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Responding to Yesterday’s events where, a device exploded inside a ceremonial cannon near the cenotaph in Newry during a Remembrance Day service, Kenny Donaldson, Ulster Unionist Party Officer has branded those responsible, ‘fascists.’

In a statement, Kenny said: “Remembrance Day is about acknowledging the supreme sacrifice made by our Armed Forces in Wars and Conflicts, Past and present. There is irony in the fact that those who we remember gave their lives in the Great War and the Second World War so that we might be spared from Fascist rule.

“Yet, Yesterday’s actions in Newry are a chilling reminder that there remains within our midst, people who have absolutely no respect for the dead, they remain consumed with hatred and intolerance and practice actions, which are akin to those espoused by fascist dictators and their cohorts from the Past.

“The purpose of Yesterday’s attack was undoubtedly to disrupt the Remembrance Service, those responsible sought to instil fear within those attending.

“A history lesson or a trip down memory lane would probably reveal that the attackers’ Ancestors had family members, friends or acquaintances who fought in the very same Wars and Conflicts which people had gathered to commemorate.”

Concluding, Kenny said: “I would call on those with information as to the identity of the attackers to come forward with it to the Police. In our new political and societal dispensation, walls of silence must no longer be practiced, the community have a duty to root out the evil within their midst,” concluded Kenny.

In a speech last night on a debate following the Queen’s speech in the House of Lords, Ulster Unionist Peer Lord Rogan decried the government’s poor compensation for retired injured and currently serving soldiers and was affronted that soldiers were having to seek additional insurance, paid out of their own pockets, to ensure they and their families are properly covered.

Lord Rogan said,

“Our Armed Forces have been and continue to be a source of national pride. They remind us, and society in general, of the enduring importance of character and duty. We owe much to and indeed expect much from the men and women who voluntarily endanger life and limb for the nation’s benefit. Much has been said today about how the Government fail to reciprocate the faith which servicemen place in them, sentiments with which I wholeheartedly agree. It is to our eternal shame that we fail properly to equip, train and support our Armed Forces. Further, for the Government to break the military covenant reflects poorly on our Ministers.

There have been more than a few disturbing instances of troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan being denied the means by which to fulfill their duties effectively. If that was not sufficient dereliction of duty on the Government’s behalf, it has also emerged that not only do troops feel obliged to take out private insurance to top up the meagre compensation offered by the Ministry of Defence in the event of injury or death—or even to cover the loss of kit, an affront in itself—but those insurance premiums are now expected to increase by some 160 per cent. Such fast and loose treatment of those who put themselves forward in the line of fire for our country should burn the conscience of Ministers.

At a time when our military resources are stretched and when uncertainty abounds in various theatres, it is beholden upon the Government to ensure that the Armed Forces have the manpower to undertake all that they lay at their door. This requires practical measures to underpin the service personnel’s confidence that the nation will protect their interests. At present the government is doing little to instill that confidence.”

Ken Robinson MLA, Ulster Unionist Assembly Member for East Antrim, has called for a comprehensive review to be undertaken by the Department of Regional Development into the province-wide establishment of 20 mph zones in built up areas.

“I recently asked the Minister for Regional Development if his department had the power under current legislation to introduce 20 mph speed limits in towns, villages, cities and built-up areas, particularly near schools. He has now confirmed to me that his department already has the power to do this.”

“Now that he has confirmed to me that he has the power to do it, I am calling on the Minister to act. To begin with, he should set up a province-wide review of potential 20 mph zones in our most heavily populated areas. Speed kills and only a 20 mph limit enforced across the entire province in what might be called black spots in heavily built up areas will get the message across.”

“A survey by the Transport Research Laboratory of 20mph zones across the UK and in other European countries found child road accidents fell by 67%, cyclist accidents by 29% and traffic flow by 27%. It has also been shown that a driver travelling at 20mph is able to come to a sudden stop in about half the time of one driving at 30mph.”

“This is Road Safety week and it would be a good time for the Minister to act or at least declare his intention to act. It would help increase the profile of the decision and it would show that the Executive cared about this issue, given our appalling road safety record.”

Ulster Unionist Assembly member for Fermanagh & South Tyrone, Tom Elliott MLA has urged the Stormont executive to pass the necessary legislation in Northern Ireland that would introduce similar legislation as came into force in the rest of the UK on 1 October 2007 banning the sale of cigarettes to under 18’s

Tom said: “The consultation was launched by the Assembly Health Committee this week to seek the views of the public and it will be next year before the legal age can be changed. I consider it a missed opportunity that the same legislation did not come into force at the same time as other parts of the UK and it is now necessary to have a 12 week consultation exercise on raising the age of sale of tobacco products from 16 to 18. I would have thought that the Draft Smoking Order (2006) which put in place the smoking ban in public places from 1 April 2007 should have included this provision to ban tobacco sales to those under 18.

All cancer charities have clear evidence that about 9% of all 11 to 15 year olds smoke and we know that the majority of smokers become addicted to cigarettes before they reach the age of 18 and by raising the age it should help reduce the number of smokers. Currently, half of all teenagers who smoke will die from diseases caused by tobacco if they continue to smoke throughout their life. Anything that can be done to reduce the number of smokers is welcome and I trust that the necessary legislation will be introduced in Northern Ireland, as quickly as possible.

At present we are the only region in the UK where this ban is not in place and it should greatly assist retailers in detecting under age smokers and bring tobacco into line with purchase of alcohol, fireworks and glue. Retailers will have a legal obligation not to sell to under 18’s when the law is changed and will face heavy fines if they do so. I believe that most retailers in Northern Ireland do apply the restrictions very well but one of the biggest problems in Northern Ireland is the illegal selling of smuggled cigarettes to children and parents. A recent case illustrates the extent of the problem when an “ice cream seller” had assets of nearly £1 million seized through sales of smuggled cigarettes in Northern Ireland It is estimated that at least 25% of cigarettes smoked in the UK are smuggled and no duty paid and the duty lost could go towards financing our hospitals, schools and other essential services and driving legitimate retailers out of business. This problem must be addressed if we are to reduce the number of underage smokers, otherwise the problem will go under ground.”

Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott has said that a fire which destroyed Drumartin Orange Hall near Cootehill in County Cavan has left many Protestants both in the area and across the border in Fermanagh feeling very anger and in fear that they are been targeted by anti-social elements.

Tom said “The destruction of Drumartin Orange Hall bares the hallmarks of attacks that we have seen across Northern Ireland and the Republic in recent months. We will have to wait to for police reports to see if the fire was indeed started maliciously, but from what I have been told it certainly looks like this may have been the case. If this is correct then it is a very worrying development for this part of the world, and particularly for the small number of Protestants that live in the Drumartin and wider Cootehill area.

Traditionally community relations in the area are very good, and I would be fearful that if the cause of the fire is found to be malicious that it could damage the connections there are between local residents. I would ask for the Irish Government to keep a close eye on the situation that is ongoing in Northern Ireland in relation to attacks on Orange Halls to make sure that it does not begin to take a strong hold in the Republic. It is important that communities such as Drumartin are protected from those who would wish to destroy them, especially now as we enter a new era when community relations on both sides of the border can develop and we can grow in understanding of each others backgrounds.

I would like to make it clear that the ongoing campaign of malicious attacks on Orange Halls is not going to do the attackers any good. The communities that you are targeting will pull together, and these halls will be rebuilt new and better than what was there before. Drumartin Orange Lodge will have the full support of many Protestants from both sides of the border. The more you test the Protestant resolve, the more you will see just how strong it is in a time of need.”

The Ulster Unionist Assembly Member for Newry & Armagh Cllr Danny Kennedy MLA has called on the Government to change the law in respect of criminal damage compensation to local Community and Orange Halls.

Addressing members of Edenderry Ulster Unionist Branch in the Constituency of Upper Bann (Tuesday 30th) Mr Kennedy said changes to the law were absolutely necessary given the ongoing campaign against Orange property particularly in Co Armagh and the reluctance of the security and political authorities to clearly identify and name by organization the republican perpetrators.

He said Orange Order Officials were finding it increasingly difficult if not impossible to have issued to them a Chief Constable’s Certificate confirming the political and sectarian nature of attacks against their properties and this effectively blocked any entitlement to compensation.

Mr Kennedy said the current situation was unacceptable and the Government should act immediately to amend the relevant legislation.

The Deputy Leader of the Ulster Unionist Assembly Party said that he found it deeply ironic that at a time when the DUP and Sinn Fein were partners in Government Orange Halls continued to be damaged and destroyed and nothing was being done to ensure compensation was available.

Mr Kennedy said the clear message to republicans was – LEAVE OUR ORANGE HALLS ALONE.

Kenny Donaldson, an Ulster Unionist Party Officer and resident of Crossmaglen, South Armagh has given his reaction to recent events where, 21-year-old Paul Quinn of Cullyhanna was brutally beaten and consequently murdered by a gang of masked men at a disused farm-house in Oram, County Monaghan.

As well as the Oram incident, on Tuesday night last, news reports confirmed that an 18-year-old lad was battered by a gang of up to seven men at Carnegat, Newry.

In a statement, Kenny said: “I would firstly express my sincere condolences to the family circle of Paul Quinn and to the other families whose loved ones were left hospitalised following the brutal attacks they suffered at the hands of gangs of masked men.

“The shock-waves of what has happened in recent days is reverberating, people thought that the days of Kangaroo-style courts were over and that Northern Ireland and indeed the South Armagh area had finally, entered a new political and societal era.

“As a proud Crossmaglen and South Armaghman, I am angered that the area to which I love has once again been placed in the limelight for the wrong reasons. South Armagh has been described as ‘Bandit Country’ and was seen as such by large numbers of people, from both sides of our historic divide and from beyond these Shores. Many terrible atrocities occurred in this community over the ‘Troubled Years.’ But in recent times the area has made the news for the right reasons, the local economy is growing, tourism numbers are increasing and there appeared to be, a new resolve amongst the local community to move this area of Northern Ireland forward.

“Wakening up to the news on Sunday and then Wednesday morning last, that once again; self-appointed dictators had reaped their own brand of Kangaroo Justice upon young men was deeply distressing for me and yet I have no comprehension of how much worse it would have felt for the family and friends of the deceased and the injured.
Kenny added: “There is much loose talk that the deceased and the injured were guilty of crimes, irrespective of whether or not that is true; no-one has the right to take life through their own brand of ‘barbaric Justice.’

“I am calling on the broad, law-abiding South Armagh community to speak with one voice in declaring that we do not want Kangaroo Courts where self-appointed dictators perform the role of, Judge, Jury and Executioner. While belatedly, the Republican Movement have given their political representatives in Sinn Fein the ‘green light’ to endorse and support the fundamental rule of law and order, covering support for the Police (PSNI) the Courts and all other aspects of the Criminal Justice System.

“Refusal to adhere to law and order systems can no longer be appeased. I believe that the vast majority of South Armagh people are committed to the future and of building a fair, just, safe and stable community. I appeal with these people to send a message to the criminals and mafia-style dictators within their midst - get off the community’s back, end your smuggling, (whether fuel or otherwise) cease your extortion rackets, end your barbarism and violence and remove your stranglehold from the community and earn your living, instead of stealing from others.

“The community must come forward and support the PSNI and Garda’s efforts at bringing those responsible for the death of Paul Quinn to justice.

“I would also appeal for calm in the South Armagh area. Now is a time for reflection, South Armagh is at a cross-roads and good must prevail, people must consign from within their midst, the evil that has plagued this area and its’ people.
“In the early – mid nineties and thereafter, terrorism has been all but banished from our Country, now is the time to give the boot to criminality and any lingering trappings of paramilitarism also.”

Ulster Unionist Assemblyman, Sam Gardiner MLA, has condemned the trouble in Edward Street, Lurgan at the weekend.

“I am glad to say this flare up was easily contained by police with the help of community workers. This kind of disorder is going nowhere and it raises the issue of what we are going to do about gang culture among teenagers. Now that tougher measures are being introduced against knife crime, we need to turn our attention to the eradication of the gang culture which leads so many young people into trouble, not just here in Northern Ireland but across the UK.”

“The young people involved in the fracas need to ask themselves – what am I doing with my life, what is really in this for me ? The truth is they are going nowhere and they are risking a great deal which they may bitterly regret in later life when they are trying to make something of their lives. They need to be asking very searching questions abut the motives of the people who led them into this.”

“The days when disorder would be tolerated are now behind us. There is no longer any credible political cover for this kind of disturbance. The young people involved need to step back from this irrational and ultimately self-destructive behaviour.”

East Antrim MLA Ken Robinson has called upon the PSNI to follow the example of Bedfordshire Police who are involved in a pilot scheme designed to use specially adapted hi-tech Canadian-made BlackBerry 8700 devices as part of a crack down on crime.

Mr Robinson explained, “Bedfordshire is one of six pilot schemes currently assessing the system. This approach is designed to eliminate that area referred to as “dead time” that is when an officer on patrol is required to complete paperwork on his return to the station.

“Officers using the system can, as a result of this BlackBerry 8700 device, remain on the streets where the public increasingly want them to be seen. It also enables the policeman, while still on his beat, to quickly check crucial details such as car ownership, previous convictions and photographs of missing or wanted persons. Initial responses from the police are positive with delays in sourcing vital centrally held information being dramatically reduced. This increases the time made available for a high visibility presence on the streets especially in crime hotspots.”

Mr Robinson added, “The public in Northern Ireland are seeking a “zero tolerance” approach towards crime and thuggery and are demanding a more visible and active police presence on our streets. This technology, if these pilot schemes are evaluated as successful, would appear to hand another valuable and vital tool to the front line officers on the beat as they battle to deliver the service levels that the public is expecting.”

Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader and Newry and Armagh MLA Danny Kennedy today expressed his disgust at the brutal murder of 21 year Paul Quinn who was apparently set upon by a gang and added if the IRA were involved it could have political consequences.

In a statement Mr Kennedy said,

“The community will feel utter revulsion at this murder and the manner in which it was carried out, reminiscent of a lynching gang from the deep south.

I would urge full co-operation from the community with the Police in ensuring that those responsible for this disgusting act of murder are brought to justice and thrown behind bars.

If as allegations suggest, the IRA was involved in the murder of Mr Quinn it could have political consequences.”