BBC BLOGS - The Devenport Diaries

Archives for July 6, 2007

Stick to Celtic

Mark Devenport|17:30 UK time, Friday, 6 July 2007

Comments

According to recent reports, the former Secretary of State John Reid is being touted as the next chairman of Celtic FC. However this week Executive ministers were discussing whether he would be a suitable economic envoy for Northern Ireland. It's thought the idea came from London rather than Belfast, and it's believed most local ministers were lukewarm about the proposal. Whilst they don't want to spurn any offer of help, the prevailing view was that the best envoys for Northern Ireland in places like the USA would be the people now charged with running the place. That means Ian Paisley, Martin McGuinness and, in this instance, the Enterprise Minister Nigel Dodds.

I've recorded an interview with Martin McGuinness for this weekend's Inside Politics. He gives me his views on the rift within the DUP over the Maze stadium proposal, the Executive's review of the shake up in local government and the potential for any extra peace dividend. We also discuss the marching season and sectarianism on the ground in the light of last week's brutal attack on a 15 year old boy in North Belfast.

Inside Politics is on Radio Ulster tomorrow afternoon at a quarter to one.

In the Long Gallery

Mark Devenport|17:03 UK time, Friday, 6 July 2007

Comments

Last week I chaired a debate organised by the NI Youth Forum and the British Youth Council in the Stormont Long Gallery. They had 6 politicians there - representing the four biggest parties, Alliance and the Greens. The thing that struck me most about the event wasn't anything the politicians said but some of the heart rending first hand accounts from the young people present about the fear and depression which drove them to contemplate suicide.

The debate was filmed by an independent company run by young people called Catch 21 Productions and a section has just been put up on Youtube. The section concentrates on those infamous comments from Ian Paisley Jr. about gays, which provoked a strong reaction from some of the young people in the audience.

BBC © 2014The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.