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orth Down MLA Leslie Cree Ulster Unionist Enterprise Trade and Investment spokesperson has raised concerns that the Department for Regional Development and DETI are missing an ideal opportunity to work together to develop a logical, effective and inclusive infrastructure that would maximise Northern Ireland’s tourist and commercial assets.
In a statement Mr Cree said,
Continue Reading E-mail February 26th, 2008 Alex Benjamin
Mr Robin Swann, the Ulster Unionist Party’s Spokesman on Social Economy, Energy and Consumer Affairs, has said setting up a series of wind turbines along Ulster ’s coasts could finally ‘kill off’ the threat from lignite mining in his native North Antrim .
Mr Swann, a senior member of the North Antrim UUP management committee, made his call as he welcomed the announcement by UK Energy Secretary John Hutton that 7,000 wind turbines were to be installed and operated around Britain ’s coatlines.
The UUP spokesman added: “Such an environmentally friendly move should also see a complete end to any further prospect of lignite mining in North Antrim , rather than just the current extended three-year moratorium, which still leaves the threat hanging over the people of the area, and restricts any further development or advancement.
“I also welcome the launch of the proposed, ‘Strategic Environmental Assessment of the seas around Britain ’, which will identify appropriate sites for the installation and operation of up to 7,000 wind turbines which will have least environmental impact.
“Local Energy and Environmental Ministers in the Stormont Assembly must make sure that Northern Ireland ’s off-shore capacity and capability is not forgotten.
“This step would go a long way to meeting Northern Ireland ’s commitment under the Programme for Government where the Executive has set a firm target that 12% of our electricity must be generated from indigenous renewable sources by 2012.
“Likewise, if this is fully completed, then this initiative could see a major step towards the European Union’s commitment of gaining 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.
“Northern Ireland has a major advantage in being positioned in the North West corner of the European land mass and so our off-shore capacity would be well positioned to boost these developments.
“The Northern Ireland grid and electricity suppliers would also benefit as this would allow us to be an energy exporter and so increase our energy security for the future.
“The use of readily available and renewable energy sources must and should be our only long-term aim,” said Mr Swann.
Continue Reading E-mail December 13th, 2007 Robin Swann
Ulster Unionist Party Leader Sir Reg Empey has sent an urgent communication to FIFA President Joseph Blatter recording the UUP’s opposition to, and the Northern Ireland Assembly’s majority decision today to object to, the proposal by the FIFA legal Committee. The communication was faxed to the President’s private office at FIFA Headquarters in Switzerland shortly after the vote was taken.
Under the FIFA proposal players from Northern Ireland could chose to play for the Irish Republic team, a move which could place the very existence of the Northern Ireland squad in jeopardy.
In a statement today, UUP Deputy Leader Danny Kennedy, who proposed the motion which was amended but received support in a majority vote, said in a statement,
“The UUP believes that any change in the current arrangements would be detrimental to good relations in international soccer and the Assembly today has endorsed and supported our view.
We are respectfully requesting the President of FIFA to take on board our position and the view of the Northern Ireland Assembly and reject the proposal at the Forthcoming FIFA meeting in Tokyo.”
Continue Reading E-mail December 11th, 2007 Sir Reg Empey MLA
Ulster Unionist Environment Spokesman, Sam Gardiner MLA today aid he was deeply disappointed that there was no mention of an independent Environmental Protection Agency in the Draft Programme for Government.
“This is a very bad signal since the Programme for Government is a three year programme and the absence of this vital piece of legislation points to the Minister of the Environment avoiding the issue.”
“If there is no action on this by the end of January, I will either be tabling a Private Member’s Bill or pushing for an Environment Committee Bill to set up an independent Environmental protection Agency. If the Minister will not give a lead, the Assembly Environment Committee can. ”
“I have concerns about the DUP’s position on this issue and that is why I will be taking this course of action. The DUP, for example, failed to turn up to give evidence to the high-level enquiry which I could hardly believe at the time. I suspect they are double-minded on this issue.”
“With all the environmental mistakes in my Upper Bann constituency such as the wanton destruction of the Waringstown Rath over which the Environment and Heritage Service was totally ineffective, I want to see an independent Environmental Protection Agency that actually does its job.”
“The creation of an Environmental Protection Agency, independent of government, would strip away much of the Department of the Environment’s functions and that is another reason why the DOE establishment will want to stop it. It will break up their department.”
“This is the only part of the UK not to have an independent Environmental Protection Agency and it is more than strange that the DUP, as a unionist party, does not want us to be in step with the rest of the UK.”
“I will watch developments over this issue with interest.”
Continue Reading E-mail November 27th, 2007 Sam Gardiner MLA
Ulster Unionist Environment Spokesman, Sam Gardiner MLA, has welcomed the intervention of Prime Minister Gordon Brown in the supermarket plastic bags issue.
“I first called for a tax on plastic bags three years ago and I am delighted that the Prime Minister has now described plastic shopping bags as ‘one of the most visible symbols of environmental waste and every year more than 13billion were distributed - more than 10 bags a week for every household’ and made their eradication part of his environmental policy.”
“Supermarkets have already agreed to cut the environmental impact of plastic bags by a quarter over the next year but I understand that Mr Brown has called for talks with the retail sector in a new effort to push these plans forward.”
“I would like to see our Executive taking some action on this but, like all their decisions, this seems to be very slow in coming.”
Continue Reading E-mail November 27th, 2007 Sam Gardiner MLA
Commenting on the problems affecting the Northern Ireland Events Company, Ulster Unionist Culture, Arts and Leisure spokesman and Strangford MLA David McNarry said in a statement,
“The reasons for such a substantial deficit in the events company must be placed in the public domain as a matter of urgency. The Executive must also demonstrate its duty of responsibility to ensure that the repercussions arising from the company’s insolvent position does not result in local supply creditors or those awaiting grant payments losing out.
This is a matter of honour and accordingly I call on the Executive to give the DCAL Minister the authority to clear the air on payments to such creditors and to such bodies awaiting grants.”
Continue Reading E-mail November 22nd, 2007 David McNarry MLA
Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, has welcomed the support of the Environment Minister for his proposal to create more green developments through tree planting.
Assemblyman Dr Coulter gained the Minister’s support for his green development plan in an answer to an oral question during ministerial question time at the Assembly.
The UUP MLA said: “I had asked the Minister if she would undertake to explore the potential for green development, as exemplified by cities in Germany such as Rostock and Dresden, where housing densities are maintained at a high level to meet the legitimate demand for town and city homes, while, at the same time, integrating them with a green environment?
“I had also asked her if she would ensure that, in future, native trees and others that are almost native to this country will be included in any density planning?
“The Minister said she would consider my suggestion. She also took on board the view that many of our deciduous trees are not native to Northern Ireland, and wider consideration must be given to the trees that we deal with.
“Given the warnings from top scientists about the impact of global warming and the effects of greenhouse gases, it is important that Northern Ireland plays its role in protecting our environment.
“One way in which our Province can contribute to the overall world fight to maintain the planet is for the Northern Ireland Assembly to implement a comprehensive policy of green development, especially in predominantly rural constituencies such as my own North Antrim,” said Assemblyman Dr Coulter.
Continue Reading E-mail November 22nd, 2007 Rev. Dr. Robert Coulter MLA
Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader Danny Kennedy today wished the Northern Ireland squad well ahead of their clash with Spain tomorrow night and said that they were doing the country proud.
Mr Kennedy also said Northern Ireland’s success and ability to foster a deep sense of national pride in such a small nation proved without a doubt that the FIFA proposal that would allow players from Northern Ireland to choose to play in the Republic was unnecessary and counterproductive.
In a statement Mr Kennedy said,
“On behalf of the UUP I would like to wish our squad well against Spain on Wednesday night. After their stunning victory over Denmark I have every faith that they can repeat this success in Gran Canaria. Even if they don’t the squad will not be anything less than a squad of heroes that have provided one of the most memorable football campaigns in recent history and have done their country proud.
The efforts of the squad and the pride they have instilled amongst the population of ‘our wee country’ proves without a doubt that the FIFA proposal that would allow players from Northern Ireland to choose to play for the Republic’s squad is ill-conceived, uneccessary and counterproductive.”
Continue Reading E-mail November 20th, 2007 Danny Kennedy MLA
Ulster Unionist Environment Spokesman, Sam Gardiner MLA, has said that the setting up of a world seed conservation bank in a mountain cave close to the North Pole on the Svalbard Islands was another indicator that massive climate change was anticipated.
“A doomsday vault has been carved into a frozen mountainside in the archipelago of Svalbard, a few hundred miles from the North Pole. Over the next few weeks, the huge cavern - backed by the Norwegian government and the Bill Gates Foundation - will have more than a million types of seed deposited in it. It will be officially opened in February next year.”
“The Rome-based Global Crop Diversity Trust which is building the vault plans to preserve old strains of crop which are likely to be needed as climate change kicks in and makes it impossible to grow existing new strains in affected areas.”
“The site, close to the North Pole, was chosen so that it did not matter if refrigeration equipment failed. There are three vaults and scientists have been cooling the inside to the -16degres necessary. Many of the older varieties stored there are less productive than new strains of crop but are much hardier and resistant to climate change.”
“This is another sign that key organisations are preparing for significant climate change. This seed project could prove vital to counteract starvation if new crop varieties fail.”
Continue Reading E-mail November 19th, 2007 Sam Gardiner MLA
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.”
Continue Reading E-mail November 15th, 2007 Tom Elliott MLA
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