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LESLIE Cree, Ulster Unionist spokesperson for DETI this morning expressed his concern following an announcement by Phoenix that they will be increasing the price of the natural gas by 28 per cent on May 1st this year.
Continue Reading E-mail April 24th, 2008 Alex Benjamin
Ulster Unionist Department of Social Development spokesman Michael Copeland today said that the Assembly debate which called on the Departments of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and Finance and Personnel to ensure the provision of working smoke detectors in every home was a missed opportunity.
Gas detectors, particularly in Social Housing were as much of a priority as smoke detectors he said
Continue Reading E-mail January 21st, 2008 Alex Benjamin
Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, has called for a ‘family first’ approach to helping terminally ill patients.
Assemblyman Dr Coulter, who is also UUP Health Spokesman, issued his plea during a Stormont debate calling for a study into care facilities for terminally ill in the Province.
He added: “I fully supported the motion that the Assembly expresses concern that 75% of terminally ill people in Northern Ireland are unable to die in the place of their choice, whether in their own home or the home of a family member.
“The motion, which was successfully passed, also expressed concern that many terminally ill people are admitted to hospital on multiple occasions, unnecessarily, during the final weeks of life, causing stress to their families and carers.
“I also welcomed the positive results emerging from the ‘Delivering Choice Programme’ which Marie Curie Cancer Care has operated in Great Britain, and supported the calls to Health Minister Michael McGimpsey to provide the necessary resources for a pilot programme aimed at ensuring that patients, and their carers, receive the necessary support throughout the palliative care period.
“The care of patients must always be at the heart of the Health Service; without that guiding principle, it becomes a matter of simple economics, which leaves the patient aside. That principle must apply to the palliative care of terminally ill patients, just as it applies to waiting lists and hospital cleanliness.
“Patient care must not be simply an objective of the Health Service: it must be an intrinsic part of its culture.
“Of all Departments, the Department of Health, Social Service and Public Safety touches areas to which no easy cost can be affixed, and the care of terminally ill patients is one such area. However, the use of robust health economics models for the home-based management of terminal illness has begun in the public domain.
Continue Reading E-mail December 18th, 2007 Rev. Dr. Robert Coulter MLA
Rev Dr Robert Coulter MLA, the Ulster Unionist North Antrim Assemblyman, has called on the Prime Minister to lift his ban on a Government £725 million bail-out plan for pensioners who lost out when their employers went bust.
“It is widely known that Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain has set this money aside in his departmental budget to pay for this bail-out plan. Blocking a scheme which the relevant Minister has already planned to fund, is a Scrooge-like thing to do in the mouth of Christmas. It only goes to confirm the Prime Minister’s reputation as what the Americans call a tight-wad.”
“Apparently work on this project is well advanced with both a £725 million package and a scaled-down £350 million package under consideration. It is terrible that the Prime Minister should pull the plug on this at this late stage. It sends out a terrible message to pensioners who were unfortunate enough to find themselves in this position through no fault of their own. It will be a pretty miserable Christmas for many of them.”
“The tight fistedness of the Prime Minister is legendary. It is also very short-sighted. His meanness is also hampering the work of our own Ministers in the Executive who have been denied the peace package on a scale they might reasonably have expected after the remarkable achievement of making peace in Northern Ireland. It takes no account of the disgraceful under-investment in our infrastructure by direct rule Ministers over thirty five years and in the way European Union funds were retained at Westminster.”
Continue Reading E-mail December 13th, 2007 Rev. Dr. Robert Coulter MLA
Rev Dr Robert Coulter MLA, Ulster Unionist Health Spokesman, today called for a major pensions review after it was revealed pensioners were better off in 1950 than they are today.
The North Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA said :
“Office of National Statistics figures show that pensioners today receive only 15.9% of average earnings compared to 18.36% in 1950. This is a shocking state of affairs and reflects a general neglect by government of the rights of older people.”
“The government are trying to make out that these figures do not take account of private savings schemes by older people. That might be true but what have people’s private savings to do with the government? That argument cannot be used to let the government off the hook over their responsibilities.”
“In the last 50 years pensions were at their highest in 1975-85 when they were worth between 22% and 24% of the national average wage. Last year the average wage had climbed to £549.80 but the pension was just £87.30. Parliamentary answers also show an increase in the number of the poorest pensioners to 460,000 across the UK which is up 10,000 in just one year and stands at virtually the same level as ten years ago when Labour came to power.”
Continue Reading E-mail December 11th, 2007 Rev. Dr. Robert Coulter MLA
Iris Robinsons recent outburst concerning our much loved, highly respected and extremely hard working health professionals really does provide conclusive proof of just how arrogant she has become. We should all be looking for efficiencies within the management of our NHS infrastructure but to lecture some of the most dedicated vocationalists in our province and tell them that they are inefficient compared to their colleagues in Great Britain is down right insulting and this point has been made to me when I have been out and about in the days since her comments were made.
Does she really dislike her husbands ministerial colleague that much to show such arrogant contempt for the magnificent people that have helped us all over the years of the troubles and beyond without fear or favour regardless of our political or religious beliefs? It was also nice to hear Iris quoting from our recent Party Election Broadcast with regards to our pledge to represent the people of Northern Ireland and form an executive after the election.
This was at the same time that many within Mrs Robinsons party were still conning the electorate with visions of “Over My Dead Body” or the liberal wing saying “When they disband the IRA Army Council”. Once again the UUP led the way and the DUP followed, which we all new they would, they just did not have the nerve to tell the people prior to the election. We will be operating an opposition from within the Executive which as Peter Robinson reminded us during the last period of Devolution is our right when the interests of our people is to do so.
We will be holding Sinn Fein/DUP to account when they short change our Health Service or fail to get the balance right between much needed economic provision and equally important social needs. We have not gone away you know, and for Northern Irelands place in the United Kingdom sake, I hope we never do.
Continue Reading E-mail December 7th, 2007 Cllr Mark Cosgrove
Ulster Unionist Assembly member for Fermanagh & South Tyrone, Tom Elliott MLA has highlighted his support to the 2007 Christmas Family Appeal, run by The Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul which aims to provide gifts to over 12,000 children across Northern Ireland.
Tom said: “I have seen at first hand the difference this appeal can make and it really makes a world of difference to so many families throughout Northern Ireland. It is a cruel fact that without this appeal many children would receive very little at Christmas. At a time whenever those more fortunate are rushing around buying family and friends presents, spare a thought for the many children who will receive nothing! By simply buying an extra present and leaving at one of the many collection points ( all Tesco & Asda stores ) before Wednesday 13 December 2007, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have made a difference in some home in Northern Ireland.
It is a sad fact that there is an increasing number of families in Northern Ireland that have no money for the basic necessities and as Christmas approaches life becomes even more stressful as they want to give their children the gifts they deserve but don’t have the means by which to do it. If any family feel they could benefit from the Family Appeal contact your local social worker or health visitor or The Salvation Army or St Vincent de Paul for an application form which must be returned by Friday 7 December 2007. The Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul and all the many volunteers deserve great praise for their efforts throughout the year but the Christmas Family Appeal in particular can make a tremendous difference for so many families across Northern Ireland and would ask the public to support this worthy cause.”
Continue Reading E-mail December 4th, 2007 Tom Elliott MLA
Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott will tell an Ulster Unionist Party meeting in Kilkeel tonight that the 20 Million pounds highlighted in the budget to be invested in ‘New funding arrangements for victims and survivors’ should be good news, if managed properly.
Mr Elliott said: “I am pleased with the news of the 20 million pounds. I have campaigned hard for proper resources to be provided for victims and survivors throughout my time as an MLA since 2003. I am hopeful that with the money now being made available over the next three years initiatives can be taken and the people of Northern Ireland can receive support for the trauma that many of us where subjected to for thirty years.”
The money has been ‘ear-marked’ for three separate release amounts. Next year will see 0.66 million made available with 8.68 million and 10.78 million made available in 2009 and 2010 respectively. While Mr Elliott has welcomed the news he also has reservations about the release of the money.
The Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA stated: “Now that the money is available we have to make sure that it is fully invested in meeting the needs of victims and survivors. This money cannot be wasted on administration as happens so often in many institutions. Furthermore, we have to make sure that no money reaches the hands of terrorists who caused so much grief and pain. It is because of their actions that this money is needed, and they should not get a penny. This money is to support the innocent who suffered, not for those who would have us believe that they suffered in equal measure to those who lost innocent family members. From the word go we need to be on top of these issues to make sure they don’t develop.
“The one disappointment I have is that the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund is only marked down to receive 0.5 million each year until 2011. This organisation has worked tirelessly to help many individuals and groups across Northern Ireland and deserves much praise. No doubt it will continue its wonderful work with the resources it receives, and along with the new investment for victims and survivors I believe the future looks brighter in terms of comfort and support for many people across the country.”
“It is long overdue for the real victims of this society to get proper recognition and access to reasonable sources of funding. The perpetrators of the violence and terrorists in this province have held the community to ransom for far too long. It is now time for real action on behalf of these citizens.”
Continue Reading E-mail November 30th, 2007 Tom Elliott MLA
Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, has called on the deputy First Minister to implement a campaign to combat ageism in Northern Ireland.
Speaking at Stormont, Dr Coulter asked: “Does the deputy First Minister envisage that an action plan will be produced by the Office of the First Minister and the deputy First Minister to proactively deal with ageism, which is prevalent throughout society, both in the economy and in social and political life?
“In his response, the deputy First Minister assured me the review into the case for an older people’s commissioner, which is currently under way, would make a mighty contribution to tackling the issues that I identified.
“I welcome the deputy First Minister’s assurances that there is as much duty and responsibility to older people as we have to our children.
“I also welcomed his pledge the Assembly must do everything in its power to ensure that the approach that it adopts is comprehensive and meets the needs of older people who, surely, deserve as much as the Assembly can deliver,” said Dr Coulter.
Continue Reading E-mail November 29th, 2007 Rev. Dr. Robert Coulter MLA
Ulster Unionist Councillor and member of the Greater Village Regeneration Trust, Bob Stoker today backed Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie after an open letter, circulated to people on the Donegall Road by DUP Councilor Jimmy Spratt, who accused Minister Ritchie of having the wrong priorities on her Housing Budget.
Mr Stoker said Margaret Ritchie is not at fault in not securing the funding for social new builds, the fault lies with Peter Robinson and his budget allocation choices. In a statement Mr Stoker said,
“In the draft DSD budget there isn’t anywhere near enough to meet Minister Ritchie’s department commitments for this year that have to be paid next year.
DSD is going to have to enter into “partnership” with the private sector to be able to generate the money
DSD got 37% of what it asked for – it bid for money for its usual 1500 houses (£160m) plus an additional 500 for URA’s (Urban Renewal Areas).
Of the 1500 improvement programmes scheduled for the next year nothing will now be done. As for DSD’s normal social housing programme, nothing will now be done.
There are 36,000 people on the social housing waiting list for Northern Ireland – housing is supposed to be one of the priorities for the Executive!
We are entering unchartered territory, DSD has never been in this position before and it is grossly unfair and hypocritical of the DUP to blame Margaret Ritchie for the shortcomings and decision making of Finance Minister Peter Robinson. I would ask Mr Spratt what happened to the £1 Billion package that the DUP promised was a pre-requisite to devolution? Some of this promised £1 Billion could have made significant in-roads into tackling the problems affecting the Social Housing sector. But as usual the DUP try and blame someone else”.
Continue Reading E-mail November 28th, 2007 Bob Stoker
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