Incoming First Minister Faces Range Of Issues

From poverty to football, there are plenty of weighty matters and groups ready to lobby Peter Robinson when he becomes First Minister this week.

The Belfast Telegraph newspaper has been running a high level 'vox pop' to find out the kind of issues that are set to stretch the outgoing Finanace Minister when he moves into NI's number one job.

Nigel Smyth, Director of CBI Northern Ireland, said: "We would like the Executive to deliver the goals set out in the programme for Government.

"The big focus for the Executive and indeed for the First Minister is the economy, which has always been a central plank, including strategic issues such as productivity, the transport network, people, education and skills, are absolutely vital.

"Our members are concerned that all these big issues and the targets set around these are delivered."

However, Mr Smyth said their was a general feeling of optimism surrounding the capabilities of Northern Ireland's new leader.

Meanwhile, Seamus McAleavey, Chief Executive of NICVA - the umbrella body for voluntary and community organisations in Northern Ireland which has over 1,000 member organisations - said poverty - and the rapidly accelerating cost of fuel - should be placed at the top of the Assembly's agenda.

"There are a huge number of issues we think ultimately that cuts across all departments and they all have a part to play. A strategy covers so many areas - such as energy, education and health.

"Fuel poverty has always been a significant issue and it's going to rocket up the agenda now.

"People on low incomes end up spending a huge portion of their salary on fuel, compared to those who are more comfortably off. Fuel poverty means people will die."

Peter Bunting, Assistant General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions - with the Northern Ireland Committee of ICTU representing 36 trade unions and 222,000 members - said his concerns are primarily economic in nature.

"Mr Robinson needs to address the fault lines in the Northern Ireland economy," said Mr Bunting.

"He needs to ensure that the public services are protected, not downsized, and that the marginalised in our society are catered for within that economic model."

Mr Bunting added: "He should also disregard David Varney's latest review, which is more old hat. Northern Ireland should come up with its own model."

Finally, the ever controversial issue of the Maze stadium proposal also raises its head as Howard Wells, Chief Executive of the Irish Football Association, has called for the new First Minister to tackle this and other prominent sporting issues.

"I would like Mr Robinson to show some demonstrable leadership and to put sport high on the social agenda, as it's not anywhere on it at the moment," he said.

"He also needs to make some positive decisions that benefit sport, interns of commitment to a new stadium, and commitment to make public money available for football and sport in general."

(BMcC)