CARNA FOREST TOXIC WASTE DUMPERS MOTIVATED BY GREED

Newry and Armagh MLA Cathal Boylan has said that those who dumped potentially poisonous toxic waste in the Carna Forest area cared little about the community.

“Those who roam our countryside illegally dumping their dangerous toxic waste are motivated only by greed. They care nothing about the communities on where they abandon their poison” said the Sinn Féin MLA who added “This was a selfish act”.

Crossmore area Councillor Darren Mc Nally said that the cost and the amount of extra working hours needed to clear up the mess and environmental hazards being created by incidents of unlawful dumping was on the rise all the time.

“It’s costing councils and private land owners millions of pounds annually to clear up actions of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of household and industrial waste that are being dumped illegally at sites throughout the north” said the Sinn Féin Councillor

DSD MUST WORK TO CREATE NEW HOMES

 There are now 21,364 people on the waiting list for social housing classified as in 'housing stress'. This includes nearly 1000 people in the Armagh City and District area.

Sinn Féin Newry and Armagh MLA Cathal Boylan has expressed concern at the Department for Social Development dependence on buying private 'off-the-shelf' housing at full market value as opposed to building new homes that would be significantly cheaper.

The MLA said "The increased purchase of private off-the-shelf and existing housing is a worrying development given the increased cost involved. The 2007/08 Housing Programme included the purchase of 270 private off-the-shelf units with an average cost per grant funded dwelling of £176,000” and he argued "The cost of building a new home would be considerably less. For example the purchase of 3 private house would cost over £500,000 and provide assistance in bring 3 families off the waiting lists yet for the same money the minister could potentially build 6-8 new homes and bring double that number off the housing waiting lists”.

Cathal said that he felt that this approach was not best value for money and was certainly not helping to make the sort of significant inroads in the levels of housing need required and promised by the Minister.

"Record numbers of people are waiting to be housed and many of them are watching to see if the minister delivers on her promise to end the housing nightmare faced by those who are homeless or have been on waiting lists for years. There are now 21,364 people on the waiting list for social housing classified as in 'housing stress'. This includes nearly 1000 people in the Armagh City and District area.

The MLA concluded by stating "It should also be remembered that the minister has at her disposal £1.2 billion worth of land which should also still be on the agenda for discussion with the construction industry to barter land for the building of social and affordable housing."

TOW PATH VANDALISIM CONDEMNED- “MECHANICAL DUMPER” STOLEN FORM NEARBY SITE USED TO WRECK AND DESTROY

Newry and Mourne Sinn Féin Councillor Charlie Casey has condemned the most recent vandalism along the tow path, which involved the theft of a mechanical dumper from a nearby building site at St Colmans.

“This was a premeditated and dastardly act. The building site was broken into and the mechanical building vehicle stolen from the site. It was used to wreck and destroy property and land along the towpath and then it was hidden either to be whisked away for sale or to cause more damage” explained the Newry City Councillor who visited the area immediately after the vehicle was discovered by an eagle eyed member of the public.

“We took immediate action to have the vehicle returned to its rightful owners and to secure the property” said Charlie.  “I have an open mind as to whether this was wanton vandalism by those who stole the vehicle or if it was more sinister. Either way those engaged in this type of activity are scourging and distressing the local community,” said the Councillor.

Warm Homes Scheme - Audit report highlights lack of progress in tackling fuel poverty –Mickey Brady

Sinn Féin MLA Mickey Brady, has welcomed the Audit Office report on the Warm Homes: Tackling Fuel Poverty. Mickey whom is his Party’s spokesperson on older people said, "Since 2001 £98 million has been spent improving heating and insulation in 60,000 homes, yet despite this 34% (225,000) of homes here remain in fuel poverty. The recent fuel price increases mean that more people will fall into the fuel poverty trap, particularly the old and most vulnerable".

He explained that the report examined the contribution made by Department Social Development's Warm Home Scheme in meeting its objective of eliminating fuel poverty by 2010.

“Since 2001 DSD has spent £98 million to improve heating and insulation in 60,000 homes. It was estimated in 2006, that 34% (225,000) of homes in the North remain in fuel poverty. In May 2008 DSD set up a Fuel Poverty Task Force to consider how fuel poverty can be addressed in the short term, but in my view this is not good enough. The department has spent £98 million in the last 7 years but has failed to make any meaningful impact on fuel poverty” said the MLA who continued "There are too many people falling into the fuel poverty trap for the department not to have the solutions or the mechanism to address this”.

Mickey said the Report highlighted that in 2006-2007 30% of awards were issued to energy efficiency households that were at little risk of fuel poverty.

“There was also limited availability of the most effective measures like the installation of central systems except for those over 60” he stated and he added "The report has raised a number of other issues which the Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will undoubtedly wish to pursue, particularly the large numbers of people in fuel poverty who are excluded from the scheme. People on low incomes but living in fuel poverty - the working fuel poor - and those who do not claim benefits such as pension credit were estimated to be 27% of the total fuel poor in 2004. These people are excluded from the Warm Homes Scheme”.

The Sinn Féin MLA concluded by stating, "The Department of Social Development must act now to address these issues. We need to do more to tackle fuel poverty and we must make sure that the significant money going into the Warm Homes Scheme is well spent and makes a difference. This requires a long-term strategic approach."