Tag: NI

Check out “Northern Protestants: Time For a United Ireland?”!

Monday 5th December, 2022.

Is it time to ditch the misnomer ‘PUL Community’ when, since Brexit, increasing numbers of Protestants publicly reject the Union in favour of a United Ireland? Northern Protestant Claire Mitchell argues in her new book The Ghost Limb that there is a growing community of Protestants who wish to reclaim the Enlightenment spirit of 1798 and the United Irishmen? Is Claire correct or does she exaggerate the degree to which significant numbers of Protestants are open to the debate about Unity?

As the tectonic plates of the Union shift, Belfast Protestant Geoff Bell in his new book The Twilight of Unionism argues we are witnessing the decline of Ulster Unionism and good riddance to it. But at a time when opinion polls show support rising again for the DUP is there a danger that pronouncements on Unionist decline are premature and ill judged?

Protestant Ben Collins was once a unionist but disillusioned with Brexit and the state of pro-union politics he now campaigns for a United Ireland. In his new book Irish Unity he sets out the political, social and economic benefits of removing the border on the island of Ireland once and for all. He contends that Brexit is a game changer, prompting many Protestants to ask, “might I be better off in a New Ireland”? But is Ben right? Are growing numbers of Protestants really open to the conversation on Irish Unity? Join the debate and find out.

Should we view Claire, Geoff and Ben as outliers or as representative of a significant strand of Protestant thinking? Finally, to what extent does fear of being labelled a ‘Lundie’ still deter Protestants from raising their heads above the Constitutional parapet and joining the conversation?

Come join our zoom debate with Claire, Geoff and Ben, moderated by Kevin Meagher.

With many thanks to: Irish Border Poll and Claire Mitchell, Ben Collins and Geoff Bell for the original publication.

Follow this link below to to find out more on this event and take part and register for free….

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/northern-protestants-time-for-a-united-ireland-tickets-471754689977?aff=eand

Border poll ‘yes’ vote would require British parliament consent.

http://seachranaidhe-irishandproud.blogspot.com/2022/09/border-poll-yes-vote-would-require.html

#IRISHUNITYNOW

Proposed legacy Bill may not be human rights compliant, warns commissioner – The Irish News

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2022/08/31/news/proposed_legacy_bill_may_not_be_human_rights_compliant_warns_commissioner-2814787/

The Day The Queen Got Stoned in Belfast by Danny Morrison

https://eamonnmallie.com/2012/06/the-day-the-queen-got-stoned-belfast-danny-morrison/

Question Time is broadcast from Belfast tonight

Good Friday Agreement (GFA)

Take a look at this post… ‘British Government tried to prevent BBC News exposing MI5 Agent who used his secret status to terrorise and sexually abuse his partner. ‘.

http://seachranaidhe-irishandproud.blogspot.com/2022/05/british-government-tried-to-prevent-bbc.html

Brexit Secretary hints UK could rethink DUP veto on deal

Don’t forget everyone the DUP are lying to everyone! And the elections are just around the corner. ‘PUT YOUR VOTE WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS!

Stephen Barclay also says government willing to discuss detail of customs proposals

Stephen Sparrow Brexit Secretary

The Brexit secretary has hinted that the government could amend its proposal to give the Democratic Unionist party an effective veto over its plan for an alternative to the Irish backstop

With EU leaders not willing to accept the UK’s ideas and talks between the two sides suspended over the weekend when Boris Johnson had been hoping to intensify them, Stephen Barclay said on Sunday that the government would be willing to discuss changes to the mechanism designed to ensure the new arrangements receive political approval in Northern Ireland.

He also sounded open to possible further movement on customs, saying the UK was willing to discuss the detail of how it’s plan might work

Can Boris Johnson’s border plan break the Brexit deadlock?
In rhetorical terms the government has shifted considerably from what it was saying just before it published its plan for an alternative to the backstop on Wednesday, when it was insisting this would be its “final offer” to the EU.

But the gap between the two sides remains considerable, and Barclay’s emollient language may be motivated as much by a desire to deflect accusations that the government is being unreasonable as by any serious expectation of a deal being reached before the EU summit starting on 17 October.

Under the UK plan, Northern Ireland would remain in the EU single market for goods after Brexit but in the UK customs territory. This arrangement, intended to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, would depend on the Northern Ireland assembly voting for it, and continuing to vote for it every four years.

One objection to this is that the assembly is currently suspended. Another is that, under the “petition of concern” mechanism used for contentious issues in the assembly, votes have to be agreed not just by a narrow majority but with the backing of a significant block of both unionist and nationalist assembly members. In practice this means the main unionist and nationalist parties, the DUP and Sinn Féin, can exercise a veto.

Quick Guide
Why is the Irish border a stumbling block for Brexit?

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The No 10 plan envisages the assembly having to vote for Northern Ireland joining the EU single market for goods, meaning the vote could only be won with DUP support. If the default were for Northern Ireland to be in that arrangement, only exiting if the assembly voted to leave, then in practice it would be Sinn Féin that had the veto.

On Friday Julian Smith, the Northern Ireland secretary, was told by some of the non-DUP parties in Northern Ireland that what was being proposed was a non-starter.

One source with knowledge of the meeting said: “The message has gone back from all quarters in Northern Ireland, from Sinn Féin to the Traditional Unionist Voice, that this is unworkable and it will destabilise the institutions and the Good Friday agreement and is not plausible – and in light of that, if [Smith] is serious about getting a deal, he has to come back with something more realistic.”

Jamie Bryson showing his true hatred to the EU by supporting the Nazis and German SS

On Sunday, in an interview on the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show, Barclay indicated the government might consider moving on this. Asked if he was willing to change the system being used to ensure the new arrangements had the backing of the people on the island of Ireland, he replied: “The key issue is the principle of consent.

Jamie Bryson showing his full support for Erin go bragh (allegiance to Ireland) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erin_go_bragh

“Now, the mechanism – we’ve set out proposals in our legal text. We can obviously, as part of the intense negotiations in the coming days, discuss that mechanism.”

Barclay was also asked if the UK would shift on its plans for minimal customs checks, away from the border, on goods travelling between Northern Ireland and Ireland. These are currently unacceptable to EU leaders who complain they are too vague and that they would in practice fail to protect the integrity of the single market and the customs union.

Asked if the government was willing to compromise further on customs, Barclay said: “We’ve set out a broad landing zone. In the detail of the negotiations, of course we can get into the detail as to how operationally they work, what legal certainty is required by the commission.”

In public ministers have sounded relatively conciliatory in recent days, while also stressing that the UK will leave the EU on 31 October despite parliament having passed a law, the Benn act, intended to stop a no-deal Brexit. In private government sources have been briefing that the prime minister might subvert the act, and even try ignoring a vote in parliament for him to be replaced by someone else as leader of an interim government.

Asked if Johnson would comply with the Benn act, which requires him to write to the EU by 19 October requesting a Brexit extension if no deal has been agreed by then, and if MPs have not voted to authorise no deal, Barclay replied: “I can absolutely confirm that the government will abide by the law. The prime minister is clear on that.”

Asked if that meant he would send the letter, Barclay said: “Whatever the law says, we will comply with the law.”

But Barclay sidestepped a question about why a “senior No 10 source” told the BBC that Johnson was not prevented by the Benn act “from doing other things that cause no delay”, including sending messages to EU countries intended to persuade them to reject an extension.

In a separate interview on the Andrew Marr Show, Shami Chakrabarti, the shadow attorney general, said Johnson would be acting unlawfully if he did this.

“If you send the letter, as you are required to under the law, and then seek to undermine it by other means, you have not kept faith with the law. You have not fulfilled your specific statutory duty to seek an extension. That would be unlawful conduct,” she said.

With many thanks to: The Guardian and Andrew Sparrow and Lisa O’Carroll for the original story

International body backs Irish language role

Graffiti in Belfast calling for an Irish Language Act

Language commissioners from six countries have supported a similar role being established in the North of Ireland.

Members of the International Association of Language Commissioners voiced their support in a letter to the Irish language organisation, Conradh na Gaeilge.

An Irish language commissioner was a key feature of previous proposals for an Irish language act.

However, the proposals have been politically contentious.

Language laws ‘strengthen not threaten’
The power of words
Both main unionist parties have opposed a standalone act, but other parties have supported calls for one.

The International Association of Language Commissioners is an umbrella body for language commissioners in a number of countries.

Eleven commissioners from Canada, Spain, Wales, Ireland, Kosovo and Belgium have signed the letter of support.

Five of the signatories are from regions of Canada, while both the Basque and Catalonian language commissioners from Spain have put their name to the letter.

Police standards
The principal role of an Irish language commissioner would be to promote and facilitate the use of the language.

They would also police the standards required of public sector bodies in delivering services in Irish.

The letter said that language commissioners brought many advantages.

“In our view language commissioners can be central in the protection and preservation of a language that is spoken by a minority,” it read.

Dr Niall Comer, from Conradh na Gaeilge, said that independent commissioners were vital in protecting language rights.

“Language rights and rights-based legislation are afforded to minority and indigenous language communities across these islands and indeed across the world,” he said.

“If anything we are the anomaly.”

A working group on rights, languages and identity has been established as part of the ongoing talks between the political parties at Stormont.

With many thanks to: BBCNI and Robbie Meredith NI Education Correspondent for the original story

Related Topics
Stormont stalemate

Imperva creates 220 cyber-security jobs in Belfast

This company seems to have set-up companies in Israel. So I don’t know what Israeli connection they have. BDS

A range of positions are being created across the company

A Silicon Valley cayber-security company is creating 220 jobs in Belfast.

Imperva is establishing a new base in the city and aims to create the jobs over the next three to five years.

Invest Northern Ireland has offered more than £1.4m towards the creation of the roles. The average salary on offer is more than £30,000.

Imperva already has bases in California and Israel, and the company said it was setting up in NI to “tap into the tremendous talent in the region”.

NI hub for cyber-security experts
There are a range of positions being created across the company and they will provide opportunities for graduates and experienced staff.

‘High-level education’
Yoav Cohen, from the company, told BBC News NI it had been liaising with the universities.

“We chose Belfast because of the large population of cyber-sec experts in the region, which is supported by high-level education in that field,” he said.

Chris Hylen, President and CEO of Imperial (center), with the company’s leadership team. Image Copyright © LIBBY GREENE/NASDAQ INC.

“We are working with Ulster University and Queen’s University and we have attended graduate recruitment fairs.

“We are living in a more digital and connected world and rely on apps and data on a daily basis.

“Imperva helps protect these applications from cyber criminals who seek to gain financial reward by extortion or selling our private data online.

“We are part of a group of successful cyber-group companies, which chose Belfast as the area in which they want to grow.”

The company said setting up in Belfast would allow it to support customers in Europe.

Alan Wilson, from Invest NI, said the Imperva move was the largest cyber-security investment into Northern Ireland so far.

“This has come on the heels of several other investors and they are coming for a reason – primarily because we have the best talent for cyber-security globally.”

Imperva’s project could have gone anywhere, he added, so Invest NI’s support of £1.4m was necessary to bring the jobs to Northern Ireland.

With many thanks to: BBCNI for the original story.

Related Topics
Cyber-securityBelfastNI economy

CUTS ROW BECOMING A FIASCO FOR VILLIERS

Cuts row becoming a fiasco for Villiers.

ON MONDAY the Department for Social Development publushed a report on the reasons people use food banks.

They concluded low income was the main reason. Astonishing. Who’da thought? There’s you thinking people toddled round to a food bank because they couldn’t get a bus to Tesco. You wonder how much that report cost. The banality of the report’s conclusion was matched perfectly by the response of the DSD minister. Go on, try to think of his name. Draw a blank? How appropriate. Here’s what he said almost in English. “Society – not just government – but collectively we need to take a strong look at why this is happening in the North of Ireland.” Surely his report had just told him? People aren’t paid enough. Another reason given was that people had to wait too long for benifit payment’s to kick in after losing their job or becoming to ill to work. Third, but not mentioned are benefit sanctions when people are refused cash because, for example, it’s deemed they aren’t trying to find a job. The minister was asking the wrong question. It’s not a matter of finding reasons for using food banks. It’s why has the number of food banks in the north increased from two, when our proconsul’s nasty government took over in 2010, to more than a dozen now? The reason is obvious. She’s a member of an increasingly unfair, unjust and inequitable government which on her occasional visits to the north she attempts to justify by mouthing irrelevancies designed for her own voters in one of the wealther, healthier parts of London. To give you an idea how much in common she has with people here you might like to know the average gross weekly earnings in her constituency are £675 compared to £518 for the UK as a whole and about £460 here. The average property price in Chipping Barnet is £370,000. Here it’s £120,000. In her constituency two per cent are on Job Seekers Allowance (JSA). The north has the highest claim count of the twelve UK regions. Oh, and there’s one food bank in Barnet.

On the basis of her (Villiers) obvious deep experience of poverty in her constituency our proconsul regularly repeats her demand that the parties here sign up to the welfare cuts she wants to impose and pushed through in the Stormont House agreement as the single most important priority. Let’s repeat here again that the financial annexe in the Stormont House agreement is a bye-ball. The Stormont House agreement dealt with the cuts announced in 2012-13, not 2015. The deal embodied in the agreement won’t approach the cuts announced in July never mind the coming autumn statement and the comprehensive spending review. To give them their due, last December only Sinn Féin (Shame Fein) was talking about arrangements to mitigate the impact of cuts for the next five years. Now there’s a glimmer of hope. Sinn Féin (Shame Fein) and the DUP have been edging closer in meetings over the summer towards the point where senior Sinn Féin people think there’s a chance the DUP might come on board to ask the British for an upgraded package to take account of the draconian proposals our proconsul plans to impose next year. The DUP response to George Osborne’s July cuts showed the first sign of alarm. Sammy Wilson, now happily no longer spouting contempt in the assembly, reacted by worrying that the different benefit caps for London and elsewhere were the first indication of regional variations in benefit. Some DUP people fear that presages regional variations in public sector pay which would hit the party’s middle-class voters. Furthermore Sinn Féin (Shame Fein) hope the DUP’s antennae have twitched at the prospect that our proconsul’s instructions from Whitehall will hit the working poor and not just people on benefit stupidly disdained by the DUP as free loaders. Besides, no secretary of state would want to preside over the collapse of the assembly. It wouldn’t look well on her CV after the fiasco of the West Coast franchise which she awarded in 2012 before being reshuffled. While the report on that flawed, erroneous bidding process cleared our proconsul, her Labour shadow minister said, ‘ministers failed completely in their responsibilities’. A second fiasco would look careless.
With many thanks to: Brian Feeney, The Irish news, for the origionial story.

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