Brave Face In USA As Assembly Row Rumbles On

A political storm at the NI Assembly is threatening to overshadow a high level USA trip to drum up support for 'NI plc'.

While First Minister Ian Paisley is in America underlining that "Northern Ireland is in the forefront of the minds of key business decision makers as a premier location for investment" things are not looking so positive at Stormont.

A row over proposals to elevate one of the already contentious four victims' commissioners to a more senior position has led to the actual postponement of legislation in the Assembly.

It is understood that the DUP and Alliance Party are seeking one of the four commissioners to be promoted to a chief commissioner position while Sinn Fein want the four appointees to remain equal and to reach decisions on consensus.

The final stages of the Victims and Survivors Bill was therefore pulled from the Assembly business agenda only minutes before it was to be debated in the house.

The Alliance Party proposed amendment to the legislation to promote one commissioner and it is understood the DUP is strongly backing them.

The DUP is apparently insisting that this proposal be adopted.

But Sinn Fein now say the DUP has gone back on a agreement made between Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness on the matter in late 2007.

The creation of the a victims' commissioner was always controversial, with some critics claiming the long delay in making an appointment and repeat recruitment drives underlined disagreement between Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness.

The First and Deputy First ministers planned to appoint one commissioner but in January announced they would appoint a four-man team, which further prompted claimed they had been unable to agree.

(BMcC)