Archive for April 19th, 2007
Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader, and chairman of the powerful Committee of the Centre, Danny Kennedy, has warned that the decision over the location of the National Stadium cannot be rushed.
In a statement, Mr Kennedy said: “Ian Paisley Jnr wants to rush this controversial issue and perhaps spare his colleague at DCAL a difficult bedding in period.
“But hastily made decisions are potentially reckless decisions. So while a quick result on the stadium benefits the Democratic Unionist Party, it doesn’t benefit Northern Ireland as a whole.
“Committees are there to ensure proper oversight on departments and on major issues of public interest. As chairman of the Committee of the Centre, I intend to examine all aspects of this proposal.
“Tens of millions of pounds from the public purse are at stake. There can be no question of rushing through any plan of this nature.
“The DUP may be more interested in addressing their own internal party concerns on this controversial matter. But the concerns of the community, of football supporters, and of sporting organisations take precedence.”
Continue Reading E-mail April 19th, 2007
Danny Kennedy MLA
UUP MEP Jim Nicholson has slammed the UK Government’s handling of payments to farmers after it was announced today that the European Commission will recover £36 million from the UK for missing payment deadlines in 2003 and 2004.
Speaking from Brussels Mr Nicholson said,
“It is disgraceful that taxpayer’s money will have to be spent on paying a fine to the European Commission that could have been avoided if the UK Government wasn’t so disorganized and inefficient. It is further evidence that DEFRA in London is not fit for purpose when it comes to administering farmer’s payments.
“The fine rubs farmers face in the dirt even more when you consider the unwillingness and reticence of the UK Government to provide match funding for a number of agri – environment and other related schemes.
“Hard working families have enough to contend with without having to face delays in receiving their Single Farm Payments. Indeed the survey released by the Livestock and Meat Commission this week further highlights the pressures facing farming families in terms of unpaid labour.
“Figures in the LMC’s survey show that farming families are putting in well over three quarters a billion pounds of unpaid labour on Northern Ireland’s beef and sheep farms. The demands facing many hard working farm families are becoming almost unbearable and for too long policy makers in Government have turned a blind eye to the massive pressures facing them.”
Continue Reading E-mail April 19th, 2007
Jim Nicholson MEP
Ulster Unionist Party Officer Kenny Donaldson has congratulated the players and coaching staff of the Northern Ireland football team upon climbing to the dizzy heights of 33rd in the FIFA World Rankings.
In a statement, Kenny said: “International football fever has captured the imagination of the broad Northern Ireland public of late with our team climbing to the lofty heights of top spot in their European Championship Qualifying group. Heroic wins against Spain and Sweden and a hard fought draw away to Denmark have helped our team defy the pundits in what was described; ‘the group of death.’
“Our boys deserve every possible credit, they have turned out results which few gave them a chance of doing and they have now established themselves as a force to be reckoned with, especially at Windsor Park, which is fast becoming; a ‘no go area for fancied International teams.’
“Our Manager, Lawrie Sanchez has instilled within our players; a strong work ethic, a new confidence and a passion which is unmatched in International football at present and our fans time and time again have lifted our boys to enable them to turn out performances on the pitch, which they on paper aren’t given a prayer of delivering.”
Kenny concluded: “The community should continue to row behind our team in the remaining European Qualifier fixtures and indeed beyond. Our team can qualify for a major football tournament, they have what it takes. If our boys succeed, the benefits to our Country and to our people will be immense. Wee Norn Iron will be put on the map and will be lauded across Europe and further afield. I have full confidence in our team and coaching staff to deliver.”
Continue Reading E-mail April 19th, 2007
Kenny Donaldson
UUP Parades spokesman Michael Copeland today gave a cautious welcome to the appointment of the Strategic Review of Parading Team.
In a statement Mr Copeland said,
“There are a couple of high profile appointments to the Review Team and of course Paddy Ashdown is no stranger to parading himself.
Time will tell however if this newly established body is to be yet another talking shop which skirts around the tough issues associated with parading, or if it will go some way to addressing the mistakes of the Parades Commission who have allowed, and indeed contributed towards the perception that all is not equal when it comes to parading.
Parading forms an intrinsic part of Northern Irish culture and, despite a concerted effort by one side of the community to demonise this culture, the new atmosphere created by a return of devolution based on equality and mutual respect should in theory allow a lasting and equitable solution to Parading in general to be found.
Whether the Strategic Review Team will help or hinder bringing this situation about remains to be seen.”
Continue Reading E-mail April 19th, 2007
Michael Copeland
