Archives for December 11, 2007

Making a statement on the loss in the post of two computer discs containing names and addresses of more than seven and a half thousand motorists, the Environment Minister was interrupted by the sound of a mobile phone ringing. Arlene Foster quipped "I'd be very happy if that was Parcel Force calling".

Later Ms Foster's party colleague Sammy Wilson compared her to the Chancellor, who has famously suffered his own child benefit data loss difficulties. Mr Wilson referred to the minister as "Arlene Darling", which was presumably a bit of word play as well as a term of endearment.

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With that Argentinian dove shooting holiday just a distant memory, Jim Shannon is focussing on different kinds of wild life. The Strangford MLA has asked the Environment Minister about what consideration she has given to culling grey squirrels, in order to support the indigenous red squirrel.

More exotically, he wonders what approaches Arlene Foster has received in relation to the introduction of wild boar into Northern Ireland. She says no organisations or individuals have made such approaches.

Perhaps we could start with the Stormont estate, which would no doubt benefit from a few more wild bores, sorry, wild boars.

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