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LANDMARK LEGAL REFORMS which came into force at midnight mean abortion has been decriminalised in Northern Ireland and same-sex marriage has been legalised, with the first weddings expected in February.
The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019 also includes provisions for a new pension paid to injured victims of the Troubles.
The act was ostensibly designed by the UK government to provide the legal framework for under-pressure civil servants to continue running public services in the region in the ongoing absence of powersharing.
However, during its passage through parliament in the summer, opposition MPs bolted on amendments to the law to bring about the historic abortion and marriage reforms.
The only way the law changes could have been halted ahead of the midnight deadline was if a new devolved executive had been in place before then.
More than 1,000 days since powersharing imploded amid a row over a botched green energy scheme, recent months saw limited progress in efforts to resolve the raft of issues still preventing the DUP and Sinn Fein re-entering government together.
The Assembly did sit for the first time in over two and half years yesterday, after DUP members and several other anti-abortion unionists signed a recall petition to reconvene proceedings.
However, the members were unable to influence the law changes as the Assembly could not function properly in the absence of a ministerial executive.
The DUP’s attempt to table legislation to halt the abortion reform fell at the first hurdle after outgoing speaker Robin Newton ruled that the bill could not be considered until a new speaker was elected – an appointment that was impossible without nationalist approval.
Sinn Fein boycotted proceedings while the SDLP walked out after making clear it would not participate in the election of a speaker.
DUP leader Arlene Foster has vowed to explore legal options to stop the liberalisation of abortion in the region.
However, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald welcome the law changes, branding the DUP’s behaviour in the Assembly chamber a stunt.
Northern Ireland had the strictest abortion regime in the UK or Ireland, with terminations only permitted if the mother’s life was in danger or there was a serious risk to her physical or mental health.
Now the 19th-century laws that criminalised abortion have fallen away, the UK government has assumed responsibility for introducing new regulations to provide greater access to terminations in the region by next April.
The Northern Ireland Office will consult on the shape and remit of the new services. In the interim period, women will be offered free transport to access abortion services in England.
Under the act, the government is also obliged to make regulations to extend same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland by 13 January.
Taking account of a required notification period engaged couples must observe, the first weddings are anticipated around Valentine’s Day in February.
The government is also required to make regulations to introduce a victims pension scheme in Northern Ireland by the end of January, to be in operation by the end of May.
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Another day, another transport strike
@ginger “Breakthrough…” This mean no striking. At least read the title, dude.
@ginger tomcat: But there’s no strikes??
No way. Actual good news?
The threat of a strike ballot should not have been necessary to make the Dublin Bus management honour their commitments.
Fair comment Dusty.
So glad the Union backed down on wanting shares in Bus Eireann for every staff member because they ‘built the company’. Common sense prevails.
The climb down in the article is clearly on the management side who have finally agreed to implement what they signed up to previously. We’ll done to the workers on forcing the management to honour their commitments. The time of the working class asking nicely is over. Militant action is the way forward.
Or in your case Dusty…. militant keyboard action
This must be playing hell with your heartburn Larry?
Alpha. Please note the article is about dublin bus.
There’s no such thing as shares in a semi state company Alfa, although The Minister for Transport is officially referred to as “The Shareholder” in the legal framework of semi state transport companies.
Pity unions why don’t you bring it down ?Justt like you did Ferenka. Didn’t think that would happen did you?. Always remember what Sir Michael Edwards said during the constant strikes in British Leyland organised by Red Robbo. ” GO back to work or I will start liquidating the company” They went back to work !!
You keep tugging your forelock to the “Sirs” there Joe. The rest of the working class will continue to fight to take what’s rightfully theirs.
They not going to shut either of the bus companies. Us tax payer will increase the subsidies and they can continue on squandering it to their hearts content.
The public transport subvention has been slashed to pay for the banker’s debts. And the taxpayer too will be paying the same banker’s debts for generations.
Well there’s a depressing thought. In both cases public money is waste and as you put it likely will be for generations come.
We get a public transport system in return for the subvention and the bill is in the millions. We get nothing for paying off the bondholders and the bill is in the billions annually.
@Dusty Mooney: Working class eh you poor man !!! Keep it up just don’t deny the truth !! If that so called class argument is all you can offer go and get your shoe shine box and conform
A very poor self serving public transport system.
So that argument means taxpayers pay twice. I suppose we could always print the money removing the need for taxpayers at all in wallyland.
No doubt some guff about the value of money, or the goods and services etc. None of which will explain, ever, how we pay for imports of life saving drugs, our cars etc except to say inflation won’t happen. Also with no example of this ever being implemented where inflation doesn’t happen.
Basically if we leave the euro we will be fine. Except when we had our own currency we weren’t. Go figure…
I never understand why management of these bus companies back themselves into a situation were a strikes takes place. All that happens is they loose revenue for a few days and then they end up surrendering to the unions and more or less giving them what they want anyway. But then of course there a you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours culture has developed over the years.
have your say