Tag: DUP

The press release issued by the DUP on 8 December 2022.

The DUP’s Upper Bann MLA Diane Dodds has reminded the Secretary of State that the reason the NI Assembly and Executive is not functioning is because of the Protocol imposed by his Government.

Mrs Dodds said,

“The Secretary of State is gravely mistaken if he thinks adjusting MLA pay and erecting delays to energy payments will lead to a restoration of devolution.

There is no solid basis for an Executive and Assembly until the Protocol is replaced with arrangements that restore NI’s place in the U.K. internal market and our constitutional arrangements are respected. The Government need to deliver that either through the Bill or through negotiations which deliver a similar outcome.

The Government and the EU have been aware of our consistent position regarding the sustainability of Stormont since February 2021. Successive Prime Ministers and Secretaries of State have squandered that time rather than addressing the problem.

For those who have forgotten, political progress in NI was hard won and is built on the support of unionists and nationalists. Not one unionist MLA supports the Protocol. The idea that one section of our people will dominate the other and ignore unionists can never produce durable or balanced outcomes.”

The press release issued by the DUP on 8 December 2022.

East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell has welcomed the news that work has begun on the first 5-star hotel in East Londonderry.

The DUP MP said,

“I welcome the news that the building work is now underway at Dunluce Lodge, the north coast’s first 5-star hotel & spa. The £16.5m development, funded by American investment, will see the creation of a 35-room luxury complex overlooking the 4th fairway at Royal Portrush Golf Club. The new hotel will help create 80 jobs and that does not include the jobs supported during the construction of the hotel.

Hospitality is a major part of our local economy in East Londonderry and with the opportunity of The Open returning in 2025 we need a strong offering to increase overnight stays and associated benefits for local shops, restaurants and the wider hospitality sector. It has been the case in the past that objections have been raised to other similar type of projects which have delayed the progress towards a better offering in the region, but thankfully while progress can be delayed it cannot be stopped. It is to be hoped we see further investment in our local economy which supports our tourism offering and creates jobs. Scheduled for opening in advance of the 2025 Open Championship this is a welcome boost to our tourism sector.”

The press release issued by the DUP on 8 December 2022.

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has urged Royal Mail Management to engage constructively with Unions with a view to bringing an end to industrial action impacting postal services. The DUP representative made the call following contact from constituents who had missed health care appointments due to correspondence arriving late.

Carla Lockhart said:

“In recent days I have been contacted by constituents who have been awaiting correspondence relating to health care appointments, and who received the letter with the appointment details after the scheduled date. They have therefore missed important health intervention, whilst valuable time for healthcare clinicians at a time of extreme pressures on our health service has been lost. The hospitals must also consider steps to avoid being impacted by the industrial action.

That is an unacceptable situation, and it cannot be allowed to go on indefinitely. Postal workers in my constituency report a significant backlog of mail in sorting depots. I have no doubt that people are missing out on vital mail as a result of the failure of Royal Mail management to find a compromise with workers who want to be at work, but also need assurances for the future of their jobs and the services Royal Mail are expected to deliver.

Ultimately it would appear that the legal duty upon Royal Mail to deliver this service is not being met. Our posties are key workers, and need remunerated accordingly, within the budgets that allow Royal Mail to continue to operate and fulfil the legal duties upon them. In the run up to Christmas I appeal for both sides to once again stretch themselves with a view to finding agreement that will allow the full restoration of postal services as soon as possible.”

The press release issued by the DUP on 8 December 2022.

South Down DUP MLA Diane Forsythe has welcomed the UEFA sanction against the FAI after their senior female team celebrated qualifying for the World Cup in Australia by singing a pro-IRA song. Ms Forsythe had written to the UEFA immediately after the incident in October 2022.

“UEFA stated that this incident was a “violation of the basic rules of decent conduct”. This is proper recognition of the offensive nature of “ooh Aah Up The Ra” and UEFA is correct to impose this fine. As role models to young people, it is right that the standard of their behaviour is held to account. This action however stands in contrast to the inaction by other organisations when similar chants have taken place.

Republican terrorists were responsible for 60% of the deaths during the Troubles. People of all ages, all genders and all faiths were systematically targeted and murdered in the most cruel manner by the IRA. Some of those families whose loved ones were murdered have never even been told where the IRA buried their loved one.

The Sinn Fein leadership continue to justify and celebrate the IRA rather than recognise they were a barbaric, cruel and illegal terrorist organisation. For anyone to be glorifying the IRA is utterly insensitive to IRA victims.”

The press release issued by the DUP on 7 December 2022.

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has endorsed the message from the Consumer Council NI made at the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, that the Government should issue the Energy Bill Support Scheme immediately to households in Northern Ireland.

Speaking after the Committee session today in Westminster, Carla Lockhart said:

“The Government could, if it wanted to, make this payment. It could have made it already, but chose to delay the payment in a futile attempt to make people demand the immediate return of Stormont.

There is no such demand for the return of Stormont amongst the unionist community until the concerns with the Protocol are addressed. It is an insult to Unionists to suggest they would allow the Protocol to remain to accelerate the energy support payment.

The payment can be made last week if the Government had not moved the goal posts. My colleague Gavin Robinson MP exposed the myth propagated by the Government, and endorsed by SF, SDLP, Alliance and UUP, that the lack of devolution is holding up payments. It is a nonsense. It is only being made to undermine Unionism’s case to replace the Protocol.

Today, the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland reinforced their call for the payment to be made now to support households. The DUP support that call, and again we say to the Government that they can and must issue this payment as soon as possible.

We will remain resolute in our determination to get this payment made. We urge the Government to have the same resolve. If they do, the support can be provided imminently.”

The press release issued by the DUP on 7 December 2022.

DUP MLA Gordon Lyons has said the recalled sitting of the Assembly was another political stunt and called on the UK Government to get on with delivering the UK-wide assistance to all parts of the UK, including the Energy Support Payments.

Speaking after the Assembly sitting he said,

“Each time the Assembly has been recalled it has been a political stunt, but this one had an additional benefit for Sinn Fein. It provided a useful attempt to distract from ongoing proceedings in the Special Criminal Court in Dublin and the allegations made there about Sinn Fein’s links to gangsterism and crime.

The cost of living crisis is impacting every single person in Northern Ireland, but Sinn Fein also recognised how this could be best tackled when Conor Murphy said in July that “the levers which can make the biggest difference sit with the UK Government” when he penned a joint letter along with the Scottish and Welsh Finance Ministers.

The United Kingdom Government has delivered additional support. Each of those has been delivered on a UK-wide basis, including the Energy Price Guarantee which was administered despite energy being devolved in Northern Ireland and the fact we have a different energy market to Great Britain. The Energy Support Payment is another UK Government scheme which they have promised to all citizens in the UK. They now need to get on with delivering it to all parts of the UK.

The Government knows what needs to be done to restore devolution in Northern Ireland. Threatening an election doesn’t change anything, cutting salaries doesn’t change anything but what will unlock devolution is getting the Protocol sorted, restoring Northern Ireland’s place in the UK Internal Market and removing the democratic deficit.

When that happens, we will not be found wanting. We will elect and Speaker and we will nominate Ministers.“

The press release issued by the DUP on 6 December 2022.

East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson has encouraged co-operation amongst Public Health Agencies across the UK and called for resources to be made available if necessary in tackling incidences of Strep A.

He raised the issue in the House of Commons today. Speaking afterwards the DUP MP said,

“The commitment that antibiotics are available is welcome, but we know dangers that Strep A can pose. Tragically it has taken the life of a young girl who was a P2 pupil at Blackmountain Primary School. Everyone’s sympathies will be with the family dealing with this heart-breaking tragedy.

It is important in tackling any incidences of Strep A that resources available where they are needed and for our Public Health Agencies to work together across the UK.”

The press release issued by the DUP on 6 December 2022.

DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said the centenary of the Common Travel Area should be used as an opportunity to emulate the positive and practical principles of the CTA and emulate them in finding a solution to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Sir Jeffrey said, “On 6th December 1922 the Common Travel Area came into being. It is so ingrained as part of life across these islands that we can sometimes overlook its significance. The House of Commons library estimated that the number of people living in the UK who were born in the Republic of Ireland is equivalent to around 1% of the Republic’s population. There are just over a quarter of a million people born in the UK and resident in the Republic.

The Common Travel Area was a sensible and practical arrangement established between the United Kingdom and the then newly formed Irish Free State. It has worked to the benefit of both countries over the past 100 years and enjoys the support of people in both jurisdictions. This stands in stark contrast to the Northern Ireland Protocol which has not only failed in its objectives but also does not enjoy support across the community in Northern Ireland.

The Common Travel Area long pre-dated the entry of either the UK or Ireland to the European Union. Whilst the Common Travel Area has been based on a concept designed to facilitate everyone, the Protocol has been based on punitive measures imposed against the UK under the cover of rhetoric about the Belfast Agreement. On this centenary we should return to the positive and practical principles demonstrated by the Common Travel Area and seek to emulate them in finding a solution to the Protocol.”

The press release issued by the DUP on 5 December 2022.

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has said that online anonymity remains the core issue to be tackled at the heart of social media abuse. She was speaking ahead of the Online Safety Bill being debated once again in the House of Commons.

The DUP MP said, “This Bill has been through a huge amount of scrutiny and has undergone significant amendment since it was first brought forward. The core issue of online anonymity however remains outstanding.

The Government’s decision to remove the proposed offence of harmful communications. This is not to say such behaviour doesn’t exist or that we should do nothing about it. However, it is difficult to tackle behaviour and content which is deemed harmful but not criminal. One way this area, and others could be addressed and improved however would be by looking at the issue of online anonymity and identity verification of those opening accounts.

If the identity behind an account was known to the platform then taking action against harmful content obviously becomes easier and more direct. People who have been repeatedly targeted by trolling and other abuse deserve to know that it is being taken seriously. Whilst proposals in the Online Safety Bill make some progress, the core of the problem remains untouched.”

The press release issued by the DUP on 5 December 2022.

DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said the Labour Party plans to strengthen the Union must include dealing with the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Sir Jeffrey said, “Any serious discussion on the future of the Union, cannot ignore the Northern Ireland Protocol and its impact on both the constitutional status of Northern Ireland and the operation of devolution. Whilst a legal requirement for Westminster to work with the devolved administrations is welcome, it is meaningless in Northern Ireland unless the basis for devolution to function at all is restored.

The Labour Party could make a significant and positive contribution to this debate by making clear that the Northern Ireland Protocol must be replaced with arrangements that can secure unionist and nationalist support. Such progress can not only repair the damage inflicted on Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom, but restore the devolved institutions.”