Categories
Campaigns Community Constituency Daisy Hill Government Health Lurgan Politics Stormont Upper Bann

Executive Needed to Support Health Workers and Patients

Sinn Féin MLA John O’Dowd has said an Executive is needed now to work together to help tackle chronic health waiting lists. Responding to the Department of Health’s latest waiting time figures, the Upper Bann representative said: “Every one of these figures represents a person suffering as a result of the continuation of long waiting […]

Categories
Community Constituency Council Government Newry Newry and Armagh NMD Council Politics

NMD Council 2nd Highest Savings In Uk Despite Ongoing Pay Rise Dispute With Staff

By Donal McMahon A Northern Ireland council is set to have the second highest savings (17.2%) of any council in the UK as a percentage of its net budget.That is according to a new report by the BBC’s Shared Data Unit and viewed by the Local Democracy Service, which has gained 190 responses from 218 […]

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

Murphy Calls on Heaton-Harris to Explain Executive Restoration Plan

Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy has called on the British Secretary of State to explain what the plan is for getting the Executive up and running and stop playing fast and loose with the public. The party’s economy spokesperson said:  “What Chris Heaton-Harris needs to explain is what’s the plan for getting the Executive up […]

Categories
Community Government Politics Stormont Westminster

Unionists Calling for Return to Stormont Are Deluded – TUV

Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:- “Those unionists who advocate a return to Stormont, with the claim that from there the Protocol/Windsor Framework can be changed, are sadly deluded. “Two compelling realities will quash such misplaced optimism.  “First, for Stormont to take a policy position on anything, particularly of this magnitude, it requires mutual agreement. […]

Categories
Community Constituency Council Government Health Newry Newry and Armagh NMD Council Politics South Down

NMD Cllrs Call for New Minister for Conversion therapy Ban

By Donal McMahon Permanent secretaries of Stormont have stated the “next steps” for a ban on conversion therapy will lie at the door of a new Executive minister. The controversial ‘treatment’ is used as a means of trying to stop or suppress a gay person’s sexuality, or stop them from identifying as a different gender […]

Categories
Business Community Government Politics Stormont Westminster

SDLP: UK climbdown on Goods Quality Marks Underlines Indefensibility and Futility of DUP Boycott

The UK Government’s decision to indefinitely postpone a separate system of product quality marks is a welcome climbdown on Brexit fantasy economics, reducing the prospect of NI-GB divergence and making the DUP boycott ever more indefensible, SDLP Stormont leader and Brexit spokesperson Matthew O’Toole has said. The UK Government today confirmed that the UKCA safety […]

Categories
Armagh Community Constituency Government Infrastructure Newry and Armagh Politics Stormont

Executive Needed to Publish All-Ireland Rail Review – Boylan

Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan has said an Executive is needed now to publish and consider the all-Ireland rail review. The Newry/Armagh MLA said: “An efficient, reliable and frequent rail service is key to delivering a first-class transport system and to connecting towns and cities across the island, as is the norm across Europe.  “The […]

Categories
Campaigns Community Cost of Living Government Politics Westminster

Community and Voluntary Organisations Could Miss Out on Cost of Living Support

SDLP South Belfast MP Claire Hanna has said that community and voluntary organisations in Northern Ireland cannot afford to miss out on cost of living funding. It comes after the UK government this week launched a £76m Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund in England. The fund means that voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations in […]

Categories
Community Constituency Education Government Health Lurgan Politics Upper Bann Westminster

Classrooms Are Not The Place For Abortion Propaganda! – Lockhart

Upper Bann DUP MP Carla Lockhart has said the NIO must make clear that teachers with a moral objection to abortion will not face discrimination or career penalty for refusing to implement the Governments proposals in relation to the RSE curriculum. Carla Lockhart said: “I despair that the NIO seem determined to make our classrooms […]

Categories
Community Constituency Downpatrick Government International Politics South Down Stormont Westminster

‘British Government Should Scrap Damaging Visa Legislation’ – Mason

Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason has said British Government legislation to impose visa restrictions on travel between the north and south of Ireland is offensive and potentially devastating to the tourist industry here.  Under the proposals, Irish residents without an Irish passport, or tourists who wish to visit the North from the south, would need […]

Categories
Community Government Politics Stormont Westminster

SDLP: No Recess on Efforts to Restore Devolution

SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MP has said there can be no summer recess on efforts to restore devolution In Northern Ireland after meeting with Secretary of State Chris Heaton Harris at Westminster this afternoon. Mr Eastwood said that people feeling the impact of hospital waiting lists, the public sector pay crisis, soaring childcare costs and […]

Categories
ABC Council Armagh Constituency Council Government Legacy Newry and Armagh Politics Westminster

Ratcliffe:Legacy Bill Merely Continues Policy of Seeing Victims as an Inconvenience or Embarrassment

Commenting on the Bill being debated TUV party chairman councillor Keith Ratcliffe said:  “This Bill does not command the support of innocent victims of terrorism. It does not address their concerns and merely continues the policy of successive governments since the Belfast Agreement of looking at victims as best as an inconvenience and at worst […]