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John McCallister MLA for South Down and member of the Assembly Health Committee, congratulated the Health Minister Michael McGimpsey for again stating that he has only supported a Draft Budget for consultation and has not committed to support the Finance Minister’s Draft Budget.

Mr McCallister said, “considering that during today’s Question Time the Chair of the Health Committee has – yet again – chosen to defend the priorities of the Finance Minister rather than the National Health Service, I commend the Health Minister for standing up for the NHS. The Draft Budget, as the Minister pointed out over the protests of the DUP benches, fails to provide adequate funding for a modern NHS. Because of the Finance Minister’s Draft Budget – supported by Iris Robinson, Chair of the Health Committee – families and communities across Northern Ireland will not receive health care comparable to that in the rest of the United Kingdom.

“The Minister was right to state that the people of Northern Ireland should have a National Health Service funded at least to the same levels as the NHS in the rest of the UK. It is incredibly disappointing that DUP MLAs during Question Time – particularly Iris Robinson and Alastair Ross – indicated their contentment with second-rate funding for our NHS. Thankfully a Ulster Unionist Health Minister disagrees and is determined to put the NHS first”.

Ulster’s Anglers and Conservation groups had a good catch today when the Assembly gave cross party support to an Ulster Unionist motion which will see the Fisheries Conservancy Board (FCB) wound up and powers for fishing being transferred to DCAL.

The Minister for DCAL is also expected to welcome the move. Angling is one of Northern Ireland’s largest participatory pastimes. Many anglers and conservation groups has expressed reservations about the ability of the FCB after successive years of dwindling fish stocks, particularly salmon, and financial mismanagement.

In a statement, UUP Chief Whip and Strangford MLA David McNarry, who proposed the motion said,

“Many Anglers have raised concerns with me that little is being done to protect their fish, which in many cases the anglers have invested large amounts of money in conserving. So bad was the situation that representatives from the Ulster Angling Federation met with the DCAL Minister to raise their concerns.

The FCB have, for some time now, been unable to fulfil their main function of fishery protection, salmon stocks have been depleted, staffing has been systematically reduced, boat patrols have not taken place and the boat meant to patrol the East Coast is not seaworthy.

Some problems were also uncovered regarding £150,000 of funds which in some cases rightly belonged to angling clubs which have been misused by the Board. DCAL, despite requesting a full explanation were never provided with an answer.

Enough is enough. Anglers want fish stocks preserved so that they can carry on their sport, which attracts fishermen and women from all over the world to Northern Ireland for our rivers, lakes and inlets. Angling is a hugely popular sport and anglers, like conservationists care passionately about the river environment and ensuring an abundance of sustainable marine life.

I am delighted that the Assembly has backed my motion that will see an end to the FCB, who were not up to the job, and powers for fishery conservancy moving to DCAL. We should see a dramatic improvement and a fresh focus on ensuring that this wealth generating pastime and sport can continue to flourish, that environmentalists are kept happy and above all that our rich waters are full of healthy fish.”