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Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, has praised the Glens of Antrim Historical Society for its “highly impressive” school book project.

Speaking after attending the launch in Cushendall, Assemblyman Dr Coulter added: “I want to wholeheartedly congratulate the Glens of Antrim Historical Society on its innovative Clachan Project school book, How It Used To Be.

“I was most impressed with the book itself and especially with the presentation on the day.

“Those involved in the Clachan Project have completed a magnificent job, and I thank them for the opportunity to learn about all the work which has been done in the study of the Clachans of the Glens.

“The fact that so many people, and school children in particular, had the opportunity of learning about their past, searching records and collecting reminiscences of older people is of great benefit to us all.

“I wish the Historial Society every success in the future, especially with educational projects involving our children,” said Assemblyman Dr Coulter.

Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott has hit out at the “dangerous” blockages that have been created close to Derrychara as work on the new Tesco’s store continues.

The Fermanagh and South Tyrone assembly man said: “As the work continues on the new Tesco’s outlet the pavements at the side of the road around the bottom of Derrychara have become a real hazard. The main problem is that equipment being used to build and install features into the new store has to be close at hand for the workers. However, the fact that the pavements have become blocked means that residents of Derrychara and schoolchildren attending Devenish Collage are finding they are being put at risk as they have to walk on the road to round the obstructions. It isn’t safe and is totally unacceptable.”

Following a number of complainants received by Mr Elliott from concerned residents and parents of pupils, the local MLA contacted the Road Service to sort the issue out.

Mr Elliott went on to say: “The response I received from the Road Service was very positive as they told me Tesco’s had been instructed to provide a coned off walkway for children through the site. This walkway would provide safe passage for all those concerned and allow Tesco’s to continue towards the opening off their store, which will be a massive boost to the local area. With the safety of the children resolved then the optimism to the opening of the store can really begin to build.”

The Officers of the Ulster Unionist Party note with regret the death of their esteemed colleague, Lord Cooke of Islandreagh (Alec).

Alec was above all one of nature’s gentlemen, a dedicated family man who was always concerned about the welfare of others. He led a productive life, starting his career as an Engineer Officer in the Royal Navy and later served as Chairman of Henry R Ayton Ltd., the Belfast Savings Bank, Springvale EPS and Harland & Wolff of which he later became a Director. He was also Director of Northern Ireland Airports and a Senator in the Parliament of Northern Ireland from 1960-68 before being appointed as Deputy Lieutenant for Country Antrim from 1970 -1996 and received an OBE in 1981.

Alec Cooke was elevated to the House of Lords as Baron Cooke of Islandreagh in 1992 where he served the Party well until his recent lengthy illness which he bore with great fortitude and was deeply respected across all sections of the community both at home and on the mainland.

The Party Leader, Officers and members of the Ulster Unionist Party extend their deepest sympathy to Lady Alison and the entire Cooke family at this sad time.

Ulster Unionist Party Deputy Leader Danny Kennedy met with IFA Chief Howard Wells today to discuss the on-going campaign to overturn a FIFA proposal that could allow people born in Northern Ireland to play for the Irish Republic team. Mr Kennedy has concerns that the proposal, if ratified, could put the very future of the Northern Ireland squad in jeopardy.

Speaking after the meeting Mr Kennedy said,

“The meeting with Mr Wells was very useful and the UUP remains fully supportive in the stand that the IFA is taking against this proposal.

It appears that the critical FIFA meeting to decide on the proposal will be on the 12th December in Japan but we are hopeful to have matters resolved with FIFA before then.

We will continue to stay in touch and we lend our full support to the IFA and have pledged to do all we can to see this proposal scrapped.”

Ulster Unionist Party Leader and East Belfast MLA Sir Reg Empey today expressed his total delight that the Connswater Community Greenway has been awarded £23.5 Million to transform the banks of the Connswater River into what Sir Reg has described as a mini-Laganside by the National Lottery Big Lottery Fund.

In a statement Sir Reg said,

“I am totally delighted that the Connswater Community Greenway is receiving the £23 Million. This is a project that I have been involved in championing since its inception a couple of years ago.

We can do much better than the stinking mess that the Connswater River currently is. At present it is full of junk, shopping trolleys and in the summer it stinks to high heaven and I have long been advocating a Laganside style development along the banks of the Connswater.

The River, thanks to the vision of the Greenway project, whose efforts today were given the ultimate accolade by receiving this huge cash boost by the Big Lottery Fund, will now be utterly transformed.

I would like congratulate the staff at the project and all of those involved at local community group level. It was this community effort that no doubt swung things in their favour, coupled with the cross party support from local representatives and Belfast City Council.”

The Ulster Unionist Party won support for an amendment to a Ministerial motion seeking to transfer ‘meaningful powers’ to Councils in the review of the RPA. Lagan Valley UUP MLA Basil McCrea led the debate for the Party.

In a statement Mr. McCrea said,

“For local government to have real significance it needs to have responsibility for meaningful functions. This is the case throughout the rest of the United Kingdom – but not in Northern Ireland. The last Executive initiated the RPA in order to restore real local democracy in Northern Ireland. It is commonsense that local voters and local councillors are best placed to make local decisions on a wide range of service delivery and planning issues.

Unfortunately the DUP Environment Minister’s review of the RPA has decided to keep power at the centre – rather than to devolve it to where it belongs, to local councils. Is it any wonder that the local government association, NILGA, has said that the Minister’s refusal to give real power to local councils “calls into question the value of reorganising councils”?

The Minister’s complacency and inertia with regards to the need to revitalise local government in this part of the United Kingdom – and her desire to keep power at the centre rather than return it to local communities – is a disappointing, if unsurprising, development. Accountable regional government at Stormont needs to be complemented by strong, robust local government – not least because local government is best placed to deliver services effectively and efficiently to local communities”.

UUP Health Committee John McAllister responded to comments made by Peter Robinson on the Health Budget to the Assembly Scrutiny Committee this morning. The UUP man said that there was breakdown between the Finance Minister and his wife Iris, the Chair of the Health Committee, who said that an increase in the Direct Rule budget of 2005 of 9% for health was insufficient.

Mr. McCallister said, “obviously there has been something of a breakdown in communications in the Robinson household. Finance Minister Peter Robinson is telling the Northern Ireland public that his miserly increase in spending on our NHS of 3.8% is enough. Iris Robinson, however, told the House of Commons in April 2005 that that year’s Direct Rule budget increase on NHS expenditure of 9% was insufficient. To quote Mrs. Robinson:

‘although a proposed increase of 9% … in the current expenditure of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety may, on the surface, appear generous, health inflation continues to grow at a much steeper rate. By 2007-08, the percentage rise that direct rule Ministers have committed themselves to will be less than 6%. The positive public messages from Ministers do not equate with the demands and restrictions that they are placing on senior managers away from the media spotlight’. (House of Commons, 5th April 2005.)

That said, perhaps we should not be too hard on the Robinsons. They have, after all, led the DUP to perform some spectacular u-turns in recent times. This merely adds to the list. A 9% increase in health expenditure in 2005, Iris Robinson said, was not enough. Today Peter Robinson tells us that 3.8% is enough.”

Rev Dr Robert Coulter MLA, Ulster Unionist Assemblyman for North Antrim, said today that the news that the EU Commission had agreed a 6 year scheme backed by £200 million inter-reg money was “great news for North Antrim .”

“The funding is designed to encourage closer co-operation in research, development and promoting tourism and aims to develop a sustainable cross-border region across Northern Ireland and south western Scotland . The historical links between North Antrim and South West Scotland are deep and strong. This will give muscle to the many plans we in North Antrim have been pushing for over a number of years.”

“I want to see the ferry service between Ballycastle and Campbelltown become the anchor for a joint tourism initiative which will target the English midlands car tourism family market which is 43 million strong and will create a tourist routes incorporating North Antrim with the Giant’s Causeway and the Glens and the highlands of Scotland accessed through Argyll.”

“This would bring a lot of tourist spending to North Antrim and make a real difference to the local economy. It would also spread that money across the whole area, creating prosperity in every part of North Antrim .”

Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson has appealed for calm today as the authorities in England attempt to determine the source of an outbreak of bird flu at a Suffolk farm.

Speaking from Strasbourg Mr Nicholson said,

“DEFRA must act swiftly to contain and trace the origins of this latest bird flu outbreak.

“The Government was right to close the area down quickly but they must ensure that the exclusion zone is properly enforced and act ruthlessly to stamp out the disease and identify its source. It is important that this action is matched by increased vigilance and bio – security in the weeks ahead. Allowing it to spread would do untold damage to the sustainability and viability of the entire poultry industry.

“In the event of an outbreak of bird flu in Northern Ireland public communication will be essential to dealing with the problem. Information must be given to the public promptly, efficiently and in an easily accesible manner so that they know what to do should they discover a dead bird. Time is of the essence.

“DEFRA must keep all poultry keepers informed. During the last outbreak, keepers complained that not enough information was being provided and not quickly enough. Farmers must know exactly what they have to do.

“It is unfortunate but it appears that outbreaks of bird flu will become a sad reality across all of Europe. Bird Flu is no respecter of borders and as such requries a strategic and coordinated response to combat it at European level.”

Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott has described the murder attempt on a police officer in Dungannon this evening as cowardly and disgraceful.

Mr Elliott said: “Obviously my first concern is for the well-being of the injured officer. I hope that his injuries are not too severe and that he will soon recover to full health.

“This has all the indications of going back to the dark days of the troubles in this province. At a time when many thought that the new political dispensation would eradicate this type of incident it appears that some republicans want to continue the murderous campaign of the last four decades. This is cowardly, dastardly action of people who are enemies of this province.

“I understand there has been a heightened security threat in the area during the past few weeks and I have concerns that this may not have come from the normal dissident republican source but from a source close to mainstream republicanism. If this is accurate it could have far-reaching consequences for the political situation in Northern Ireland.

“The timing of this incident is important in that Sinn Fein had failed to nominate its members of the District Policing Partnership last month and was due to nominate at tonight’s Council meeting. The shooting took place just a short distance from the Council offices. The Council meeting was postponed following the incident.

“I have spent the last three hours at the scene of the shooting in Dungannon and the local people there are in a state of shock and disbelief. They had clearly hoped that there was an end to this type of incident a long time ago.

“This incident just proves that you cannot trust these republicans who will go to any lengths to destroy the people of Northern Ireland.

“There is an urgent security review required in the province and I will seek an early meeting with the Secretary of State and the Security Minister Paul Goggins.”