Sammy Wilson...
Sammy Wilson!?
Minister in North shuns cross-border co-operation
"A minister in the North minister has banned officials in the Republic from sitting on committees advising his department, it was confirmed today. Despite the long-standing cross-border co-operation in Ireland on green issues, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) environment minister Sammy Wilson refused to renew the appointment of one leading environmentalist from the Republic and is expected to cull others from his advisory committees. Mr Wilson argued he did not need advisers from outside the North to work on internal policy issues, but he has been accused of using his office to score political points.
The Department of Environment (DoE) confirmed Patrick Warner, a divisional manager in the Republic’s National Parks and Wildlife Service, was told he would not be reappointed to the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside (CNCC) when his three-year term ends in February. A DoE spokesman said: “Mr Warner was appointed by the DoE minister during direct rule. We now have a new regime. “We have devolution. The minister feels people from Northern Ireland should be serving on boards relating to Northern Ireland.” It is understood officials from the Republic currently serving on Historic Monuments Council and the Historic Buildings Council may also be told their terms in office will not be renewed.
The move comes as the DUP and Sinn Féin are at loggerheads over a series of issues, causing increasing disruption to the work of the Northern Assembly."
Coming fresh after the news that the IRA army council is now officially defunct (a supposed bone of contention for Unionists despite the fact the Loyalist paramilitaries haven't decommissoned a single bullet) the Unionists continue to fly in the face of the spirit of the Good Friday agreement by refusing to partake in cross-border co-operation on issues such as the environment, where cross-border co-operation could only have a positive influence.
Discuss.
Sammy Wilson!?
Minister in North shuns cross-border co-operation
"A minister in the North minister has banned officials in the Republic from sitting on committees advising his department, it was confirmed today. Despite the long-standing cross-border co-operation in Ireland on green issues, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) environment minister Sammy Wilson refused to renew the appointment of one leading environmentalist from the Republic and is expected to cull others from his advisory committees. Mr Wilson argued he did not need advisers from outside the North to work on internal policy issues, but he has been accused of using his office to score political points.
The Department of Environment (DoE) confirmed Patrick Warner, a divisional manager in the Republic’s National Parks and Wildlife Service, was told he would not be reappointed to the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside (CNCC) when his three-year term ends in February. A DoE spokesman said: “Mr Warner was appointed by the DoE minister during direct rule. We now have a new regime. “We have devolution. The minister feels people from Northern Ireland should be serving on boards relating to Northern Ireland.” It is understood officials from the Republic currently serving on Historic Monuments Council and the Historic Buildings Council may also be told their terms in office will not be renewed.
The move comes as the DUP and Sinn Féin are at loggerheads over a series of issues, causing increasing disruption to the work of the Northern Assembly."
Coming fresh after the news that the IRA army council is now officially defunct (a supposed bone of contention for Unionists despite the fact the Loyalist paramilitaries haven't decommissoned a single bullet) the Unionists continue to fly in the face of the spirit of the Good Friday agreement by refusing to partake in cross-border co-operation on issues such as the environment, where cross-border co-operation could only have a positive influence.
Discuss.