
On 22 February 2022 Minister Swann launched a public consultation on the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing for Alcohol into Northern Ireland and it has now been extended. Minimum Unit Pricing is a harm reduction proposal that would seek to target very cheap off-sales alcohol – such as own-brand alcohol – and help […]
May 24 2022 | Posted in
Community,
Politics |
Read More »

Health Minister Robin Swann has announced a £2.1million education and training investment to boost the health service workforce. The package includes 1,335 nursing and midwifery university places for 2022/23, as well as additional medical specialty and Allied Health Profession (AHP) training posts. “I am very pleased to make this announcement and […]
May 23 2022 | Posted in
Community,
Politics |
Read More »

The Department of Justice has announced the appointment of eight new members to the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB). They are Andrew Bell, Chris Henderson, Mike Mawhinney, Norman McKinley, Lekan Ojo-okiji Abasi, Bryan Snoddy, Arlene Sproule and Marie Thompson. The new members, all volunteers, took up the role on 1 April 2022 […]
May 3 2022 | Posted in
Politics |
Read More »

Sinn Féin’s Conor Murphy has said people should be able to see a GP when they need one. Conor Murphy explains, “People across Newry and Armagh have reported their frustration at the lack of access to their local GP. “Sinn Féin’s plan to invest an additional £1 billion in our health […]
Apr 29 2022 | Posted in
Community,
Politics |
Read More »

The SDLP has pledged that a vote for the SDLP would expand the basic entitlement to free pre-school childcare for working parents from 12.5 hours to 30 hours per week. SDLP Newry and Armagh candidate Justin McNulty said that the proposal would reduce in-work poverty, enable parents to re-enter the workforce and address […]
Apr 28 2022 | Posted in
Politics |
Read More »

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has established a dedicated task force with industry representatives in response to the severe market disruptions the conflict in Ukraine is having on the costs of food production here. The Department has recognised that the increased costs of feed, fuel and fertiliser cannot be […]
Apr 15 2022 | Posted in
Politics |
Read More »

Sinn Féin’s Liz Kimmins has welcomed further progress on planned resurfacing works for the Windmill Road in Newry. “Following our consistent lobbying over the last number of years, Councillor Valerie Harte and I have obtained a further update on the planned resurfacing for Windmill Road in Newry from the Dept for Infrastructure,” Liz […]
Apr 13 2022 | Posted in
Community,
Politics |
Read More »

SDLP Newry and Armagh Assembly Election Candidate Justin McNulty has called for voters across Newry and Armagh and South Down to rally around Newry City’s hospital and ensure that Daisy Hill isn’t “sold down the river in the name of reform”. He was speaking after the BBC’s Mark Carruthers tackled SDLP leader Colum […]
Apr 13 2022 | Posted in
Community,
Politics |
Read More »

The Department for the Economy has launched a public appointment competition to appoint a Certification Officer for Northern Ireland. The Certification Officer for Northern Ireland ensures that the affairs of trade unions and employers’ associations are conducted in keeping with legislation. The Certification Officer for Northern Ireland’s role is quasi-judicial and […]
Apr 8 2022 | Posted in
Politics |
Read More »

Justice Minister Naomi Long has launched a competition to recruit a number of new Parole Commissioners for Northern Ireland. Speaking about the roles, Naomi Long says, “The Parole Commissioners for Northern Ireland is an independent body, critical to the process of deciding whether offenders eligible for parole are safe to release back into […]