Backlog swells amid political stagnation
Another day and another report criticising the absence of a functioning administration at Stormont. The Independent Reporting Commission blames the lack of local powersharing for the paucity of progress in tackling the scourge of paramilitary activity and also for holding up legislation on adoption.
The Commission’s frustration, which is shared by a huge swathe of public opinion, is likely to fall on deaf ears. It is now accepted that neither Sinn Fein nor the DUP have any real interest in returning to Stormont until after Brexit and the publication of the RHI inquiry.
Both, in different ways, are hoping that these two events will strengthen even further their mandates and consolidate their position as the main voices for their respective communities.
There is an argument that politicians’ ability to rid the province of paramilitary groups and their criminal activities is limited. Ultimately this is a policing function and the National Crime Agency, HMRC and the PSNI have made some encouraging inroads.
Where politicians can have an influence is in assuring the people in the working class areas where paramilitary activity is prevalent that their concerns are being heard and that any legislative powers or extra resources required to bring the paramilitaries to justice will be made available.
Ironically, the other problem identified in the absence of government is of benefit to ex-paramilitaries. New proposals would mean that adoption agencies would not be able to use past convictions for specified terrorist offences when assessing a person’s suitability to adopt a child.
These latest issues identified as requiring local political input join an already lengthy list. Indeed it is difficult to think of any issue of consequence which is not being impeded because there are no local ministers.
Reform of the health service which becomes more urgent with every passing day; the postponement of signature infrastructure projects and spiralling debt among the province’s schools are just some of the headline issues. Virtually every other department is under pressure also.
No one believes that the Secretary of State’s woeful intervention in trying to give civil servants more powers on day-to-day issues is anything other than a disguise for kicking the political stasis further down the road. Sadly our woes are all self-inflicted.