Building confidence in Stormont: Peter Bunting
Northern Ireland has no shortage of policy but a dearth of decisions, ICTU’s Peter Bunting states, as he calls on MLAs to take action in government.
When the peace process was taking its baby steps, with the inevitable stumbles and tantrums, it became common for commentators to refer to WB Yeats’ line that “Peace comes dropping slow.”
We are long beyond that stage. The institutions are firmly embedded and the five main political parties in Stormont have little to threaten their position. Why then, are they so cautious about making decisions? Peace has come and is staying. Actions, initiative, policies: these are dropping exceedingly slow.
It is not like there is no mandate for action. There are plenty of proposals for initiatives from all sides of civil society. The policies, however, are not happening. Why has it taken so long to produce a Programme for Government? This cannot be blamed on the legal necessity for consultation, or section 75 implications.
What could be blamed is the lack of fiscal powers devolved from Westminster, or more accurately, HM Treasury. Indeed, the very reason given by New Labour against granting tax-varying powers for the Northern Ireland Assembly was the presumption back in 1998 that this would mean tax rises.
How the assumptions of politics have changed since then. Tax reductions have been the fact of governance since then, with freezes and caps on domestic and business rates, one of the few revenue- raisers available to the Assembly. The loud campaign for the devolution of corporation tax powers is wholly based in lowering them.
That said, there are legally available options which the Executive could utilise. They have been approached by business organisations, the voluntary sector and the trade unions on successive occasions. They have done almost nothing.
We suggested that a simple and cheap £1 levy on every hotel stay could be used to subsidise large conferences in locations such as Belfast’s Waterfront Hall or Derry’s Millennium Forum. That would raise several hundreds of thousands of pounds for organisational costs, which would then generate millions from visitors spending money in bars, restaurants and, naturally, hotels.
We have suggested that the NILGOSC pension scheme be used more effectively to develop local high-end R&D-based businesses, with a certain percentage of its annual investments as venture capital.
We have suggested utilising the EU’s Globalisation Adjustment Fund, which re- trains workers who have been made redundant through processes of globalisation (such as outsourcing), and enables them to improve their chances for regaining work.
We have, along with the General Consumer Council, urged the reform and regulation of private energy suppliers, who are at present operating effectively as a cartel. We believe that the fuel needs of Northern Ireland and its consumers could be better served if domestic fuel was centrally purchased by the Department for Regional Development and then distributed by social economy enterprises, on a profit basis for all concerned, but well short of the extortionate behaviour of those who have the market in their grasp.
We have, along with every employers’ body, the entire voluntary sector, every environmental group, a raft of academics and the rhetorical support of every political party, called for an adventurous Green New Deal, which will provide jobs and services which are sustainable for those who use them, those who work for them, and the long-term care of the environment. After three years, we have a shopping bag levy. That is pathetic.
Meanwhile, £4 billion in cuts are just starting. Demand has stalled and the private sector is treading water. The eurozone, where 90 per cent of our non- sterling trade is conducted, could just implode. There are 4,000 jobs available for 60,000 unemployed, not forgetting the extra 50,000 of the ‘economically inactive’ who want a job.
Finally, barely noticed, NAMA has started its sell-off of distressed assets, £3.5 billion of which are north of the border. Has anyone the slightest idea what to do about that?
The whole point of devolution was so local politicians could make decisions which would positively affect the lives of their neighbours. Good, bad or indifferent, barely any decisions are being made at all. It is time for the political class to show up to work.
Peter Bunting is Assistant General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
