N Ireland Politicians Have Returned To Stormont After A Haitus Of Three Years.

[sandyRoe]

During that time they were on a slightly reduced salary. As it's a Saturday today will they be able to claim overtime?

[Old_Geezer]

When I was employed overtime was plentiful and unpaid as the deadline approached.

[emmie]

i thought they were on expenses only, why should anyone get any kind of salary if they aren't working...

[New Judge]

I think the important question that needs to be asked is if this the country has survived for three years without this Parish Council why should it not be expected to survive permanently without it.

The "power sharing" principle introduced under the ridiculous devolution arrangements introduced by Blair make it a mockery. It's rather like suggesting that since Labour and Conservatives make up the largest proportion of the Westminster Parliament then they must jointly hold power. A ridiculous talking shop (or rather, arguing shop) which is bound to be dysfunctional and should be permanently ditched.

[sandyRoe]

Emmie,
I think their salaries were reduced by 15%

[New Judge]

//I think their salaries were reduced by 15%//

Well that's not bad. £40,800 pa for being a worker in an institution that was not functioning. Multiplied by 90 (members) for three years and I make that a shade over £11m. Nice work if you can get it.

[sandyRoe]

The phrase, 'Stuff their mouths with gold', comes to mind.

[emmie]

fluffing outrageous if you ask me...

[douglas9401]

Bear in mind the benefits to the wider world of work and those still gainfully employed and giving service.

Personal assistants, aides, and drivers to name a few at random.

[New Judge]

So who were they assisting, aiding and driving around, douglas? And why?

[ichkeria]

New Judge asks if NI could not survive perfectly well without the return of the Assembly and the answer is no not really. The health service has virtually collapsed for one thing.
The return of the assembly is to be welcomed but the government should have insisted on fresh elections. The DUP and Sinn Fein have only taken this long overdue step because they suffered at the polls in December.
It’s high time the electorate in NI were asked to cast their verdict on that.

[ichkeria]

And in case you hadn’t noticed NI is not the same as GB.
Power sharing may have its issues but it’s fur now the best way to handle government of a nation with a split personality.
Come to think of it, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad recipe for the rest of the UK after all :-)

[New Judge]

//The health service has virtually collapsed for one thing.//

Politicians do not run the health service, the managers and staff do. The (devolved) health service in Wales is in similar disarray and that in England is in none too good a shape either. I'm not sure about Scotland but all these health services have multiple layers of political interference and still they are a shambles. If the health service in NI has collapsed what have the management been doing about it? As I understand it "vital tasks" in NI have been undertaken by Civil Servants for the last three years. What will these newly empowered politicians do to remedy the health service's problems (apart from, perhaps, chucking barrowloads of money at it which will simply go down the drain?)

[ichkeria]

https://www.bmj.com/content/364/bmj.l72

So presumably you’d be happy for GB’s government and Parliament not to sit either?
As it says at the link, one think worse than having politicians is ... having no politicians.
The situation in NI shows that very well

[ynnafymmi]

...and still the murderer of Lyra McKee remains free.Is murder just another shallow game in Northern Ireland nowadays?The murderer of Jo Cox was another fascist nationalist and was soon apprehended.Why is this killer in NI still at large?

[ichkeria]

Presumably because they’ve not been caught yet. The police had arrested a total of three disobeys at the time but all were released without charge. They have since appealed for witnesses.
It’s nothing to do with Sandy’s question though

[ichkeria]

Three “suspects” (?!)

[THECORBYLOON]

NJ, the Civil Servants do not have the same level of authority over the various Departmental budgets as the politicians.

They may be able to approve spending to a prescribed level but anything above that level would need Ministerial approval.

[ynnafymmi]

Just asking,Ich.Looks like Jo Cox murderer was a lone psychopath and the murderer of Lyra was a conspiracy among psychopaths.Hopefully once the NI coalition gets into gear this should be the first question on their agenda.

[ichkeria]

I hope so, although that is one area where the PSNI ought to be able to proceed without the politicians. So much of this does rely on witness help.

[ynnafymmi]

This murderous fascist was helped by quite a few others.Those shielding this murderer have blood on their hands.May it never be washed off.