A Swine On The Head
Sammy Wilson arranged a photo opportunity today at a social housing construction site in Belfast's Mersey Street to mark his announcement of £20 million in extra funding for the sector. But he knew before he left Stormont that Michael McGimpsey had stolen the headlines by angrily denouncing the failure to give his department any extra cash to fight swine flu.
As the Finance Minister donned a safety helmet for his tour of the site he quipped, "People will be wondering why I am putting this on - is it protection against swine flu? Is a swine going to hit me on the head?"
Michael McGimpsey points out that even though he cut a deal with previous Finance Ministers to keep his own efficiency savings and not to bid for extra money from other departments' surpluses, an exception was specifically written in for emergencies like flu pandemics.
Sammy Wilson retorts that there is still a live negotiation, involving Scotland and Wales, with all the devolved nations looking to the Treasury for extra swine flu cash. He accuses Mr McGimpsey of being a "maverick minister" (which is quite something coming from Sammy) whose solo run could undermine those efforts.
One way or another it seems certain that the £18 million needed for swine flu vaccines will be found, but it looks like this argument over the projected £50 million figure for combatting swine flu here could still be continuing in the autumn, provided our ministers are well enough by then to row about anything.
By the way I forgot to mention that when ministers unveiled the rough route of the new improved A5 from Aughnacloy to Donegal at yesterday's North South meeting, someone noticed that the map provided (presumably by Irish officials) identified the Maiden City by the term "Londonderry".
The Deputy First Minister leapt in, putting his thumb over the letters spelling out "London". That reminded me of Paddy Kielty telling a TV audience recently that he had advised Michael McKintyre that to please everyone in the North West he should call the city neither Derry nor Londonderry, but simply "London".
Anyway it was interesting that at a north south meeting which was supposed to be dealing with the economy and swine flu, we didn't have the Finance, Enterprise, Employment or Health Ministers. Oh yes, they are all unionists aren't they?
Today Michael McGimpsey denied Sinn Fein claims that he and Sir Reg Empey were boycotting the North South plenary meetings, pointing out that he met the Irish Health Minister Mary Harney at a health sectoral meeting just a few weeks ago. Maybe if they keep referring to the second city as "Londonderry" the North South Ministerial Council secretariat will find themselves overwhelmed with unionists wanting to attend future gatherings.
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