Northern Irish government set to resume work

After three years, it looks like everyone has finally caught themselves on in Belfast and decided to resume sitting as a government at the Assembly in Stormont. See https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2020/0110/1105463-northern-ireland-politics/. It's good news for democracy and for Northern Ireland.

Quite apart from the very serious issues that have been left to drift through the suspension, there is, of course, always a genealogy angle to such developments! In this case, the suspension of Stormont had led to a cessation of Freedom of Information enquiries being dealt with by government agencies, as the legislation requires there to be a sitting minister (see https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/temporary-suspension-foi-requests-proni-faqs). This has impacted on the ability of agenices such as PRONI (www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni) to deal with applications, for example, concerning enquiries into Northern Ireland's 1939 National Identity Register, a major census substitute.

Fingers crossed for things to go smoothly, and a for a resumption of normal service soon!

UPDATE: Deirdre Hargey of Sinn Féin has been appointed the new Communities minister, the ministry which oversees PRONI. Congratulations to her.

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Scottish-Ancestry-through-Church-and-State-Records-Paperback/p/16848. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.