The vaccine programme in Northern Ireland has now delivered second doses to 32.6% of the population. That is marginally more than the other countries within the UK and far in excess of the 12.4% in ROI. At the same time, in March there were 99,400 furloughed jobs in Northern Ireland, down from a recent high of 117,700 in January. There is clearly some way to go and the debate around the changing face of work has been well explored, but these numbers provide a welcome way to start the weekend. Meanwhile, the candidates for leader and deputy leader of the DUP have been confirmed. As expected, it appears to be a straight shoot out for leader between Edwin Poots and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson. Despite the aggressive briefing by those on behalf of Poots, the contest looks far from a done deal. Voting will take place next Friday amongst DUP MPs and MLAs and we should know the result before the weekend, so hold onto your socks. The candidates are keen to avoid being seen as publicly critical of the others and the party has rejected the opportunity for debates between the two. Of course, that has not stopped anonymous sources providing their insightful opinions. Nor has it stopped the Executive functioning, a welcome occurrence. In that spirit, DAERA today released a report entitled ‘Final report from the Fishing and Seafood Development Programme’ which found that the bureaucratic burden placed onto GB exporters of seafood to the EU created a “positive situation for the export–dependent NI seafood sector”. This is a snapshot, and the report notes the difficulties for east–west trade, but it will be embarrassing for Poots to have his own department highlighting the potential benefits of a protocol he has so maligned. It also follows Poots demanding a “full explanation” from officials as to why they had restarted recruited staff for border control posts despite “no authorisation” being given. Though he has said he wants to focus on restructuring the DUP and would not take up the post of First Minister, a party so vehemently against the protocol might begin to doubt his credentials on such a critical issue. The Queen’s Speech, the medium by which the UK government sets out its programme for the coming year, is due next week and is expected to include plans amounting to an amnesty for those accused of committing legacy crimes during the Troubles. That group would include soldiers, police officers and paramilitaries. The government has denied the claim that it amounts to an amnesty, despite off the record sources accepting that even in the event of new evidence, there would be no action. The plans have been roundly panned north and south, with the Taoiseach terming any such move a “breach of trust”. Naomi Long said the manner in which the plans emerged, via leaks reported in print and via Twitter, showed the government considered victims with “contempt”. The Northern Ireland Office has defended the leak as a ‘genuine’ one, as opposed to a coordinated attempt at pre–briefing. Nonetheless, the deputy First Minister also tweeted, “Another cynical move that will put British forces beyond the law. This is legal protection for those involved in state murder.” Gavin Robinson took a slightly more holistic view, if not an entirely different position. The East Belfast DUP MP, said: “We must be clear that if someone has committed murder, they should be prosecuted for that crime regardless of who they are.” All told, it is evident that if the plans are to gain the support of anyone on the island of Ireland, a great deal of consultative work must be undertaken first. Next week’s plans are expected to contain scant detail, so we will all be waiting a while yet. South of the border, the Tánaiste said it would be “ideologically extreme” to ban investment on certain types of housing and that investment funds have a “role to play” in the property market. The government is seeking to find a resolution to the controversy as criticism builds over its handling of the housing crisis. However, this week the Labour Party threatened to bring legislation before the Dáil which Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien had tabled as an opposition TD that aimed to prevent vulture funds buying up swathes of new homes. In 2019, O’Brien proposed legislation which would allow local authorities to earmark up to 30pc of zoned land for first–time buyers. Presently, he is facing criticism from FG TDs and senators over his affordable housing plan and the FF minister will address their parliamentary meeting on 19 May. Should Labour bring his proposals before the Dáil, O’Brien will be forced into voting against plans he himself devised only two years ago. With Sinn Féin making gains in the election based on, amongst other things, housing, both FF and FG will be acutely aware of how significant this issue is.NIHealth

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