Categories
Community Constituency Crime Government Health Lurgan Politics Upper Bann Westminster

Buffer Zone Advocates ‘Criminalising Silent Prayer’ – Lockhart

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart recently hosted Isabel Vaughan-Spruce on a visit to Parliament. Isabel was arrested for silently praying near an abortion facility in Birmingham and subsequently searched, interrogated, arrested and charged for breaking a Public Space Protection Order censorship zone (or “buffer zone”) four times. Carla Lockhart said: “The arrest and subsequent charge […]

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

Heaton-Harris Must Spell Out What If Anything He Has Done to Restore Executive – Murphy

Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy has said the British Secretary of State should listen to the voices of leading US figures on key issues of the Protocol and legacy.  Speaking ahead of Chris Heaton-Harris’ visit to the US, Conor Murphy said:  “The US administration has been steadfast in its support for the Protocol and the […]

Categories
Community Constituency Council Election 2023 Elections Government Newry and Armagh NMD Council Politics South Armagh

Finnegan Welcomes Passing of Citizen’s Assembly Motion

Sinn Féin councillor Aoife Finnegan has welcomed the passing of a motion by Newry Mourne and Down District Council calling on the Irish Government to establish a Citizens Assembly to plan and prepare for Irish Unity. The Slieve Gullion councillor said: “Tonight’s result is a very positive step forward in the discussion on a new […]

Categories
Community Constituency Government Lurgan Politics Stormont Upper Bann Westminster

British Government Learns Nothing from Decade of Austerity – O’Dowd

Sinn Féin MLA John O’Dowd has said that the British Government continues to deny nurses and public sector workers a fair pay rise and that it has learned no lessons after a decade of austerity. The MLA said: “The Tory austerity over the past decade has decimated public services. The most vulnerable people have been […]

Categories
Community Education Government Politics Stormont Westminster

Education Cuts “Catastrophic” for Children

Proposed further cuts to funding would have a “catastrophic” effect on schools and young people, the NI Children’s Commissioner has said, following news that the Education Authority (EA) have been directed to bridge a £110m funding gap. “Meeting with the EA recently I was alarmed to discover the scale and depth of cuts being asked […]

Categories
Armagh Community Constituency Government Infrastructure Newry and Armagh Politics Stormont

Financial Pressures a Real Issue for Delivery of Infrastructure Projects – Boylan

Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan has said the current financial pressures facing DFI are posing real issues to the delivery of key infrastructure projects across the north. The Newry and Armagh MLA said: “Improving rural roads, expanding sewer capacity and delivering cornerstone projects such as the A6 are all facing further challenges as a result […]

Categories
Armagh Banbridge Campaigns Community Constituency Cost of Living Craigavon Health Lurgan Newry Newry and Armagh Politics Portadown South Down Upper Bann

NIPSA Health Workers Join Other Unions at Dozens of Picket Lines Across NI Tomorrow

Thousands of NIPSA health workers will join colleagues from other unions at dozens of picket lines across Northern Ireland tomorrow (Thursday, 26 January) against the backdrop of a unprecedented cost-of-living crisis. The 24 hour stoppage will be the second full day of action taken by health sector unions in their campaign to secure safe staffing, […]

Categories
Campaigns Community Constituency Cost of Living Craigavon Downpatrick Health Newry Newry and Armagh Politics South Down Upper Bann

4,000 Unite NHS Members to Strike Across NI Tomorrow

Health and social care workers determined to defend living standards Members of Unite, which represents 4,000 health and social care workers across Northern Ireland, will be joining members of other health unions in taking industrial action tomorrow (Thursday 26 January).  The strike is a result of the failure to deliver a cost of living pay […]

Categories
ABC Council Armagh Community Constituency Council Education Election 2023 Elections Government Newry and Armagh Politics Stormont

TUV Raises Neglect of Markethill High in Capital Programme

“In many ways, Markethill High highlights the neglect of the controlled sector going back generations. Markethill High was built in 1959 with the intention of accommodating 200 pupils. There are currently 503 pupils on the roll books and no less than eight mobiles are being employed to house the children. Some of the mobiles are […]

Categories
Banbridge Community Constituency Education Government Politics Stormont Upper Bann

Political Courage Needed to Fix Education Crisis – Tennyson

Alliance Upper Bann MLA Eóin Tennyson has said political courage is needed to form an Executive so the current crisis in education can be fixed. He was speaking after the board of the Education Authority (EA) refused to back a draft savings plan. Eóin Tennyson said: “The board of the EA considered, but refused to […]

Categories
Community Constituency Council Election 2023 Elections Government Infrastructure Newry and Armagh NMD Council Politics South Armagh Stormont

Kimmins and King Insist Road safety Must be Urgently Improved on Ferryhill Road

Sinn Fein councillor Cathal King has said that road safety must be improved on the Ferryhill road in Killean. Councillor King said: “The Sinn Fein team have worked on behalf of residents to raise this issue for a number of years. “We initially asked for a crash barrier to be installed to ensure that cars […]

Categories
ABC Council Banbridge Community Constituency Council Election 2023 Elections Government Politics Upper Bann

Alliance Select Ferguson for Banbridge DEA

The Alliance Party has selected Joy Ferguson, to represent the Banbridge electoral area in the upcoming Council elections in May. The selection follows the decision by the current Alliance councillor for Banbridge Brian Pope to step aside. Mrs Ferguson, a resident of Banbridge, was educated locally at Dromore High School and Banbridge Academy and works […]