http://belfastblogger.com News and views from around Northern Ireland Sat, 16 Feb 2008 18:42:04 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The press and political community in Northern Ireland has been thrown into turmoil by shocking revelations involving Ian Paislely jnr MLA. In a series of exhaustive reports both print and broadcast media have been reporting stunning allegations suggesting that, despite the Assembly being suspended, the MLA (known as "junior" or "waste ... http://belfastblogger.com/04/curran/mla-actually-worked-during-suspension-shock/ Diane Dodds, DUP councillor on the Shankill Road, has reacted angrily to the decision to build a block of luxury flats in the area. "We in the upper reaches of the DUP have spent years keeping loyalist people in poverty and ignorance, " said Mrs Dodds, who was on the way to ... http://belfastblogger.com/17/curran/luxury-shankill-flats-not-wanted-dup/ Sinn Fein have slammed the Government's decision to close Post Offices in Northern Ireland, claiming that the ex-terrorist community will be hardest hit by the branch closures. "It takes a long time for people to get 'weaned off' active service, and its a disgrace that the British Government is taken this decision ... http://belfastblogger.com/17/curran/post-office-closures-will-hit-ex-terrorists-hardest/ The National Anthrax Association (NAA) has reacted furiously to suggestions that the ownership of the cattle-related disease should be subject to regulation. Following recent tragic events, in which the use of anthrax has resulted in the deaths of many people, there have been calls for the ownership of the carnage-causing illness ... http://belfastblogger.com/18/curran/anthrax-doesn%e2%80%99t-kill-people-people-do/     A report published by Queens University has revealed encouraging changes in the behaviour of teenagers in Northern Ireland. "For the past 30 years or so, our young people have been engaged in pointless and frankly worrying activities, such as engaging in politics and sectarian rioting, " said the report's author, Professor ... http://belfastblogger.com/17/curran/drug-taking-teens-a-step-in-the-right-direction-says-report/ Lord Trimble of His Own Arsehole will soon have television viewers across the UK checking the colour settings on their TV, as he gets strangely embarrassed over the slightest question for his new party, the Conservatives. Never one to belittle his own importance or ambition, Trimble extracted himself from his nether ... http://belfastblogger.com/17/curran/begone-peasants-trimbles-message-to-previous-electors/ The DUP's appointment of Edwin Poots as the minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure from next month has raised some eyebrows.  The biggest issue facing the culture Department is the location of the new national stadium for Northern Ireland. Mr Poots' position on this is quite clear.  Like virtually every other ... http://belfastblogger.com/16/curran/dup-poots-stadium-in-maze/ Officials working for the new power-sharing executive at Stormont have insisted that the extended good weather Northern Ireland has enjoyed since the Paisley-Adams press conference is just the beginning of life in the new paradise.  Policy-makers have outlined a Programme for Government that will make the six counties a proper Garden of ... http://belfastblogger.com/07/curran/good-weather-just-the-start-say-stormont-officials/ Northern Ireland's political parties today demonstrated the new, mature attitude we all have to politics here by revealing how the 10 government departments will be divided up between them in May. The DUP got first pick, and it was no surprise that they took the Department for Stopping Money Getting to ... http://belfastblogger.com/02/curran/dup-to-destroy-irish-language-sinn-fein-11-plus/ Concern is beginning to spread that the DUP may not hold together following the historic decision to share power with Sinn Fein. The first major sign of dissent came with Jim Allister, the party's MEP and a major player in the fantasy look-a-like community, resigning from the party.  At a press ... http://belfastblogger.com/31/curran/allister-just-the-beginning-as-worrying-splits-continue-in-dup/