Other News In Brief

Cost Of Living Support Not Enough To Help Households – SDLP

Working families across Northern Ireland will find it hard to believe that Executive Departments have recorded significant underspends while a cost of living crisis continues to hurt hard pressed households, SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MP has said.

The Foyle MP said that the support offered to address spiralling energy costs and household bills to date simply is not enough and risks seeing working families pushed further into poverty.

2021-22 Provisional Outturn figures published by the Department of Finance today reveal a £83.9m resource DEL underspend across Executive Departments and a £35.9m Capital DEL underspend which will see more than £10m handed back to the treasury.

Colum Eastwood MP said: "There are thousands of families across Northern Ireland who, for the first time, find themselves struggling to make ends meet despite working every hour they can. People who are being hit hardest by spiralling energy costs and other household bills will find it incredible that Executive Ministers are set to hand back millions to the Treasury in the face of the most severe household finance crisis in memory.

"The hard truth is that while Ministers have provided limited support, there are thousands of people across our communities who have received nothing and, under current plans, will receive nothing. That isn't good enough.

"The SDLP has an action plan to address the cost of living crisis that would get support directly to every household that needs it. We have a plan to expand free school meal entitlement to make sure that no child goes hungry. We are ready to get to work to address this crisis.

"75 days on from an election where every Executive party promised support for families in the face of this crisis and they've failed to deliver anything. It is time for Ministers to get on with their jobs. It is time for the DUP to get back to work. It is time for politics to deliver for the people we represent."

Lyons Urged To Support Hospitality Businesses Survive Energy Price Hike Crisis

Minister for the Economy, Gordon Lyons, has been urged to publish what support he will provide hospitality businesses to help them survive this energy price hike crisis.

Making the call, Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong said that many businesses had received "shocking" electric bills this month, with businesses and households seeing price hikes exceeding a 42%, in some cases.

The Strangford MLA said: "Hospitality businesses that survived Covid closures are now facing an energy price hike crisis. To receive an electricity bill double what it was the previous month is devastating. The only way hospitality could survive this crisis is to increase cost to the consumer and take the risk of losing customers who are also faced with the very same cost of living crisis.

"Many of the local businesses in Strangford depend on Summer tourism income to see them through the Winter months. These price hikes now mean profit is being diverted to cover energy costs, leaving local employers with no means to survive beyond the tourism season.

"I am calling on the DUP's Minister for the Economy, Gordon Lyons MLA, to publish an emergency support scheme for businesses. If he is to deliver the objectives of the Department of the Economy then he must provide support to local tourism and hospitality businesses.

"While Westminster is providing Cost of Living Payment to people in receipt of benefits, the NI Assembly is not able to even discuss solutions as we continue to be held to ransom by the DUP, as they place their own interests above people and local businesses across NI.

"Electricity, heating, transport and other fuel costs have all risen far beyond inflation. The only way to help our local businesses survive this crisis is to have a fully functioning Government in NI and to ensure financial support is available to those who need it."

Call For Entries As Belfast In Bloom Competition Enters Final Two Weeks

Belfast City Council has called on people in the city to enter this year's Belfast in Bloom competition, with just two weeks until the competition closing for entries on Friday 29 July.

Organised by the council, Belfast in Bloom celebrates the great work and efforts of budding gardeners across the city and is free to enter.

Residents can enter for 'Best Hanging Basket', 'Best Window Box' and 'Best Front Garden'. Community groups/organisations can enter for 'Best Community Street', 'Best Community Group' and 'Best Community Garden'.

Businesses can enter the commercial category for 'Best Hotel', 'Best Public House', 'Best Restaurant', 'Best Commercial Street' and 'Best Commercial Premises'.

There is also an Allotment category for 'Best Individual Allotment' and 'Best Allotment Site' in Belfast.

For more information on Belfast in Bloom and the different categories, visit the council website www.belfastcity.gov.uk/belfastinbloom.