Sinn Fein pull Victims' Commission Bill

[infamous-el-guapo]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7336615.stm

The Bill amending the original victims' commission statute was meant to be debated in a consideration stage in the Assembly today.

However Junior Minister Donaldson told the Assembly that the Bill would not be moved and would be referred back to the Business Committee.

It transpires that SF were unhappy with amendments from the SDLP and Alliance Party regarding the appointment of a Chief Commissioner and an amendment which would remove the scope of OFMDFM to set the direction of the Commissions' standing orders.

We had known that SF would not be supporting any amendments but we didn't think that they would throw their toys out of the pram and not allow a debate on the matter.

So the Bill which SF/DUP made such a fuss over going through on accelerated passage has been blocked. Nicely done lads.

[stevey2005]

The whole idea of this Bill was to get the newly appointed victim commissioners up and running with the proper legislation in place.

SF yet again have halted this process. I'm not surprised with their definition of what a victim actually is

[MacCoise]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7336615.stm

The Bill amending the original victims' commission statute was meant to be debated in a consideration stage in the Assembly today.

However Junior Minister Donaldson told the Assembly that the Bill would not be moved and would be referred back to the Business Committee.

It transpires that SF were unhappy with amendments from the SDLP and Alliance Party regarding the appointment of a Chief Commissioner and an amendment which would remove the scope of OFMDFM to set the direction of the Commissions' standing orders.

We had known that SF would not be supporting any amendments but we didn't think that they would throw their toys out of the pram and not allow a debate on the matter.

So the Bill which SF/DUP made such a fuss over going through on accelerated passage has been blocked. Nicely done lads.

Why are the SDLP supporting a hierarchy of victims?

[stevey2005]

Its not about a hierarchy of victims!! - its about assigning one of the four commissioners as chief commissioner.

[MacCoise]

Its not about a hierarchy of victims!! - its about assigning one of the four commissioners as chief commissioner.

Sounds like a hierarchy to me!

[infamous-el-guapo]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7336615.stm

The Bill amending the original victims' commission statute was meant to be debated in a consideration stage in the Assembly today.

However Junior Minister Donaldson told the Assembly that the Bill would not be moved and would be referred back to the Business Committee.

It transpires that SF were unhappy with amendments from the SDLP and Alliance Party regarding the appointment of a Chief Commissioner and an amendment which would remove the scope of OFMDFM to set the direction of the Commissions' standing orders.

We had known that SF would not be supporting any amendments but we didn't think that they would throw their toys out of the pram and not allow a debate on the matter.

So the Bill which SF/DUP made such a fuss over going through on accelerated passage has been blocked. Nicely done lads.

Why are the SDLP supporting a hierarchy of victims?

It's not about a hierarchy of victims, it's about having a commission with a clear structure. The system, as it stands now will effectively create 4 separate commissions.

[infamous-el-guapo]

Its not about a hierarchy of victims!! - its about assigning one of the four commissioners as chief commissioner.

Sounds like a hierarchy to me!

Well if SF/DUP could have agreed on one commissioner then this would have been resloved months ago. We're just trying to make the best of a woeful situation.

[stevey2005]

I dont see the issue SF have... maybe its because they want one of their republican-oriented nominee commissioners as chief

[st333ve]

Maybe unionists want 4 unionist commisioners so that they can get involved in their favourite past time, rewriting history!

[infamous-el-guapo]

Maybe unionists want 4 unionist commisioners so that they can get involved in their favourite past time, rewriting history!

The reason why there are four commissioners is because Sinn Fein and the DUP could not agree on one. If they had two it would be too obvious that one was for republicans and the other for unionists. Three would mean that one side would have a balance of power over the so their amazing solution was to have four commissioners and hope that no-one would notice