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Community Government Politics Westminster

SDLP Calls on Treasury to Remove Cap on Tax Free Childcare

SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP has called on the UK Treasury to remove the cap on Tax Free Childcare which has remained the same since 2017, in spite of significant increases in costs for families.  This comes amid reports that childcare costs in England have fallen for the first time in fifteen years. Costs have […]

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Armagh Community Constituency Government Health Newry Newry and Armagh Politics South Armagh Stormont Westminster

McNulty: Disability Benefits Cuts Will Inflict a Terrible Cost on Lives

SDLP Newry & Armagh MLA Justin McNulty has said that cuts to disability benefits will inflict a terrible cost on the lives of the most vulnerable members of society. Mr. McNulty said: “The latest welfare cuts could prove devastating for so many disabled people here.  It’s something we would have expected from the Tories, but […]

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Community Constituency Government Newry Newry and Armagh Politics Stormont Westminster

Grant Calls For Executive Commitment to Protect Those Against Benefit Cuts

Nicola Grant Workers Party representative has called on the Executive and the Northern Ireland Assembly to give a commitment, that regardless of the Westminster Governments decision tomorrow, that those most vulnerable in Northern Ireland will be protected. Those on benefits now and in the future will suffer a disproportionate impact given the prominent levels of […]

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Constituency Council Government Newry Newry and Armagh NMD Council Politics South Down

Newry: Concerns Over Council Planning Delays

By Donal McMahon Staff turnaround at a Northern Ireland council has resulted in “emails in the ether” causing major delays for planning applicants. The apparent unexplained loss of planning data has only just come to light according to a Downpatrick rep. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s (NMDDC) strategy, policy and resources (SPR) committee was […]

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Armagh Campaigns Community Constituency Daisy Hill Government Health Newry Newry and Armagh Politics South Armagh Stormont

McNulty: Health Service Inequalities In Newry “Unacceptable”

SDLP Newry & Armagh MLA Justin McNulty has described health service inequalities in Newry as “completely unacceptable.” Mr. McNulty was responding to information from the Department of Health, which confirmed that just 23% of consultants working in the Southern Trust were employed at Daisy Hill Hospital. Newry & Armagh MLA Justin McNulty said: “This is […]

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Community Constituency Council Government Newry Newry and Armagh NMD Council Politics

Grant Slams Newry Council on Not Revealing Swimming Pool Cost!

Responding to complaints that Newry Mourne and Down District Council has once again refused to answer questions or release information on how much it cost to carry out the repairs on the swimming pool in Newry or who is paying for them. Nicola said this information should be a matter of public record and ratepayers […]

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Armagh Community Constituency Government Newry Newry and Armagh Politics South Armagh Stormont

McNulty Welcomes Overdue Progress on Irish Language Commissioner

SDLP Newry & Armagh MLA Justin McNulty has welcomed overdue progress on the appointment of language commissioners. Mr. McNulty said: “We are now five years on from the promise to appoint language commissioners in New Decade, New Approach. Progress is long overdue and while it has to be welcomed, questions must be asked about why […]

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Agriculture Community Constituency Council Government Infrastructure Newry and Armagh NMD Council Politics South Down

Newry: Donald Trump to Save NI Fishing Industry!

By Donal McMahon The DUP has called on President Donald Trump to rescue Northern Ireland’s seafood industry in the wake of Brexit. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) agreed this week to lobby DAERA (Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) Minister Andrew Muir (Alliance) to work in parallel with his UK counterparts on […]

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Campaigns Community Constituency Craigavon Daisy Hill Government Health Newry Newry and Armagh Politics Stormont

Grant Concerned By Ambulance Handover Times

Nicola Grant responding to the report on a dramatic deterioration in ambulance handover performance, said this is a situation that is going to exponentially grow if the proposed changes to hospital reconfigurations is not changed or halted. She said the thousands of beds that have been closed in hospitals due to efficiency savings and underfunding, […]

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Campaigns Community Constituency Cost of Living Government Newry Newry and Armagh Politics Westminster

Benefits Row: Grant Concerned With Potential Benefit Cuts

Commenting on the announcement from Westminster that there will be a massive cut amounting to more than £6billion from the Welfare budget. Nicola said it Is a matter of great concern for Northern Ireland as we have learned from the winter fuel payments debacle that where Westminster goes our Executive very quickly follows. She said […]

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Campaigns Community Constituency Cost of Living Government Newry Newry and Armagh Politics South Armagh Stormont Westminster

Benefits Row: Finnegan Writes to Minister Over Westminster Benefit Cuts

Sinn Féin MLA Aoife Finnegan has said it is time for the British government to move beyond cuts and austerity and towards real investment in public services. She was speaking after media reports on Friday suggested the Labour government is planning to cut the welfare budget by £5 billion. “The same British government who just […]

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Community Constituency Downpatrick Government Newry Newry and Armagh NMD Council Politics

St Patrick’s Day Plans For Newry and Downpatrick

Everyone is welcome to this year’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Newry and Downpatrick on Monday 17 March. As the home of St Patrick, the annual celebration is the cornerstone of Newry, Mourne and Down’s cultural calendar. It showcases the best of our local arts, heritage, food and music. Our traditional carnival parades, with street […]