Opinion

Tom Kelly: Where is the real reform we were promised by New Decade, New Approach?

Tom Kelly

Tom Kelly

Tom Kelly is an Irish News columnist with a background in politics and public relations. He is also a former member of the Policing Board.

Simon Coveney (left) and Julian Smith, announcing New Decade New Approach deal
Simon Coveney (left) and Julian Smith, announcing New Decade New Approach deal Simon Coveney (left) and Julian Smith, announcing New Decade New Approach deal

“This deal is not just an executive for its own sake - it will offer real reform. Amongst the new executive’s priorities will be improvements in transparency, accountability and in how civil servants, ministers and special advisers conduct themselves”.

Do your emember this promise made by Julian Smith, late of this parish, in January 2020? Probably not. But then again neither do the two main parties, Sinn Féin and the DUP.

The ink on the New Decade, New Approach deal was not dry before the two main protagonists dumped any notion of reform or doing things better. The resurgence of centre ground politics did little to dent their arrogance or sense of entitlement.

At the core of the New Decade, New Approach agreement were promises to reform and it was peppered with references to ‘good faith, trust and mutual respect’ amongst executive ministers. This would require leadership from the first and deputy first ministers.

In some ways Covid-19 has saved and damaged this new executive. Collectively they were plunged into a crisis which they initially handled well. The executive looked cohesive and on message. But within the hallowed halls of Stormont Castle, Sinn Féin and the DUP, like backsliding Christians, were slowly slipping into bad habits like marginalising junior executive colleagues.

Robin Swann being in charge of the public health response to Covid-19 bought himself a period of grace. But as the pandemic continues longer than expected, even he will feel the heat as other issues within the health service unravel.

The antics of Sinn Féin and the DUP are shortsighted. Left to their own devices they fell apart. They will do so again if the SDLP and Alliance decide on how much humiliation is enough. Doug Beattie of the UUP has consistently said Stormont needs a strong opposition to hold government to account. He is right.

Last week Nichola Mallon, Minister for Infrastructure, vented some of her frustrations by tweeting live to Good Morning Ulster “Very frustrating to once again learn of the Executive’s Agenda via GMU!” This was quickly followed by a tweet from the Justice Minister, Naomi Long, stating “Indeed. I was not only informed of the agenda but also told what the Executive would decide by a lobbyist!” Minister Long followed up by stating it was only an hour before the executive meeting and she was still without papers. Quite simply this is no way to run an administration and it does nothing to re-gain public confidence in political authority.

But the question needs to be asked, where are the senior civil servants in all of this? They cannot and should not slavishly follow the political shenanigans of the two main parties. If they do they will have learned nothing from their role in the scandalous embarrassment that was RHI.

Whilst there is no money tree at Stormont, listening to the haranguing of Minister Mallon by the taxi lobby is pure pantomime. She is their regulator, not their funder. Taxi drivers like other sectors are an employment group affected by loss of income due to Covid and any funding should come via Diane Dodds, the Minister for the Economy, who is sitting on an unused pot of £56m. Mallon licenses both taxis and coaches just as the SF Minister for Communities licenses pubs but in both cases the matter of financially supporting the sectors is clearly a issue for the minister responsible for employment. Simple is as simple as.

Mallon’s decision to create a panel on the future of infrastructure in Northern Ireland is welcome but more so because she has invited the private sector to be part of it. Mallon has not forgotten, even if her executive colleagues have, that the prioritisation of investment in water/sewerage infrastructure was also a key part of the seemingly forgotten New Decade, New Approach agreement.

The pandemic won’t cover cracks in the executive for much longer but delivering on promises will.