Archive for October 16th, 2007
Sam Gardiner MLA, the Ulster Unionist Assemblyman for Upper Bann has said he is deeply dissatisfied at First Minister Dr Ian Paisley’s failure to give him an answer on the real cost of Assembly Questions.
“I asked the First Minister how much on average it cost the taxpayer to have both oral and written Assembly Question answered. This involves civil service time and incurs a cost. Instead of giving me an answer Dr Paisley just said that Assembly members had a right to ask questions and sat down.”
“In the Welsh Assembly this information is readily given and publicly available. The figure for the cost limit for answering questions has been aligned with the limit for answering Freedom of Information requests without charge which is currently £600.”
“Back on 19 January 2001, David Trimble the then First Minister had no difficulty in answering this exact same query. He said that an exercise has recently been conducted on the cost of answering a written Assembly question. The average cost of providing a written answer is £91.44. He added that a similar exercise was underway in relation to oral Assembly questions. A figure for the average cost was then expected to be available in March 2001. He also said that this exercise to determine the cost of answering Assembly questions would be repeated at five-yearly intervals.”
“Clearly, if that exercise has been carried out, the information should have been readily available to Dr Paisley. Instead of promising to find out, all he could do was tell me that members had a right to ask questions. That is not the answer to the question I asked.”
“I am asking this question for a very good reason. I am concerned that a lot of what is going on in the Assembly is point scoring. Some members are asking questions to get information they could readily obtain from other public sources. They are doing this so they can claim to the public that they are asking large numbers of questions.
“What they are not telling the public is that they could, with a little bit of digging, find that information out from other publicly available sources rather than wasting taxpayer’s money just asking questions so they can notch up a high number of questions.”
Continue Reading E-mail October 16th, 2007
Sam Gardiner MLA
Ulster Unionist Victims spokesman Derek Hussey today said that Victims’ groups were suffering needlessly as a result of the hold-up in appointing a Victims’ Commissioner.
In a statement Mr Hussey said,
“I express my concern over the on-going issue of the appointment of a Victims’ Commissioner for Northern Ireland.
Whilst we await an OFMDFM decision on this matter, Victims’ Groups are suffering!
There is no reason why the issue of core funding to Victims’ Groups cannot be addressed NOW within OFMDFM wherein the responsibility, via the Victims’ Unit, lies.
Undoubtedly, we as the UUP, have some concerns in regard to particular items within the past Interim Victims’ Commissioners Report! However, those issues that are common should be addressed.
To give confidence to the Victims’ Sector that they are not abandoned, they need to see work in progress rather than further provarication.
It lies within the remit of OFMDFM to advance those issues that can be immediately addressed.”
Continue Reading E-mail October 16th, 2007
Derek Hussey
Speaking after the DCAL Minister Edwin Poots kicked a proposed Irish Language Act into touch, Ulster Unionist Chief Whip and DCAL Committee Deputy Chair David McNarry said in a statement,
“The Ulster Unionist Party had settled the language issue through the Belfast Agreement in 1998. Language was to be carried through the North/South language body which comprises of the Board of Ulster Scots and the Irish Bord na Gaelige. This created parity and a level playing field.
The Ulster Unionist Party respects cultural diversity as a key foundation for a stable, peaceful, pluralist society. That’s why we oppose this Act – respect, understanding and tolerance in relation to linguistic diversity would have been fundamentally undermined by the proposed Act. The Irish Language Act would further politicise Irish, place an undue and costly emphasis upon it and allow it to be used as a cultural weapon in an unarmed struggle.
The DUP went to St Andrews and signed up to Annexes which included the Irish Language Act proposal. At the conclusion of the negotiations, the overall package was described by the DUP Leader as ‘a great day for all of Ireland’.
The DCAL Minister has now kicked the issue into touch. This is to be welcomed especially after the Minister, in response to my specific question, said it was unlikely that the matter would go to Westminster. The DUP have turned around on this issue after repeated pressure from the UUP.”
Continue Reading E-mail October 16th, 2007
David McNarry MLA
Mr Robin Swann, the Ulster Unionist Party’s Spokesman on Social Economy, Energy and Consumer Affairs, has warned the community to be vary of ‘water spin’ simply because a top level report suggested they should not pay any additional water charges until 2009.
And Mr Swann, who is also a senior member of North Antrim Association Management Committee, added that he “at least welcomed the transparency” of the report into water charges produced by Professor Paddy Hillyard and his review group.
“While I would also welcome their suggestion to the Stormont Executive that Northern Ireland households should not pay any additional water charges until 2009, consumers must be vary not to get hooked on this water spin – they need to consider both the immediate and long-term futures.
“It must also be noted the report still wants to base water charges on capital value, which many in the community will regard as profoundly unfair.
“It is imperative that the Assembly urgently considers what the future will hold after 2009. As a community, we still have the original millstone hanging over us of the statement made by Direct Rule Minister John Spellar.
“He said – we estimate the average household charge is likely to be in the region of £315 to £415 per year. This statement has put water charges to the fore of many election manifestoes. MLAs must keep it to the fore for the sake of their constituents. It is essential that any increase after 2009 must be economically proven.
“My warning to the community is blunt – do not get caught up in the spin, as although bills will not be as high as we were told they were going to be, there will still be an additional expense.
“And all this is coming hard on the heels of the recent announcement by Northern Ireland Electricity of further price rises in November.
“We are not getting rapidly to the stage in Northern Ireland where every section of the community is under threat, and unfortunately, it is those who are the most vulnerable who will also suffer the most.
“I would call on the Stormont Executive to ensure it makes future proposals on water charges which are fair and affordable to all.”
Continue Reading E-mail October 16th, 2007
Robin Swann
Mr Robin Swann, the Ulster Unionist Party’s Spokesman on Social Economy, Energy and Consumer Affairs, has “warmly welcomed” the announcement that Rathlin Island has been connected to the Northern Ireland Electricity grid for the first time.
And Mr Swann, who is also a senior member of North Antrim Association Management Committee, added that this power move meant the island “will now have a more reliable and secure energy supply”.
He said: “This connection is a more positive step made by Northern Ireland Electricity, compared to its recent announcement of a more than three per cent hike in its prices.
“Rathlin islanders in the past relied on three diesel-powered generators, which restricted the equipment the islanders were able to use as part of their daily lives.
“The island in the past had received additional electrical supplies from wind turbines, which are no longer in operational use.
“But this new NIE connection could actually provide a further blessing, not just for Rathlin itself, but across a substantial part of the Province.
“If the NIE connection is at a high enough electricity specification, and if the wind turbines were to be restored to fully operational status, there is an opportunity whereby the electricity generated by the turbines as a renewable energy source could be sold back to the NIE grid.
“This would give Rathlin an additional revenue stream as well as its current tourism potential. Taking Northern Ireland as a whole, it must not be forgotten that the Province is in a prime location on the north west corner of Europe to fully exploit both wind and tidal energy from the Atlantic sea board,” emphasised Mr Swann.
Continue Reading E-mail October 16th, 2007
Robin Swann
