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ABC Council Campaigns Community Constituency Cost of Living Council Government Newry Newry and Armagh NMD Council Politics

Councillor Pay to Rise By 5%

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has announced that the Executive has agreed an increase of 5% to the basic allowance for local councillors with effect from 1 April 2025. The Minister also said that he will amend the legislation to permit his department in future to determine the rate of the basic allowance to be paid […]

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

Minister Kimmins Outlines Commitment to Irish Language

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins outlined her commitment to the Irish language during a meeting with Forbairt Feirste today. The Minister provided the group with an update on progress the Department is making on a range of issues including signage on the public transport network and a road signage pilot scheme in the Gaeltacht Quarter. Speaking […]

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Community Government Health Housing Politics Stormont

Minister Claims Progress Made In Housing

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has welcomed progress in a range of areas across housing, but said more hard work lies ahead to address the challenges we face. The Minister was speaking at the Northern Ireland Housing Conference, to an audience which included a range of stakeholders and delivery partners from across the sector. Delivering the […]

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Community Constituency Government Infrastructure Newry Newry and Armagh Politics Stormont

Newry: Kimmins Announces £220,000 Road Improvement Scheme For Hill Street

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has announced that a £220,000 carriageway resurfacing scheme on Hill Street, Newry has commenced. The resurfacing scheme will involve the asphalt resurfacing of Hill Street from Abbey Way/Kilmorey Street junction through to O’Hagan Street. Minister Kimmins said: “This is a substantial investment for the Newry area which will deliver significant benefits for […]

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Business Community Constituency Council Government Health Newry Newry and Armagh NMD Council Politics

Iúr Clean Trá – Sinn Féin Delegation Push Council on Newry Cleanliness

A Sinn Féin delegation has met with senior council officials to push for action on Newry’s cleanliness. The delegation included Dáire Hughes MP, Cllr. Valerie Harte, Cllr. Geraldine Kearns, Cllr. Cathal King and Cllr. Aidan Mathers. Speaking after the meeting, Newry and Armagh MP, Dáire Hughes, said; “We’ve seen a marked decline in cleanliness across […]

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Campaigns Community Cost of Living Government Politics Stormont Westminster

SDLP Welcome Rebrand of Support Fund For Universal Credit 5-Week Wait

SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan has welcomed the renaming of the Contingency Fund to ensure accessibility for new claimants seeking financial support to navigate the five-week wait for Universal Credit. It follows an Assembly Motion tabled by the SDLP Opposition last month highlighting the impact of this wait and the link to illegal money […]

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

Local MLA Seeks Foot & Mouth Funding Clarity

Sinn Féin MLA Aoife Finnegan has called on the Agriculture Minister to provide clarity as to what funding he has available to tackle a potential outbreak of foot and mouth disease. The MLA was speaking after the minister last week recognised this serious threat in response to a question in the Assembly, yet failed to […]

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

McNulty: Developer Contributions Won’t Solve Wastewater Crisis

SDLP Newry & Armagh MLA Justin McNulty has said that developer contributions won’t solve the North’s wastewater crisis. He was speaking after Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins launched a public consultation on Friday. The SDLP is supporting the Audit Office’s call for an expert led review of Northern Ireland Water’s funding and governance model. Newry & […]

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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 […]