Unknown to all, the first act of the North's powersharing executive was to put their names to a unanimous and until now, secret, declaration. From Peter Robinson to Martin McGuinness, none of the 12 showed any hesitation in signing a document presented to them within hours of their selection.
The cause of such unanimity was a get wellcard for Deirdre Devlin, producer of BBC Northern Ireland current affairs programmes Hearts and Minds and Inside Politics. Devlin, just 33, suffered a brain haemorrhage two days before last Saturday's UUC vote. However, her personal health prospects appear at this stage considerably better than those of the executive itself. Ever working, her first question last Saturday after four hours of surgery was to inquire how the vote had gone. She continues to recover steadily. While she may have been temporarily decommissioned, she has certainly not been put beyond use.
One senior figure in the card project tells Quidnunc he is so impressed with its success, he is now considering a raunchy "executive calendar". While it was not possible to get all 12 to pose together for a cabinet photograph, they might agree to be snapped separately, one member for each month in a pose of their choice! The mind boggles.
Quidnunc is at rholohan@irish-times.ie
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