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Big debate in Stormont as Alban Maginness demands major                          review of grass-cutting policy

Roads Service Chief Executive, Colin James was recently summoned before the Regional Development Committee to explain why man roads remained dangerous because of overgrown grass and weeds. He confirmed that in some areas there had been four times as many public complaints about the state of the roadsides.

I wouldn’t try to defend that. People complain about late cutting. We were very late this year, far, far too late. Further cutting will almost certainly have to take place, he said.

Work began late this year because of problems over private tendering and the mild, wet weather, he told the committee.

I am not surprised that the committee has asked me for this meeting on grass cutting because I’m aware that this year we didn’t perform as well as we normally do, he added.

MLAs were scathing about the Department’s performance this year and Committee Chairman Alban Maginness (SDLP, North Belfast) is now writing to Department of Regional Development Permanent Secretary Nigel Hamilton to demand a major review of grass cutting policy.

Pat McNamee (Sinn Fein, Newry and Armagh) said that grass cutting, particularly in rural areas could mean the difference between a junction being manageable or highly dangerous. He was concerned that many private contractors did not take adequate precautions to warn drivers that work was taking place.

There is often totally inadequate or no road signage to advise that a vehicle is engaged in grass cutting.

William Hay (DUP, Foyle) was aghast that just £3.5m had been set aside to cover the whole of Northern Ireland.

I could take you to rural roads in my area that still aren’t cut and that seriously worries me. There is a feeling from people living in these areas that this service is gradually being withdrawn, he said.

Derek Hussey (UUP, West Tyrone) wanted to know what percentage of work in his constituency was being carried out by outside firms.

My concern would be the use of private contractors in rural areas where perhaps the standard of monitoring may not be up to what is capable in urban areas, he said.

Mr James said that Roads Service would be happy to facilitate a major review into grass cutting and weed control.

However, he added; I actually think we are getting value for money. We pay 3p per square metre. I don’t honestly think we are going to beat that by much.

Meeting in Armagh                                                                                                     Fourthwrite held a meeting in the Drumsill House Hotel near Armagh City on Friday 5 October in order to introduce the book Republican Voices to local readers. Patricia Campbell chaired the event and regular Fourthwrite contributor, John Nixon addressed the gathering. John spoke of his experiences over the past quarter century and how the nature of the struggle for freedom and democracy has changed. He also outlined his views on the current requirements of the struggle. Following the address from the platform, the chairperson opened the evening to questions and comments from the floor. In the view of seasoned observers, the exchange of views and the wide range of questions was one of the best discussions sponsored by the Fourthwrite team in quite some time. This may have been due in part to the fact that there was a relatively small attendance of about forty people and partly due to the more intimate nature of the event. The discussion did nevertheless demonstrate that there is still a deep interest in the development of a contemporary programme for socialist and republicans in Ireland today and that young people remain interested in politics.

Sky RanAway                                                                                                                   On Saturday 13 October, RTE Radio 1 re-run a programme entitled The Sky Ran Away, first broadcast in May of this year. Two regular contributors to this magazine, John Nixon and Tommy McKearney were interviewed about their time in Long Kesh and their memories of the 1980 hunger-strike.

Turkish Hunger strike rally                                                                                                  

A demonstration was held in Belfast on Saturday 20 October in order to protest at the conditions that political prisoners are being subjected to in Turkish jails. The protest took the form of a march from the Falls Road into the centre of Belfast where a meeting was held near to the City Hall. Sinn Fein MLA Alex Maskey addressed the crowd as did speakers from the SWP, Relatives for Justice and leading member of the IRSP, Paul Little. Although the crowd was smaller than attended a similar meeting in Dublin a little earlier in the year, it was an important demonstration of support for the cause of those on hunger - strike in Turkey.

Sinn Fein’s media profile                                                                                                  

A major problem for Sinn Fein in the aftermath of decommissioning will be to convince the public at large that the party means what it says. However, the Sinn Fein TD for Cavan/Monaghan, Mr Caoimhghin O’Caolain has been experiencing some difficulty even before the cement mixers began their ‘patriotic’ duty.

After claiming to have helped a County Cavan family contact relatives injured in the 11 September attack on New York, sections of the press questioned the accuracy of Mr. O’Caolain’s facts. There is not a shred of evidence to support accusations of a fabrication but it has not prevented the Dublin based Sunday Tribune newspaper running a column entitled; Fairy tales by Hans Christian O’Caolain. Fouthwrite is quite sure however that as soon as the injured people recover, the Cavan/Monaghan TD will produce them at a press conference and finally lay the accusation to rest.

FOURTHWRITE, PO BOX 31, Belfast BT127EE