The European Union has confirmed that the Tory government in London has
triggered article 50, beginning a two-year process that will see
Britain, and possibly the north of Ireland, fall out of the European
Union.
The British government has called for further talks to restore the
Stormont Executive after efforts so far fell well short of reaching
today’s ‘deadline’ for forming a power-sharing administration in the Six
Counties.
Sinn Fein has withdrawn from all-party talks at Stormont on restoring
the Six County Assembly after reporting no substantive progress in any
of the issues under discussion. The talks involving the Democratic
Unionist Party and the Dublin and London governments had a deadline of
tomorrow afternoon.
Grief turned to pride for Sinn Fein this week as tens of thousands paid
their respects to a leader who came to symbolise peace in Ireland and
the process through which the Provisional IRA gave birth to a political
powerhouse.
British Prime Minister Theresa May will receive a very clear message
that the north of Ireland wants to stay in the European Union before she
triggers Brexit on Wednesday, Sinn Fein has said.
A senior MP for the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has said there is
“virtually no chance” of a deal being struck for the restoration of the
Stormont Assembly in Belfast ahead of the looming deadline next Monday.
Sammy Wilson described Sinn Fein’s position as “unworkable” and claimed
the party are “overplaying their hand”.
Drivers and other employees of Ireland’s state-run bus company have said
they feel they have “nothing to lose” as a nationwide bus strike has
focused attention on the crisis over wages in the public transport
sector.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been urged to do more to help those coming to
Ireland to escape global conflicts following his comments on immigration
in the US last week, which received unprecedented international media
attention.
The death of my friend and comrade Martin McGuinness has left a deep
void. It is a huge blow to all of us who knew and loved him, especially
his wife and family.
Senior political figures and officials from the Irish, British and US
establishments have joined thousands of mourners from across Ireland
to attend the funeral in Derry of Martin McGuinness.
Sinn Fein is in mourning today and tributes have been paid across the
Irish and British political establishment as news spread this morning
that Martin McGuinness had succumbed to his serious illness.
The death has been announced of Martin McGuinness, Sinn Fein’s chief
negotiator in the peace process. He passed away early this morning at
Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.
There has been an angry response in both Ireland and Scotland after
British Prime Minister Theresa May said she would block referendums on
Irish unity and Scottish independence following the Brexit vote to leave
the European Union.
The failure of the authorities at Stormont and in London to challenge
loyalist paramilitary violence has been highlighted after a UDA faction
murdered a man in broad daylight this week.
There has been a broadly negative reaction to an invitation issued by
Taoiseach Enda Kenny to US president Donald Trump to visit Ireland.
Protests opposing his visit are already being planned by left-wing
parties.
Some information about British state killings during the conflict can
never be made public because it would “put lives at risk”, British
Direct Ruler James Brokenshire has declared.
Continuing allegations of unionist bigotry and corruption hang over
power-sharing talks, which face a potential deadline next week when the
British government could call another snap Assembly election or reimpose
full direct rule from London.
Families given emergency accommodation in hotel rooms are spending St
Patrick’s weekend on the streets after they were pushed out to make room
for tourists.
Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon says she plans to trigger
another independence referendum. She said the new poll should be held
between autumn 2018 and spring 2019.
In an announcement timed to coincide with the run-up to St Patrick’s
Day, a referendum is to be held on whether to allow Irish citizens
living abroad or in the North of Ireland to vote in Presidential
elections.
There have been vocal and widespread calls for Irish reunification in
the face of the British government’s determination to leave the European
Union and a historic election result last week which has delivered
unprecedented political strength for nationalism and Sinn Fein.
The British Direct Ruler James Brokenshire has threatened to rerun last
week’s historic election after Sinn Fein walked out of a
meeting with him over his government’s refusal to allow inquests into
state killings to proceed.
A South African-style ‘truth and reconciliation commission’ is being
considered to deal with the terrible legacy of Ireland’s homes for
single mothers following the confirmation this week of the find of a
mass grave at a shelter run by an order of nuns in the west of Ireland.
In a very significant decision, a High Court judge has ruled that the
family of a woman shot dead by the British Army in west Belfast 45 years
ago has been let down for decades by the criminal investigation system.
There have been warnings that the 26 County government is once again
operating a supergrass system against political activists after an
alleged paid informer played a part in the conviction of two men
in Dublin this week.
The family of jailed republican Tony Taylor are to stage a protest this
Saturday afternoon, 11 March, at Strand Road PSNI base in Derry to mark
the first anniversary of his internment without trial. This petition explains the case and all republicans are urged to show their
support.
Let’s make a couple of points clear because the media commentary in the
last few days has been couched within the parameters set out by the NIO,
by wishful thinking and by hand wringing from bleeding heart
getalongers, the so-called ‘middle ground’ which doesn’t amount to a
hill of beans north and west of Royal Avenue.
Talks to revive the Stormont Executive have hit a stalemate after less
than a day as DUP leader Arlene Foster resisted demands by Sinn Fein for
her to step aside First Minister.
Thursday’s election has significantly altered the make-up of politics in
the north of Ireland as a more focussed and energised Sinn Fein enticed
republican voters back to the polls and historically ended the unionist
majority at Stormont.
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has said this week’s Assembly election
would have a historic significance that would “resonate for years”.
However, political parties and leaders now “have a job of work” to
negotiate an agreement that delivers on the outstanding elements of all
of the previous agreements.
There were heavy PSNI raids lasting for over four hours against the
homes of republican families in Creggan, Derry on Monday, February 28,
2017, just three days before the Stormont Assembly election.
Human remains of a significant number of babies and infants up to three
years of age have been found on the site of a former ‘mother and baby’
home in Tuam, County Galway, confirming horor reports of an effective
holocaust against those children at the home run by the Bon Secours
order of nuns.
Anti-water-charge campaigners have celebrated after Fine Gael’s Minister
for Housing and leadership contender Simon Coveney finally stated that
“water charges are gone”, although there are still concerns the party
may try to reintroduce them in the future.
Well, that was quite an evening/night, wasn’t it? Just when you thought
politics in our NE nest had become dour and tedious, along comes
yesterday. Where to start?
Sinn Fein has attained its highest ever share of the vote in the North
of Ireland and came within touching distance of outpolling all of the
other parties as votes were tallied today.
The snap 2017 Assembly election has been a good one for Sinn Fein, with
the party so far holding on to its seats in all constituencies and
showing particular strength in the traditional republican heartlands.
The polls have closed in the Six County Assembly election with voter
participation reported to have substantially recovered from the record
low voter turnout in last year’s Assembly election.