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Ulster Unionist MLA, Tom Elliott, has welcomed the news that the inspection and hormone residue testing of on farm emergency slaughter (OFES) male cattle is to revert to the previous arrangements employed for such animals. The Fermanagh and South Tyrone assemblyman also urged that compensation be made available to the many farm businesses caught up in the “heavy-handed” enforcement techniques of officials.

In a statement the UUP Agriculture and Rural Development spokesman said: “This issue has been a long running saga and it has yet to be resolved to the satisfaction of the farmers involved, many of whom were treated like criminals and yet have since been totally vindicated.

“Speaking with farmers when this matter originally came to my attention last year I was disgusted to learn of their plight, with their homes ransacked and heavy restrictions placed on their herds. I can understand that the presence of alpha-nortestosterone in the cattle was of concern with regards human health, but to treat farmers as being guilty of administering the hormone illegally, without the presence of concrete evidence, caused many families great distress.

“Those farmers who have now proven to be innocent of any wrong-doing must have there names and reputations cleared and compensated for the costs imposed on them by the restrictions and the dumping of many perfectly good animals.”

In conclusion Tom added: “I would also call on DARD and the other stakeholders groups involved in finalising the definitive test to detect the presence of illegally administered hormone to bring it on line as soon as possible, we must ensure that this episode cannot be allowed to happen again.”

Ulster Unionist MLA, Tom Elliott, has welcomed the news that the inspection and hormone residue testing of on farm emergency slaughter (OFES) male cattle is to revert to the previous arrangements employed for such animals. The Fermanagh and South Tyrone assemblyman also urged that compensation be made available to the many farm businesses caught up in the “heavy-handed” enforcement techniques of officials.

In a statement the UUP Agriculture and Rural Development spokesman said: “This issue has been a long running saga and it has yet to be resolved to the satisfaction of the farmers involved, many of whom were treated like criminals and yet have since been totally vindicated.

“Speaking with farmers when this matter originally came to my attention last year I was disgusted to learn of their plight, with their homes ransacked and heavy restrictions placed on their herds. I can understand that the presence of alpha-nortestosterone in the cattle was of concern with regards human health, but to treat farmers as being guilty of administering the hormone illegally, without the presence of concrete evidence, caused many families great distress.

“Those farmers who have now proven to be innocent of any wrong-doing must have there names and reputations cleared and compensated for the costs imposed on them by the restrictions and the dumping of many perfectly good animals.”

In conclusion Tom added: “I would also call on DARD and the other stakeholders groups involved in finalising the definitive test to detect the presence of illegally administered hormone to bring it on line as soon as possible, we must ensure that this episode cannot be allowed to happen again.”

Ulster Unionist MP, Lady Hermon, has described as ‘pathetic’ figures revealing the conviction rate for those caught vandalising Northern Ireland’s transport network.

Speaking from her North Down Constituency Office, she said: “Nothing excuses assaulting Translink staff simply for doing their job and nothing excuses causing criminal damage to public property.  Since Translink provides such essential public services though its buses and trains, it’s an absolute disgrace that its staff and its property are treated in such a reprehensible manner.

The conviction rate for transport vandals is pathetic, to put it mildly, and I’m astounded the PSNI has not been much more rigorous in tackling this serious problem.  So I’ll certainly be demanding that the police together with Translink adopt a zero tolerance approach towards vandalism and assaults.  The immediate extension of CCTV provision to all Translink property would clearly be a step in the right direction.”

Ulster Unionist Health Spokesman Rev Dr Robert Coulter MLA today called on the Government to abandon what he termed “the fiasco of their failed Modern Medical Careers scheme” and revert to the previous method of direct application to hospital trusts. Dr Coulter also called for the expansion of doctor training posts throughout Northern Ireland so that 400 of the brightest and best doctors in the country are not lost to patient care in Northern Ireland.

“There have been so many horrendous problems associated with the government’s Modernising Medical Careers initiative that I believe the only proper course of action is to scrap it in its entirety and revert to the previous method of recruitment. This is not something which can be patched up. It needs to go and go now.”

“This scheme will lead to 400 doctor redundancies among junior doctors in Northern Ireland alone. Each junior doctor takes at least £250,000 to train. In losing 400 doctors we will be wasting a £100 Million investment of public money, let alone the damage we will be doing to patient care. We should not be getting rid of doctors – we should be getting rid of administrators and the target driven bureucracy.”

“I know that many junior doctors are considering leaving the country, going to Australia, New Zealand and Canada and that many are considering leaving medicine altogether. That would be a national tragedy. I have never known morale in the health service to be as low as it is now.”

“There will have to be a public enquiry into the ratio of doctors to patients and the ratio of nurses to patients in our hospitals and this must be compared to the ratios in similar places like Australia. It is unthinkable that we should be making superbly trained and recently qualified doctors unemployed. Something is very badly wrong.”

“With the restoration of the Assembly and locally accountable Ministers, Northern Ireland should consider scrapping this scheme locally and getting back to some sanity in the training of our doctors and future consultants.”