Categories
Business Politics

More Tax Breaks For The Business Class – Workers Party

Light-touch regulation, Freeports, and Enterprise Zones are the centrepieces of the recent Belfast Chamber of Commerce report, ‘Empowering Belfast’. Its stated aim is to devolve power from Stormont to local councils: and to Belfast City Council in particular. Despite its fanfare launch and the accompanying hype it is unlikely to deliver anything of substance for working […]

Categories
Armagh Business Community Newry Politics South Armagh

McNulty Calls on Economy Minister to Redeploy High Street Voucher Scheme Funding

SDLP Assembly Member Justin McNulty has called on the Economy Minister to ensure that unspent funds from the High Street Voucher Scheme are reallocated to boost social protections this winter. Speaking as the Spend Local Scheme draws to a close, the Newry & Armagh MLA commented: ‘I have been lobbying the Economy Minister to ensure […]

Categories
Lurgan Politics

Businesses, Workers and Families Deserve Better

Sinn Féin MLA John O’Dowd has said that the DUP must end its repeated threats to the political institutions and focus on issues that matter to businesses, workers and families across Upper Bann. The Upper Bann representative said: “At the weekend we again witnessed yet more dysfunction and recklessness from the DUP in the midst […]

Categories
Health Politics

Mallon Calls on British Government to Provide Greater International Vaccine Support

SDLP Minister and Deputy Leader Nichola Mallon has today written to the Secretary of State for Health after reports that the British Government has purchased 114 million more doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to call for support for communities across the globe in the fight against covid-19. Ms Mallon said: “While it is absolutely […]

Categories
Education Politics

Supporting University Staff – Workers Party

Workers at almost sixty colleges and universities throughout Northern Ireland have taken industrial action in recent days in opposition to pension cuts, pay and worsening working conditions. The Workers Party has sent the following message of support to the University and Colleges Union Workers Party stands with University staff and supports their just demands The […]

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Education Politics

Staff Shortages & High Rate of School Absences Disrupting Educational Development were Entirely Preventable – Aontu

Aontú Education Spokesperson, Gemma Brolly, expresses frustration and disappointment at the failure to act in order to prevent the current staff shortage and high rate of school absence, which have led to pleading for all available staff and calls for Circuit Breakers. Rep Brolly: “At the beginning of September, principals and school staff found themselves […]

Categories
Community Politics

Action Plan to Address Shortage of Taxi-Drivers Implemented

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has decided to bring forward a range of measures to address a shortage of taxi-drivers. The Minister will legislate for a 7.6% increase in the maximum taxi fare and will introduce a support package for new drivers. This follows a targeted consultation in September with the industry and representative consumer bodies. Minister […]

Categories
Community Politics

Minister Commissions Welfare Mitigation Review

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has announced the appointment of an Independent Advisory Panel to review welfare mitigation measures in the north. The Independent Advisory Panel will be chaired by Les Allamby, former Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. Mr Allamby will be joined by independent panel members and departmental officials with expertise […]

Categories
Lurgan Politics

SDLP Backs Missing Persons Day for North

SDLP Upper Bann MLA Dolores Kelly has backed calls for a missing persons day to be established in the North.  Mrs Kelly was speaking after the family of missing Co Down woman Lisa Dorrian spoke about the importance of missing persons day in the South and called for a similar occasion in the North.   Upper […]

Categories
Education Politics

Aontu Disappointed at Failure to Prevent Staff Shortage and High Rate of School Absence

Aontú Education Spokesperson expresses frustration and disappointment at failure to act in order to prevent the current staff shortage and high rate of school absence, which have led to pleading for all available staff and calls for Circuit Breakers. “At the beginning of September, principals and school staff found themselves swamped with administrations of contact […]

Categories
Armagh Newry Politics South Armagh

Flags, Identity and Culture Report a Waste of Time! – TUV Newry and Armagh

Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister: “At over 160 pages it will take time to study fully the report published this afternoon but it would appear from an initial reading that there is precious little here in terms of agreed solutions to any issue. That being the case, the public are entitled to regard it […]

Categories
Lurgan Politics

Workers & Families Benefiting From Protocol Protections – O’Dowd

Sinn Féin Upper Bann MLA John O’Dowd has said figures published by Britain’s Office of National Statistics highlights once again that the Protocol is benefitting the north and blunting some of the worst impacts of Brexit. Mr. O’Dowd said:   “The latest statistics from the ONS show that the north has performed better economically than […]