`The Ulster Soviet Socialist Republic.

One of Northern Ireland's enduring difficulties is that constitutional issue top economic and social issues in elections. This means that Northern Ireland's politicians are as a rule economic illiterates who believe that growth is achieved by politicians spending other people's money so stories like this appear regularly:

Responsibility for NI's economy should be centralised within a single government department or agency, a Stormont all-party group has said.

Because clearly the right people to run the economy are to be found amoung civil servants, and politicians. Even if the Ulster government wasn't obliged to include a party of murderers, extortionists and assorted gangsters it would be a terrible idea/ With government spending accounting for over 60% of the local economy the best thing these people could do would be to resign and not waste another penny of taxpayer's money.