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http://www.irishnews.com/articles/540/5860/2009/4/10/614853_378044210610Assemblyg.html
By Barry McCaffrey
10/04/09
THE transfer of policing and justice powers to Stormont moves a step closer today with the assembly officially being given the legal powers to establish a justice ministry.
Until now the assembly was barred by law from creating an 11th government department to oversee policing and justice powers in Northern Ireland.
Ironically the transfer of justice powers comes on the 11th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
The Northern Ireland Bill, as it is known, completed its passage through the House of Commons and House of Lords with cross-party unity on Wednesday March 12.
It means the assembly is now legally allowed to bring its own legislation before Stormont to allow for the establishment of the north’s first justice department in 37 years.
However, it is understood that the powerful assembly and executive review committee, which has been tasked with brokering agreement over policing and justice, has still to agree on a number of key controversial issues.
It had initially been predicted that the committee would put policing and justice legislation before the assembly by the end of June.
However Stormont sources claim that outstanding issues between Sinn Fein and the DUP mean that it is unlikely that legislation will now go before the assembly before the summer recess.
Lawyer John Larkin, QC, is expected to become Northern Ireland’s first attorney general, while the Alliance Party is expected to fill the justice post.
It is understood that the new department will have an annual budget of more than £750m.
The assembly and executive review committee is expected to visit the Dail, as well as the Scottish Assembly, in coming weeks to view how justice powers operate.
Committee chairman Jimmy Spratt played down the significance of today’s transfer of powers, insisting that a wide range of issues remained to be resolved before a justice ministry is finally established.
“There are still a range of issues which have to be agreed by the committee before it produces a report on the way forward,” the DUP MLA said.
“It will then be brought before the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and ultimately the assembly itself.
“It will have to achieve cross-community support on the floor of the assembly before any justice ministry is established.”
http://www.u.tv/News/Man-stable-after-Belfast-shooting/f787198c-d7c9-4c17-8118-ba06d15cf423
A 25-year-old man remains in intensive care after being injured in a shooting in north Belfast.
Friday, 10 April 2009
The man underwent emergency surgery after being shot three times in an attack which police are treating as attempted murder.
He was sitting in a car with two friends in Brookfield Place in the Ardoyne area of the city at around 9.30pm on Thursday night when three or four masked men appeared.
http://www.irishnews.com/articles/540/5860/2009/4/10/614852_378042980905Churchded.html
By Marie Louise McCrory West Belfast Correspondent
10/04/09
TWO Catholic priests shot dead by the British army during the Troubles were remembered yesterday at the Mass of Chrism at St Peter’s Cathedral.
A new brass ambry – which contains the vessels for holy oil – was dedicated to the memory of Fr Hugh Mullan and Fr Noel Fitzpatrick who were killed in separate shootings as they attempted to administer the Last Rites to people injured during street disturbances in 1971 and 1972.
During the Holy Week celebration yesterday, the ambry – which is used to store Chrism, the oil of catechumens and the oil of the sick – was dedicated in memory of the priests by Bishop of Down and Connor Noel Treanor.
An inscription on the front of the ambry – which was designed by Enniskillen artist Bill Maxwell and built in Madrid – recalls that the two priests were shot dead while “ministering to dying parishioners in St John’s Parish”.
Fr Mullan, who was originally from Portaferry in Co Down, was killed as he went to the aid of a man who had been shot by British soldiers during clashes on August 9 1971.
Serious street violence had erupted following the introduction of internment when hundreds of people were taken from their beds and arrested by British troops.
The 38-year-old heard an injured man calling for help and went out – under a truce flag – to administer the Last Rites when he was shot dead at Springfield Park just a short distance from his home.
Fr Fitzpatrick (42) was killed a year later on July 9 1972 as he went to give the Last Rites to someone injured near his home at Springhill Avenue.
It is believed a British sniper fired the fatal shot, which passed through Fr Fitzpatrick and also killed 30-year-old Patrick Butler, whose body was found in a nearby entry.
A 14-year-old boy, Patrick McCafferty, was also killed as he attempted to drag Fr Fitzpatrick’s body to safety.
The families of both priests were present at the Mass of Chrism and watched as Dr Treanor blessed the Holy Oils, which will now be stored in it.
Bishop Treanor described the two priests as “heroic”.
“In this celebration we honour the memory of two of our priests who gave their lives as they brought the hope of God’s love, the comfort of divine mercy mediated by their prayerful and sacramental actions and the incarnate proximity of God’s self-sacrificing love to the wounded – priestly service that cost their two lives,” said Bishop Treanor.
Fr Mullan’s niece, Geraldine McGrattan said the dedicated ambry was “wonderful”.
“It brings joy to my heart,” she said.
“It is great for my children who never knew him and for people. There is a place here they can come and see.”
Fr Fitzpatrick’s sister Una O’Reilly said it was “marvellous” that her brother, who was from Belfast, would be remembered in such a way.
“I’m delighted,” she said.
“It was long overdue. Nobody in Northern Ireland knew two priests had been killed.”
http://www.irishnews.com/articles/540/5860/2009/4/10/614847_3780368324102014821.html
By Claire Simpson
10/04/09
After years of predicting that a united Ireland could be achieved by the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising in 2016, deputy first minister Martin McGuinness yesterday brought the plans forward by two years.
Claire Simpson reports
IRISH unity could be a reality within the next five years, deputy first minister Martin McGuinness said yesterday.
Party leader Gerry Adams has previously said north and south could unite by 2016 – the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising.
However, speaking following the launch of the first in a series of artworks depicting the seven
signatories of the 1916 proclamation, Mr McGuinness said he was “working towards the possibility” that Ireland could be unified by 2014.
He said important steps to unity “can be made in the life of this assembly but even more importantly, in the life of the next assembly”.
“If it doesn’t happen in 2016 then we will be working to make it happen in 2017 or, as I am working towards, 2014,” he said.
Mr McGuinness was speaking at the launch of new artworks commissioned by the party to mark the Easter Rising.
The works are being created by Robert Ballagh, one of Ireland’s best known artists and the man who designed the final series of punt banknotes.
Mr Ballagh has made framed glass etchings of each of the seven signatories of the proclamation set behind a copy of the document.
The etching of Padraig Pearse is the first in the series to be released, with one artwork released every Easter until the 100th anniversary of the rising.
There will be 350 copies of the etchings made and can be bought individually for E395 (£355) each.
Speaking at the launch in Sinn Fein’s rooms at Stormont, Mr McGuinness said that the party had commissioned the artworks in order “to celebrate the ideal of a 32-county republic as envisaged by the signatories of the 1916 proclamation”.
“Sadly the Ireland of today has not yet realised the ideals expressed within this document. We have much work ahead of us but I believe with the proclamation continuing to act as an inspiration for freedom loving people the world over, we can achieve the Ireland envisaged by those brave men and women of Easter week,” he said.
The deputy first minister added that the decision to go into government with the DUP was a key part of Sinn Fein’s strategy for unity and said the establishment of all-Ireland institutions such as the All-Ireland ministerial council was something that the “leaders of the 1916 rising would have liked to have seen”.
Mr McGuinness also paid tribute to Mr Ballagh as a “very strong advocate” for nationalism.
“He has been up-front about his politics and totally fearless about saying what he is and what he represents,” he said.
“The best and ultimately inevitable solution to our problems is the establishment of the republic that the signatories of the proclamation envisaged.”
Mr Ballagh said he was delighted to be asked to create the artworks.
“I think a lot of us are not quite aware of how important this document is,” he said.
“I think [the proclamation] stands alongside documents like the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence. It is a truly remarkable document.”
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/ahern-powerless-over-extradition-1706023.html
Saturday April 11 2009
JUSTICE Minister Dermot Ahern has said that he is powerless to halt the extradition of veteran republican Sean Garland to the United States.
The US Government has sought the extradition of the former Workers' Party president (75) over his alleged involvement in a large-scale operation to make high-quality counterfeit US dollars two decades ago. Mr Ahern said he could not intervene because the courts were independent in the exercise of their functions.
Young man stable after shooting
A 25-year-old man remained in intensive care last night after being shot in the North.
The man underwent emergency surgery after being shot three times in an attack by masked gunmen in north Belfast, which police are treating as attempted murder. A spokesman for Belfast's Mater Hospital said the man's condition had improved during the day and was now stable. Detectives said they have not yet established a motive for the attack.
Blackout for 2,000 homes in suburb
MORE than 2,000 residents in Rathfarnham in Dublin were left without electricity yesterday after their power was cut by a cable fault.
The surprise blackout -- which happened at 1.45pm -- hit householders as they prepared to relax at home for the Easter weekend.
Pamela 'stronger' after death threat
AN anti-racism body yesterday vowed that death threats made against the lobby group and the high-profile Nigerian mother Pamela Izevbekhai will only serve to make it "stronger".
The campaign group Residents Against Racism branded the threats "sick and cowardly" coming after Mrs Izevbekhai received a setback in her battle to avoid deportation. Gardai are investigating the death threats.
Tribute paid to SDLP co-founder
THE late Paddy O'Hanlon will be remembered as a tireless champion of the Irish emigrant community as well as a respected civil rights leader, the Bishop of Derry said last night.
Bishop Seamus Hegarty said the SDLP co-founder was instrumental in establishing a unit for the Irish Abroad in the Department of Foreign Affairs as chairman of the Task Force for Emigrants. A funeral Mass will be held at St Mary's Church, Mullaghbawn, Co Armagh, on Sunday after Mr O'Hanlon died on Tuesday at the age of 65.
http://www.westtyronesinnfein.com/news/12492
Published: 10 April, 2009
On Saturday the formal opening of Abhaile Arís Arts & Crafts shop on James Street, Omagh took place. The event was attended by Republican ex Prisoners from the local area who served time in Prisons in every decade from the 1950's until the 1990's.
Abhaile Arís was founded one year ago as a support organisation for Ex-POWs and central to the project is the arts and craft shop.
The shop stocks a wide range of merchandise which was individually crafted by former POW's. This range includes Celtic crosses, harps, leatherwork and personalised Bodhrans.
In addition to the prison-related artefacts, the shop also stocks a wide range of books, badges, framed pictures and materials which help to tell the story of the thousands of people from the nationalist community who spent time in Prison as a result of the conflict.
The material on sale is absolutely unique and shop is a real treasure trove for those seeking special and unique gifts for every occasion.
Updated: 11/1/2009
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