In the Spider's Web
When the First Minister (ours that is) started talking about Rathlin island, I knew it was only a matter of time before Robert the Bruce and his spider would get a mention. Ian Paisley was in the Senate welcoming the Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, and reflected on the fact that his constituency covered Rathlin, "at times an island of Scotland, at times an island of Ulster and Ireland". Then our First Minister reminded us that next weekend marked the 700th anniversary of Robert the Bruce's stay on the island. And of course that's where he is meant to have noticed the spider, trying, trying and trying again to weave its web.
Patience has been a political virtue both for the SNP and the DUP, who have spent long years waiting in the wings. Alex Salmond joked that he'd meant to ask Ian Paisley for Rathlin back, as it might come in handy should he have to go into hiding in the future. But, despite the growing Stormont Edinburgh accord, there's no sign of the island being handed over anytime soon.
Once the Rathlin Island peace talks ended, the Ministers got on to other things. Corporation tax: Mr Salmond argues, somewhat contentiously, that the three devolved nations working together will get further on this one than NI on its own. University fees: A meeting is promised between Sir Reg Empey and his Scottish counterpart to address the situation whereby students from the Republic won't pay fees at Scottish universities but students from NI will. Joint Ministerial Committees: Mr Salmond wants these structures revived. They would bring Scottish, NI, and Welsh ministers together with their London counterparts, possibly to the chagrin of Gordon Brown. Mr Salmond also supports a revitalised British Irish council.
Maybe as a dry run the Scottish, Welsh and NI Enviroment Minister Arlene Foster attended a meeting in London today with David Milliband to discuss climate change. Mr Milliband apparently signalled this could be a six monthly ocurrence.
Back at Stormont the two First and one Deputy First Ministers found themselves holding shinty and hurling shirts, donated by Scottish and NI schools which have been playing each other in a joint rules match. Ian Paisley took an Extra Large one, but I didn't see him try it on.
The first meeting of the British Irish Council is due sometime next month. Come to think of it, it still hasn't got a proper headquarters. How about a certain cave on Rathlin island?
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How about putting all of the MLAs on Rathlin? Or failing that anywhere else in the Atlantic Ocean.
The question of whether NI (or Welsh and English)students can be exempt from fees (the Graduate Endowment)when studying in Scotland is governed by EU regulations - that is why the current Scottish system which only involves a Graduate Endowment (of c£2500)for Scottish students studying in Scotland is not offered to others. Rather than trying to finesse the situation of NI students in Scotland the real issue is whether the NI Executive will move away from the English model of £3000 per annum fees - and likely to go up in 2009 to £6000 per annum!. In 2001 the then Assembly Committee proposed following Scotland rather than England but Sean Farren, the then Minister, on the strong advice of his civil servants declined to do so.