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Downpatrick Health South Down Stormont

McGrath: Scrapping Free Lateral Flow Tests Will Put People In Danger  

SDLP Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath has said any plans to scrap free lateral flow tests will put the public in danger. Mr McGrath said creating barriers in accessing the tests would lead to less people using them and people with Covid-19 unknowingly spreading the virus. He was speaking after reports the British government are planning […]

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Government Politics Stormont Westminster

Words Without Matching Action Won’t Cut It, Foreign Secretary! – TUV

TUV leader Jim Allister has slammed UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss for her recent remarks in a Sunday Telegraph interview stating that we need to get on with the demolition of the NI Protocol. Mr Allister stated: “If Liz Truss means what she said in the Sunday Telegraph, namely, “I will not sign up to […]

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Government Politics Stormont Westminster

Return to Double Jobbing for MLAs and MPs

The political foundations of Northern Ireland have been shook as it has been reveal that we could potentially have a return to double jobbing in the North of Ireland. It has been revealed that the Government is proposing an amendment to the Northern Ireland minister’s elections and petitions of concerns bill. Despite the potential dual […]

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Community Government Stormont

£55 Million Energy Payment Support Scheme Announced

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has announced a £55 million Energy Payment Support Scheme for vulnerable people struggling to meet rising energy costs due to the global fuel crisis. A one-off payment of £200 will be made automatically to around 280,000 eligible people in receipt of specified benefits. The payment will be made through existing payment […]

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Election 2022 Politics South Down Stormont

McKevitt Demands Executive Ministers Focus on the Job Not Political Games

SDLP Newry, Mourne and Down Councillor Karen McKevitt has said she is frustrated and angry at the continued threats to stability and delivery from the DUP and Sinn Fein. With just four months of this mandate left, the SDLP is calling for the delivery of the agreed New Decade New Approach commitments. Cllr. McKevitt said: […]

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Health Politics Stormont

Statement From the Executive – Be Vigilant!, Get Boosted!, Test and Report!

With community transmission of COVID-19 at an all-time high, the Executive is urging everyone not to let their guard down, get boosted, test and report. The Executive received an update from our medical and scientific advisors on the latest public health situation. As expected, the highly infectious nature of the Omicron variant has led to […]

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Community Election 2022 Politics Stormont

Emergency Fuel Payment Scheme Falls Short of What’s Needed – UUP

The Ulster Unionist Party’s East Belfast MLA and Communities spokesperson, Andy Allen MBE, has raised concerns that the Emergency Fuel Scheme falls short of what’s needed. Mr Allen said: “Following the announcement of the allocation of £2M for an Emergency Fuel Payment Scheme, I repeatedly sought to obtain detail on the scheme in advance of […]

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Downpatrick Election 2022 Health South Down Stormont

McGrath: Cancer Patients Failed Throughout Pandemic!

SDLP Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath has said that cancer patients in the North have been continually failed throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. He was commenting after the latest cancer waiting time figures from the Department of Health showed all targets had been missed. South Down MLA Mr McGrath said: “That all targets for the North’s cancer […]