SDLP express concerns over vandalism

This week the SDLP has voiced their concerns over the recent outbreak of graffiti vandalism in the Strabane Area.

Town Forum member and party member Liam Stewart said “The graffiti was discovered early last week on a wooden barricade, on the town centre side of the Mourne Bridge. The graffiti consists of three large painted letters representing a group. Vandalism of this nature is totally unacceptable, and is being carried out by a very small group of individuals who have no respect for our town or how it looks to the outside world.”

“The SDLP in Strabane has been lobbying constantly for clean the streets, repair derelict buildings and help businesses by welcoming a scheme to revamp shop fronts. Now for a small group of people to actively deface our town is an attack on residents who work and shop in Strabane, and businesses who are struggling to maintain custom and employment in these difficult financial times.”

SDLP Strabane Branch Chairperson and Sh. Councillor Jim McIntyre has also condemned this vandalism and said “The graffiti is situated at the entrance to Main Street in Strabane Town Centre, the worst possible area for vandalism like this to be carried out. This graffiti is very intimidating for shoppers and visitors to our town. Tourism is vital to Strabane’s economy, yet this graffiti will have a detrimental effect on Strabane’s ability to attract people to our town.”

“With Derry named as UK City of Culture for 2013, it is hoped that Strabane will benefit from the influx of visitors to the North-West and give businesses a much needed boost over the next number of months. We need Strabane to be looking its best not only for the run up to the City of Culture, but to attract tourism throughout the year. This sort of behaviour cannot be allowed and I would call on the relevant authorities to remove this graffiti as soon as possible.”

SDLP: McCausland must listen to reason and learn from mistakes

SDLP MLA Joe Byrne has responded to news that the Welfare Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has instructed officials to “look again” at how the bedroom tax will affect disabled people.

Fri 25nd February

The West Tyrone MLA said:

“The fact that Iain Duncan Smith is asking his officials to look at the viability of bedroom tax again is deeply worrying. It further demonstrates the flawed logic of the Minister for Social Development, Nelson McCausland deciding to proceed to implement policies which are clearly failing.

“These proposals are already failing and will have a high impact on people living in the North where we have higher rates of disability, less suitable accommodation and segregated social housing. The policies being pursued by the Minister will have a much more severe impact on people and should be revisited.

“The SDLP are on record for calling for exemptions from the bedroom tax for those with disabilities, caring responsibilities as well as foster parents. To ignore the needs of those groups is unacceptable and will ultimately prove unworkable as it is doing across the water.”

Byrne: Raising literacy and numeracy standards essential

SDLP MLA Joe Byrne has said the Department of Education must champion the literacy and numeracy skills of young people in order to raise standards.

The West Tyrone MLA was responding to the Northern Ireland Audit Office report (NIAO) ‘Improving Literacy and Numeracy Achievement in Schools’ published last week;

Mr Byrne said:

“I welcome the publication of the NIAO report which focuses on the challenges that we face in improving the literacy and numeracy skills of our young people.

“There needs to be a focus at three levels early years, pre and post-primary school on instilling good principles in respect of literacy and numeracy skills. Parents play an intrinsic role in their children’s development with 80% of their learning taking place outside of the classroom.

“In particular early years is a key stage to confront deficits in numeracy and literacy coupled with parental involvement. Programmes like SureStart and Barnardo’s do fantastic work to support communities and families as do many other organisations which enrich family life.

“If we are to raise standards we need to de-clutter our Primary Curriculum and put a firm focus on improving the teaching of literacy and numeracy within schools. Teachers must not be over-loaded with programmes that detract from implementing good standards of teaching and leadership.

“Large class sizes are an issue which effects learning with many classrooms having over 30 children at Key Stage 2. How can we attain higher standards when teaching time between pupil and teacher is squeezed to the limits?

“At post-primary level a clear intervention strategy is required to address the current deficits. When a teenager tells you they struggle to read or that they ‘hate maths’ then there is a pressing need for specialist support. Critical gaps still exist in both religious background and geographical location and this must also be tackled.

“The Education Minister must make raising literacy and numeracy levels his top priority. In 2010-11 a disturbing 9,000 pupils left full-time education after failing to reach the required standard in literacy and numeracy. That is an appalling situation.

“If we build the right educational foundations for our children then we will finally raise standards in literacy and numeracy and this will have knock-on benefits for their lifelong health and wellbeing.”

SDLP: Banks must ensure vacant properties are secured

SDLP has urged banks to take responsibility for securing vacant properties in their possession to prevent them from being damaged or vandalised.

Party Spokesperson Patrick Leonard said;

“In recent weeks we in the SDLP have received considerable reports from constituents regarding the vandalism and forced entry of repossessed properties across the district, I personally visited a series of properties on the Urney road area where extensive damage and theft had been carried out, leaving the house in a brutal state. This not only destroys the house but can often endanger neighbouring properties and residents with risk of fire etc.

“Banks have a responsibility to ensure that these buildings are secured. It is a sad sign of the times that so many of homes have been repossessed by the banks, but the banks still have duty to ensure that these homes are protected and are not allowed to fall into disrepair or to serve as an invite to opportunistic vandals.

“This problem is prevalent across the North, and so I am calling on the banks to step up to the mark and to ensure that these properties are adequately secured to prevent this problem from getting out of control.”

SDLP: Much more work required to grow the green economy

SDLP MLA Joe Byrne has emphasised the need to grow the green economy. He was speaking following an Assembly Debate on the importance of supporting the growth in the Sustainable Energy Sector.

Mr Byrne said:

“The SDLP throughout the North is very encouraged about the potential for growth in the green economy. We welcome the progress and work on renewable energy that the Executive has completed to date, but so much more needs to be done.

“For example, we could be doing more work to help establish a long term vision for renewable energy in this region. My SDLP colleagues and I have been fully engaged in the renewable energy agenda and made significant recommendations to both he Minister and the Executive.

“Most recommendations have been accepted, but it’s the implementation that has been lagging. For instance, there are exciting opportunities for job creation and manufacturing in both renewable energy and efficiency and for us to be at the cutting edge of technological developments-the Committee wants to see action to see this vision realised.

“We need a joined-up approach across government and an end to the delays. The SDLP has called on the Executive to lead by example by backing renewable technologies and utilising the many prospects in this sector.

This SDLP is fully committed to developing the green economy and to raise awareness to grow the sustainable energy sector. In doing so this can help reduce potential for the worse excesses of climate change, create jobs, tackle fuel poverty among older and vulnerable people, and reduce over-crowding in hospitals.

 

SDLP: North riven with scourge of child poverty

SDLP Constituency Representative Daniel McCrossan, has said there is a growing mountain of evidence which should ensure that independent child poverty targets are brought in by the Executive.

Mon 25th February

Mr McCrossan was commenting after a report by the End Child Poverty campaign, which mapped child poverty in UK, confirmed that Strabane had an estimated 3303 children living in poverty in 2012, 32% of children across the Strabane district. The report suggests a worrying 46% of children in Castlederg living in poverty, 53% in Ballycolman, 66% in the East Strabane ward, 30% south and 33% East and West wards.

“This map confirms recent research by both Save the Children and the Institute of Fiscal Studies. It confirms that the North is riven with the scourge of child poverty. It confirms that this an on-going crisis which, if left unmet, will leave fundamental social and economic legacies and will leave a generation of children abandoned.

“For some time now, the SDLP has been calling on OFMDFM to formulate individual child poverty targets for the Assembly. This would be separate from Westminster’s Child Poverty statutory legislation and target, a target which the IFS has deemed unachievable given current government policy.

“Until now the call for independent targets, the call for independent responsibility for child poverty here has fallen on deaf ears.

“The body of evidence, however, continues to grow. This is a current crisis which will have the longest of consequences.

“As demonstrated by the Audit Office report into Education, the poverty suffered by children, acts as the prime restriction to educational development at the earliest ages. This means that children are either left playing catch up with their peers in terms of numeracy or literacy, or left behind altogether. This is perhaps the biggest impediment to any sort of social mobility in our society.

“People will, very rightly, view this as a defining test for Stormont's current leadership'.

“If they remain unwilling to take on full responsibility for an issue so important and relevant to the people of the North, the most serious of questions will need to be asked as to whether they are carrying out the expected role of government at all.”

STRABANE SUPPORTS MCGLONE.....A TRUE VOICE FOR REAL CHANGE!

An invaluable voice for real and meaningful change!

People of Mid Ulster, tomorrow should be an easy decision...

Here are some factors you should consider..

Look at your children and think about their future... Look at the many problems the people of your communities are suffering each and every minute of every day.. Young families, single mothers, the elderly, the unemployed, the graduates without jobs or opportunities...

look at the many SMEs who are struggling to break even and motivated through this challenging and difficult economic climate.

Look at the events of the last few months and how tribal politics has destroyed the reputation of this region which had taken 15 years to build!

Look at how tribal politics has attempted to dismantle the peace process!

Take into consideration how the DUP and SF have acted/not acted on the demanded shared future approach, vital for the future progression of the north and for a stable and prosperous future for my generation and the generations to come!

Other parties have failed in their endeavours to be the voice of reason, hope or betterment for those in need in Mid Ulster now and in the past.. the SDLP will not fail you! Patsy McGlone will not fail you!

This election must not be about the green and orange politics of the past! This election must be about the future of our communities and upcoming generations, a shared future to the benefit of everyone must be the only thought on your mind in 2013!

The answer is clear, your voice, your hope for change is PATSY MCGLONE! Vote for a man of the people, vote Patsy McGlone tomorrow.(7 March)