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Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader and Newry and Armagh MLA Danny Kennedy today expressed his disgust at the brutal murder of 21 year Paul Quinn who was apparently set upon by a gang and added if the IRA were involved it could have political consequences.

In a statement Mr Kennedy said,

“The community will feel utter revulsion at this murder and the manner in which it was carried out, reminiscent of a lynching gang from the deep south.

I would urge full co-operation from the community with the Police in ensuring that those responsible for this disgusting act of murder are brought to justice and thrown behind bars.

If as allegations suggest, the IRA was involved in the murder of Mr Quinn it could have political consequences.”

Ulster Unionist Party Deputy Leader and Newry & Armagh MLA Danny Kennedy has congratulated Archbishop Sean Brady on the announcement that he is to be made a cardinal.

Mr. Kennedy said, “I offer my congratulations to Archbishop Brady on his appointment as Cardinal. The Archbishop has made important contributions to peace and stability in Northern Ireland, and has also reminded those in political leadership of our obligations to the weakest in our society.

“He joins an impressive list of faith leaders from Northern Ireland whose role and contribution has been recognised beyond our shores. I wish him well in his new role as a cardinal”.

Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader Danny Kennedy tabled a motion today calling on the Executive to get a move on and produce, before the Halloween recess, an executive legislative programme detailing executive business for the current assembly session.

Speaking in the House Mr Kennedy said,

“This is the 166th day since the Ministers and Executive assumed office. This is almost 24 weeks, nearly half a year.

In that time, this Assembly has debated 68 private members motions. These motions are basically nothing more than members of this House flagging up issues of concern to them. That is all. They may be worthy and well intentioned but in terms of action, they are going nowhere. I contend that the sheer number of them is undermining the reputation of this Assembly. It is causing journalists to comment that this is not a legislative Assembly at all but nothing more than a debating chamber.

It would be more normal if Executive business dominated 70% of the Assembly’s time and private members business some 30% and not the other way around. In the first mandate this was the case.

That is why I tabled a motion asking the Executive to produce a legislative timetable detailing executive business to come before the Assembly before Christmas.

The Assembly is meant to work. It is meant to legislate. It is meant to administer. It is not meant to sit like some third world dictator’s Rolls Royce with no petrol in it. So I am saying to the Executive – get a move on.”

Speaking following today’s Assembly debate on the Bill of Rights Forum, Ulster Unionist Party Chair of the Committee of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister has urged that the Bill of Rights process firmly focus on the remit given to it by the Belfast Agreement and not expand into a highly politicised agenda.

Mr. Kennedy said, “Today’s debate on the Bill of Rights Forum demonstrated the urgent need for the Forum to focus on the remit and mandate given to it by the Belfast Agreement. The Agreement stated that rights supplementary to the European Convention of Human Rights were to be considered in the context of ‘the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland’. The Bill of Rights process, however, has expanded to include an understanding of rights far beyond that indicated in the Agreement and far beyond the understanding of a bill of rights in the United Kingdom constitution.

“The Bill of Rights issue is a vital debate for politics and political institutions in Northern Ireland. It reflects debates in other democracies, particularly those shaped by the British tradition of parliamentary government – how to strike the right balance between the powers of a parliament and the powers of the courts; and how to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual while also recognizing our responsibilities in society. The debate is not about the personalities or backgrounds of those who sit on the Forum. It is much more important than this. It is a debate about how we are to be governed – through elected representatives in a democratic Assembly or through the courts.

“The Ulster Unionist Party is participating in the Forum in order to ensure that a clear, robust voice is heard arguing for the Bill of Rights process to adhere to the remit given by the Belfast Agreement. A failure to do so will result in the absence of cross-party support for any Bill of Rights proposals”.

Danny Kennedy MLA, Deputy Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, has addressed a group of National Health Service senior managers from across the UK at Parliament Buildings in Stormont on the theme of leadership.

The NHS managers were delegates at an event organised by the King’s Fund, an independent charitable foundation working to promote better health through developing policy and fostering innovation and leadership in the health service.

Mr Kennedy told the delegates :

“Leadership, in my experience, is as much about behaviour as it is about skills. Skills can be taught. Behaviour is more difficult. It is often intrinsic to the individual and, to this extent, leaders are often born and not made.”

“Leadership is also about style. The style that may suit one situation or set of circumstances may be wholly inappropriate in another. What is good one day can be bad on the next. A leader, for instance, can appear resolute on one occasion and, on another, dictatorial. Mrs Thatcher’s leadership is a case in point. It was suited to the Falklands War and to addressing the nation’s economic malaise in the early 1980’s. It appeared resolute in those contexts. When it came to Europe, it appeared, on the other hand, as intransigent. The enabling war leader became the obstacle in the way of progress a few years later.”

The Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader continued :

“That is why we need to be careful about the cult of leadership. Such a raising of the leader to almost venerated status, can cause massive political angst when they have outlived their usefulness and their political time. People eventually become exhausted by the demands of an authoritarian leadership. Such a leadership is also highly personal and few successors can replicate it.”

“Leaders,” he said,” should never be afraid to be courageous.

Quoting British Prime Minister Lloyd George he said :

“Don’t be afraid to take a big step when one is indicated. You can’t cross a chasm in two small steps.”

The Ulster Unionist Party today derided the de-stabilising and constant merry-go round style debates about the Devolution of Policing and Justice. The Ulster Unionist Party is against devolving powers until there is sufficient public confidence to back the move. This confidence does not exist at present.

The Assembly’s Assembly and Executive Review Committee is hearing evidence from Mr Justice Kerr who will argue that the judiciary must remain independent if justice powers are transfered to Stormont. In addition a motion which mentions Policing and Justice is being debated in the Assembly Chamber.

Ulster Unionist Deputy-Leader Danny Kennedy said,

“It is ridiculous to be having further debate on the issue of devolving of Policing Justice when the public and majority of politicians do not have a full picture of what was actually agreed at St. Andrews almost one year ago. There is no clarity on envisaged timeframes with Sinn Fein pushing for a speedy transition, seemingly backed by the government, with the DUP saying it is too soon. This approach to the issue is shambolic, confusing and adds nothing to what the public expects: a rational, spin-free presentation of what devolving these powers actually entails.”

UUP Police Board Member Basil McCrea added,

“The Assembly is having yet another merry-go-round of debate on devolving policing and justice powers without any clarity and without having had full sight of what agreed blocks are already in place. This is no way to do business and it must end.

The public have a right to know what the government position is and what the DUP and Sinn Fein agreed in principle at St Andrews. Until we establish these most basic of facts, any debates are circumspective and largely pointless. In fact these debates have a de-stabilising effect as each party seeks to score political capital and once again turn the police into a political football.

It is time for some much needed clarity from the DUP and Sinn Fein on the issue. Tell the public your understanding of what you agreed with each other at St Andrews, or what the governments agreed on your behalf then we can take it from there.”

At the meeting of the Committee for the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister yesterday the delay in the appointment of the Victims Commissioner was discussed.

Speaking after the meeting the Chairperson Mr Danny Kennedy said,

“Grave concerns were expressed by members regarding the lack of progress in appointing a Victims Commissioner. Recognising the importance of this issue to the wider community and acknowledging the growing speculation arising from the unexplained delay, the Committee believes that action on this issue is now crucial.”

Mr Kennedy confirmed that the Committee will be pressing the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an urgent response on the reasons for the delay and the current difficulties surrounding the appointment.

Mr Kennedy also said that given the sensitivities around this issue, the Committee will be offering to meet with the First Minster and deputy First Minister, if necessary in private session, to discuss this matter.

Danny Kennedy MLA, Deputy Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, speaking in the Assembly has said that continuing attacks on Orange Halls was doing serious damage to efforts to attract inward investment into the Province.

Drawing attention to the fact that the Assembly was debating the issue on the anniversary of 9/11, the Newry and Armagh MLA also called on the republican and nationalist communities to marginalise groups and individuals who carried out these attacks by informing the Police.

“Make no mistake: the world is watching. Every attack on an Orange Hall and every sectarian incident is logged by overseas investors and reported in the world’s press in the most unlikely places. The eyes that are scrutinising those events are not casual observers — they are potential investors. We had better take notice and listen when they ask whether the Troubles have really stopped.”

“None of us can be half in or half out of the process — an à la carte approach to law and order only when it suits, and when it does not upset any of our supporters. There is nothing more insidious and damaging to the whole political process here than a partial application of the principles of law and order.”

“We cannot afford to have a society frayed around the edges, with the residue of lawlessness hanging over it from its troubled past. Our potential to attract inward investment must not be harmed. The best way to effectively marginalise individuals or groups who indulge in attacks on Orange Halls is to inform the police — that is the way to deal with these activities. If the nationalist and republican communities were to do that, it would help to build a lasting peace and to convince the unionist-minded community that nationalists and republicans are sincere about a shared future.”

UUP Deputy-Leader Danny Kennedy said that the events of recent days regarding the Causeway Coast Visitors centre had the potential to tarnish the integrity and probity of the Assembly Executive.

Mr Kennedy pointed to the fact a constituency MLA, who also serves as a Junior Minister, has confirmed having clear links to the private developer but has omitted to register the fact that he sits on one of the developer’s companies management board in either a remunerated or unremunerated capacity. The Deputy Leader also said MLAs needed a full, open and public account of how the Ministers responsible reached their decision as these unanswered questions were creating a whiff of sleaze in the fledgling government.

In a statement Mr Kennedy said,

“There are currently so many unanswered questions surrounding the decision to steer the Causeway site away from public bodies to a private developer with clear links to the DUP.

The DUP MLA for North Antrim defended in the Assembly debate the move made by his Ministerial colleagues. It transpires from newspaper reports that the member sits on the management board of one Mr Sweeney’s companies. This position is not registered in the Assembly Members interests which are available to the public on the Assembly website.

The advice on the code of conduct governing Members’ interests states: “members are required to list…any unremunerated interest which might reasonably be thought by others to influence their actions as Assembly Members.”

There are questions that need to be answered by the member concerned as to whether his comments on the Causeway site constitute a conflict of interest.

In addition the DUP Ministers involved have a duty to clear up this debacle by publicly reporting to the Assembly how they reached this decision and what representations were made to them by or on behalf of Mr Sweeney’s development company or associated companies. The longer this whiff of sleaze is allowed to hang in the air, the more the integrity and probity of this fledgling government is being tarnished.”

Speaking in the Assembly on a motion condemning all attacks on Orange Halls and calling on all political parties to use their influence to stop such sectarian attacks, UUP Newry and Armagh MLA Danny Kennedy said,

“I welcome this important debate and at the outset, I am proud to confirm that I am a member of the Orange Order from County Armagh.

It cannot have escaped the attention of everyone in this Assembly that this motion is being debated on 9/11, the anniversary of the appalling attacks on the USA, which ushered in a new and terrible age of world terrorism. This new age of terrorism began at a time when we thought our own terrorist troubles were coming to a close.

The very clear evidence of continuing sectarian bigotry, which manifests itself in attacks on Orange Halls is so unacceptable. Attacks on Orange Halls represent an attempt by Republicans to intimidate, bully and threaten the Unionist and Protestant cultural tradition, and they are entirely out of place in an age and under a new dispensation when all cultural traditions should be mutually respected and equally valued. It is the policy of “Brits Out” taken to one of its most extreme forms. That is just not on.

There must be no tolerance shown towards the people who carry out these attacks. It doesn’t take much common sense to see that these attacks could cost us some of the prosperity this Province is entitled to after so many long, hard years of conflict. We must not and cannot allow the mindless cave men and women who carry out such attacks any opportunity to jeopardise the relative peace we now enjoy. Their actions have no place in a decent society.

That is why there is no reason to protect the people who carry out these attacks. They are dangerous people and they need to be apprehended, caught and convicted and jailed for a long term. Communities must not shield them and republican political leaders must demonstrate their credibility as peacemakers by using every effort to have those responsible handed over to the lawful authorities – the PSNI.

That means that all the community influence which a political party wields, and in some cases, that is considerable, must be used in having these attacks on Orange Halls stopped for good. None of us can be half-in and half-out of this process, supporting law and order only when it suits us and not just when it doesn’t upset some of our supporters. There is nothing more insidious and damaging to the whole political process here than a partial application of the principles of law and order.

Make no mistake about it the world is watching. It is observing. Every attack on an Orange Hall, every sectarian incident is logged by overseas investors. It is still reported in the world’s press in places sometimes that seem unlikely to us. The eyes that are scrutinising these events are not casual observers, they are potential investors. When they ask questions – like has the trouble really stopped? – then we better sit up and listen.

We cannot afford a society which is frayed around the edges with the residue of lawlessness hanging over from the troubled past. There must be no harming our potential to attract inward investment

The best way to effectively marginalise individuals or groups who indulge in these attacks on Orange Halls is by informing the Police. That is the way to deal with such activities. For the nationalist / republican community to do this would help build a lasting peace and would help convince the unionist-minded community that they are sincere about a shared future.

We need action from Sinn Fein – not words

No-one who wants peace and order in a new shared-future society will want these attacks continuing. The many hundreds of attacks over the years, which bizarrely accelerated after the original IRA ceasefire leading right up to the attacks this summer do nothing to create a just society or a lasting peace.

Few things annoy the Unionist people more than the deliberate act of malicious damage against their Orange Halls which effectively serve as community halls, whether in Carnagh or Crosskeys or Mullinture as happened this summer in my constituency, or Seagoe, the most recently destroyed hall in Co Armagh. I say to republicans in particular, stop burning our Orange Halls, start building real peace.”