uuptoday.org

Billy Armstrong, the Ulster Unionist MLA for Mid-Ulster said that it was clear from recent words and deeds that senior DUP figures had finally accepted that the Ulster Unionist Party was right to go down the road of the Belfast Agreement to bring stability to Northern Ireland.

What was all the Rev Willie McCrea’s Huffing and Puffing about when the DUP has now accepted the principles set out by the Ulster Unionist Party in 1998?
Mr Armstrong said,
“Back in 1998 when the Ulster Unionist Party negotiated the Belfast Agreement, the Party strategy was to bring an end to violence and to lock both Nationalism in general and Sinn Fein in particular, into an internal settlement.

It was not an easy decision. The right ones rarely are. The Ulster Unionist Party was heavily criticised by many within the Unionist political class for even talking to Sinn Fein, and after the signing of the Belfast Agreement and the restoration of Devolved Government to Northern Ireland, we came under constant criticism from certain unionist quarters on a number of fronts.

The Ulster Unionist Party and their supporters would be the first to admit that the Belfast Agreement wasn’t perfect. But it was a genuine attempt to break the deadlock and end the decades of violence which brought such misery and suffering to this Province. Simply standing outside the gates and hiding behind slogans such as “No” or “Never, never, never” were never going to achieve anything of consequence for the Unionist community.

Having removed themselves from the Forum talks in 1996/97, the DUP sought to prey on the fears of the Unionist community and promote deeper mistrust of the nationalist community - and then pledged to smash both Sinn Féin and the Belfast Agreement, demonising the Ulster Unionist party in the process, and further dividing the Unionist people- giving Sinn Fein the opportunity to rise further electorally.

I believe that actions really do speak louder than words, and whatever spin the DUP may try to put on their current position, there is no doubt whatsoever that they have accepted the Belfast Agreement.

I also believe that Unionist electorate will see for themselves what the DUP have supposedly delivered in their ‘Fair Deal’, and to ask themselves if all the poison and bitterness that was created within Unionist politics were justified.

There is one crucial difference between the 1998 Belfast Agreement and the DUP’s recent deal. The Ulster Unionists’ Deal was with the SDLP, who were then the leading party of Northern Nationalism.
The DUP indulged in a great deal of chest-beating and posturing vowing to smash Sinn Fein and the Agreement, and decrying the Ulster Unionists as traitors and pushovers. Having condemned us as traitors for doing a deal with the SDLP, as a result of the DUP’s ‘Getting it Right’ negotiations, Sinn Fein themselves were installed at the very heart of Government in Northern Ireland, in the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister. And let us not forget, this was done less than a year after a public pledge that Sinn Fein would enter Government “over our dead bodies”.

They have quietly dropped all manner of the supposed “pre-conditions” which they set before they would enter Government with Sinn Fein. They never got photographic evidence of decommissioning, they entered Government with Sinn Fein while the IRA Army Council were still in existence, and they accepted the d’Hondt mechanism for selecting the Executive even though a previous manifesto had said this was “out of the question.”

Now leading elected DUP figures happily pose beside Sinn Fein Ministers at Stormont and further a field. When the DUP Ministers went to Armagh to participate in the recent North South Ministerial Council meeting, they were participating in the very same NSMC which was set up under the Belfast Agreement, and which they so publicly castigated. The unavoidable fact is that the architecture of the Belfast Agreement is intact, and is being operated by the DUP, who rode to power on the back of promises to smash it.

Whilst it is heartening to see the DUP accepting the Belfast Agreement, even though ten years on, I cannot help but reflect on the nine wasted years. What was all Willie McCrea’s Huffing and Puffing about?
Now that DUP have accepted the Ulster Unionist analysis in 1998 instead of nine years later, we could have acted as a united Unionist voice in the talks and in the first Assembly and Executive.

The Unionist community can face the future in Northern Ireland with confidence. Northern Ireland’s peoples’ destiny is now in their own hands within a devolved Northern Ireland Assembly - Sinn Fein are tied into an internal settlement and violence has ended. Those who stayed outside the talks in 1997 did not achieve this. It was brought about by the foresight of those Ulster Unionists who created the Belfast Agreement that the DUP condemned, but are now implementing as if it were their own.

Ulster Unionist MLA Billy Armstrong has welcomed the launch of Polish Cultural Week in Northern Ireland, which runs from 23-29 July.

Mr Armstrong, the UUP MLA for Mid-Ulster said,

“In recent years increasing number of people have come to live and work in Northern Ireland, and the Mid Ulster area has been no exception. Many have come from Eastern Europe, and a significant number of those have come from Poland.

This week sees Polish Cultural Week, whose aim is to share Polish Cultural heritage with the local community, and to help the Polish community to integrate.

Polish Cultural week is organised and co-ordinated by the Polish Association NI and the Glosik magazine, and is supported by the Polish Consulate in Edinburgh.

I have no hesitation in giving this venture my full support, as I believe that only positive benefits can result from people gaining a better understanding of each others culture, customs and way of life.”

Billy Armstrong MLA has welcomed the Executives announcement that £5 million will be released to provide immediate relief for the victims of this week’s flooding.

Billy has however asked the Minister to clarify that Cookstown Council will be included in the aid package following reports, which omitted Cookstown as one of the beneficiary Councils of the hardship fund.
In a statement Billy described the announcement as: “a welcome opening step but that only time would determine whether the finance was sufficient to address the real hardship of people across Northern Ireland.”

Billy added: “The flooding which occurred this week following torrential rain in various parts of Northern Ireland, not least in Cookstown, Moneymore and Omagh caused devastation and loss for many people.

“I am encouraged that the Executive has reacted swiftly and heeded the call I and others made, to provide some financial assistance for those affected.

“I would re-iterate my call that a full examination takes place into planning policies so that before development takes place, a full study is made into its likely impact on existing sewerage and drainage systems, so that the public can have confidence that new development is not adding to the problem, by building on land which previously served to assist with drainage.

“The immediate priority is to help those whose homes and lives have been affected by this weeks flooding. The Minister of the Environment must be proactive in ensuring that the real needs of people, who are worst affected, are met as quickly as possible. The post-mortem on the causes of the widespread flooding must happen as quickly as possible, Government has a duty to the people of Northern Ireland to ensure that the scenes of recent days are not repeated,” concluded the Mid-Ulster Assemblyman.

Local Ulster Unionist MLA Billy Armstrong has used a debate in Stormont to call on the First and Deputy First Ministers to act to support the retention of Post Offices by advocating the use of Post Office services for governmental and council business.

Mr Armstrong said

“The rural way of life has been under threat in various ways for some time. The farming industry is the backbone of the rural community, and I scarcely need to dwell on the difficulties that agriculture has faced in the last ten years. They include falling prices, BSE and foot-and-mouth disease. Farmers, and industries situated in rural areas, have faced all these pressures.

Soaring house prices also have a serious effect on rural communities. They make it almost impossible for people — particularly young people — to find accommodation in the villages where their families have lived for generations. Members should not forget that, in the midst of this already critical situation, our esteemed direct rule Ministers saw fit to impose Planning Policy Statement 14, which has had a serious effect on rural communities.

To add to these factors, and largely as a result of them, many rural communities have seen enrolments in local schools decline. Many rural schools are now threatened with closure, just as post offices are. Such schools are the bedrock of our communities.

I could go on, but I trust that I have shown that rural communities are already dealing with a range of problems and challenges. On top of all that, we now face the problem of losing almost 200 post offices in Northern Ireland, most of them situated in rural areas. That is not acceptable. Rural post offices are a vital part of the fabric of rural life and must remain open.

Like the rural community, post offices have been under threat for some time, as various functions have been gradually taken from them, making them even more difficult to operate. I have no hesitation in calling on the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to use their powers to support the retention of our post offices.”

Ulster Unionist Mid-Ulster MLA Billy Armstrong has said recent NHS changes in District Nursing Care are having a negative effect on patient care.

Mr Armstrong commented after inviting Dr Smith and Mrs Moira Doyle (Nurse) from Cookstown Heath Centre to Parliament Buildings yesterday for a meeting with Health Minister Michael McGimpsey.

In a statement Mr Armstrong said,

“I was approached by senior representatives at the Health Centre in Cookstown who are concerned at the effect that recent changes by the NHS on District Nursing Care are having on patient care.

Increased demands on administration and bureaucratic procedures are making it harder for patients to receive care because so much time is spent form filling. As a result the quality of service has reduced.

In palliative and terminal care the changes have led to a lack of continuity of care and a confusion of responsibilities. For terminal care in particular this is completely unacceptable when those dying need a sensitive and caring approach, not one driven by NHS Diktat.

In Cookstown other problems include a reduction in Treatment Room Care and out of hours services. It is alarming when health care professionals are so incensed and fed up with the changes foisted upon them that they feel they need political support. I am only too pleased to offer this support and I know from meeting with the Minister that he too is eager to listen to their concerns and act upon them.”

Ulster Unionist MLAs Billy Armstrong and Ken Robinson have voiced their hope that the Boyne battlefield site will make a major contribution toward promoting a positive vision of the shared history of the peoples who live in these islands.

The pair commented after joining with the First Minister, the Taoiseach and other dignitaries who attended the 1690 battlefield site today.

In a statement, Mid Ulster MLA Billy Armstrong said: “The Boyne Valley is an area that holds a special place in the history of these islands. Its impact on the course of European history was of major significance and so it is only right for events such as today’s to take place.

“The green, grassy slopes of the Boyne carry tremendous value as an historical, cultural and tourism asset. It is for all the people of these islands, and beyond, to enjoy.

“I trust that many more similar events of this nature – where we appreciate and recognise our shared history and traditions – can take place in the future.”

East Antrim MLA Ken Robinson said: “Those who come from the Orange tradition have a great affiliation to the Boyne. Clearly what took place here so many years ago has the power to bring people together from all traditions across Northern Ireland and the Republic.

“I am pleased to see that Mr Ahern’s government has recognised the historical significance and tourism potential of the site and are in the process of establishing a visitor’s centre in the area.”

Ulster Unionist Assembly Member for Mid-Ulster, Billy Armstrong has expressed his shock on learning of the sexual assault of a teenage girl in Magherafelt last weekend and appeals for information to be given to the PSNI.

Billy said, “PSNI reports say that a teenage girl was subjected to a serious sexual assault in Magherafelt over a week ago. This act is indefensible! The trauma that this girl has gone through and, I’m sure, is still going through must be horrendous.

“I understand that the police are still looking for the man in question who is in his late teens/early twenties and drives a red car.  I would appeal to everyone who has any information to come forward to the PSNI immediately.  It is apparent that another male left the car when this girl got in and if this man does not come forward to the police he is withholding information and effectively breaking the law in doing so.

“This man must be brought before the court of law and dealt with appropriately as there is absolutely no justification for such a despicable act!”

“This is an extremely worrying incident and I know that the people of Magherafelt the surrounding area are in a state of shock.”

Ulster Unionist Mid Ulster MLA Billy Armstrong has said that government must act to ensure chewing gum no longer messes up our streets and public spaces.

Following on from chewing gum tax proposals put forward by Labour MP David Crausby in Commons this week, Mr Armstrong said: “This is an issue which I have been interested in for some time. In December 2002 and again in March 2003 I wrote to government Ministers detailing proposals for a chewing gum tax to be introduced in the United Kingdom.

“The cost of cleaning chewing gum from our streets is absolutely enormous. Recently it was reported that UK local authorities pay out £150 million a year to clean it up.

“We shouldn’t have to put up with seeing our pavements covered in gum. The clean-up process is laborious and it is somewhat disheartening to see pavements quickly fouled up again.”

He added: “The concept of biodegradable chewing gum has also been circulating for some time now. I would like to see companies innovate and deliver on a biodegradable product.

“In the meantime, people should change their behaviour and dispose of chewing gum properly. If they do not, then a tax on the product to fund clean up costs may be the only way of resolving the situation.

“The bottomline is that carelessly disposing of chewing gum may seem to be only a minor indiscretion but it incurs huge expense that the ratepayer could well do without.

“I renew my call for Government to seriously consider introducing a chewing gum tax from which revenues should be reinvested into the whole issue of waste management.”

UUP Mid-Ulster MLA Billy Armstrong said one of the first things a newly devolved assembly could do would be to find the right balance in rural housing rules throughout Northern Ireland to make homes more affordable for rural young couples and first-time buyers.

Mr Armstrong said moves on rural planning, unlike other policy areas, would not have any dramatic cost implications.

In a statement Billy said,

“A new Assembly should focus on increasing the efficiency and transparency of the planning system – delivering speedy and consistent planning decisions

We need a balanced rural planning policy: One that protects the countryside from random development while allowing for sustainable development of rural communities. We also need a planning policy statement providing, where required, for 25% of new builds to be affordable housing

The hard fact is that while we are governed by Direct Rule from Westminster, the Northern Ireland Office Ministers will be slow to order any relaxations in the specific PPS14 housing restrictions.

The major advantage of having a fully devolved legislative parliament at Stormont is that it can implement relaxations in the housing restrictions to allow our young rural constituents to get onto the housing market ladder.

It seems that many of the ‘new generation farmers’, who are part-time, are being classified as ‘hobby farmers’ and are therefore finding it extremely difficult to expand their farming businesses or to erect a dwelling house on their holding due to tight restrictions placed upon them.    Government’s criteria for need is too high for these ‘new generation farmers’ and the Northern Ireland Assembly must look to set these at realistic levels as soon as possible otherwise the countryside will be deserted.

We need to find the right balance between environmental concerns that protect our rural fabric while enabling people who live in rural areas to prosper and have a decent standard of living.”

Ulster Unionist Assembly candidate for Mid- Ulster, Billy Armstrong has responded to the attacks by the DUP via their party election broadcasts and election literature which seem more intent on attacking the Ulster Unionist Party than showing any form of leadership for the future wellbeing of the citizens of Northern Ireland.

Billy said: The message I am receiving at the doorsteps throughout Mid- Ulster is that people are thoroughly fed up with the present DUP double speak on a future executive and making the Assembly workable, and again highlights the DUP internal difficulties, with even more of their District Councillors resigning from the party (David Tweed on 1st March)

Who, only a party that is nervous of losing some of its elected representatives to another Political Party would have an “undersigned” letter such as imposed by the DUP leadership, meaning that any DUP candidate that has been elected on 7th March would be removed from their Assembly seat, if he/she does not toe the party line. This is contrary to a fundamental principle of British democracy, and if Ian Paisley cannot trust his own candidates, why should any of you that might consider voting DUP. Long-standing loyal members of the DUP have said to me, “they have deserted the electorate and reneged on everything that they ever said, a lot of unhappy people in the DUP.

The DUP are unworthy of a leadership position for the Unionist people. In 2003 elections the people of Northern Ireland elected an Assembly thinking of the DUPs promise of a Fair Deal, this promise never materialised, just more concessions to Sinn Fein within the St Andrews agreement, who abused the political process again and again. So now the DUP plan to get it right now in the 2007 election, you the elected are asked to give DUP a second chance with a hollow promise of Getting it right this time.

So much for their pledge that they would “Smash Sinn Fein” or a “Fair Deal” and the latest ‘Getting it Right’ These are the con tactics that the DUP have used since 1969 without any positive results, and wasted all these years for a worse deal.

Now we have another opportunity to build a future for Northern Irelands people through devolved government and the Ulster Unionist Party is ready to go into a democratic elected government on 26 March 2007, are DUP and Sinn Fein ready?

The Unionist people I meet are now also ready for a regional government of their own, and they want a government that works for all of us. Given the progress that Northern Ireland has made in recent years, we must seize the opportunities for progress. It is now time to concentrate on the real issues, which affect all of us: Health, Schools, Rates and Water charges, our Environment, Jobs and Investment and the ability to Export merchandise worldwide.

There is a legal requirement for all parties who wish to hold Executive office to fully support the PSNI and the rule of law, and we in the Ulster Unionist Party intend to take those seats in the Executive to which we are entitled. No “ifs or buts” or timetables or threats to our candidates but a clear pledge to work for all of us.