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Kenny Donaldson, UUP Community and Voluntary Sector Spokesman has welcomed confirmation by the Government of the Irish Republic that they are to invest, funding of almost €250,000 to a company set up by Orange lodges based along the Border.
Éamon Ó Cuív, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs who is also grandson of former Republican leader, Éamon de Valera confirmed that the company, Cadelmo Ltd, will receive almost €250,000 to facilitate its’ efforts in operating a community-based initiative in Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim and Monaghan. The funding will support the work of a development officer who will cater for the needs of Orange lodges and other groups that meet in Orange halls in the counties.
Kenny stated: “This investment by the Government of the Irish Republic in promoting Orangeism is symbolic. For too long, Protestants living in the border counties of the Republic were a ‘forgotten, overlooked minority.’ I welcome the fact that at long last, the Dublin Government recognize this and now appear to be up for the challenge of redressing past failings.
“Orange Halls are no longer places, which merely facilitate protestant culture and religious expression. They have become ‘community service hubs,’ which bring people together, whether that is for the purpose of education, culture or recreation. In many rural areas especially, Orange Halls are the focal point for the community and it is only right and proper that the valuable community services they provide are supported by mainstream Government.”
Kenny added: “Relationships between the two jurisdictions of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are forever evolving, within the political class there appears to be, a new resolve to accommodate difference. The challenge is to ensure that the ‘good intentions of politicians and Governments’ are translated into meaningful actions at the coalface.
“The Republic of Ireland alike Northern Ireland must face up to the debilitating scourge of sectarianism, which has plagued both jurisdictions. Places of religious and cultural significance are still being attacked on both sides of the border, that is not acceptable. These crimes are crimes of hate and contempt for difference and all responsible Governments must provide responsible leadership in extinguishing the fires of sectarianism wherever they are found.”

Ulster Unionist Deputy Party Leader and Chairman of the OFM/DFM Committee Danny Kennedy today welcomed the increased spending outlined by the First and Deputy First Minister on Victims support but expressed concern at the on-going fudging of the definition of what a victim is and how the announcement was leaked.

In a statement Mr Kennedy said,

“While we welcome the commitment to increase spending on victims support by some 100% and welcome the long overdue appointment of the new Commissioners, we do however feel that there has been fudging of the issue.

The fact that there are 4 Commissioners is indicative of the schism that exists in OFM/DFM on victims issues. It is notable today that the First and deputy First Minister refused to be drawn on the very definition of what constitutes a victim. This is an issue that cannot and must not be fudged. There can be no moral equivalence between the forces of law and order and terrorists.

I have registered my concern at the manner in which the announcement was brought into the public domain. I believe it was unsatisfactory that it was leaked to the press. This leaking did a disservice to victims and was disrespectful to the Assembly.”

Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader and Chairman of the OFM/DFM Committee Danny Kennedy described as unsatisfactory the nature of the leaking of the names of the 4 appointments to the office of Victims Commissioner today.

In a statement Mr Kennedy said,

“I see the nature of the leaking of this announcement today as very unsatisfactory. As Chairman of the OFM/DFM Committee I should have had courtesy of being told and should have been contacted.

The appointment of 4 Commissioners indicates clear political deadlock and amounts to ‘government by committee’. Due to the manner in which this announcement was leaked people will now be scrutinising the individuals named to identify political allegiances. This is a bad start to their term of appointment. The fact that there are 4 Commissioners also indicates a clear carve up between the DUP and Sinn Fein.”

Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader and Chairman of the OFM/DFM Committee Danny Kennedy described as unsatisfactory the nature of the leaking of the names of the 4 appointments to the office of Victims Commissioner today.

In a statement Mr Kennedy said,

“I see the nature of the leaking of this announcement today as very unsatisfactory. As Chairman of the OFM/DFM Committee I should have had courtesy of being told and should have been contacted.

The appointment of 4 Commissioners indicates clear political deadlock and amounts to ‘government by committee’. Due to the manner in which this announcement was leaked people will now be scrutinising the individuals named to identify political allegiances. This is a bad start to their term of appointment. The fact that there are 4 Commissioners also indicates a clear carve up between the DUP and Sinn Fein.”

The Ulster Unionist Party today branded the Finance Minister’s enhancement of the housing budget as a missed opportunity to really make a difference to so many working class communities across Northern Ireland.

Responding to the announcement on Tuesday that funding for 1,500 social houses was given to Minister Ritchie for 2008 in the final budget, Paula Bradshaw, Urban Regeneration Spokesperson for the Ulster Unionist Party, stated: “Let’s keep everything in perspective, DSD makes a bid for and receives funding to build 1,500 every year. For this coming year, funding for an additional 500 houses for Urban Renewal Areas was requested but never materialised in the final budget. If this money had been allocated by the Finance Minister then there would have been a real opportunity for the DSD and Northern Ireland Housing Executive to deliver on its commitments under the inter-departmental policy of Neighbourhood Renewal, which incidently was signed up to by all the Ministers.

“There are working class areas across Northern Ireland that has housing deemed, by independent experts, to fall below acceptable fitness standards, whereupon our housing authority has a statutory obligation to intervene. Additional monies above and beyond the year-on-year allocation would have allowed for targeted intervention in these communities that have suffered most in recent years to be regenerated.

“These communities are continuing to fail to feel any benefits from devolution and it is up to those in power to start using their positions to reverse the shameful dereliction across the Province. “

Ulster Unionist Party Parades Spokesman Michael Copeland toady said that comments made by Parades Commission Chairman Roger Poole, who condemned the recent spate of attacks on Orange Halls, were facile, purile and transparent.

In a statement Mr Copeland said,

“The organisation led by Mr Poole represents and remains an un-decommissioned element in the war of cultural attrition being wages against the Orange Institution.

Mr Poole cannot escape the responsibility for his organisation’s role in the previous and continuing demonisation of those involved in the Northern Irish parading tradition.”

(slink img=regempey-big.jpg) Ulster Unionist Party Leader Sir Reg Empey today launched the party’s formal response to the Draft Programme for Government and the Draft Budget.

The paper, which was sent to the Department of Finance and Personnel yesterday evening as the consultation period ended, lists areas of concern in the Programme for Government including the water tax and funding transparency, identifies possible sources of additional funding/redistribution including trimming the over administration of OFM/DFM and North South Bodies, and priority areas for the distribution of additional funds.

The party is focused on getting answers to the big questions raised by the tight budget, which is what it is because of the inability to deliver a substantial financial package from Gordon Brown, the lack of imagination outlined in the Varney Report, and the worthless threat, ignored by the treasury, that ‘a financial package is a necessary pre-condition for any restoration of devolution’ (Peter Robinson, 1st November 2006, BBC) and which has left Northern Ireland with the toughest Comprehensive Spending Review settlement for many years.

Speaking at the launch Sir Reg said,

“The UUP is participating in the draft budget and programme for government process in good faith and we aim to create as broad a consensus as possible in support of the Draft Budget and Programme For Government that is consistent with and maximises the limited resources available.

This formal response is the democratic process in action. We see it as our duty to highlight areas of concern and suggest improvements. This marks a departure from the previous administration where the Assembly was faced by a barrage of sniping from the sidelines with little or nothing in the way of constructive criticism.

The people of Northern Ireland have huge questions that need to be answered on the proposed water tax and transparency on how their assets are to be taken care of through PFI projects and the Reform and Re-Investment initiative. We have identified a range of ways in which public money can be better spent and the resources of the Block Grant better utilized.  The massive increases in the OFMDFM budget require very careful scrutiny, while the strait-jacket imposed on the Health Budget is entirely unrealistic.

For these reasons the UUP, as a responsible partner in government and as the original advocates of devolved institutions, are offering our vision on how we can proceed in what may well be a difficult year.”

Following the arson attack on a GAA club in County Fermanagh on Wednesday afternoon, Ulster Unionist Party Leader Sir Reg Empey said that those responsible were playing into the hands of those who were attacking and burning orange halls.

Sir Reg said the last thing anyone needed in Northern Ireland was tit-for-tat sectarian attacks that targeted GAA clubs and orange halls. In a statement he said,

“This completely unwarranted arson attack on a GAA club in Fermanagh is exactly the kind of development we were fearing after the recent spate of attacks on Orange Halls. Those who are attempting to ramp up tensions and provoke a retaliatory response by attacking orange halls must not be given the fuel they need. It is self evident that in attacking GAA clubs those responsible are playing into the hands of those burning orange halls.

I would appeal for an end to all attacks. They are unnecessary, stupid and can only lead to further division.”

Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, has received an assurance from the First Minister that he will receive information on how appointments are made to the central appointments unit of the First Minister’s and Deputy First Minister’s Office.

Assemblyman Dr Coulter said: “I asked the First Minister if he would explain how appointments are made to the central appointments unit in OFMDFM, how many officials are involved in the unit, how they are recruited, to whom they are answerable, what audits have been carried out on their performance in the past five years, and whether those audits are made public?

“In his response, the First Minister told me he would be happy to write to me and give all the facts I want. He said his Office had nothing to hide. In fact, he said he had not yet met some of the officials that he is supposed to be dealing with. When there are over 500 of them, the First Minister told me, that cannot be done in a day.

“I was also assured by the First Minister that Ministerial appointments to public bodies are, where appropriate, made in accordance with the code of practice published by the independent Commissioner for Public Appointments.

“He said the code of practice sets out appointment procedures, which are founded on the principles of selection based on merit, independent scrutiny in the selection process, equality of opportunity and a process that is open and transparent.

“I was also told the code of practice also requires Departments to comply with their statutory duty under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 when making ministerial appointments to public bodies,” said Assemblyman Dr Coulter.

Commenting on the publication of the Varney Report today, Ulster Unionist Finance spokesman Roy Beggs said in a statement,

“When the DUP failed to get the £1 Billion package that they had promised, they deflected their failure with the Varney Review and the prospect of tax reforms to kick-start the Northern Ireland economy. However Gordon Brown has already ruled out a lower corporation tax solely for Northern Ireland.

When this is combined with a tight, stand-still budget, it is clear reading between the lines of the Varney Report that we face a Herculean task in stimulating the much needed growth in Private Sector employment. We are to be reliant on our current budgets and our won devices.

The reduction in UK general corporation tax levels and the basic level of income tax from the last budget seems helpful at first look. However despite the headline grabbing reduction in corporation tax from 30% to 28% for large businesses, it should be remembered that there was a well concealed increase in the same tax from 19% to 21% for small business. The Northern Ireland economy relies particularly heavily on the enterprise of small and medium sized businesses. This increase in corporation tax for small business has adversely affected Northern Ireland.

The difficulty is that our manufacturing sector is being hit by higher costs in gas, electricity and transport than their competitors in the rest of the United Kingdom. These additional costs are already diverting money away from research and development and marketing.

The Chancellor should be granting lower excise duties across the board which would make many firms more competitive and in one fell swoop end the smuggling of illegal fuel that is funding on-going criminality in border areas. The exchequer is losing out in Millions of pounds due to their own stubborn short-sightedness. As it stands we have a chicken and egg situation, not helped by a Scrooge Chancellor and his even Scroogier predecessor whos legacy is still being felt.

Northern Ireland’s business men and women are a resilient and determined bunch. However given the closed mind of the chancellor on a local Corporation tax cut, his unwillingness to cut excise duties and bring them in line with our closest competitors in the Irish Republic, there are few tools at the disposal of the Executive to entice Investors to Northern Ireland. After all the hype and promises from the DUP, we have now been promised a second review into the implications for employment stemming from the Programme for government and the draft budget.”