Ritchie demands meeting with British Transport Minister over DVA jobs decision | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

Ritchie demands meeting with British Transport Minister over DVA jobs decision

South Down MP Margaret Ritchie has demanded a meeting with Transport Minister, Stephen Hammond MP in London over the delay in making a decision on Driver Vehicle Agency jobs in Coleraine and throughout Northern Ireland

Margaret Ritchie said today, “Staff employed in the Driver Vehicle Agency throughout Northern Ireland have faced continuing uncertainty and anxiety over their job security whenever the British Government made proposals some time ago for consultation that all such positions should be centralised in Swansea.

“Mark Durkan MP and myself met with Minister Goodwill in the Department of Transport on the 19th December and at that time we were told that a decision would be made shortly.

“In fact, Minister Goodwill told me in January 2014 – some two months ago that a decision was imminent. So far, no pronouncements have been made and the plight of such staff has deepened.

“I have demanded a meeting with Minister Hammond to convey the need for such jobs to be retained in Northern Ireland – public sector jobs make an important contribution to the local economy.

Ritchie added, “I have also urged Minister Hammond to end the uncertainty for such staff and to make a positive announcement which would ensure that such DVA jobs were embedded in the local economy in Northern Ireland. Such a decision would provide much needed relief for local public sector workers in Northern Ireland.”

Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=40117

Posted by on Mar 11 2014. Filed under Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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