IN November 2024, the Executive found a spare £17 million for a one-off winter fuel payment for pensioners who had lost the benefit when the government decided to means-test it.

Stormont took until the following March to issue the payments, a delay that was universally ridiculed, as winter was over and spring had sprung.

SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan summed up the reaction when he described it as “utter madness”.

March has rolled around again and the UK government has found £17 million for a means-tested home heating oil payment in Northern Ireland.

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Stormont is not sure how to distribute the money, so it will probably be the height of summer before payments are made.

Why is this not being viewed as an unseasonable extravagance? Everyone is simply complaining it is not enough.

Perhaps the absurdity would be clearer if we framed it as a sectarian argument. Presbyterians have probably turned their heating off already.

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MOST of central Belfast will be closed to private vehicles for the week of August’s all-Ireland Fleadh.

Belfast City Council, which is hosting the event, has made detailed plans to ensure continued access for residents and delivery vehicles and has coordinated with Translink to provide an enhanced public transport plan for everyone else.

Yet absurdly, almost the whole affected area is meant to be under similar restrictions on a permanent basis.

Restrictions are simply not enforced by the two bodies responsible, Stormont’s Department for Infrastructure and the PSNI.

If the council delivers enforcement, albeit through Eamon de Valera-style maidens dancing at crossroads, this should contribute to the debate on transferring responsibility to councils.

Before unionists start complaining about the closures, they would be better pointing out that a succession of nationalist infrastructure ministers have been unable to do their jobs.

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MANCHESTER’s Labour mayor Andy Burnham was the star speaker at last weekend’s........

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