Monthly Archives: November 2019

East Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs has expressed concern over plans to close the only remaining Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) provision in Monkstown. This Educational Guidance Centre is the only remaining EOTAS service provided within Carrickfergus, Larne and Newtownabbey. Mr. Beggs is actively involved in trying to address educational under-achievement and has visited the service. He said: “Closing the local EOTAS provision is a retrograde step. Pupils can fall out of post-primary school for complex reasons and EOTAS can play an important role in assisting them with continuing their education. “I am concerned with the plans to close the Monkstown EOTAS service and instead relay on a service provided in Ballymena. “EOTAS plays an important role in assisting alternative education and sometimes the return of pupils to main stream schooling. “Young people from Carrick, Newtownabbey and parts of Larne will have to travel the considerable additional distance … Continue reading →

New Ulster Unionist Party leader Steve Aiken addresses members at the party conference at the weekend UUP leader Steve Aiken will challenge DUP incumbent Sammy Wilson for the East Antrim seat at the upcoming General Election. Election Brexit briefing Newsletter Former submarine commander Mr Aiken has a huge job on his hands if he wants to unseat Mr Wilson on December 12. The DUP veteran has held the seat since defeating the UUP’s Roy Beggs Sr in 2001 and enjoys a majority of nearly 16,000. Read More Suzanne Breen: Aiken taking a huge risk by going up against DUP major player In the 2017 General Election UUP candidate John Stewart polled 4,424 votes to Mr Wilson’s 21,873. It will be 57-year-old Mr Aiken’s first General Election as a candidate after he was elected as an MLA for South Antrim in 2016. Also running in East Antrim are the Alliance Party’s … Continue reading →

New Ulster Unionist Party leader Steve Aiken addresses members at the party conference at the weekend UUP leader Steve Aiken will challenge DUP incumbent Sammy Wilson for the East Antrim seat at the upcoming General Election. Election Brexit briefing Newsletter Former submarine commander Mr Aiken has a huge job on his hands if he wants to unseat Mr Wilson on December 12. The DUP veteran has held the seat since defeating the UUP’s Roy Beggs Sr in 2001 and enjoys a majority of nearly 16,000. In the 2017 General Election UUP candidate John Stewart polled 4,424 votes to Mr Wilson’s 21,873. It will be 57-year-old Mr Aiken’s first General Election as a candidate after he was elected as an MLA for South Antrim in 2016. Also running in East Antrim are the Alliance Party’s Danny Donnelly, SDLP candidate Margaret McKillop and Sinn Fein’s Oliver McMullan. Ahead of becoming party leader … Continue reading →

Scores of civil servants are questioning whether they are owed backdated holiday pay June 19 2019 10:17 AM Civil servants in Northern Ireland could be owed hundreds of millions in backdated holiday pay, it has emerged. Stormont’s Department of Finance has said it is in “early discussions” with trade unions on the issue, BBC Radio Ulster’s Nolan Show revealed. Belfast City Council has already reached an agreement with workers being offered payments dating back “several years”. It said staff were still considering the matter. The news comes following a landmark court ruling early this week that has left the PSNI facing a £40m bill over officers’ holiday pay. On Monday, the Court of Appeal dismissed Chief Constable George Hamilton’s bid to overturn a finding that his staff and civilian workers should be paid sums dating back two decades. He was challenging an industrial tribunal decision that their holiday pay had … Continue reading →