Due to ' staff ' (!) shortages here at '1169...' - because of some football matches or other , and exams (you show 'em , Junior!) - this Blog will only be updated every second day , for the next few weeks . In short , I have been abandoned by all but this machine ! Sharon .
THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT : INSIDE THE NORTHERN IRELAND (sic) PEACE TALKS (sic).......From 'MAGILL' magazine , November 1997 .
By Fionnuala O' Connor .
It was John Taylor who led the Ulster Unionist Party's brief withdrawal from Stormont on October 21 , 2000 , complaining that new (Free State) Minister for Foreign Affairs David Andrews had arrived with an 'aggressive' attitude towards debate on Articles Two and Three of the (State) Constitution : both men may be crucial to what internal observers see as an emerging new Stormont 'group dynamic' .
Taylor has not been present as yet for long enough sessions to allow any certainty about his role . In the other parties one theory had it that the Ulster Unionist Party 'walkout' was designed to wrongfoot the absent leader : another theory believed Trimble knew but professed ignorance when he arrived at the talks building .
David Andrews' performance draws mixed initial reactions : did he provoke the walkout ? " It was a standard outline , " counters a nationalist . Others called the walkout a "stunt" , but were not won by Andrews - " Too laidback , that does'nt go down well here . " Different groups gave him credit however for emphasising his partnership with Junior (Free State) Minister Liz O' Donnell , some think deferring to her longer Stormont experience and greater local knowledge . " Ray Burke never did that , " a Unionist noticed .......
(MORE LATER).
THE YOUNGER BREED : ANDY CALLAGHAN.......From 'The Phoenix' magazine , April 1986 .
No By-Line .
Adele Ramsey's (Andy Callaghan's Fianna Fail running-mate) close ally and would-be-king-maker in all this is the appropriately named Kevin King : and allied to Andy is the equally intriguing (but more resourceful) Paddy 'Butcher' Smith , who seems to own most of Crumlin village : he hails from Cavan , owns 'Mullingar Meats' and finances the local 'Dublin Journal' newspaper which is not unfriendly , to say the least , to our young hero .
That kind of support is vital to Andy in the pursuit of his next ambition which , surprise , surprise , is a seat in Leinster House at the next election . The two sitting Fianna Fail Leinster House members , Ben Briscoe and John O' Connell , can expect to be nominated automatically for the Dublin South Central constituency , and after that Mount Street (Fianna Fail Head Office) may add one or two to the 'election ticket' : Alderman Mary Mooney will almost certainly be the party's first choice for the addition , and Andy Callaghan is pushing hard to be the second.......
(MORE LATER).
THE RIGHT TO SILENCE.......Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act has just been renewed for another year by State Communications Minister Jim Mitchell , despite increasing protests and lobbying by the NUJ .
HELEN O'CONNOR examines the results of a recent NIHE survey of the attitudes of Dublin people on the issue and GERRY LAVERY looks back to the roots of Section 31 .
From 'IN DUBLIN' magazine , February 1987 .
Niall Meehan says it took the unlawful detention of Father Niall O' Brien in the Philippines to get Nicky Kelly freed here and that it will take something similar to displace Section 31 censorship here .
But one of the main problems he sees are the people who implement the Section 31 restriction on a day-to-day basis - the RTE journalists themselves : he stated - " Section 31 has become a naturalised part of the RTE landscape . I think RTE journalists were browbeaten into submission as regards Section 31 during the 1970's and the only thing that will change their opinions will be more public support for associations like the 'Repeal Section 31 Committee'. "
But the NUJ and the FWUI in RTE have made recommendations about Section 31 that are presently being implemented : every time it is felt that the Section affects the reporting of any story , journalists are now issuing 'Government Health Warnings' , so called because the viewer or listener is warned about what he/she is not being told because of the operation of Section 31 censorship - according to journalists in RTE , while some of their number are actually in favour of the Section , others are only 'chomping at the bit' , waiting for even a temporary relaxation of the censorship restriction , so that they can pursue some 'hard interviews' with Sinn Fein . Niall Meehan is not so convinced.......
(MORE LATER).