“Farming Community Concerns must be listened to” - John McCallister
UUP South Down candidate John McCallister has said the concerns of the farming community are his “Number 1 priority” in relation to the Mourne National Park, and has hit out at DUP division and confusion on the issue.
In a statement, Mr McCallister said,
“Farmers have very genuine concerns about the Mourne National Park. These concerns are my top priority. This issue is far too important to the livelihoods of local farmers and other small businesses for there to be any confusion or ambiguity from public representatives.
“Yet clearly within the DUP confusion is the order of the day. Jim Wells has long been on record as a supporter of the Mourne National Park, even seconding a Motion of Down District Council supporting its designation as a National Park.
Yet this week we learn that his supposed ‘running mate’ Willie Burns is ‘totally opposed’ to the project, despite not even showing up to the Burren Community Centre meeting on February 9th. Has nobody told Willie Burns of his colleague’s long-standing support for the Park?
“The DUP candidates are not just out of step, they are totally at odds with each other on this key issue. Such confusion is not surprising from a DUP that is now so divided it can’t even promise to restore our devolved government. Only with a government of our own can we start to tackle the issues that really matter to farmers.
“With the Ulster Unionist Party, local farmers can be sure of where they stand. Sir Reg Empey has visited this constituency and has spoken up strongly for the concerns of local farmers - concerns reiterated by our Agriculture spokesperson Tom Elliott at the recent UFU hustings. Ulster Unionists believe in a prosperous and sustainable future for all of Northern Ireland’s rural communities.
As a farmer, I am determined not to let the rights of my fellow local farmers be trampled on. With the UUP farmers know where they stand. I call on the divided DUP to get its act together, there can be no room for confusion or ambiguity on this issue”.