Belfast News: 'Pigs Saw Flying Over Belfast'

It must have happened, for I always said pigs would fly before I'd agreed with Sien Fein, but I found myself agreeing with their latest policy to take full control of Northern Ireland Water.

Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy announced to the assembly that NI Water should change and that extensive legislation was required to not only bring about this change, but to prevent privatisation and the introduction of Water Rates.

Editorial

This policy is a vote winner and one would imagine puts the party on an election footing, especially since the explosive question of Water Rates will be blamed on the politician heading that department, or will it?

Sien Fein are clearly stating to the Northern Ireland electorate, that they stand firmly against water rates, honouring their last electoral pledge, putting the ball in the court of other parties to honour their pledge by passing the appropriate legislation. Despite their perceived electorate commitment against Water Rates, it wasn't long before the DUP was criticising the policy. Finance Minister Sammy Wilson declared the proposals 'expensive and unrealistic', 'Bringing Northern Ireland Water back, and he has admitted this himself, into full public ownership would have revenue consequences, making the delivery of water services to Northern Ireland dearer'.

The clever strand to this policy, is that not only that Sien Fein have shifted responsibility for the introduction of the Water Rates onto the main unionist party, but that in the public eye, the ever talking DUP have accepted this, declaring to the listening public that revenue is low and that water rates need to be considered, despite their electoral promise.

In the past year, I have heard more references to the introduction of Water Rates coming from the DUP than the Minister, it may well be that the DRD Minister has made references I have not heard, but to my mind, especially following this announcement, if Water Rates are introduced in Northern Ireland, the blame will lie squarely at the feet of the DUP and the other parties. 

What a political Coup!