Life in Northern Ireland will be literally and figuratively frigid today. In the midst of a cold spell, roads are unpaved, hospitals are running on skeleton staff, and picket lines are the only public sector sector fully staffed as 170,000 workers are cut. Dew. tool. Inevitably, the strike has been highly political, with civil servants demanding that Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris refuse to provide funding to stabilize public services in the absence of a deal to take back Stormont. He is offering a comprehensive package for this purpose. 3.3 billion pounds (3.8 billion euros). Then, yesterday, a seventh attempt to elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Stormont Council proved futile.
The Dublin government has wavered in its optimism about restoring the power-sharing system. Before Christmas, leader Leo Varadkar said he believed it could be up and running by the new year. Tánaiste Michael Martin said on Monday that he was “hoping for a breakthrough”, but northern parties appear less enthusiastic. The deadline for elections in the event an executive body is not formed is scheduled for today, but has been postponed and is expected to be postponed again.
The ongoing Stormont stalemate and damaging strikes have weighed on Dublin’s interests, from reforming Stormont institutions to Sinn Féin’s repeated calls for a “Plan B” that includes “joint management” in North Korea. It focuses on many issues that are supposed to be focused. It is part of the UK-Ireland partnership, and the concept has sparked heated exchanges before. Northern Ireland will hold another election this year, potentially increasing political flux on the island.
We are leading the newspapers today regarding strikes.
Read more about Sinn Féin’s call for Plan B here.
Today Newton Emerson writes about strikes.
Six striking workers explain why they are on the picket line.
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Speaking of spicy, there were some awkward exchanges during the first session of the Dáil term, with People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith saying things like this about refugees from the Rural Independence Party and other TDs. “There were echoes of the lies of Nazi supporters,” he said. He was suspended after the “people before profits” anger flared up again during a debate in Gaza. As the day progressed, there were some distracting exchanges during a discussion about future caregiving and family referendums related to polygamy and trinity (or was it truffles?).
Miriam Lord is back on the beat here.
Jennifer Bray talks about referendum meat and drink.
Speaking of meat, beef is back on Chinese menus. Cormac McQueen’s report on the Taoiseach’s lunch with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at Farmleigh can be found here.
Meanwhile, Naomi O’Leary’s Europe Letter describes fruitful efforts to ensure gender equality in Belgian politics.
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Mr Taoiseach has left Leinster House and is in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum. They will hold bilateral meetings with other attendees and IDA client companies before participating in the “Hard Power of AI” event at 5:30 p.m. Michael McGrath and Pascal Donohoe are also enjoying some air at the Swiss resort.
The Tánaiste will remain in Berlin until Friday, where he will meet German ministers and give a keynote speech at the Jacques Delors Center.
Stephen Donnelly will take oral questions in the Dail at 9am, followed by Simon Harris at 10.30am and leadership questions at midday. Questions on policy and legislation will be held before lunch, with the afternoon’s government business turning over to a bill to remove child support from the social welfare means test.
At 5:15 p.m., during the private members’ time, Labor will table a bill to provide paid leave after a miscarriage and paid leave for reproductive health care workers. Current Affairs takes place after 7pm, before the Dail adjourns for the week at 8.05pm.
Click here for the Dáil’s full schedule.
The committee will begin at 9:30 a.m. The Public Accounts Committee will hold its first meeting in 2024 on the Social Insurance Fund. Officials from the Department of Social Security will also be questioned on various matters within their jurisdiction. A total of 1.4 million euros in solatium will be paid to the head of the Social Welfare Branch in order to recover overpayments of welfare benefits.
The Committee on the Implementation of the Belfast Agreement works with the Special EU Programs Committee.
Click here for the complete schedule.
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