Paisley not opposed to civic forum

Stormont First Minister Ian Paisley today insisted he was not opposed to the idea of a Civic Forum.

However the Democratic Unionist leader said there would need to be a review of how members of the consultative body would be set up.

During a visit to the Balmoral Show, the North’s main agricultural showpiece event in Belfast, the First Minister did not rule out a return of the Forum which has not sat since the last power-sharing executive collapsed in 2002.

“If the Civic Forum returned it must be made up of people who feel they are not represented,” he said.

“There’s a broad representation in the present Assembly, so their voices can be heard.

“I would not be against it per se but I am against the way it was brought into existence before.”

At yesterday’s meeting of the Committee of the Centre in the Assembly, Democratic Unionist Assembly member Jim Wells raised concerns about the Civic Forum being resurrected.

The South Down MLA said the Civic Forum had not sat for four years and was not missed.

The head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service Nigel Hamilton, however, said the Forum could return but that was a matter for Mr Paisley and the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

The Forum was set up when former Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble and ex-SDLP deputy leader Seamus Mallon were First and Deputy First Ministers.

It drew it’s membership from the community and voluntary, business, trade union sectors and religious denominations.

Under the chairmanship of Chris Gibson, it’s role was to debate issues effecting devolution.

However some parties denounced it as a waste of taxpayers’ money.