special Adviser.
:11:08. > :11:14.don't accept that. We were arguing mainly for an appeal mechanism which
:11:14. > :11:21.would give people a reasonable chance. Any appeal mechanism should
:11:21. > :11:30.do that. Mr Allister's appeal mechanism closes the four -- closes
:11:30. > :11:37.the door very tightly. Will the SDLP now use a petition of concern to
:11:37. > :11:41.kill the Bill at the next stage of proceedings? We have made every
:11:41. > :11:51.effort and spoken with Mr Allister. We have brought amendments to the
:11:51. > :11:51.
:11:51. > :11:57.consideration stage. That hasn't been successful. We are considering
:11:57. > :12:02.using the option of a petition of concern. We have tried the other
:12:02. > :12:07.options available to us. They have not been successful and we have to
:12:07. > :12:12.consider a petition of concern. Could you be persuaded to live with
:12:12. > :12:18.the legislation as it will be? don't think we can be persuaded to
:12:18. > :12:23.live with the legislation. We have made every attempt that we possibly
:12:23. > :12:28.could to shape this into good law. That has not been successful at this
:12:28. > :12:38.stage, we are considering supporting application of concern. But will you
:12:38. > :12:50.
:12:50. > :12:54.do it? Probably. A lot of people would be disappointed that that.
:12:54. > :12:59.have come forward with reasonable and well thought out amendments
:12:59. > :13:09.which afforded people a reasonable chance of success. They have been
:13:09. > :13:09.
:13:09. > :15:10.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds
:15:10. > :15:16.rejected so I don't think we have Eye make-up and to discuss whether
:15:16. > :15:26.there was flexibility. I asked him to give consideration to a to
:15:26. > :15:28.
:15:28. > :15:38.centre model. Potentially providing services in Belfast and Dublin gay
:15:38. > :15:38.
:15:38. > :15:46.bar. In the Belfast -- in Belfast and Dublin. I ought to expedite
:15:46. > :15:55.this as quickly as possible. Can I ask if he believes if there is a
:15:55. > :16:00.more ambitious or enervated framework. Than the one identified
:16:00. > :16:10.in the expert working group report? That would hopefully see some form
:16:10. > :16:10.
:16:10. > :16:18.of surgery maintained. Go quality and safety must remain at the top
:16:18. > :16:23.of the agenda. I suspect that the model will maximise quality but it
:16:23. > :16:29.might not maximise safety. We cannot look at one without the
:16:30. > :16:35.other. Those children who get there at appropriate times can be treated
:16:35. > :16:39.at that site. And we will get better outcomes. I do not want to
:16:39. > :16:46.raise expectations on the matter but what was previously proposed is
:16:46. > :16:51.not a done deal. I am looking for a different kind of outcome.
:16:51. > :16:57.Buildings do not save the lives are. It is the people who work in them.
:16:57. > :17:05.It is important we do our best to maintain an element of elected such
:17:05. > :17:10.a. To do that, and to be attractive to surgeons. We must be part of a
:17:10. > :17:13.larger network. A stand-alone site will not do it. I have been
:17:13. > :17:19.criticised from a political perspective about what it would do,
:17:19. > :17:24.looking to Dublin, for assistance here. I frankly could not care less
:17:24. > :17:30.where I looked to after it saved the lives of children. I will work
:17:30. > :17:40.with Dublin or whoever else to a deliver the best possible service.
:17:40. > :17:40.
:17:40. > :17:44.I want to retain some elective surgery. The health minister. The
:17:44. > :17:49.First Minister has told the Assembly that there is still a
:17:49. > :17:54.range of announcements to come on the proposed Shield future. Peter
:17:54. > :17:59.Robinson was speaking during forced Minister's Questions today. He also
:17:59. > :18:04.told the Assembly how far they believe Northern Ireland had come.
:18:04. > :18:08.Hour announcement on 9th May of a package of strategic actions
:18:08. > :18:14.towards a united community is clear evidence of over commitment to this
:18:14. > :18:18.critical a her. The latest peace monitoring report recognises we
:18:18. > :18:23.have come a long way as a society. The collective effort at an
:18:23. > :18:27.individual level and community level is to be commended. This
:18:27. > :18:32.report is useful in the measuring progress. It highlights the
:18:32. > :18:36.progress to date and the challenges for the way ahead. The Deputy First
:18:37. > :18:41.Minister and I welcome the reassuring evidence that we live in
:18:41. > :18:48.a community where citizens are less likely to be the victims of crime.
:18:48. > :18:54.Racist hate crime has decreased. And segregation has diminished.
:18:54. > :19:01.There are a number of wide-ranging issues. But which ones would you
:19:01. > :19:07.highlight? If I was to look at the indices which are provided, and
:19:07. > :19:11.which are widely available, and draw out some of the more positive
:19:11. > :19:15.aspects, it has been the longest period of sustained stability for
:19:16. > :19:20.the devolved institutions. Sectarian incidents and crimes are
:19:20. > :19:30.significantly down. The number of crimes based on the religion are
:19:30. > :19:31.
:19:31. > :19:36.down dramatically. From 148 in 2005/2006, to 14 in 2011/2012.
:19:36. > :19:41.Attacks on Orange halls and chapels are down. Casualties per annum as a
:19:41. > :19:44.result of paramilitary shootings are down. A significant increase in
:19:44. > :19:48.young people who believe that relations between Protestant and
:19:48. > :19:54.Catholic are better. If 90% of people believe that their neighbour
:19:54. > :20:00.had is a shared neighbourhood. People on all side indicate respect
:20:00. > :20:04.towards cultures and identities. No new peace walls since 2008. One
:20:05. > :20:08.since devolution but that was put up by the Northern Ireland Office.
:20:08. > :20:13.If I could draw on hundreds of indices that show the positive
:20:13. > :20:19.progress that has been made. But again I emphasise, there is a long
:20:19. > :20:23.way to go off. Can be First Minister outline ongoing
:20:23. > :20:28.negotiations with the Secretary of State on the matter of the
:20:28. > :20:35.substantial financial package for Northern Ireland? We had the
:20:35. > :20:39.opportunity to talk in detail about the financial package. The
:20:39. > :20:45.Government's attitude to extending it, as far as the individual
:20:45. > :20:49.proposals, I am reluctant to go over them. In some cases the Deputy
:20:49. > :20:55.First Minister and I will seek to alter or and extend it does
:20:55. > :21:00.Coppetts other proposals. But we are both of the view that we have
:21:00. > :21:06.been disadvantaged because of the overall climate with the economy in
:21:06. > :21:11.Northern Ireland. We need to have impetus, momentum, to move for work.
:21:11. > :21:16.We have put forward a very extensive proposals in terms of a
:21:16. > :21:21.shared future. They go beyond what the Government expected us to do.
:21:21. > :21:27.There is a range of other announcements to make. Having shown
:21:27. > :21:31.ambition we are now looking to see the reward. During the discussions
:21:31. > :21:38.that the First Minister take the opportunity to raise the matter of
:21:38. > :21:45.the G8? The in relation to the G8, there was considerable enthusiasm
:21:45. > :21:49.for the benefit that would flow on both sides of the border. Being
:21:49. > :21:54.close to the border, even in terms of accommodation, the South is
:21:54. > :22:03.getting a considerable benefit. As I understand, the teacher has been
:22:03. > :22:07.invited by the Prime Minister to attend part of the discussion. It
:22:07. > :22:14.has significant benefits for Northern Ireland and permits us to
:22:14. > :22:21.show case nor on Ireland in the new year, moving forward. We'll take
:22:22. > :22:26.the worldwide attention to our advantage. Today marks the first
:22:26. > :22:30.day of community relations week. After the winter of discontent and
:22:30. > :22:35.concerns that the summer might bring more of the same, is there
:22:35. > :22:39.any hope that such initiatives can help? I am joined by teeth
:22:39. > :22:44.Executive of the Community Relations Council. -- the chief
:22:44. > :22:51.Executive. For this week community relations is top of the agenda.
:22:52. > :22:55.What about the other 51 weeks of the Year? We get the chance to
:22:55. > :23:01.focus very specifically on lots of different events going on across
:23:01. > :23:04.the country. A chance for people to show case what they are doing. And
:23:04. > :23:10.more importantly, for those who are not involved, to get a chance to
:23:10. > :23:15.see what we are involved in and to blow out some of the maths that are
:23:15. > :23:19.there about community relations work. It is now top of the
:23:19. > :23:24.political agenda with the driver to find a strategy as far as the
:23:24. > :23:29.Executive is concerned. How much does your work chime with the
:23:29. > :23:34.worker to Deputy First Minister and First Minister? An hour off this is
:23:34. > :23:38.funded by their office. And we receive support from the European
:23:38. > :23:43.Union and International Fund for Ireland. -- hour of this. So they
:23:44. > :23:47.are supporting us even without the new strategy. New initiatives have
:23:47. > :23:51.come for what. We did not know about those in advance. And we
:23:51. > :23:55.still do not know the detail of what is involved. Are we
:23:55. > :23:59.disappointed? In the long run it would be better if there was better
:23:59. > :24:04.connection in terms of working with organisations involved in community
:24:04. > :24:10.relations to bring forward ideas. If but nevertheless it is progress
:24:10. > :24:16.and we welcome it. What about the strategy launched by the Office of
:24:16. > :24:24.the First Minister and Deputy First Minister one week ago? That does
:24:24. > :24:29.not deal with key issues like parades, flax. We believe the full
:24:29. > :24:34.detail will be announced later next week or possibly next week. --
:24:34. > :24:38.later this week. One difficult issues, they are enormously
:24:38. > :24:42.difficult and we fully recognise that. What we know so far is that
:24:42. > :24:48.there will be an all-party discussion. I know there is a great
:24:48. > :24:51.deal cynicism regarding that. We have been there. But this time
:24:51. > :24:59.there will be independent voices involved. Maybe that will help us
:24:59. > :25:07.move on. Are we moving in the right direction, in you have you? I hope
:25:07. > :25:11.so. The Pope to -- peace monitoring report shows a very good statistics.
:25:11. > :25:14.To the First Minister is right to quote them. It was a good year. We
:25:14. > :25:21.cannot be blind to the issues we must tackle but we're making
:25:21. > :25:26.progress. The Assembly had time to discuss spot this morning when
:25:26. > :25:36.there was widespread praise for a golfer, Graham McDowell. He won the
:25:36. > :25:38.
:25:38. > :25:42.the World Match Play Championship over the weekend. We cannot over
:25:42. > :25:48.estimate the scale of the success that Northern Ireland golfers have
:25:48. > :25:52.achieved in the recent years. When we look at the illustrious list of
:25:52. > :26:00.previous winners of the World Match Play Championship we see, Jack
:26:00. > :26:09.Nicklaus, Gary Player, said it Alastair Ross, Nick Faldo, golfing
:26:09. > :26:14.greats. Many of them legends. Now, Graham McDowell, joining that
:26:14. > :26:18.illustrious list. Geoff I hope that the achievement will be an
:26:18. > :26:24.inspiration to other young sportspeople to take up golf or to
:26:24. > :26:29.take up other sports. I pass on my congratulations to Graham McDowell
:26:29. > :26:35.and his father, Kenny. At it inspires a new generation of sports
:26:35. > :26:43.people that would be very pleasing. There is no doubt that this success
:26:43. > :26:48.is timely. It brings the spotlight back. Since the Open was played at
:26:48. > :26:53.Royal Portrush, the spotlight has been brought back to Irish golf,
:26:53. > :27:00.Irish to risen, and the opportunity of jobs that surrounds the two rows
:27:00. > :27:05.and product. A very timely victory. Very timely for bringing our minds
:27:05. > :27:11.back to the opportunities that we have around two risen and golf
:27:11. > :27:17.tourism in particular. I also want to admire congratulations. A
:27:17. > :27:23.terrific example for all of our golfers. Particularly with such an
:27:23. > :27:29.incredibly difficult course. That is where Alexander the Great
:27:29. > :27:36.started his world domination. Lex maybe see it go on and we can have
:27:36. > :27:42.grey and the great! By Our political reporter is with me.
:27:43. > :27:49.Going back to the bad issue of the day. The special advisers still. --
:27:49. > :27:57.debt issue. We have from Dominic Bradley, the nuclear option, a
:27:58. > :28:03.petition of concern, will be If you listen carefully to what he
:28:03. > :28:09.said, clearly the SDLP are very happy. This was the nuclear option.
:28:09. > :28:13.He admitted that. He admitted it was an option he was looking at.
:28:13. > :28:18.Looking at the mood music it would seem to be the only option open to
:28:18. > :28:25.the SDLP. If they are unhappy with the bell and if they want to kill
:28:25. > :28:33.it that is the only option A quick what about other news - the
:28:33. > :28:39.Deputy First Minister getting ready The ministers met the Chinese