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Upper Bann Ulster Unionist Assembly Member, George Savage MLA today, in conjunction with fellow MLA’s Danny Kennedy, David McNarry and David Burnside lodged the following motion for debate in the Assembly,

That this Assembly believes, following devolution in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, that a Royal Commission should be appointed to review the steps that need to be taken to maintain the unity of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom.

Speaking from Stormont, George said,

“It has come to my attention that Government in Westminster has tasked the Minister for Justice and Lord Chancellor, Jack Straw to consult with regard to a new written constitution in the United Kingdom. This raises a number of important issues for us here in Northern Ireland and that is why in our 2007 Election Manifesto, my Party called for a Royal Commission to be appointed”.

“It is deeply concerning that at the present time, every devolved government in the United Kingdom is headed by nationalists of some sort. In Wales, Plaid Cymru are in coalition with Labour, in Scotland the SNP are the minority government and in Northern Ireland, the Executive is an uneasy coalition of the Ulster Nationalists of the DUP and the Irish Nationalists of Sinn Fein.”

“for this very reason, we want to ensure the continuance of the Union because that lies at the very core of being a Unionist and that is one of the central aims of the Ulster Unionist Party – to promote, strengthen and maintain the Union. I am concerned that this proposed codified UK Constitution will lead to the beginning of a federalized United Kingdom. I am also keen to ensure that the position of Northern Ireland, her citizens and her interests are protected within this document.”

“We, here in Northern Ireland are an integral part of the United Kingdom and this motion which I have lodged today, to all intents and purposes, is concerned with the future constitutional make up of the United Kingdom”

“I look forward to the debate in the Assembly where it will be most interesting to see and hear the viewpoints of both the Irish and perhaps more importantly and interestingly, the Ulster Nationalists.”

Upper Bann Ulster Unionist Assembly Member George Savage MLA today spoke out in support of classroom assistants in Upper Bann. Speaking after visiting a few local schools and speaking to several classroom assistants, George said:

“I pledge my full and unequivocal support for classroom assistants. The Education Boards and the Department of Education have let them down badly. This issue should have been resolved long before now. The Boards should readily agree to make the required additional payments as they know that that as the education system has evolved over the years, so has the importance of the role of Classroom Assistant. Classroom Assistants are a vital link in the education chain and as such they deserve to be valued and thus fairly paid for their efforts.”

The cost of making the additional payments to the 7000+ Classroom Assistants is small compared to the vast budgets of the 5 Boards which currently stands at over £1Billion.

In light of this, surely the Boards have the funds available to meet the needs of the Classroom Assistants. In fact if look at the money the Boards have wasted since the decision to have a single education authority (ESA) then the funding is most definitely there:

Upper Bann Ulster Unionist Assembly Member George Savage MLA today spoke out after hearing that the British National Anthem will not be played at Ravenhill when Ireland play Italy. Speaking today, George said:

“I was disgusted to find out that on Friday night at Ravenhill the only National Anthem to be played will be that of the Italians. This is unacceptable. Under the Belfast Agreement’s ‘Parity of Esteem’ principle, I understand that culture and another nation’s emblems and anthem should be respected.”

“When Ireland play in Dublin I agree that the Irish National Anthem should be played as the match is being played in the Capital City of the Irish Republic and I am sure that supporters from Northern Ireland do not take issue with that. When Ireland play away only Ireland’s Call is played and that, I believe, is fair right and proper.”

“However, when Ireland play in Belfast, only Ireland’s Call will be played. I believe this will be a great insult to Ireland players who come from Ulster that the anthem of their country will not be played when Ireland play at Ravenhill. Furthermore, I am astonished that the IRFU gave Ulster Branch no choice – International match and no God Save The Queen or no match at all. This is utterly disgraceful.”

“I trust that the IRFU and Ulster Branch will re-think this decision seriously before they alienate a vast number of their fan base. I have written to the IRFU and Ulster Branch to put on record my disgust.”

Upper Bann Ulster Unionist Assembly Member George Savage MLA today spoke of his outrage at the amount the 5 Education Boards have spent on out-of-court settlements over the past two years and the costs incurred in relation to legal fees and compensation. Speaking from Stormont, George said,

“Having received a response from the Minister to my question I am deeply concerned about the amount of money spent by the Education Boards on out-of-court settlements over the past two years and the costs incurred in relation to legal fees and compensation”.

“I am concerned that in the Financial Year 2005/2006, the 5 Boards spent £1, 052, 453 on legal fees and compensation. I am horrified to find a 68 PERCENT increase in the Financial Year 2006/2007 where the 5 Boards spent £1,764,213. This is a complete and absolute outrage and someone must be made accountable for this gross extravagance. I call upon the Minister to investigate this and to come up with some answers that actually will carry weight and resonate with the public and those in the education sector.”

“What I find even more worrying is that we do not know how much settlements decided upon in court have cost the Department or the Boards.”

This issue is very important because it cuts right to the heart of an ongoing debate within education circles, that being, who is accountable for how money is spent and how resources are allocated?

“It is my belief that the Minister and her officials have a lot to answer for!”

“This gross overspend is ridiculous when you consider that Classroom Assistants are still fighting for a just and fair pay deal from the Department and our Primary Schools are grossly underfunded.”

“The total figure that the Boards spent on legal fees and compensation in two years was £2.8million. It is a sobering to think that this would pay for 113 teachers or 226 classroom assistants.”

“I look forward to hearing what the Department of Education has to say…”

Ulster Unionist candidates in Upper Bann have said that the DUP’s proposal of a Plan C is a clear admission that, three years down the line, it has failed to deliver the much-heralded ‘Fair Deal’.

In a joint statement, Samuel Gardiner, Arnold Hatch and George Savage said: “The DUP’s announcement that they are discussing a ‘Plan C’ will cause many people to think they are experiencing déjà vu.

“This latest cunning plan sounds rather like the promise of a ‘Fair Deal’ at the last Assembly Election in November 2003.

“The only thing remotely resembling a ‘Fair Deal’ which the DUP managed to produce was the St Andrews Agreement. This of course entails two new North-South bodies, an Irish Language Act, and paves the way to install Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister.

“Unsurprisingly it has proved a step too far for many long-time DUP supporters, weaned on the empty rhetoric of ‘Never, never, never’.”

They added: “It is testament to the arrogance of the DUP having proved incapable of persuading Government to deliver the Fair Deal which they promised last time out, they are now asking people to vote for them in order to ‘deliver’ a ‘Plan C’ from the self-same Government.

“The DUP have had three-and-a-half years to put the unionist case to the Government. They failed. So what makes them think it will work this time?”