Monthly Archives: October 2014

Beggs Encourages Engagement in Rare Diseases Consultation

Ulster Unionist Assemblyman Roy Beggs MLA has encouraged residents of East Antrim to get involved with a NI Rare Diseases public consultation that is being carried out by the Department for Health, Public Safety and Social Services. Roy Beggs MLA, who attended the consultation launch at Stormont, said “I would urge as many individuals to respond to the consultation.  The strategy aims to ensure that people living with a rare disease have access to the best care and treatment that health and social services and relevant partners can provide.” The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) published a Statement of Intent in June 2014 which set out the Department’s approach to delivering the 51 commitments in Northern Ireland. DHSSPS in association with members of the NI Rare Diseases Stakeholder Group (NIRDSG) have now developed the draft Northern Ireland Rare Diseases Implementation Plan. It sets out in detail … Continue reading

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Dickson backs PAL’s petition against legal highs

Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson is backing Larne group PAL’s petition for legal highs to be banned as soon as they come on the market, and is calling for more substance abuse support groups to be set up across East Antrim to deal with the growing scourge of legal highs. He told The Times: “I support PAL’s petition. It’s important work that they are doing. PAL Larne is very important both in terms of its campaigning work against drug dealing and the help they give to young people caught up in the whole drugs culture.” Mr Dickson said that he was keen to see a change in the law. He stated: “The situation with legal highs is complex. We need further clarity around the legislation. The police need to know what it is they can and cannot do when it comes to the sale of legal highs. The law isn’t keeping … Continue reading

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Beggs highlights unnecessarily high incidence of amputation related diabetes locally

Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs has learned that constituents with diabetes in the Northern Health & Social Care Trust are over three times more likely to undergo an amputation compared to those in the Western Health and Social Care Trust. The information was revealed to him after he tabled an Assembly Question to the Health Minister. East Antrim MLA Roy Beggs said; “I am shocked to learn that my constituents with diabetes in Carrickfergus, Larne and Newtownabbey are three times more likely to have a limb amputated than in the Western HSC Trust area. “The highest incidence of amputation related diabetes of any local trusts is in the Northern HSC Trust with 22 per hundred thousand, with only 7 per hundred in the Western HSC Trust. The figures for the rest of Northern Ireland are 10 in the Southern, 11 in the South Eastern and 18 in the Belfast Trust … Continue reading

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Beggs accuses Wilson of disrupting committee cross examination of witness

Roy Beggs MLA has expressed concern at Sammy Wilson’s disruption of the cross examination of the DUP special adviser at the DSD committee as being against public interest. Roy Beggs said, “Sammy Wilson’s behaviour at the Assembly’s Social Development Committee can only be described as being disgraceful”. During the public hearing, the DUP’s Social Development Ministers Special Adviser, Stephen Brimstone was coming under pressure about his treatment of Cllr Jenny Palmer.  The BBC’s Spotlight programme had transmitted accusations that attempts had been made to get her to reverse her decision on the Board of the NIHE. The East Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA said, “Sammy Wilson can be heard and seen disrupting the committee questioning in an apparent attempt to protect the witness, his DUP party colleague.   Sammy Wilson then used un-Parliamentary language and when he refused to apologise to Jim Allister MLA, the meeting was suspended.   The question must be … Continue reading

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Beggs Praises Institute of Mechanical Engineers for Assistance with Bloodhound

Roy Beggs MLA praised the Institute of Mechanical Engineers for assisting to bring the Bloodhound vehicle to Belfast.  The engine, jet and rocket powered vehicle is to attempt the land speed record next year. Roy Beggs MLA also met with Professor Isobel Pollock, past President of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, who grew up in Balymoney and hopes that the project will encourage more children and students into  engineering and boost manufacturing skills in the UK http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/project/car

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