Executive to meet on Thursday!

In the words of the statement from OFMDFM today "the most difficult issues have been resolved satisfactorily". So no more major hold ups over when we will have policing and justice devolved and who will be the Minister - well that is a relief! Hmmm

Right then its time for the Executive to be doing what it should have been doing for over 150 days - meeting and getting on with the job of helping people and business across Northern Ireland face the oncoming recession.

So what will be on the agenda for the Executive Meeting?

• Irish Language Act - gone but covered in some Minority Langauages legislation


• Economic Package for Business - part of this could be limited rates relief


• An Education Review - no the post primary debate has not been sorted - the review will ensure that the new Education and Skills Authority, proposed under the Review of Public Administration can go ahead


• Package on Fuel Poverty


• Parking of the Maze Stadium - and any hopes of us getting anything slightly meaningful from the Olympics?

The Press Release also says that following the meeting on Thursday the Executive will revert to their normal fortnightly meeting. Surely the Executive should meet on a weekly basis before the Christmas recess for several reasons

• Catch up on the back log of work since the summer


• Do what they can to help the business sector going through recession
  
• Provide support for the construction industry by bringing forward already budgeted infrastructure projects


• Approve the consultation on the reform of the planning service whose delays are preventing investment and employment opportunities here

Finally, meetings on a weekly basis might start to address the great lack of public confidence in our politicians ability to govern.