Monthly Archives: December 2015

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Stormont Assembly members have voted to allow the Government to finally roll out its welfare reforms in Northern Ireland. The Legislative Consent Motion tabled by Social Development Minister Mervyn Storey was passed by 70 votes to 22 with the backing of the powersharing administration’s two largest parties, the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein, after a long debate in Parliament Buildings, Belfast. Simon Hamilton, Peter Robinson and Mervyn Storey from the Democratic Unionist Party Ulster Unionist and SDLP members were among those MLAs who voiced strong opposition to the move. The motion’s passage will enable long-delayed legislative changes to Northern Ireland’s benefits system to be enacted at Westminster. The step is part of Tuesday’s ‘Fresh Start’ political deal struck by the DUP, Sinn Fein and the British and Irish governments. The agreement resolved the vexed wrangle over the Assembly’s non-implementation of the Government’s welfare reforms, and a number of other disputes … Continue reading →

A proportion of the scrap that turns up in yards is stolen Hundreds of jobs will be put at risk if MLAs move to ban instant cash sales at scrap metal dealers, the Assembly has been warned. The British Metals Recycling Association, which has 12 recycling sites in Northern Ireland and employs 1,000 people, said efforts to tackle the sale of stolen scrap metal were counter-productive. Director general Ian Heatherington warned some of the 40 businesses here would go under if the idea was approved, and said people would simply take their scrap over the border. He told MLAs scrap firms in the border areas would “disappear” and added: “That would happen because people seek cash for their scrap. These people will seek out sources of cash to sell their scrap to. These people will seek to receive cash, and they will be able to do so south of the … Continue reading →

Royal Mail’s ‘post early for Christmas’ message has been endorsed in Carrickfergus by elected representatives. East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson and DUP Assembly colleagues David Hilditch, Gordon Lyons and Alastair Ross made their annual visit to the Keeburn Industrial Estate-based sorting office to show their support for staff at this particularly busy period. East Antrim MLA Roy Beggs with two members of the Carrickfergus Royal Mail team. INCT 51-721-CON Mr Ross said: “Every year it seems that the volume of parcels is increasing and this clearly puts a strain on the workforce at an already busy time of year. “I’m not sure that people fully appreciate the scale of the operation at Christmas and the huge number of parcels that are out for delivery each and every day. “This Christmas tradition of visiting our Royal Mail staff to thank them for their work, not just during December, but all year … Continue reading →