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Monthly Archives: October 2013
Beggs welcomes new Children’s Hospital
Ulster Unionist Health spokesperson Roy Beggs has welcomed the news that funding has been allocated to build a new Children’s Hospital at the site of the Royal Victoria Hospital, but stated his regret that the money could not have been found earlier by the Finance Minister when Michael McGimpsey was Health Minister. Mr Beggs said; “A new Children’s Hospital is badly needed and the entire community will obviously welcome news that the money has been found. In the last Assembly the Ulster Unionist Health Minister Michael McGimpsey continually lobbied for funding for a new Children’s Hospital. I can recall that in February 2011 McGimpsey asked for more money only for the First Minister to react by describing such requests as “obscene”. Fortunately that attitude has moderated now that a DUP Minister is in charge of Health and in an answer received by my Party Leader Mike Nesbitt less than two … Continue reading
Posted in Children and young people, Health Committee, In The News, Press Releases
Tagged Childrens' Hospital, NHS, RVH
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MLA challenge over respite cuts
East Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs has challenged the Health Minister Edwin Poots about cutbacks to respite care. He claimed that short-term cuts could endanger the health and well-being and even the stability of some families who are caring 24/7. Minister Poots responded: “It is clearly the case that we are providing more domiciliary care and more support to people than before.” Speaking later, Mr Beggs said: “The Minister seems to be living in denial about the reality of cuts to frontline health services. “I have contacted the Northern Health and Social Care Trust regarding a local family where respite support has been severely cut. Parents who care for their adult son, who is profoundly disabled, have been recently told that the respite support is to be cut in half to 11 days. “Access to respite care must be a key and properly funded element in supporting families who … Continue reading
Full Speech on Larne Response Policing
Mr Beggs: I thank the Business Committee for affording me the opportunity to discuss a topical and vital issue that affects the people of the borough of Larne and further afield: response policing in Larne. The news that emergency response police officers were to be relocated from Larne to Ballymena emerged during the summer. I say “emerged” because I first became aware of the information through social media. Reports subsequently appeared in the local press as further discussion of the rumours occurred. As early as August, I sought out and met the PSNI area commander for Larne and Ballymena, Chief Inspector John Magill. He confirmed that, under an internal rationalisation programme called Service First, the Larne police response unit would be relocated to Ballymena in the autumn. It was to happen as fast as that. I expressed concern at the proposal, as well as the planned time frame, which would … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Assembly
Tagged justice, Larne PCSP, Policing, PSNI, Public Safety, Roy Beggs MLA, Ulster Unionist Party
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Plan to Transfer Police Response Officers “An Accountant’s dream but a Police Officer’s Nightmare”: Beggs
Ulster Unionist MLA for East Antrim Roy Beggs Jnr has brought the issue of the Transfer of Police Response Officers out of Larne PSNI station to Ballymena to the floor of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Explaining why he was introducing the debate to Assembly, the East Antrim MLA criticised the non-attendance of the Minister for Justice David Ford. It is normal for Ministers to be present to respond to issues raised in Assembly debates, but Minister Ford declined to attend citing that the Response officer transfer proposal was an operational matter for the PSNI alone. Mr Beggs told the Assembly: “The mantra of “That would be an operational matter” seems to trump everything. It is precisely that lack of engagement by and the inflexibility of the hierarchy in the PSNI and Department of Justice that has prompted me to raise this issue in the Assembly to ensure that there is … Continue reading
Posted in Press Releases
Tagged David Ford MLA, Larne PCSP, PSNI, Response Police, Roy Beggs MLA
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MLA Outcry Over Poots Gay Blood Ban
Temp: 12°C Parliamentary reports show first speaker only – follow this lnk for the full transcription. Articles may come from parliamentary reports, various public news feeds and Google News Search. Content is republished here for context. Copyright is respected and remains with the original author at all times. Original Article:http://www.4ni.co.uk/northern_ireland_news.asp?id=170534
