Stormont facing challenges in new term

Published Monday, 10 September 2012
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With Stormont back in business for another term after the summer recess, UTV Live Tonight looks at the challenges ahead and asks if you share our panellists' view that more work needs to be done.

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The Northern Ireland Assembly was hailed after surviving its first full four-year term as a sign of enduring peace in the region.

But with the community hoping to leave the shadows of the Troubles well and truly behind, questions have been asked about local government's ability to now deal with the bread-and-butter issues.

"We don't want the enduring legacy of devolution to be delivering the peace," panellist Professor Deirdre Heenan of the University of Ulster said.

"Of course delivering the peace is important, but now we want delivery on key issues - education, health and the economy."

Focusing on the economy, Nigel Smyth of the CBI said times are already hard and could get harder.

"One really big issue out there is the debate on corporation tax. That would give a significant life to confidence if we could get an early decision on that," he said.

"The Executive has bought into that, there's negotiation with the UK government and we need to bring that to a swift conclusion."

Turning to health and Deirdre said that doing nothing simply wasn't an option if safe services were to be protected for the future.

"The roadmap is there, but we need to see action. It's not just the minister though," she said.

"MLAs have a duty to buy into the Compton Report and take a long-term strategic view on health. It's very easy to say: 'Not in my back garden - no changes for me, thank you very much' and pander to a local electorate or your own constituency.

"It's very important that we have strong political leadership because the whole body of evidence says the system, as it is, is not fit for purpose."

And on the subject of education, former school principal John Stevenson said that the credibility of the political institutions will depend on how the Educational Skills Authority is delivered.

"The First and deputy First Ministers and the Minister for Education have set their cap out, that they'll put a bill before the Assembly in this term," he said.

"This has been a long time coming - since 2006 - and it's been stalled on several occasions."

All in all, it seems that the message from the panellists is that politics in Northern Ireland has come a long way - but now it's time to get back to basics and down to some hard work.

You can leave a comment to have your say on whether or not you agree with our panellists.

© UTV News
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2 Comments
dave in north coast wrote (257 days ago):
"MLAs have a duty to buy into the Compton Report and take a long-term strategic view on health. It's very easy to say: 'Not in my back garden - no changes for me, thank you very much' and pander to a local electorate or your own constituency." Didn't she partly write the Compton TYC report?? Pretty poor journalism by UTV here having her cheer on her own work. So, it wouldn't look too good for her if it was successfully challenged in parts or elements publicly deconstructed, invalidated and rejected would it? Strange to have her come on the panel and support what is her own work surely? And some of the conclusions, and arguments made in the TYC report are VERY selective in many people’s views. Calling out in detail cross border factors supporting some hospitals remaining, as she said: "Not in my back garden". While on the other hand totally ignoring large internal seasonal population movements supporting the retention of the Causeway's services in what is already the provinces largest trust, just for example. There are many other examples from that report have yet to break into the public domain, but will in due course.
David in Belfast wrote (257 days ago):
The need for government reform is paramount in Northern Ireland. Stronger leadership and decision making skills regarding the best interests of the country is something all MPs need thorough training in. Do whats right to make all government departments better and enjoy the rewards of development, this is what will speak to the entire population - RESULTS. Not promises!
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