08 February 2002
Last week, the full Assembly met for only three hours and heard no statements from ministers. There was just one ministerial statement in the previous week.
'The executive has little business to put before the Assembly. There is a paralysis of decision-making,' said a senior official.
Work on the Assembly's centrepiece equality bill, which will replace separate legislation on race, sex and religious discrimination, has virtually ground to a halt because of wrangling between the parties and a lack of experience in drawing up legislation within the executive. The law is not now expected to take effect before 2004.
'The Northern Ireland civil service is used to working through Orders in Council, not primary legislation, which requires much more scrutiny and debate,' said the official.
David Ford, leader of the non-sectarian Alliance party, last week called for more legislation from committees and private members to fill the gap left by the paucity of executive business.
But another official said a lack of funds limited the scope for legislation. 'The executive does not have the money to fund new measures and they are unlikely to get far unless they cost nothing,' he said.
PFfeb2002
