08 Jun, 2023 Fundamentally this is about leadership Sir Jeffrey Donaldson speaking this morning outside Stormont Castle about the 'South Armagh Volunteers Commemoration' and calling on Sinn Fein to review their approach to dealing with legacy issues in Northern Ireland.
08 Jun, 2023 Lockhart hails Almac success Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has said that local firm Almac are a shining success story for Northern Ireland as they announced pre-tax profits of £97 million.
08 Jun, 2023 Campbell – “Northern Trust needs a long-term plan” DUP East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell has said supporting the reform of our health service must be part of a strategy and step by step plan that the public can follow rather than be rushed by circumstances.
07 Jun, 2023 Romanticising the past offers justification to terrorists today: Lockhart Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has said that those who eulogise or romanticise terrorism in the past cannot step away from the implication that it offers at least tacit justification for those who copy such tactics today. She was speaking after the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee heard evidence today from Lord Alderdice, Dame Arlene Foster and Mark Durkan on the effectiveness of the institutions of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement including dealing with legacy issues. Carla Lockhart said, “Prisoner releases were not only an extremely painful consequence of the Belfast Agreement, but they continue to have an ongoing impact today. Indeed legacy issues were ignored entirely, leaving a toxic issue which 25 years later still lingers. Further to that however we also hear people regularly repeat that the commemoration or eulogising of terrorism was somehow a core part of the Belfast Agreement. This is a blatant re-writing of fact which is rarely challenged but is offered as justification and for events which are seen by many people as having little purpose beyond attempting to glorify and sanitise terrorists and their actions. Dame Arlene Foster was entirely correct to state that these events are not about the past or “remembering our dead” but about sending a message to today’s generation, and particularly to young people that those actions were justified and acceptable. When sending out that message you also cannot ignore that it will be interpreted as at least tacit justification of their actions by those who seek to copy and emulate those tactics today. There is no moral distinction between the PIRA ‘volunteers’ of South Armagh in the 70’s and 80’s and those who see themselves as ‘volunteers’ of the new-IRA today. The same point stands for those who seek to romanticise or eulogise loyalist terrorism. That is why there needs to be a real and frank discussion about these events and direct questions both asked and answered of those who sponsor and support them. When we look at why we have such problems in dealing with the past in Northern Ireland these type of events must be front and centre in that discussion.”
07 Jun, 2023 Sir Jeffrey – “there must be respect for unionists” DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP has spoken with the Republic of Ireland’s Tánaiste Micheál Martin by telephone. Sir Jeffrey was in London and unable to meet in Belfast.
06 Jun, 2023 Five questions for Michelle O’Neill DUP Newry & Armagh MLA William Irwin has called on Sinn Fein to explain how an event eulogising IRA members in South Armagh will “mend the hurt of the past”. It follows comments from Michelle O’Neill defending the attendance of John Finucane MP at the event.
06 Jun, 2023 NIO priorities misplaced DUP representatives Diane Dodds MLA and Carla Lockhart MP have said that whilst the Secretary of State remained silent about a threat to vital youth services from his inadequate budget, he has been able to once again take action in relation to regulations on teaching about abortion services. They said this demonstrates where the Government’s priorities lie.
05 Jun, 2023 Sinn Fein’s dilemma on legacy highlighted East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell has said that two forthcoming events demonstrate the Sinn Fein dilemma on legacy.
02 Jun, 2023 Clarke speaks up for police rank-and-file The DUP’s lead Policing Board representative Trevor Clarke MLA has urged the Chief Constable to address the perception that cuts to the PSNI workforce are disproportionately impacting rank-and-file officers.
01 Jun, 2023 Secretary of State should stand up for policing DUP East Belfast MLA Joanne Bunting has challenged the Secretary of State to stand up for policing amid warnings that the number of neighbourhood officers across Northern Ireland could be slashed by 60% because of pressures facing the PSNI budget.